I will be appearing at New York is Book Country, an annual celebration of the publishing industry, this Sunday, September 21. Every year, 5th Avenue is shut down between 45th and 54th Street and is transformed into a street fair where every major publisher (and many of the minor ones, plus a number of retailers) show up to publicize their line. Many celebrities appear to promote their work (this year you’ll be able to get books autographed by such folks as Joel Grey and John Lithgow). And this year it’s an absolute haven for comic book fans. Appearing at various booths will be Neil Gaiman, Kyle Baker, Doug Moench, Ted Rall, Jim Lee, and many others.
I’ll be at the Midtown Comics booth at 49th and 5th from 2 to 3 PM. Stop by, buy stuff, get things signed.
PAD
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One of these years, I gotta make it to the east coast. Them there’s some good stuff happenin.
Travis
Interested East Coasters should check out the website, which I believe is nyisbookcountry.com
Neil is also doing a talk on Saturday the 20th at 11 a.m. As of this morning, I think tickets were still available. If memory serves, there’s also a very interesting panel on Star Trek book writing on Friday night as well.
Let’s hope the hurricane gives us a miss this weekend, so there’s a good turnout.
I almost forgot: can somebody who’s been to a previous NYIBC tell us if the publishers give out freebies at their respective booths, a la the annual Book Fair, or do we need to lay in some bucks to buy lots of stuff over the weekend?
Jim Lee is also supposed to be at the Baltimore Comicon. Guess he’s only at the con Saturday. Unless there is some mistake by one of the shows…
Yep, buried in the Balitmore Con site, Jim Lee is only Saturday (courtesy of CBLDF).
Yes, there are many giveaways and some nifty raffles (though you usually have to be present at the booth to win). Be prepared to carry lots of stuff. And don’t stay away if the weather isn’t perfect, some of the best years have been when it’s been drizzly and less crowded.
How about a UK tour ??
There’s plenty of fans on this side of the pond and regular trek conventions. Went to one in Leicester last week, it had a fantastic turnout.
If you do, bring some of the latest stuff over, we get them about 6-8 weeks after they come out in the states. Sometimes longer .
So
Very
Tempting…
But it’s the Sunday before the High Holidays, and there is just too much to do at home.
Man, I gotta get a clone or something.
Sigh…
Everything I want to do runs simultaneously as the ren festival in Fort Tryon Park is also there. I wonder if I can time things right…
I’m glad they’re allowing Comic retailers there now. A number of years ago when I was selling comics on the weekends I called to find out about setting up, and was told no, they didn’t want comic books at the event. They allowed Marvel & DC because they put out trade paperbacks.
Sounds great PAD, but I have a question…can we bring books that we have already purchased and get you to sign them (i.e. my copy of Imzadi) or do we have to buy the books at Midtown Comics already signed?
Regards:
WSJ3
I definitely will be stopping by Midtown Comics on Sunday! Thanks for the notice!
One more thing…
Will you pose for a picture with fans at this event.
Regards:
WSJ3
Very cool! I’ll be there with my ex (who’s kind of a Peter lookalike) and will try to stop by!
Sounds great PAD, but I have a question…can we bring books that we have already purchased and get you to sign them (i.e. my copy of Imzadi) or do we have to buy the books at Midtown Comics already signed?
There’s no hard and fast rule, but I certainly think it good form if you buy *something* at Midtown since they’ll have a selection of my material there.
Y’know, buy one of the things Midtown has and, by the way, Peter, could you sign this copy of “Imzadi,” and that’s fine. Show up with my run on “Hulk” and not buy anything and we may have a problem.
PAD
When I met Busiek at Midtown, they were pretty cool about bringing stuff to get signed, as long as you bought stuff there to get signed. Which was fine with me, because I was finally able to catch up on my Avengers trades, and still got my girlfriend’s favorite issue of Marvels signed (issue 3).
I was planning not to bring anything on Sunday, and see what I can pick up at Midtown to get signed (should be hard as I basically own everything Peter David’s written…although maybe I can finally start my Soulsearchers run) Always good to help a good comic shop out.
One of my friend’s examples of super-nice, approachable writers is a story of getting either a book or comic signed at one table at this event a few years back by a very friendly and open fellow and realizing a bit later that the super-nice guy was–gasp!–Peter David.
Sigh…
Everything I want to do runs simultaneously as the ren festival in Fort Tryon Park is also there. I wonder if I can time things right…
You can easily make to both events, it seems that the two events are scheduled on the same weekend every year, and my wife and I have managed to get both events without any problems.
If lugging around 200 pounds of books isn’t a problem for you I say go for it.
SPB
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