Let the BEA book lovers madness begin: signings, readings and fun

This week is Book Expo America at the Javits Center, my favorite event of the year; I love the energy and excitement of being surrounded all over by books and book people, by people who read. I didn't go yesterday but downtown I did run into author Wendy McClure, Patrick Hughes, who is now with Central Recovery Press, who published the memoir Dopefiend by Best Sex Writing 2012 contributor Tim Elhajj, and someone from UK distributor Turnaround, and am excited to see lots of friends and possibly sneak in to the Natalie Merchant signing today. This year bookstores have been offering $45 Power Reader passes to shoppers and if you like books and can get to New York City, I cannot recommend BEA enough, triple or quadruple that if you're a writer. Seeing the sheer size of what's being published, getting catalogs, meeting authors and publicists and editors, all of it, for me, is energizing in its own unique way. It helps remind me that books are my favorite thing in the world and that I'm honored to be a part of it in a way I wasn't when I started going to BEA in, I believe 2002.

Here's what I'm up to this week:

June 5 - Book Expo America signing 11:30-12:30 in the autographing area, signing 1-2 at the PGW booth, Javits Center

June 6 - lesbian erotica reading, 7 pm, at Bluestockings, 72 Allen Street, NYC, featuring authors and editors from The Harder She Comes: Butch Femme Erotica, Say Please: Lesbian BDSM Erotica and Girl Fever: 69 Stories of Sudden Sex for Lesbians

June 7 - noon, speaking at Blog World YouSayToo Booth Speaker Series “Building Audience & Community Around Your Passion.” Javits Center.

June 8 - 7 pm, Suite Encounters: Hotel Sex Stories reading and free cupcakes! Bluestockings, 72 Allen Street, NYC