Categories: uncategorized
Date: 16 March 2005 09:23:12
London Book fair yesterday for me. Had the choice to go on monday or tuesday but through a mixture of necessity and trying to get things ready tuesday became the best option. In the end it was also the best option... but I'm getting ahead of myself.
Brief review:
Location: excellent, I like Kenny Olympia. Don't mind Excel (where it's moving to next year) but Olympia is a good place to get to.
Freebies: for me, rubbish. All I got was a flashing Google badge, although the guy I went with picked up pens like there was no tomorrow and somehow managed to get himself a nice sketchpad. Grrrr....
Stands: Amazing range and diversity. Like all trade shows a mix of the big publisher stand and the small often overlooked mini stand. Lots to see and do, didn't get to do as much as I'd wanted, despite being there for 6 hours....
Brief review over, time for a bit of blather. Well, it is my blog after all and blather is what I do.
OK met up with an agent friend who is trying to sell on one of my projects. Went to the show with three projects of mine (a short kids book, a 220 page graphic novel and Dr Sylver) and one of wifeys (a fantastic kids book series that surprises me with how good it is. Dark horse that wife of mine). He was selling a few other projects of under his care and all told we had our hands full.
Started off at www.storycode.com which is the start of an online database of books that appeal to various audiences. So type in that you like the Narnia series and after I answered a short questionaire it told me that I would like Dr Sylver as well (77% match anyhow). Clever idea and open to public reviews (ahem) if members of the public want to review Narnia. Or even Dr Sylver.
After that was on the mooch trail. Visited Penquin, Hodder, Bloomsbury, Simon + Schuster and a couple of others for Julie's stuff, visited Tokyopop, Titan and others for graphic novel, couple of librarians stands to talk about Dr Sylver (trying to see if its possible to get a specific library printing done, although that's one of those up in the air dreamy things of mine).
Hadn't gone with the intention of showing off my kids book (two publishers have asked for more details but haven't gotten back to me yet) but thought it would be good to take up stuff just in case. By this time was tired, feet ached and had only had a cup of coffee for my refueling. Then Ed and I stopped off at a stand that contained a collection of American publishers. Always busy we waited then took in a few more stands then waited again. Right on the end of the show we popped back, hoping that we hadn't missed our chance. Had a thirty minute incredibly encouraging chat with one of the guys from a large US publisher and he asked for the samples of all three projects (all of Ju's sample docs having gone by then, + it not being a specifically Christian thing that one). Don't know where that'll go but Joel (the guy I met) did say that he'd read the book on the plane. Brief prayer if you have a mo', would love to get Dr Sylver into more markets if possible. To place the graphic novel and the kids book at the same time would also be fantastic.
Conclusion? loved it. very sneaky of them to only sell three day passes for £30 but the chats that agent and I had were worth the moolah. Excellent fun, roll on the next one, although Frankfurt is slightly out of my price range for the moment.
Currently listening to: U2: Pop.Currently playing: Oddworld, funnily enough.Currently finished: Sands of Time by Michael Hoeye. NOt quite as classic as Time stops for no mouse but very good indeed. Looking forward to reading the third title when I can get it.