Two great things happened when I went to BEA.
1. I got to meet all kinds of wonderful litbloggers and writers. More about that in a minute.
2. I finally read Cloud Atlas.
For starters, without Mark’s encouragement, I never would have adventured to BEA. Without Ed’s uncanny sense of direction, I might never have found the convention center. And without Ron and Max keeping me company on the massive convention floor, I might have wilted away. It was cool to stop by the Melville House booth to meet Dennis and the Nightshade booth where Matt took charge when Jeremy charged off. I went to parties and wish I’d seen more of Wendi and Lauren and Megan and Kassia and Lizzie and Sarah and Budd, who returned to Brooklyn in the very midst of things. Gwenda and Gavin and I look like we’re talking but it was all just a pose for the camera at the sauerkraut-smelling bar/restaurant Madam’s Organ. There were more parties. I caved and picked up tons of books (close to literally), including an advance of the wowee Only Revolutions by Mark Danielewski; when I tried to check my bag to come home they told me it was too heavy. No shit, I’d been dragging it around. Oh well, a little redistribution and no books were lost in the return to LA.
And damn, Cloud Atlas is good.
I think I was dangerously close to wilting as well. Glad to hear the rest of the weekend was fun.