Blogger Confession: 3 Days in NYC for the Audies 2017 + BookCon
I am back from New York, my feet hurt, my voice is wrecked, my heart is full, and I have a confession or two to make about my three days at the Audies and BookCon. Let me walk you through it.
What I Did
I flew in on Wednesday, attended the Audies on Thursday night, did BookCon Friday and Saturday, and dragged myself onto a flight home Sunday morning with a tote bag full of books I am still sorting through.
The Audies were everything I had hoped. Seeing the people who make audiobooks happen, all in one room, dressed up and celebrating each other, was genuinely emotional. I got to put faces to so many narrator voices I have spent hours and hours with. I cried a little when a particular performance won its category. I am not sorry.
BookCon was its own beast: huge, loud, packed with readers, lined with publisher booths, and exhausting in the best way. I met other bloggers I have known online for years and never seen in person. I hugged a lot of strangers. I waited in some long lines. I ran into industry people and had real conversations between events.
The Confessions
I Overpacked My Schedule
This is my first confession. I had a spreadsheet with three concurrent events some hours and no buffer time. I missed two events I had circled because I was stuck on the wrong side of midtown trying to get to the next one. Next year I am cutting my schedule in half and protecting more time to actually breathe.
I Was Starstruck and Said Weird Things
I met a narrator I deeply, deeply admire and what came out of my mouth was approximately: “I love your… voice. Your voice. Your work voice.” She was incredibly gracious. I am still embarrassed. I had a script and forgot it. Lesson learned: write down the one specific thing you want to say and say it.
I Did Not Drink Enough Water
You think you are drinking enough water at these events. You are not. By Saturday afternoon I had a headache that was clearly dehydration and I had to sit out an event I had been excited about. Water bottle. Refill stations. Set alarms.
I Spent Too Much on Books I Did Not Need
I came home with books I will absolutely love. I also came home with books I picked up because there was a line and a free copy and I got swept up. Marie Kondo will not approve. Next year I am bringing a smaller bag and a stricter heart.
I Did Not Take Enough Photos
This one is a soft regret. I spent so much time being present that I forgot to document. I have maybe twelve usable photos from three days of events. I should have asked for more selfies, snapped more booth shots, filmed more of the show floor. The blog content suffers, and so do my future-me memories.
What I Loved Most
Despite the confessions, this trip was a top-five life experience. The narrator-and-author hugs at the Audies after-party. A long late-night dinner with bloggers I have known for years and finally got to share a table with. The completely overwhelming feeling of being in a giant room full of people who love books as much as I do. The publisher rep at BookCon who actually remembered our email exchange from a year ago and recommended a galley I would never have picked up.
Recovery Plan
I am sleeping for like a week. Then I am writing actual coverage of the Audies winners (so much to celebrate). Then I am drafting a “BookCon next year” packing list while it is fresh.
If you went to either event, drop your highlights and your confessions in the comments. We will commiserate. And if you are thinking about going next year, ask me anything. I have opinions now.