Book Cover Design: BEA and How to Use it to Help you Research Interest for Your Book

I attended BEA with two intentions. First from the view of a Book Cover & Interior Designer and the second from the view of a new Author.

I noticed myself falling back into the comfort of the first since this is known to me and the way I make a living. I found many interesting services for authors from printers to doll makers for children’s books. I also came away with good information regarding what publishers are looking for to better inform my book design clients who use my services.

I attended on the last day of the show in the hopes of being a more welcomed conversation to the booth vendors, which turned out to be a good decision and I got some free books at the end!

And the second view as author being new and unknown brought several surprises. I eventually braved it up and asked at a few booths if they were taking submissions. Some were kind and handed me sheets of rules but no business cards. There were two publisher booths that actually had Reps sit down and discuss possibilities with me, they were interested in my topic…!

I’m not sure if it was the topic or the publisher or the fact that I smiled and laughed a lot! Whatever the reason, I did get business cards and a much warmer welcome than I did a few years ago when I just had a children’s picture book to sell.

I did hear from all the publishers I had the chance to exchange a few sentences with, that they were interested in authors who were savy to publicity and self promotion of their books and if they had an internet platform.