Canada's BookExpo in Trouble

Quill & Quire reported yesterday that a number of large publishers have pulled out of BookExpo Canada (the Northern equivalent of BEA). The magazine speculates that BookExpo Canada cannot continue without major exhibitors.

Edible Book Fair Returns to Seattle

Seattle once again hosts an event tied to The International Edible Book Festival -- a world-wide event "for bibliophiles, book artists and food lovers to celebrate the ingestion of culture and its fulfilling nourishment."

The 2009 Seattle Edible Book Festival will help raise money for Seattle Center for Book Arts.

Information and registration for your edible book art can be found at: http://frybooks.blogspot.com/

This year's Seattle Edible Book Festival will take place at the Good Shepherd Center between noon and 1 p.m. on April 4, 2009.

Epicenter Announces Changes in Distribution

Epicenter Press recently announced changes in distribution. The press will service accounts directly through its business office in Kenmore, WA and warehouse in Kent, WA. Customers also may order from Partners West in Renton, WA or through rep Jim Harris, who will cover the Northwest, California and Hawaii. In Alaska, Epicenter titles are in stock at Todd Communications and the News Group. Epicenter titles will be available through Ingram and Baker & Taylor by early February.

Epicenter founder and president Kent Sturgis will be Book Publishers Northwest's featured speaker in February.

Bennett Wins Prize

Janey Bennett has been named winner of the Joanna Catherine Scott Novel Excerpt Prize in the National League of American Pen Women, Nob Hill branch Soul-Making Literary Competition. Bennett's latest novel, with the working title of Jia Li, is the story of the failing adoption of a Chinese daughter.

Bennett will read from her novel at the Soul-Making Awards event in San Francisco in March.

Bennett's first novel, The Pale Surface of Things, which has won seven book-industry awards since its publication, received second place in the PEN Nob Hill Soul-Making Awards in 2004.

The Soul-Making Literary Competition is a national award that looks for original, freshly creative and finely crafted works that embrace all creative interpretations of English poet, John Keats' statement: "Some say the world is a vale of tears, I say it is a place of soul-making"

January 15 Meeting: The Elevator Pitch

How do you answer the question "What is your book about?"

Every author/publisher/illustrator needs a clear, concise and memorable answer to that question. If you are struggling with creating an engaging elevator speech, or if you have one that needs refreshing, you won't want to miss this session. Lorraine Howell, author of Give Your Elevator Pitch A Lift!, will take you through her step-by-step proven process for crafting your own 30-second commercial. In this tough economy, how you talk about your writing is the least expensive way to build buzz for your work. Her method helps you eliminate the verbal clutter, build confidence, and keep your networking conversations alive!

In this session you will learn tips, tools, and strategies for:
-Identifying your target audience/constituencies
-Developing key phrases and language that resonates with your audiences
-Keeping your "elevator speech" fresh and relevant

The Elevator Pitch meeting runs 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on January 15 at the Good Shepherd Center, 4649 Sunnyside N., Room 221, Seattle, Washington. The meeting is free for Book Publishers Northwest members; $5 for others.

More Information on Lead Testing for Children's Books

Scott Flora of SPAN has published the following information on the impact of "lead testing" on children's book publishers:

CPSIA and Publishers

As most of you know, CPSIA requires items sold for children, manufactured after February 10, be tested and certified for lead levels by an independent lab.

A Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) letter, dated December 23, 2008, affirmed children's books are included in category of products that need to be tested for lead.

Products in inventory (in storage and on bookstore shelves) do not need to be tested, but retailers can be fined if the products are found to have excessive levels of lead.

Testing and certification takes place at the book printer level. Publishers of children's books need to check with their printer if they have books in the printing process.

SPAN is providing more information on this issue at:
http://www.spannet.org/cpsia-info-2009.htm

Apple Apps Censor Books

As recently reported by CNET, people adding books to the iPhone App store may be blocked if Apple's word filters determine that the content is not appropriate for a general audience.

While the iPhone is a much less popular eReader than products like Kindle, some authors and publishers have expressed concern that their audiences will be diminished by Apple's censorship policies.

You Book Tube: New Video Site for Publishers

A new video hosting site, Your Book Tube, encourages authors and publishers to publish their book videos on their site.

Lead Laws Impact Amazon Advantage Clients

Amazon Advantage has asked publishers of children's books to complete a form that verifies that your products meet the new child safety laws regarding lead in books. If Amazon has not received the form by January 15, products will be returned to publishers. Further information can be found on the home page of the Advantage site.

Scallops & Science: You Are Invited to a Party!

Recently received this invitation from Sally James, vice-president of NW Science Writers:

We are a nonprofit in Seattle dedicated to science writing and our members are writers, editors, bloggers, authors and public relations folks.

Our big annual party is Jan. 22 at the Seattle Aquarium. We have a big venue, so we can invite everybody and want to include your members.

http://www.nwscience.org

All the details on buying tickets are there. We encourage buying and not waiting in line at the door. Just imagine eating scallops while the live creatures eye you from their tank. Or not.

Got an event that you think local publishers would enjoy? Just e-mail the details to bpnwnews at aol.com.