The Mid-South Independent Booksellers Association's annual show returned to New Orleans, where it is held every other year. New Orleans consistently attracts a greater number of attendees than other sites, and this year's show, held September 5—8, was no exception: more than 175 booksellers from 88 stores attended and there were 41 exhibitors—a small increase from last year's show in Oklahoma City, but a slight drop from previous year's shows in New Orleans.
In addition, the show was moved to the 1,200-room Hyatt Regency, near the Superdome, which attendees praised, from the tumbledown Radisson that had hosted the show in preceding years. Tamra Dore of Katy Budget Books, president of MSIBA, told PW, "I knew that the new hotel cost more and I had my doubts, but as soon as I walked in, they all went away."
"I thought it was very positive," said new MSIBA executive director Andy Jackson, who replaced Joe Holmes earlier this year. "This was my first trade show. This was a new hotel for us, and it was a step up quality-wise and space-wise, and everyone seemed to be happy with that."
The show kicked off with an afternoon education session led by ABA representatives and an afternoon coaching session with booksellers from Katy Budget Books, who discussed their "Four D's to Become an A-Plus Bookseller." These included tips on displays (make them bold), research (use databases) and handselling (pay attention to what a customer has bought in the past). The team also brought up the sticky topic of how to deal with cranky customers. The suggestions included "look them in the eye" and try the "personal touch"; use the "good cop/bad cop system" to divide and conquer; or when fully frustrated, say "what you have to" and "get them out of the store as soon as possible."
Mid-South has always devoted much energy to children's bookselling, the purview of its active Children's Committee. One of the highlights this year was an appearance at the children's author breakfast by local favorite and children's book doyenne Coleen Salley, author of Epos sumondas (Harcourt). Mark Teague, whose latest book is Dear Mrs. LaRue (Scholastic), received the annual Humpty Dumpty Children's Award at a celebration at the Crescent City Brewery. Susan Kent, owner of Treehouse Readers Bookstore in Kingwood, Tex., the outgoing chair of the Children's Issue Committee, noted that $1,500 was raised at an accompanying silent auction to benefit the committee.
"After five years of being on the committee, I thought it went really well and the planning went beautifully," Kent told PW. "We've had some award dinners where the winning author wasn't there, and it was great to have Teague there this year." She said the money raised will be used to market children's stores to their communities and to publishers. "We've brainstormed a lot but never really had the money to implement the ideas until now," she noted. A couple of years ago, the association created a flyer with photos of the stores to encourage publishers to send more writers on tours to the South.
Kent, who will remain a director of MSIBA, is being replaced by Valerie Koehler, owner of Blue Willow Books in Houston, Tex.
At the general membership meeting, Jennifer Anglin of Enchanted Forest Books in Dallas, who is closing her store, stepped down from the board. Jill Bailey from Bookpeople in Austin, Tex., was elected her replacement. In addition, following last year's membership approval of new spots for officers, Suzanna Nawrocki, owner of The Twig Bookstore in San Antonio, Tex., and Phil Smith, owner of Brace Books in Ponca City, Okla., were elected to the board, starting in 2003. Lastly, Random House trade rep Evelyn Hubbard was elected to replace Simon & Schuster's Gillian Reed.
Andy Jackson said that his priorities for upcoming year are growing membership, improving programming and convincing more reps to attend the show. "We had one sideline vendor at this show, and think we can have as many as 25 in Austin [the site of next year's show]," he said. Noting that attendance drops in the years the show is not held in New Orleans, he added, "A lot of people have not been to Austin and are interested in seeing what it's all about. Combined with everything else, we'll have a big show."
As well as more sidelines, MSIBA aims to have more booksellers attend. Jackson reported that as many as 10 new booksellers are opening stores in the region in the coming year. Many of these prospective booksellers came to the show to make contacts and "get a flavor for things," he said.
At the general meeting, members supported the association's production of its first regional holiday catalogue. Debbie McClure, co-owner of the Abilene Bookstore in Abilene, Tex.—who also ran a well-received session on sidelines—put together a survey to gauge booksellers' interest. "We got a huge response," she said "It looks great—we'll be able to distribute quite a few, maybe 300,000—400,000."
The excitement among booksellers at the show was most evident at the two adult author breakfasts and at the gala author reception, where more than 40 writers signed and gave away copies of their books. Among them were Pat Conroy's wife, Cassandra King, author of The Sunday Wife (Hyperion), George Singleton, author of The Half Mammals of Dixie (Algonquin), local favorite John Bigeunet, author of the novel Oyster (Ecco), and the improbably named mystery writer Ace Atkins, whose latest work, Dark End of the Street (Morrow), begins in New Orleans.
Maryalice Hurst, owner of That Bookstore at Mountebanq Place in Conway, Ark., was impressed by Richard Rubin, author of Confederacy of Silence (Atria). Joe Edd Morris, author of The Land Where My Fathers Died (Context), commented, "They were incredible speakers."
Robert Kasher, director of sales and marketing for the Literary Press Group of Canada, who attended the show for the first time to gauge interest in north-of-the-border books, saw the benefit of the mass signing. "It made me realize we need to get our authors down to the show to introduce them to the American market," he told PW.
Debbie McClure said that the Mid-South show's intimate size is a strength it should exploit: "There was a couple from Mississippi thinking of opening a store. They could have gone to Mid-South or SEBA, but they came to us. They said we were so accessible. I think all the members of Mid-South are this way. They brought me into the fold eight years ago. I can call people up and ask a question—I'd be intimidated to call some of those big stores in Florida," she said.
Hurst suggested building more interaction between new and experienced booksellers into the programming, explaining, "I would like to see roundtables with bookstore owners who have been in the business for five, 10 or 20 years, combined with a couple of people who have opened a bookstore within the last year to talk about the techniques and the tricks they've learned."
Despite tropical storms Edouard and Fay over the show weekend, booksellers' spirits were lifted by the event. Lois Proctor, owner of The Bookseller in Ardmore, Okla., summed it up best when she told PW, "I always come home with a boost and a new resolve to put books into people's hands. From the other booksellers, I am reminded that we all strive to furnish our customers with stimulating reading and personal service."
Bookpeople's Jill Bailey concurred: "I love attending this show because it reminds me that I am not alone. I have comrades in the fight."
