Book Blogger Retreat?
Jill and Wendy and I had so much fun at the Book Group Expo, and after I blogged about it, some people said we should do a book blogger retreat, which got me thinking. It WOULD be fun to do a book blogger retreat! I could organize it…but I need your input! There’s a series of polls below, if you wouldn’t mind answering them and then leave a comment with any ideas or random thoughts!
[polldaddy poll=1060044] [polldaddy poll=1060051] [polldaddy poll=1060060]
The reason I only have three options for cities is because since I live on the West Coast, it would be far easier for me to organize this retreat if it was on the West Coast. However, I am open to other ideas.
My thought was that we could invite authors to come and chat with us. I don’t know who we could get, but it’d be so much fun! I had a blast listening to and talking to book group facilitators, and I’d like to get someone like that to chat with us. Other events would be planned, and people could attend or not.
Another thought is that it could be for anyone who loves books, though they might feel out of place without a blog.
Lastly, if you could let people know about this poll…I’d like to get as much input as possible. And believe it or not, not everyone reads my blog. 
Anyways, these are my random ideas, so please let me know what you think!
| Tags: book blogger retreat 55 comments »
October 31st, 2008 at 8:45 am
This would be so fun, Trish! I would definitely make every effort to go!
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October 31st, 2008 at 9:02 am
[...] the meantime, Trish at Hey Lady, Whatcha Readin’? is thinking ahead. She has posted a survey to see if there would be interest in a Book Blogger Retreat. I think this would be an amazing idea. [...]
October 31st, 2008 at 9:03 am
I’ve been talking with Jessica at The Bluestocking Society and we are planning on having a holiday get-together for all of the book bloggers in Utah. There are at least 5-6 of us and I really would like to meet them. A retreat sounds great. The kidlit bloggers do it and after reading their posts after their last conference I wanted to go! If you can pull this off I would be in awe!
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October 31st, 2008 at 9:10 am
A retreat is a great idea, and I would honestly try to come no matter where it was.
I’ve long thought that we should even have a book bloggers’ convention! This would be where publishers/authors would come with free ARCs, etc. It would be nice if it were in a city central to the US (and Canada). I was thinking Chicago because it is central to both countries and has relatively cheap flights. Just something to think about!
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October 31st, 2008 at 9:10 am
Let me know how I can help….especially if the meetup is in Portland, since I am an hour away from there
Let me know if there is anything else you would like me to do. I am going to post about it on my blog and hopefully send some peeps over here to join in.
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October 31st, 2008 at 9:21 am
Our own Festival of Books, but on a more manageable scale – I love the idea, and would try to go if at all possible! (For me, this would probably be more fun than the BlogHer conference, if I have to choose between them.) I’ll post about this on my blog tomorrow.
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October 31st, 2008 at 9:24 am
I like this idea. I am guessing it would be a weekend thing??
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October 31st, 2008 at 9:41 am
What a wonderful idea! I’m not sure that I could make it to one on the West Coast. That’s my only issue. Still, if it was late enough in the year, it just might be possible. I love Vegas, but I’ve always wanted to go to Portland… I’ll just be sick if this is planned and I can’t come. I’d better start saving my money now.
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October 31st, 2008 at 9:44 am
I know that one big book blogger group sounds great, but what if there were two, a west coast one, and an east coast one? Maybe more people would be able to do that?
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October 31st, 2008 at 9:47 am
This sounds like a lot of fun, but I’m not sure if I could afford it since I’m clear across the country. I’ll have to start saving as soon as the holidays are over. I didn’t pick a city because they all sound good to me.
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October 31st, 2008 at 9:49 am
GREAT IDEA!!!!! It would be like BlogHer and Book Group Expo combined! I posted about your polls on my blog here. Let me know if you need help with the planning/organizing – I’m willing to do whatever you need.
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October 31st, 2008 at 9:51 am
One more thing – I agree with the commenter above about choosing an central US city. BlogHer and Book Group Expo are both West Coast events, and us East Coasters have a hard time getting out there. SO that’s my vote.
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October 31st, 2008 at 9:53 am
This sounds so fun!
Happy Halloween!
Hugs,
Liz & Mabel
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October 31st, 2008 at 11:00 am
This is such a fun idea! I have personal relationships with a few really fun authors that I could talk to about it if we get it off the ground. One of them lives in LA, so the west coast thing would be fine. The other (Elizabeth Emerson Hancock)lives here in Richmond, but whatever….she’d probably be willing to come. Anyway, I love it, and I’ll help you with planning. I’m an organizational guru.
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October 31st, 2008 at 11:10 am
i did put in my own city’s name as a suggestion.. but of course i know that wouldn’t be possible.. if you could plan it well in advance, that would help everyone plan the trip and get cheap tickets as well!
on one side, i would love it if everyone could meet at one time in one place.. but then again, logistically, bethany’s idea of west coast/east coast meetings would work better.. but that just means, i’ll be missing out on meeting some of my favorite bloggers!:( hmm.. tough!
thanks for thinking of something like this! it is an amazing idea! i hope it works!
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October 31st, 2008 at 11:34 am
How fun! I would love to do this. I agree with my fellow east coast peeps though. We lose a whole day traveling back this way, so an option somewhere in the middle might be a good idea.
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October 31st, 2008 at 11:46 am
This would rock. Maybe we could piggy back off another event…that might make it easier, b/c while I might be able to afford airfare and hotel, paying on top to cover an author’s expenses would be hard.
And I’ll help in anyway I can!
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October 31st, 2008 at 11:50 am
Great idea! Also, I’d be happy to help with logistics – particularly if it ends up in Portland since I’m in Seattle. I’m actually a professional event planner for a living – for the last couple of years I’ve been planning giant scientific conferences all over the country, so I’m down with many a hotel contact and am a super star negotiator. My schedule is usually slow from June-August so I vote summer!
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October 31st, 2008 at 12:42 pm
This sounds like a great idea but there is no way I’d be able to go unless it was in Southern Ontario or Michigan or Ohio.
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October 31st, 2008 at 1:49 pm
I would love to attend.
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October 31st, 2008 at 5:09 pm
This sounds like a fantastic idea, Trish! I’d love to go, although I doubt I’d be able to make it if it’s on the West Coast. I think having two events might be a great idea (but then we need someone to organize the East Coast event!). Keep us posted!
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October 31st, 2008 at 6:24 pm
thanks for taking the initiative to start the discussion on this, Trish … it sounds like a fun idea.
Jump on Jill’s offer of help; someone who knows the ins and outs of meeting/event planning would be a coup!
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October 31st, 2008 at 6:46 pm
Yes, like other east coasters, I’d be in if it were a bit closer – I think it’s a fun idea!
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October 31st, 2008 at 8:48 pm
As someone who lives just a few short hours from SF, I am definitely on board if its there. I’d also be interested in attending in Portland, though.
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October 31st, 2008 at 9:06 pm
I live in Oregon, so the West Coast locations would be easier. I would be ok with a central location too. I’m so excited about this!
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October 31st, 2008 at 10:52 pm
this sounds damn fun. but i can’t be there.
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October 31st, 2008 at 11:02 pm
This sounds great! Portland would be wonderful because, well, that’s where I live. I’d be willing to lodge a few people. And I just retired so I could help with some organizing.
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November 1st, 2008 at 8:15 am
I think this sounds like a great idea!
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November 1st, 2008 at 8:16 am
Oops, hit “post” too early…
But like other east coasters, I’d be more likely to attend if it was on the east coast!
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November 1st, 2008 at 10:42 am
This would be such a great idea. But like some of the others it is a bit too far for me that lives in SC. Possibly somewhere in the middle. The only reason I did not go to Book Expo was it was clear across country. Most of us who live on the East coast would have jet lag to and jet lag back . If it was possible maybe east coast and west coast retreat maybe that would work. But I would love to connect with all the bloggers.
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November 1st, 2008 at 12:54 pm
Portland would be good & San Francisco, oh yeah! What about Sacramento?
I hope to go to Book Expo next year…sounds like it was great.
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November 1st, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Sounds like a blast!
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November 1st, 2008 at 4:17 pm
[...] finally, to end this long post, Trish is planning a book blogger get together! How cool would this be! I’d really love to go because I’ve been dying to meet [...]
November 1st, 2008 at 4:21 pm
This would be so cool Trish! I really hope that I could go…just have to see how the finances are…
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November 1st, 2008 at 4:44 pm
I would definitely make every effort to come! I don’t really care about when it happens, except I’m against September. I just voted for May but it’s not really a big deal. Also, I voted for SF but Portland would be cool, too!
As far as authors, if everyone going asks an author or two, we might get several. Probably most of us have at least one good author contact.
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November 1st, 2008 at 5:30 pm
How ’bout a piggy back event around Festival of Books at UCLA April 25/26, 2009?
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November 1st, 2008 at 6:20 pm
LA seems really difficult to get around imo.
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November 1st, 2008 at 11:43 pm
I should have mentioned in my comment that I’ve also done events where we webcast to other locations. It can be a little spendy, but I’m sure with the help of some techies we could maybe do some low budget live webcasting with an east coast (or midwest) location.
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November 2nd, 2008 at 6:47 am
Sounds like fun but I doubt I could do it.
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November 2nd, 2008 at 8:43 am
LOL…I think this would be a great idea. I live on the east coast, so I would need a lot of lead time to plan a trip to the west coast.
I’ve never been to portland or San Francisco. would love to go to either, but somewhere in the middle of the nation might be easier.
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November 2nd, 2008 at 4:14 pm
I actually met one of my favorite bookbloggers at Powell’s, and it was a fantastic place to meet!
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November 2nd, 2008 at 6:55 pm
I’m on the West Coast too–but in Canada. And as I’m an American in Canada, I’m awaiting residency papers, and am strongly advised by our lawyer not to leave till I get them–which will be sometime late next year, so I’d have to decline if you’re doing this next year. But maybe the next one… it sounds like so much fun!
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November 2nd, 2008 at 8:03 pm
I think it’s a great idea and I’d LOVE to do it, but I doubt I could for a while. I am BROKE and I think I’d miss the Bug since he’s still so little. Maybe in 2010…
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November 2nd, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Trish, this is such a great idea! I would try to come anywhere, but Portland would be such a great place to have it. I’m pretty sure Powell’s would take an interest. Anyway, I love the idea of meeting everyone!
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November 2nd, 2008 at 9:52 pm
Trish: Are authors invited? Portland is my second home, and I follow many book blogs since I did a virtual tour in September. I’d love to come!
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November 3rd, 2008 at 6:52 am
I think this sounds like a great idea! I would prefer San Fran, but you really may have better luck with Vegas – San Francisco and Portland are both really expensive flights from the East Coast. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help.
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November 3rd, 2008 at 1:58 pm
As a librarian, it might be fun to leave the library world and join in with a bigger population of book bloggers. As someone who has worked on a lot of conferences and retreats, might I mention that I’ve learned not to try to cram too many workshops and lectures into a day. Leave time for get togethers and browsing books and retreating and relaxing!
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November 4th, 2008 at 6:58 am
This sounds like such fun! I would seriously consider it if it’s on the West Coast, as I could combine it with a trip ‘home’ to Victoria.
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November 4th, 2008 at 11:07 am
Sounds like a great idea! If it’s in Portland (my home) I’d be glad to help with planning but I’d try to attend in any west coast city. For east coasters and midwesterners, I understand the travel issues because I do it the opposite direction every year or two. On the other hand, you could extend the book blogger retreat into a full vacation. All three places are worth a trip. In Oregon, we gotcher gorgeous rugged coast and countless waterfalls, we gotcher mountains (Mt. St. Helens is just an hour away and is still fascinating to visit), then there’s the Lewis & Clark and Oregon Trail historical stuff and the beautiful city of Portland complete with Powell’s City of Books!
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November 5th, 2008 at 5:35 pm
What an awesome idea Trish! I will post about this on Friday too. I will keep my eye out to see what you come up with but I would love to come if I can.
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November 6th, 2008 at 6:49 pm
I really think we should do this! If it’s in Portland I am in! I live in Vancouver, BC but I can drive to Portland in about 5 hours or so.
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November 6th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
[...] has some polls up about putting together a Book Blogger Retreat. I think it’s a great idea, so head on over and tell her your [...]
November 12th, 2008 at 7:13 am
I vote for portland and I am SO EXCITED to see if this happens!! So so fun
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November 12th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
Sounds fun, but I don’t think I could afford to fly out with all of my littles
. Ah, if only there were a big sponsor 
.
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March 18th, 2009 at 9:37 pm
[...] ago I asked about interest for a possible book blogger retreat. There was definitely a lot of interest, but due to the vastness that is the United States, [...]