"A nice enough seeming fellow." – The Atlantic
Friday, May 25 By Andrew Shaffer 
TMZ's headline last week about the rise in sales of vaginal ball sex toys (as featured in Fifty Shades of Grey). Unfortunately, as this is worded, it sounds like EXPLODING BALLS INSIDE VAGINAS. Which is not cool.
Thursday, May 24 By Andrew Shaffer New BEA parties added to the Ultimate BEA Party Guide this week! More to come!
Monday, June 4
Consortium's BEA Blogger Party. Theatre Communications Group Offices, 520 Eighth Ave. 5:30pm-7pm. Invitation only; RSVP required.
Tuesday, June 5
DUMBO Lit, feat. Readings by Cave Canem, n + 1, Verso Books and Melville House authors. The powerHouse Arena. 37 Main St, DUMBO, Brooklyn. 7pm-10pm. No cover. RSVP not required, but appreciated.
Wednesday, June 6
The Devil's Causeway Signing (with Cocktails and Hors D'oeuvres). BookExpo America, Javitts Center. Lyons Press Booth 3033. 3:30pm-5pm. Technically not a party, but hey, free wine on the BEA floor!
Tumblr Reading & Party w/ Baratunde, Alexander Chee, and More. Housing Works Bookstore. 126 Crosby St. 7pm-9pm. Open bar. No cover.
Penguin USA's First Annual Blogger Bird Bash. Saatchi Event Space, 375 Hudson Street. 7pm-9pm. Invitation only; RSVP required.
Comedians With Books. Reading/standup lineup TBD. Union Hall. 702 Union St. Brooklyn. 8:30pm - ???. No cover.
Thursday, June 7
Chuck Klosterman Book Release Party. BookCourt. 163 Court St, Brooklyn. 7pm-8pm. No cover.
Wednesday, May 23 By Andrew Shaffer I totally see hip-hop artists and punk bands doing this all the time, so I thought, why not start a street team? What is a street team, you ask? It's simple enough. Members:
It doesn't cost anything to join, and you're free to opt out at any time. Spots are limited based on location.
Tuesday, May 22 By Andrew Shaffer "I see the elimination of gatekeepers everywhere . . . Sixteen of the top 100 best sellers on Kindle today were self-published . . . You have to think of yourself not as a designer but as a gardener." - Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos in the New York Times
But what kind of gardener is Bezos? Does he cultivate crops, or let the weeds grow wild?
Monday, May 21 By Andrew Shaffer Da Capo Press' art department really knocked this one out of the park... The ebook and audiobook will be released July 10, with the paperback scheduled for July 31 (dates subject to change).
Pre-order (US/CAN): Amazon | B & N | BAM | Powells | IndieBound
A shrewd, laugh–out–loud parody of E. L. James' bestselling Fifty Shades of Grey series:
Young, arrogant, tycoon Earl Grey seduces the naïve coed Anna Steal with his overpowering good looks and staggering amounts of money, but will she be able to get past his fifty shames, including shopping at Walmart on Saturdays, bondage with handcuffs, and his love of BDSM (Bards, Dragons, Sorcery, and Magick)? Or will his dark secrets and constant smirking drive her over the edge?
"Parodies of best sellers are hot items these days, and E. L. James' Fifty Shades of Grey erotic trilogy was just begging for a spoof." – USAToday
Ellen Degeneres already did a Fifty Shades of Grey "audiobook recording" parody video, but that doesn't mean that every other comedian or voice actor on the planet can't get in on the action. Here's the latest spoof reading, by Gilbert Gottfried...
(via Jest)
Thursday, May 17 By Andrew Shaffer 
Had a dream this week with John Mayer. He told me he "wears condoms 24/7, cuz you just gotta be ready, man."
Good advice.
Wednesday, May 16 By Andrew Shaffer 
I have somehow hidden all of my *own* Facebook posts from myself on Facebook. Those privacy settings are dangerous in the wrong hands!
Tuesday, May 15 By Andrew Shaffer Your comprehensive guide to the most important events happening the week of BookExpo America 2012: the parties. All parties are open to the public unless otherwise noted. If I missed yours, contact me and I'll add it!
Monday, June 4
Consortium's BEA Blogger Party. Theatre Communications Group Offices, 520 Eighth Ave. 5:30pm-7pm. Invitation only; RSVP required.
BookForum & Arbook|D.A.P. The Standard, East Village. Penthouse, 25 Cooper Square. 6pm-8pm. Invitation only; RSVP required.
Tantor Audio's 5th Annual Tantorious Celebration. INC Lounge. Time Hotel, 2nd Floor. 224 West 49th Street. 6pm-9pm. Invitation only; RSVP required.
Bookrageous BEA Bash (w/ Vol 1 Brooklyn and Small Demons). Housing Works Bookstore. 126 Crosby St. 7pm-9pm. No cover.
Lady Jane's Salon Monthly Romance Reading Series. Madame X. 94 West Houston St, Soho. 7pm-9pm. $5 cover or donated romance novel.
HarperCollins Book Bloggers Celebration. K Lounge. 30 West 52nd St. 7pm-9pm. Invitation only; RSVP required.
Tuesday, June 5
Penguin Young Readers Group. The Standard. 848 Washington Street. 5:30pm-7:30pm. Invitation only; RSVP required.
DUMBO Lit, feat. Readings by Cave Canem, n + 1, Verso Books and Melville House authors. The powerHouse Arena. 37 Main St, DUMBO, Brooklyn. 7pm-10pm. No cover. RSVP not required, but appreciated.
Foundry Literary + Media Five Year Anniversary Party. Shangri-La Studio. 100 Sutton St, Brooklyn. 10pm-???. No cover.
Wednesday, June 6
The Devil's Causeway Signing (with Cocktails and Hors D'oeuvres). BookExpo America, Javitts Center. Lyons Press Booth 3033. 3:30pm-5pm. Technically not a party, but hey, free wine on the BEA floor!
Fifty Shames of Earl Grey Teabagging Party. BookExpo America, Javitts Center. Perseus Booth 3604. 4pm-5pm. NOTE: This ARC signing is BYOHW (Bring Your Own Hot Water). Teabags will be provided.
Tumblr Reading & Party w/ Baratunde, Alexander Chee, and More. Housing Works Bookstore. 126 Crosby St. 7pm-9pm. Open bar. No cover.
Penguin USA's First Annual Blogger Bird Bash. Saatchi Event Space, 375 Hudson Street. 7pm-9pm. Invitation only; RSVP required.
Harlequin. The Kimberly Hotel. Upstairs Rooftop Lounge. 145 East 50th St. 7:30pm-10:30pm. Invitation only; RSVP required.
PubDate (w/ DC, Graywolf Press, Other Press, Pegasus Books, Quirk Books, Seven Stories, and Steerforth Press). Le Poisson Rouge. 158 Bleeker Street. 8pm-midnight (open bar 8pm-10pm). No cover. RSVP not required, but appreciated.
Comedians With Books. Reading/standup lineup TBD. Union Hall. 702 Union St. Brooklyn. 8:30pm - ???. No cover.
Thursday, June 7
Chuck Klosterman Book Release Party. BookCourt. 163 Court St, Brooklyn. 7pm-8pm. No cover.
Soho Press. Housing Works. 126 Crosby St. 8pm-10pm. Open bar, author petting zoo, masks optional. No cover.
This list will be updated as new parties are announced!
Monday, May 14 By Andrew Shaffer 
I will be signing advance copies of Fifty Shames of Earl Grey at BookExpo America on Wednesday, June 6, from 4pm-5pm at the Perseus Books Group booth (3604). Earl Grey teabags will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
