New Voices New Rooms is happy to present the annual Publicity Speed Dating Virtual 2021 event. This event will be held Tuesday, March 9 through Friday, March 12. Over the course of three and a half days, 72 bookstores will get their fifteen minutes in the spotlight to pitch their stores to publicists and make their case why they would be a good fit for future author tours and event programming.
There will be morning (9:30am-12:30pm) and afternoon (1:30pm-4:30pm) time blocks for speed dating each day. Friday morning will be dedicated to children’s books. Bookstores will have one 15-minute appointment time to introduce themselves and the features of their store’s event programs to a Zoom room of publicists.
The 72 available slots are being divided among the two regions; 36 for NAIBA and 36 for SIBA. Six bookstores from each region can opt for the children’s slot on Friday morning. Children’s-only bookstores will get priority in that assignment.
Booksellers
(Registration is handled by SIBA. Non SIBA members should use the “guest registration” option.)
Cost for bookstores is $25 per slot. Booksellers sign up for either a morning or afternoon slot on whatever day they choose. NVNR will assign the specific time for each presentation and let stores know when they will be presenting. Because space is very limited, stores are only allowed one presentation. Stores with active children’s programs can also sign up for a spot on Friday the 12th, dedicated to children’s books. Please note: Children’s-only stores will be given priority.
After registration, bookstores will need to upload their press kit to NVNR, which will be shared with all the publishers. NVNR staff will share store press kits live on-screen during each speed dating appointment. See the Store Press Kit presentation from Maribeth Pelly of Booktowne.
Publishers
Publicists are encouraged to sign up for as many blocks that fit into their schedule that week. We encourage and hope multiple publicists from all publishers will attend blocks of speed dating that week.