Front row: April Wells-Hayes, Melissa Kreischer, Barbara Jellow, Hazel Boissiere, Jill Turney, Stephen Rapley, Nola Burger, Vernon Boes; Back row: Ginger Boyer, Kaelin Chappell, Julianna Scott Fein, Suzanne Petralli, Tanya Nigh, Margaret Sims, Renée Copeland, Randall Goodall, Laura Lovett, Steve Renick, Audrey Meyer, Bill Stanton, Claudia Smelser, Bruce Kortebein, Nancy Sjoberg, Jenny Whittier, Christine Taylor, Charlie Clark. |
by Margaret Pinette
Nearly 500 publishing professionals gathered at the San Francisco International Airport Marriott on December 5 for the 26th annual Bookbuilders West Book Show. This year's theme, "Celebrating Books through the Years," gave us all a framework in which to celebrate this year's successes, the career of our Distinguished Service Award recipient, our years together as a publishing community, and the beginning of the holiday season.
Attendees arrived from midafternoon to view the books, conveniently displayed on round tables in a well-lighted room. There were 196 books entered in all categories as well as 112 jackets and covers. As the number of attendees increased in the display area, people could move easily around the tables.
After dinner, the show began. Detta Penna, Bookbuilders West President, greeted the assembly and introduced two of the Book Show Tri-Chairs, Gloria Fontana and Stephen Thomas. Carole Major was unable to attend. Special guest Linda Palladino, President of the Bookbinders Guild of New York, spoke briefly about the activities of our sister organization. Gordon Johnson, last year's recipient of the Distinguished Service Award, presented this year's award to Chet Grycz (see page 9).
Next on the program was the "Celebrating Books Through the Years Medley," presented by the multitalented team of Leslie Austin, Era Balestrieri, Don Borges, Wendy Earl, Craig Johnson, Gwen Larson, Bill Ralph, Karen Richardson, Sandy Ryan, Jeanne Schreiber, Sandie Sigrist, and Joe Smith. Highlights included "CMYK," "Somewhere Over the Budget," and the ever-popular "Remainder Hotel." The entertainment was ideal-clever, well-executed, and amusing, without intruding into the time reserved for the main event, the awards.
Kaelin Chappell opened the awards portion of the evening with observations about the judging process. Awards were presented by Kaelin Chappell, Charlie Clark, Wendy Earl, Gwen Larson, and Bill Ralph, with an accompanying multimedia presentation by Justin Derman and Elliott Derman. The evening ended with closing remarks from President Detta Penna and a wrap-up party downstairs with music and dancing for a continuation of the celebration of books.
Bookbuilders West Certificates of Merit were presented in five categories: