Seekerville Welcomes Barbara Vey Home From Oxford!

Debby Giusti here!
Whenever I think of mega birthday celebrations, I always think of Publishers Weekly Contributing Editor Barbara Vey’s cyber party held each March to mark the anniversary of her Beyond Her Book blog. Barbara’s a dear friend and a huge Seekerville supporter, and our own party wouldn’t be complete without a visit from this amazing woman whose name is a buzz word in the publishing industry.

Over the last six years, Barbara has become well known not only within the US, but her fame has spread internationally as well! She was invited to speak at Oxford and just returned from what had to be a trip of a lifetime. Barbara wanted to share the details of her travels with us today. Her success is proof that, with hard work and perseverance, dreams do come true. Please join me in welcoming Barbara back to Seekerville!

Happy 6th Birthday Seekerville! We both were born the same year. Mine is in March, so I am a little older. I know there have been a lot of changes here at Seekerville with the blog and the authors. Much success with over 1 million views. Congratulations! And I’ve had my share of changes.

My Publishers Weekly blog, Beyond Her Book, has humble beginnings. I was a reader they literally plucked from the sea when I met the Deputy Editor on a cruise. Since I was such an avid reader, I was asked to write a blog featuring women’s fiction. I wasn’t sure what women’s fiction was, so I just wrote about books I read, authors I met and conferences I went to. The blog was even called Beyond The Book when I started, but we soon found out that was a copyrighted name.

Barbara makes every event a party!

My first anniversary I celebrated with a virtual party that was pretty much unheard of over 6 years ago. I had over 700 comments that day and was in shock. Over the years, the parties have gotten bigger and last year ended up with over 28,000 comments over 6 days.

Everyone loves Barbara, including NYT best-selling author
Tess Gerritsen!

Going to writers conferences was brand new for me too. I went to my first RT and

RWA conferences that year and discovered how different they were. I thought of RT like high school and RWA like college. Since then I have attended Sleuthfest, Thrillerfest, Comic Con, Horrorfest, Heather Graham’s New Orleans Conference, Crimebake, numerous local RWA conferences and even the American Christian Fiction Writer’s Conference. And just this past week I’ve gone international. 

Barbara's lodging in Oxford!

I was asked to speak at Oxford, in England, to the writers there. I had to get my very first passport and was so excited when I received my first stamp in the book. The writers were wonderful and so interested in everything I had to say. They are way behind us in social media. Twitter and Facebook scare most of them and only 2 even had Facebook pages.

Barbara always WOWS her audience!

Then I headed to London to tour Mills and Boon. They actually celebrated “Barbara Vey Day” when I was there with signs welcoming me, roses, desserts and champagne. Now that’s the kind of welcome I really appreciate. I met all the editors and saw the processes a book has to go through. A few authors even showed up so I did some video interviews that you’ll be seeing this week on my blog.

Mills and Boon welcomes Barbara with champagne and roses!

Next up was a quick trip to Scotland. How could I be so close to my Highlanders and not stop by to say hi? Author Margarite Kaye took the ferry over to Edinburgh, and we took the double decker bus tour, heard the bagpipes and saw many kilts. One day just wasn’t long enough there.

Don't we all love guys in uniforms! Here Barbara poses
with the bobbies!

I even managed to catch up with a Facebook friend, reader Wendy. She took a 2 ½ hour bus ride to see me in Oxford and then came back a few days later with her sister, Marcia, who wanted to meet me. Readers are incredible the world over and it’s great to talk books with all of them.

Barbara with reader friends Marcia and Wendy.

Next year I’ll be speaking at the International Women’s Fiction Festival in Matera, Italy. I have to pinch myself. Otherwise, I’m not sure what the future holds, but if it involves books, I’m fine with it.

Congrats, Barbara! We're so proud of you and honored that you could join us in Seekerville today. I'm looking forward to your next Reader Appreciation Luncheon and want to ensure all the Villagers know about that special event.

In 2012, Barbara hosted her first Reader Appreciation Luncheon in Milwaukee, WI, which was a huge success. Last year attracted more readers, and Barbara expects close to 500 to attend the April 26, 2014 luncheon. Keynote speaker Debbie Macomber joins 50 other authors who will host tables and provide baskets and goodies and lots of books to all those who attend the festive event. Today, Seeker host Debby Giusti is giving away a luncheon ticket—a $45 prize--to one lucky winner. If you want to be included in the drawing, mention Barbara’s Reader Appreciation Luncheon in your comment. (The prize is for the luncheon registration. All other expenses, including travel and hotel accommodations, are the winner’s responsibility.) Proceeds from this event will benefit Sojourner Family Peace Center of Milwaukee, an organization that offers a safe environment for women and children affected by domestic violence. Many folks arrive on Friday for a special night with the authors. For more details about the event, click here.

Additional drawings today include a book giveaway from Barbara and a journal and 2014 planner/calendar from Debby, along with her latest release, THE SOLDIER’S SISTER.

Every comment enters you in this week's overall prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and also in the BIG BIRTHDAY BASH GRAND PRIZE for the month--an iPAD MINI!!!! Good luck, everyone!

The breakfast bar is open. Today’s menu includes egg and sausage casserole, baked ham, fresh fruit, an assortment of breads and muffins, and grits! Enjoy! The coffee’s hot; so is the tea. Colas are available as well.

Grab some food, fill your cup and let's spend the day with Barbara Vey!

As Contributing Editor for Publishers Weekly, Barbara Vey brings readers and writers together with her popular Beyond Her Book blog. Recipient of the 2012 RWA Vivian Stephens Industry Award and 2013 RT Melinda Helfer Fairy Godmother Award. From her entertaining “Drive By Videos” to reader feedback on books with WW Ladies Book Club, Tuesday Releases and Author Recommends...BHB continues to grow into a must read daily adventure. An avid reader, Barbara consumed a book a day before taking on the glamorous life of a roving reporter. Traveling all over the world to conferences from Romance to Thrillers, Mysteries to Horror, Historicals to Comic Con, her love of Romance and the Happily Ever After keeps her grounded while she offers readers a place to step away from life’s daily trials to take a positive journey through the world of books.