The First Annual Self-Publishing Book Expo was held on November 7, 2009 in the midtown Sheraton Hotel in New York City. Organized by two veteran publishing executives, the purpose of the show was to highlight self-published authors and self-publishing companies and to expose their books to a greater audience. By all accounts, the debut was a success.

Approximately 200 people attended the show which according to The Epoch Times, drew a "small but quality crowd of people, 55 exhibitors, and 12 panelists" who led lively discussions on cutting edge topics.

Dorrance Publishing Co., Inc. and its various imprints had more tables with titles on display than any other company. Several authors attended and autographed copies of books they sold at the show.

This Expo is a sign of the times, since the book publishing industry, according to Jane Friedman, former CEO of Harper Collins, "is at the beginning of a revolution, not evolution."  She herself has decided to jump ship from traditional publishing and is starting her own new company, Open Road Integrated Media. This new enterprise will publish e-books and print on demand publications from back list titles of cooperating publishers and will also offer self-publishing and marketing platforms for a fee. Friedman says legacy publishers will continue to have hard times. "Lots of things are broken."

Another noteworthy sign of the times is the book price wars going on between Walmart, Target, and Amazon.com. Hardcover books normally selling for $25 are going for $9 as these three retail giants compete for the control of the book retail market. Such prices leave little margin for publishers and authors and may help to foster a sooner than anticipated end to the book publishing industry as we know it.

In the meantime, the digitization of books continues to increase and e-readers become more and more popular. This year it is anticipated 3 million e-book readers will be sold with forecasts for sales of 10 million in 2010.

Dorrance plans to attend the second annual Self Publishing Book Expo next year. It will be very interesting to see the changes that will transpire between now and then.