Shel Israel’s Twitterville – Book Bash

I’ve never attended a book party before not to mention being featured in the book the party was for. That’s why flying to California was so important and a bit stressful. I needed to be there to take it fully in and enjoy the moment, but also to make important connections and cement relationships that have been created as part of this book project.

The event was so intense that despite a severe jet lag I had to put these initial thoughts down.

Twitterville Books Selling Like Hot Cakes

Shel Israel, I was hoping to find the author of “Twitterville” to be a friendly person, but you were more than that. I saw passion and great pride as you welcomed so many Twitter folks like they were your old time friends. You clearly live and breath this stuff and it shows.

@ShelIstrael and @Arie_Ball from Sodexo

Celebrity Twitteratti: there were many of you in the audience today in support of Shel’s big project and I had a chance to meet and exchange at least a few words with many of you. I really appreciate that a great majority of you did not rush to be among other VIPs in the room, but were willing to spend time and easily engaged in conversation with others. I realize it is hard to have a meaningful dialog with so much background noise and interruptions, but you were great sports.

@RichardAtDell and @LionelAtDell

@Scobeizer

@KDPaine & @RichardAtDell

I absolutely loved the large projector that displayed #TBash related Twitter updates in real time. Great way to encourage people to live tweet and encourage remote participation.

Real Time Twitter Stream

@netsolcares kept their promise (despite technical snafus) and made custom Twitterville t-shirts for many TBash participants right on the spot. Nice WOM idea.

@NetSolCares Custom Twitter Shirts Made during the Event

I wanted to recognize all of the organizers of this event, but a particularly warm “thank you” goes to Tatyana Kanzaveli (@glfceo) who made me feel special, took her time to introduce me to so many new twitterers and who never stopped smiling throughout the entire event. I kid you not.

I don’t know if some of you had a chance to step away from the crowd and take a walk through the exhibition floor of the Hiller Aviation Museum. Fascinating exposition and most of it hanging from the celling!

To all sponsors that gave us free food, drinks and great memories THANKS!

To my fellow “change agents” I’ve met at the event including Scott Townsend from @unitedlinen and @Arie_Ball from Sodexo – it was a great pleasure and let’s stay in touch!

@Arie_Bell, @UnitedLinen (Scott Thousand) and @SteveRubell

Shel, can’t wait to hear about your next project. If there is anything I can do to help, count me in.