Meet the Age of Conversation '08 authors!

In mid-January, Gavin Heaton and I announced we were ready to take on the sequel to the incredibly successful Age of Conversation.

We put out an author call and in a new twist, asked everyone (authors and readers) to vote on the theme of this year's book.

The votes are tallied and we're off to the races!  The winning theme was "Why don't they get it?"  To add dimension to the book, we've added a new layer -- topics.  So each author was asked to select one of eight topics that falls under the "why don't people get it?" theme.  We'll share those with everyone down the road.  In the meantime, while we're getting everyone set on their specific writing assignment...

We thought it was time to introduce you to the 275 (yes...275!) authors of Age of Conversation: Why Don't People Get It?

Adam Crowe, Adrian Ho, Aki Spicer, Alex Henault, Amy Jussel, Andrew Odom, Andy Nulman, Andy Sernovitz, Andy Whitlock, Angela Maiers, Ann Handley, Anna Farmery, Armando Alves, Arun Rajagopal, Asi Sharabi, Becky Carroll, Becky McCray, Bernie Scheffler, Bill Gammell, Bob Carlton, Bob LeDrew, Brad Shorr, Bradley Spitzer, Brandon Murphy, Branislav Peric, Brent Dixon, Brett Macfarlane, Brian Reich, C.C. Chapman, Cam Beck, Casper Willer, Cathleen Rittereiser, Cathryn Hrudicka, Cedric Giorgi, Charles Sipe, Chris Kieff, Chris Cree, Chris Wilson, Christina Kerley (CK), C.B. Whittemore, Clay Parker Jones, Chris Brown, Colin McKay, Connie Bensen, Connie Reece, Cord Silverstein, Corentin Monot, Craig Wilson, Daniel Honigman, Dan Goldstein, Dan Schawbel, Dana VanDen Heuvel, Dan Sitter, Daria Radota Rasmussen, Darren Herman, Darryl Patterson, Dave Davison, Dave Origano, David Armano, David Bausola, David Berkowitz, David Brazeal, David Koopmans, David Meerman Scott, David Petherick, David Reich, David Weinfeld, David Zinger, Deanna Gernert, Deborah Brown, Dennis Price, Derrick Kwa, Dino Demopoulos, Doug Haslam, Doug Meacham, Doug Mitchell, Douglas Hanna, Douglas Karr, Drew McLellan, Duane Brown, Dustin Jacobsen, Dylan Viner, Ed Brenegar, Ed Cotton, Efrain Mendicuti, Ellen Weber, Emily Reed, Eric Peterson, Eric Nehrlich, Ernie Mosteller, Faris Yakob, Fernanda Romano, Francis Anderson, G. Kofi Annan, Gareth Kay, Gary Cohen, Gaurav Mishra, Gavin Heaton, Geert Desager, George Jenkins, G.L. Hoffman, Gianandrea Facchini, Gordon Whitehead, Graham Hill, Greg Verdino, Gretel Going & Kathryn Fleming, Hillel Cooperman, Hugh Weber, J. Erik Potter, J.C. Hutchins, James Gordon-Macintosh, Jamey Shiels, Jasmin Tragas, Jason Oke, Jay Ehret, Jeanne Dininni, Jeff De Cagna, Jeff Gwynne, Jeff Noble, Jeff Wallace, Jennifer Warwick, Jenny Meade, Jeremy Fuksa, Jeremy Heilpern, Jeremy Middleton, Jeroen Verkroost, Jessica Hagy, Joanna Young, Joe Pulizzi, Joe Talbott, John Herrington, John Jantsch, John Moore, John Rosen, John Todor, Jon Burg, Jon Swanson, Jonathan Trenn, Jordan Behan, Julie Fleischer, Justin Flowers, Justin Foster, Karl Turley, Kate Trgovac, Katie Chatfield, Katie Konrath, Kenny Lauer, Keri Willenborg, Kevin Jessop, Kris Hoet, Krishna De, Kristin Gorski, Laura Fitton, Laurence Helene Borei, Lewis Green, Lois Kelly, Lori Magno, Louise Barnes-Johnston, Louise Mangan, Louise Manning, Luc Debaisieux, Marcus Brown, Mario Vellandi, Mark Blair, Mark Earls, Mark Goren, Mark Hancock, Mark Lewis, Mark McGuinness, Mark McSpadden, Matt Dickman, Matt J. McDonald, Matt Moore, Michael Hawkins, Michael Karnjanaprakorn, Michelle Lamar, Mike Arauz, Mike McAllen, Mike Sansone, Mitch Joel, Monica Wright, Nathan Gilliatt, Nathan Snell, Neil Perkin, Nettie Hartsock, Nick Rice, Oleksandr Skorokhod, Ozgur Alaz, Paul Chaney, Paul Hebert, Paul Isakson, Paul Marobella, Paul McEnany, Paul Tedesco, Paul Williams, Pet Campbell, Pete Deutschman, Peter Corbett, Phil Gerbyshak, Phil Lewis, Phil Soden, Piet Wulleman, Rachel Steiner, Sreeraj Menon, Reginald Adkins, Richard Huntington, Rishi Desai, Beeker Northam, Rob Mortimer, Robert Hruzek, Roberta Rosenberg, Robyn McMaster, Roger von Oech, Rohit Bhargava, Ron Shevlin, Ryan Barrett, Ryan Karpeles, Ryan Rasmussen, Sam Huleatt, Sandy Renshaw, Scott Goodson, Scott Monty, Scott Townsend, Scott White, Sean Howard, Sean Scott, Seni Thomas, Seth Gaffney, Shama Hyder, Sheila Scarborough, Sheryl Steadman, Simon Payn, Sonia Simone, Spike Jones, Stanley Johnson, Stephen Collins, Stephen Cribbett, Stephen Landau, Stephen Smith, Steve Bannister, Steve Hardy, Steve Portigal, Steve Roesler, Steven Verbruggen, Steve Woodruff, Sue Edworthy, Susan Bird, Susan Gunelius, Susan Heywood, Tammy Lenski, Terrell Meek, Thomas Clifford, Thomas Knoll, Tiffany Kenyon, Tim Brunelle, Tim Buesing, Tim Connor, Tim Jackson, Tim Longhurst, Tim Mannveille, Tim Tyler, Timothy Johnson, Tinu Abayomi-Paul, Toby Bloomberg, Todd Andrlik, Troy Rutter, Troy Worman, Uwe Hook, Valeria Maltoni, Vandana Ahuja, Vanessa DiMauro, Veronique Rabuteau, Wayne Buckhanan, William Azaroff, Yves Van Landeghem

Behold....the authors of Age of Conversation: Why Don't People Get It?

We'll keep you up-to-date on the book's progress as we move from defining the theme to the actual writing/editing of the book's contents.  In the meantime...join me in cheering for and thanking these fantastic authors, marketing professionals and business bloggers as they take on this collaborative challenge.

Both Gavin and I are thrilled at both the high percentage of returning authors and the terrific additions to the '08 edition.  Many, many thanks to you all for sharing your insights and talents!

Comments

[Rishi Desai]

Looking forward to it, great work again!

[Moda di Magno]

Looking forward to this year's awesome adventure!

[Susan Gunelius]

I'm thrilled to be part of such an awesome list of writers and business people!

[Douglas Karr]

With such a wide array of authors, should we try to centralize the keywords and phrases that we'd like to hit on for this volume? I'm disappointed I missed last years - my schedule was just nuts. This year I'm not going to miss it, though!

[G.L. Hoffman]

Drew...please see correct spelling of my name G. L. Hoffman.

Thanks and I appreciate the links.

[Wayne Buckhanan]

Wow. I had seen the number (275), but until you see the complete list it isn't real how many co-authors we really have!

I am very much looking forward to the ride.

And remember everyone, we've got to rocket the first AoC up the charts at Amazon in less than a week (March 29!) so get your tongue loose for really chatting up the Age of Conversation launch this week.

(Drew, random housekeeping, please update my link to http://LifeLoveAndLearning.com/blog in your records. Thanks!)

[Toby]

Drew and Gavin - All I can say is WoW!

[David Reich]

Very impressive. This will be fun.

[Connie Reece]

WOW! You truly do have to see this list to believe it. I'm thrilled to be a returning author, and love the additional layer of complexity to this project. Can't wait to get started on my chapter. Thanks to you and Gavin for spearheading this project again.

[Steve Woodruff]

That's an amazing list! Are you sure you don't just want to re-name the volume "Who's Who in Social Media?" and be done with it?? :>}

[Ann Handley]

Awesome! What an incredible line-up!

[BIG Kahuna]

Hey Drew,

If you've read my blog you know my style...so of course I'd like to be the first chapter (snicker if you must).

Can't wait to stir it up!

[Shaping Youth]

Exciting times! Also would like to put out a call to all AOC contributors to share their best stories of 'utilizing the power of media for positive change' for a talk I'm giving in Boston in a few weeks. Obviously AOC will be a case study...Twitter fundraising/Frozen Peas and such too, other social media/web campaigns you're particularly proud of? (for profit or nonprofit, youth driven or not) Please send 'em my way to feature w/a jpeg and paragraph on your outcomes, thanks!

Amy Jussel

[Stephen Collins]

All correct and present!

I am looking forward very much to doing this. Can't wait!

[Stephen Smith]

Info is correct and I am present and preparing. Thank you for this opportunity!

[Anna Farmery]

Drew - once again this project looks fantastic....fingers crossed for the 29th and another successful year. Please note my web address is www.theengagingbrand.com

Speak soon

[David Petherick]

What a line up! And good to see 10 x Davids in there!

[Eric Peterson]

I can't wait to get started. Thank you for the opportunity. My info is correct!

[Joe Pulizzi]

Great job both of you. Incredibly impressive list!

[RyanB]

All my info is correct, Sir Drew. Can't wait to get this party started!
See you in NYC (t minus two weeks away)
-Ryan

[Dan Schawbel]

I'm happy to be apart of this list. Congrats to everyone.

[Paul Marobella]

Hey Drew,
Looking forward to adding my voice to the conversation. Please note my preferred URL is brandsoapbox.typepad.com. Let's get it on!

Paul

[Brent Dixon]

Can't wait to dive in. And then I can't wait to read it.

[Nettie Hartsock]

What a great and humbling thrill to be among such amazing thinkers and writers!

Nettie

[Ryan Karpeles]

Wow. Pretty amazing list. Looks like at least some people get it ;-)

[Jeroen Verkroost]

Looks supercool - big books are back :)

[RJacobsen]

Looks like a star studded book, is the book free?? LOL! If not, I think I'll buy it anyways! Looking forward to hearing more about this project!

[Hillel]

We're excited to contribute. :)

[Tammy Lenski]

What tremendous company to be in. I can't wait to see the end product. Thanks, Drew.

[C.B. Whittemore]

Drew and Gavin, this is unbelievable and so very exciting! What a list of contributors, too. Thank you for the inspiration and the coordination.

[Krishna De]

Drew - what an amazing list of contributors - many who I already follow. I'm delighted to be collaborating with you. Thank you to you and Gavin for all the organising and facilitation in making this terrific project take life.

[gianandrea facchini]

275? wow, the book is going to be a heavy lift!

[Cam Beck]

Gianandrea - Not really. Hadn't you heard? In order to save paper (and our backs), the authors are going to have to phrase their arguments in the form of a haiku.

Problem solved. ;)

[Gary Cohen]

Looking forward to being a part of Part Deux.

[Troy Worman]

Awesome! I can't wait.

[Robyn]

Thanks for your leadership in this great creative venture. Takes a lot of organizing and work behind the scenes, I know. I look forward to taking part!

[Ian Alexander]

Late to party again. Looks like a great line-up. Congrats on pulling it all together Drew.

[Drew McLellan]

Ian,

Sorry you missed it. You might want to subscribe to www.AgeofConversation.com. We wouldn't overwhelm you with posts, but you would know what's going on.

Drew