'Literary onslaught' of BookExpo America hits May 30

More than 500 authors will compete for attention at BookExpo America, the annual three-day trade show that opens May 30 in New York for 20,000 publishers, booksellers, librarians, agents and (on the last day at least) readers.

"It's a literary onslaught, where every book being published in the next six months comes flying at you at once," says book publicist Scott Manning. Imagine several football fields worth of publishers, all trying to spark the elusive "buzz" about new books.

Highlights:

Best-selling authors: Malcolm Gladwell (David and Goliath), Doris Kearns Goodwin (The Bully Pulpit), Wally Lamb (We Are Water), Ishmael Beah (The Radiance of Tomorrow) and Chris Matthews (Tip and the Gipper) will offer previews. Comedian Chelsea Handler and novelist Helen Fielding will be touting their fall books (not yet titled).

Questions: Panels will discuss issues such as "Self-publishing: Disruptor or Defender of the Book Business?" and "Shaping the Future of the Book: Insight From Leaders Who Are Transforming How We Read." Lamb and Elizabeth Gilbert will share advice on how to create "The Ultimate Book Club Experience."

Publishing 'Hackathon': The winning team of digital designers, programmers and entrepreneurs will be chosen from a 36-hour contest to come up with new digital tools to help readers discover books they like. Publishers call it "discoverability."

'Power' readers: "Power Readers" (avid readers who buy a ticket for $49) can join the crowd June 1.

At home: Events will be streamed live and aired live and on tape Saturday on C-SPAN's BookTV. And USA TODAY will post video interviews on its website.