The week includes lunches and dinners with presentations, daily worship services, and the very popular autograph evening, when the ballroom is filled with tables piled with books, recordings, or artworks, behind which the writers wait with pens at the ready. This, especially, is when the heavy bags are needed: These items are give-aways.

RBTE dates are May 27-30; for a sneak peak, go to http://www.rbte.net/.

Among this year's exhibitors are our own Church Publishing and Episcopal Media Center, Oxford University Press, the Lutheran house Augsburg Fortress, Roman Catholic publishers Ave Maria and Loyola, Presbyterian Westminster John Knox (publishers of Bishop N.T. Wright's...for Everyone series); Paraclete Press, Abingdon, William B Eerdmans, and BlueBridge, a new kid on the block a few years ago. The music house GIA, the American distributors for the Royal School of Church Music, will have a booth. And in the gift category is General Convention favorite Cornwell Scribes, with their renowned illuminated calligraphy.

The Episcopal Booksellers Association (EBA) is a child of the trade show, and the interest of publishers in finding outlets for Episcopal/Anglican titles. An informal meeting at the 1996 show led to formation of the organization, which now numbers some 80 members in 28 states. The stores are found in cathedrals, churches, and seminaries; a few are stand-alone shops. Many carry recordings, icons, crosses, and other gifts, in addition to prayer books and Bibles, and books reviewed in church publications. Most can be accessed via their websites and will ship. Of course, it is much more fun to visit in person.

RBTE visitors' $100 registration covers exhibits and lunches, and a Tuesday evening concert.

Pheasant Run offers special rates for RBTE attendees. It's a beautiful place in its own right, with an 18-hole golf course, tennis courts, indoor/outdoor pool, indoor pool and health club, dinner theater, shops, game room, comedy club and lounges. Pools, health club and tennis courts (except racquet rental) are included in room rate; golf fees and rentals extra. And the list of "Top Ten

Things to Experience in St. Charles includes Morton Arboretum, with some 1,700 acres of scenic gardens, and Fermilab, the physics lab which houses the world's most powerful particle accelerator.