Philcon review
Another Philcon come and gone. I had an enjoyable time, as I always do. This year I was on a Friday night panel, which I've never been before, so I had to drive into the city at rush hour - which wasn't too bad, since most were trying to get OUT - and the hotel and parking garage was right off of the main road. Could have been much worse.
I hung in the dealer's room for a bit before my panel, then went to a panel I had signed up for but not been assigned to, where the moderator didn't show, so I sort of crashed the panel. Nobody minded, it was a YA writing panel, so it wasn't like I didn't know what I was talking about. Then I went to the Harry Potter Post-Mortem, which I WAS assigned too, and to which I deputized Racheline Maltese, who is a fellow Broad Universe member and who was NOT assigned to the panel, even though she's written "Harry Potter: Trifles, Trivias and Particularities", an HP trivia book that will be released next week from Sterling and Ross. (It's available for pre-order on Amazon, and yes, I'm getting a copy. I was disappointed she didn't have copies with her, like she was supposed to.) I, having been to this con for three years running and therefore am allowed to do what I want, deputized Racheline to the panel.
It was a decent panel, and we had a good time, though there was some Dumbledore bashing (and not for the gay thing, for the 'why did he leave a child to be abused for eleven years thing. I stuck up for old Dumby, don't worry).
I got home late, roadwork slowed me down. But I was back bright and early in the dealer's room at the BU table. I sold quite a few copies of TALISMAN OF ZANDRIA, more than anyone else at our table (I'm sure if Racheline had HAD the HP book she would have far outsold me), but none of the other. I guess people want to read the first book before they read the second. Although you don't HAVE to, as many of the reviewers can attest to. They're separate stories with the same characters and location. I'm almost out of copies of the first book, so what I've got for the remainder of the season will be the second. But, I digress.
The afternoon panels were split. The "Why is Children's Fantasy the Next Big Thing" (as opposed to SF) was quite nice. Although our moderator also failed to show up, we did a fine job all on our own, and there was good discussion. We decided there was a hole in the market for children's SF, but it needed to have a fantasy base, if that makes any sense. Because children's first stories are fantasy - we read them fairy tales from the time they're little, so that's what they know - we need to ease them into SF. I can see it.
Children's programming ran into a bit of a snag. The Children's Programming coordinator didn't do his schedule until the last minute, so nothing was in the program. So no one showed up for either of my CP panels. No biggie. I did discuss with someone about what we should do next year, and I think we've got something really good if we can pull it off.
I was scheduled to go back on Sunday, but I didn't. I had to be there all day Saturday, which was Ry's birthday, so I spent Sunday at home with him. I told him next year he can go to the con and play in the LEGO room all weekend.
So yesterday we watched Ratatouille (terrificly funny) and I worked on the WIP and ordered some study guides for my teaching exams. I'll be taking the basic K-5 one in January and the Science one in March. I need the extra two months to study. And as soon as my transcripts come through to UMUC, I can register for classes - I'm not taking basic prerequisite courses when I don't have to.
2008 is looking mighty busy.
***
And now it's time to prepare for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I have several gifts finished, and a list of stuff to order (I don't do the mall during the holidays). Let the games begin!
I hung in the dealer's room for a bit before my panel, then went to a panel I had signed up for but not been assigned to, where the moderator didn't show, so I sort of crashed the panel. Nobody minded, it was a YA writing panel, so it wasn't like I didn't know what I was talking about. Then I went to the Harry Potter Post-Mortem, which I WAS assigned too, and to which I deputized Racheline Maltese, who is a fellow Broad Universe member and who was NOT assigned to the panel, even though she's written "Harry Potter: Trifles, Trivias and Particularities", an HP trivia book that will be released next week from Sterling and Ross. (It's available for pre-order on Amazon, and yes, I'm getting a copy. I was disappointed she didn't have copies with her, like she was supposed to.) I, having been to this con for three years running and therefore am allowed to do what I want, deputized Racheline to the panel.
It was a decent panel, and we had a good time, though there was some Dumbledore bashing (and not for the gay thing, for the 'why did he leave a child to be abused for eleven years thing. I stuck up for old Dumby, don't worry).
I got home late, roadwork slowed me down. But I was back bright and early in the dealer's room at the BU table. I sold quite a few copies of TALISMAN OF ZANDRIA, more than anyone else at our table (I'm sure if Racheline had HAD the HP book she would have far outsold me), but none of the other. I guess people want to read the first book before they read the second. Although you don't HAVE to, as many of the reviewers can attest to. They're separate stories with the same characters and location. I'm almost out of copies of the first book, so what I've got for the remainder of the season will be the second. But, I digress.
The afternoon panels were split. The "Why is Children's Fantasy the Next Big Thing" (as opposed to SF) was quite nice. Although our moderator also failed to show up, we did a fine job all on our own, and there was good discussion. We decided there was a hole in the market for children's SF, but it needed to have a fantasy base, if that makes any sense. Because children's first stories are fantasy - we read them fairy tales from the time they're little, so that's what they know - we need to ease them into SF. I can see it.
Children's programming ran into a bit of a snag. The Children's Programming coordinator didn't do his schedule until the last minute, so nothing was in the program. So no one showed up for either of my CP panels. No biggie. I did discuss with someone about what we should do next year, and I think we've got something really good if we can pull it off.
I was scheduled to go back on Sunday, but I didn't. I had to be there all day Saturday, which was Ry's birthday, so I spent Sunday at home with him. I told him next year he can go to the con and play in the LEGO room all weekend.
So yesterday we watched Ratatouille (terrificly funny) and I worked on the WIP and ordered some study guides for my teaching exams. I'll be taking the basic K-5 one in January and the Science one in March. I need the extra two months to study. And as soon as my transcripts come through to UMUC, I can register for classes - I'm not taking basic prerequisite courses when I don't have to.
2008 is looking mighty busy.
***
And now it's time to prepare for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I have several gifts finished, and a list of stuff to order (I don't do the mall during the holidays). Let the games begin!