Capclave Day 3
Day 3 was quite mellow with the programme not starting till 11am. I, however, woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't get back to sleep so by 5.30 I gave in and got up and read Fire Watch by Connie Willis. Then I went back to sleep for a bit before heading down for breakfast. I caught a couple of morning panels - Jeff and Ann reading from their work, Connie Willis on a panel about history in SF and then I sat on the small press panel. I so enjoyed Ann reading from the Kosher Guide to Imaginary Animals - she read out some recipes and they were hilarious. Jeff then told a hilarious book tour story from hell and then read an excerpt from Finch where he had drawn from the personal story in the writing. I loved hearing Connie talk about her approach to writing history which is to make any stuff up, cause she doesn't need to - there's so much great material to use from what really happened. I enjoyed being on the Small Press panel. We still got a lot of the same kinds of questions we usually get but this time the panel was different so that was fun. Also we were very different size and focussed presses so that was interesting too.
Then I took a proper tour of the dealer's room and sorted out with the very lovely Mike Walsh who kindly boxed up Twelfth Planet Press books to take up to Ohio with him for me. I also got some excellent gossip and guidance in prep for WFC. And I bought a gorgeous boxed copy of Remake by Connie Wilis from him which was printed in the early 90s and looks hilarious clunky. The book though is freaking awesome so far. So many things that I can relate to with Connie - this one in particular being that I too have been in love with Fred and Ginger, and Fred Astaire in particular, since FOREVER. And this is a whole book about mashing up old movies. And I happen to know, cause she said so, that she spent 2 years watching old movies to get the scenes exactly right. And they are *exactly* right. Such joy to read a work by someone who takes the research of what they want to write about so seriously that the information doesn't get in the way because you're thinking, "hang on, I don't think it was quite like that ..." etc. And then of course, you can sit back and admire that and concentrate on the plot.
I headed out of the hotel for the first time in days to wander over to Trader Joe's for some sight seeing. I bought a couple of odd snacks to try for my own amusement and I might do that in a separate post later. I brought the snacks back, finally got my coffee machine in the room fixed (I have finally turned into my mother - or rather, I finally understand my mother) and then I hung out and read and then napped. I got a phonecall from someone who was wanting to buy a book and so I popped down to the lobby to sort that out and then he gave me such a lovely kiss goodbye. I was touched because I was glad that he felt the same way about meeting me as I had done about him. I think I really made some lifelong friends this weekend.
I hung around after that because Ann and Jeff had invited me to dinner with them earlier and it turned out they were having dinner with the con com so I hung out and caught up with a few of them who I'd gotten to know. I'd really wanted to have proper chats with Cathy and was glad we had some time before dinner to properly bond. And then we all headed out to a fabulously authentic Chinese restaurant and had a really fun meal. The con com were just all such welcoming and warm people and I feel so priveleged to have been able to properly get to know many of them. Having become involved in Swancon this last year and the one before has shown me so much behind the scenes of cons. I have had my eyes opened as to how much of their time and energy people who work behind the scenes give. I mean in particular the people who are involved not just for one con but for the lifetime of a con or cons - the people who hold the whole thing up no matter what. I admire them so much for what they do, why they do it and the knowledge they have and I feel so lucky to get to meet them. So I really enjoyed dinner.
Then I headed back for some drinks and chat and bonding before bed.
And I slept properly for the first time this trip - I think I finally worked out the aircon which is in degrees F.
Today I am headed off for some proper sight seeing and culture vulturing though I hear it might rain later.
PS at breakfast I had yoghurt that had kosher gelatin in it.
Then I took a proper tour of the dealer's room and sorted out with the very lovely Mike Walsh who kindly boxed up Twelfth Planet Press books to take up to Ohio with him for me. I also got some excellent gossip and guidance in prep for WFC. And I bought a gorgeous boxed copy of Remake by Connie Wilis from him which was printed in the early 90s and looks hilarious clunky. The book though is freaking awesome so far. So many things that I can relate to with Connie - this one in particular being that I too have been in love with Fred and Ginger, and Fred Astaire in particular, since FOREVER. And this is a whole book about mashing up old movies. And I happen to know, cause she said so, that she spent 2 years watching old movies to get the scenes exactly right. And they are *exactly* right. Such joy to read a work by someone who takes the research of what they want to write about so seriously that the information doesn't get in the way because you're thinking, "hang on, I don't think it was quite like that ..." etc. And then of course, you can sit back and admire that and concentrate on the plot.
I headed out of the hotel for the first time in days to wander over to Trader Joe's for some sight seeing. I bought a couple of odd snacks to try for my own amusement and I might do that in a separate post later. I brought the snacks back, finally got my coffee machine in the room fixed (I have finally turned into my mother - or rather, I finally understand my mother) and then I hung out and read and then napped. I got a phonecall from someone who was wanting to buy a book and so I popped down to the lobby to sort that out and then he gave me such a lovely kiss goodbye. I was touched because I was glad that he felt the same way about meeting me as I had done about him. I think I really made some lifelong friends this weekend.
I hung around after that because Ann and Jeff had invited me to dinner with them earlier and it turned out they were having dinner with the con com so I hung out and caught up with a few of them who I'd gotten to know. I'd really wanted to have proper chats with Cathy and was glad we had some time before dinner to properly bond. And then we all headed out to a fabulously authentic Chinese restaurant and had a really fun meal. The con com were just all such welcoming and warm people and I feel so priveleged to have been able to properly get to know many of them. Having become involved in Swancon this last year and the one before has shown me so much behind the scenes of cons. I have had my eyes opened as to how much of their time and energy people who work behind the scenes give. I mean in particular the people who are involved not just for one con but for the lifetime of a con or cons - the people who hold the whole thing up no matter what. I admire them so much for what they do, why they do it and the knowledge they have and I feel so lucky to get to meet them. So I really enjoyed dinner.
Then I headed back for some drinks and chat and bonding before bed.
And I slept properly for the first time this trip - I think I finally worked out the aircon which is in degrees F.
Today I am headed off for some proper sight seeing and culture vulturing though I hear it might rain later.
PS at breakfast I had yoghurt that had kosher gelatin in it.