World Fantasy, so far
World Fantasy this year is in San Diego. My trip here went uneventfully. The fact that it was uneventful makes it eventful. Last year, I had a severe attack of vertigo on my way to the airport to head out to Columbus for WFC. I had to get Kimm to pick me up (she was flying with me, thankfully), and I wasn't sure if I'd get on their plane when I got to the airport. It was a rough flight up, although the airline were very helpful making me as comfortable as possible. Fast forward a year. I'm 7 months post-surgery, haven't had any vertigo in 5 months (some occasional lightheadedness, but no vertigo, the world has been stubbornly staying where it belongs). First time on a plane since the surgery, and I wasn't expecting any problems, but flying has often made me a little light headed. So, other than 2 very full flights, and getting little sleep on Wednesday night, getting here was uneventful. By the time I got to the hotel and checked in, I was starving, so I grabbed an over priced lunch at one of the hotel restaurants. Birds apparently have free access to the restaurants.It's a little surprising at first, but there is something kind of charming about it, too.
The book bags are really pretty. I like the design a lot. It's a tote, but with a top zipper, very generous space, and a front pocket that also has a zipper. I can see this being a bag that will get a lot of use. The selection of freebie books were a little meh, but there were a couple of interesting candidates. It looks like almost everyone got a copy of the 10th anniversary edition of American Gods. Thursday I attended a panel on dystopian YA, grabbed dinner with some of the Austin folks, and then tried to attend a party, but hit a wall around 9:30, so I made it an early night.
I woke up early Friday morning, 5am (pesky time change). Couldn't get back to sleep, so I just got up, grabbed an early breakfast. I had a world fantasy board meeting at 10, which didn't last that long. But after, there were a couple of side meetings, with some requests of my time in the coming months. I did sneak out to go to a couple of panels: Retelling old Fairy Tales, The Successful Misfit as Theme in Fantasy,and went to Richard Kadrey's reading. Last year, I bought Butcher Bird because of the amazing cover. I read the book, which was a freaking wild ride. So I wanted to go to Richard's reading. He read from his newest Sandman Slim novel, a short reading, but I was hooked. I did buy the first Sandman Slim novel (there are 3 out now, I haven't read any of them yet). I had dinner planned with Sharon Shinn and a couple other Austin people, and we had to be back in time for the autographing session. We ended up vetoing a few places, and then agreed to an Italian place that said they had good bread sticks. We grabbed a cab, and it turned out that the restaurant was kind of a fast food place in a mall. We had low expectations when we pulled up, but we were pleasantly surprised. It smelled wonderful when we walked in. We ordered a pizza, salad, breadsticks, roast chicken and pasta. Enough for 4 people, and it cost us about $32 total. And the food was very tasty. So, you cannot judge a book by its cover.
I walked around the autographing with Meg, talked to a number of writers and other folks. I enjoy going to cons, because there is so much opportunity to talk to so many people. I owed Meg a drink, so we went to the bar. I didn't realize that here they have pints and then super sized drinks (22oz). I wasn't given an option, which annoys me, because they automatically gave me the larger drink. Meg drank all hers, but by around 10, I was hitting that wall (yay time zone change). I pushed through a little bit longer, but I finally had to go to bed around 11.
Saturday morning, I got paid. This meant I had money to actually spend in the book room. I had scoped out what I wanted to get, and did a blitzkreig shopping expedition. I have already shipped the books back, but I did get Carrie Vaugh's new short story collection, an anthology that Sharon Shinn is in, and an interesting variety of things, some of them from authors I have met this weekend. I also attended several program items yesterday. The programming was quite good this year.I attended panels on the language of fantasy, Faustian bargains in fantasy, a wonderful Q&A with Tim Powers, James Blaylock, and K.W. Jeter on the foundations of Steampunk (this was fabulous, it was recorded, and should be on YouTube soon), Immortals in Fantasy, and the Not-So-Fair folk. There were other programs items I would have loved to have gone to, but I had dinner with my buddy John, and there were other things I needed to do. I popped into the artists' reception briefly, then went to a couple of parties. I still got back to my room relatively early, around 11.
Today will be taken up with a long WFC board meeting, the awards banquet (I'm not going to the banquet, but I am going to the awards ceremony after), then some relaxing the rest of the day. I'm leaving early in the morning.
My impressions are a mixed bag. The grounds are very pretty, with amazing rose bushes everywhere. I've been on this property the last time I was in San Diego, and it looks exactly the same. But it's hard to feel connected to the con, because everything is spread out over several buildings. The bar, such as it is, is really far away from the convention center. The programming was very good. (I'll write up my notes on the program items I attended at a later date.) There were some issues, like connecting to the free wifi, which I was finally able to do this morning.I have been able to see a number of people and talk to them, and that's always what I especially enjoy about going to a con. I am looking forward to heading home tomorrow and seeing my girls (I'm taking off Tuesday as a destress day).
The next two years, WFC will be outside of the US. Next year is in Toronto, the year after in Brighton, England. Last night, Brighton announced China Mieville will be their toastmaster. As I was telling Kim Kofmel yesterday, I need to get my passport renewed. (It just expired a few months ago, I know where it's sitting, I just have to send it in with my payment.)
The book bags are really pretty. I like the design a lot. It's a tote, but with a top zipper, very generous space, and a front pocket that also has a zipper. I can see this being a bag that will get a lot of use. The selection of freebie books were a little meh, but there were a couple of interesting candidates. It looks like almost everyone got a copy of the 10th anniversary edition of American Gods. Thursday I attended a panel on dystopian YA, grabbed dinner with some of the Austin folks, and then tried to attend a party, but hit a wall around 9:30, so I made it an early night.
I woke up early Friday morning, 5am (pesky time change). Couldn't get back to sleep, so I just got up, grabbed an early breakfast. I had a world fantasy board meeting at 10, which didn't last that long. But after, there were a couple of side meetings, with some requests of my time in the coming months. I did sneak out to go to a couple of panels: Retelling old Fairy Tales, The Successful Misfit as Theme in Fantasy,and went to Richard Kadrey's reading. Last year, I bought Butcher Bird because of the amazing cover. I read the book, which was a freaking wild ride. So I wanted to go to Richard's reading. He read from his newest Sandman Slim novel, a short reading, but I was hooked. I did buy the first Sandman Slim novel (there are 3 out now, I haven't read any of them yet). I had dinner planned with Sharon Shinn and a couple other Austin people, and we had to be back in time for the autographing session. We ended up vetoing a few places, and then agreed to an Italian place that said they had good bread sticks. We grabbed a cab, and it turned out that the restaurant was kind of a fast food place in a mall. We had low expectations when we pulled up, but we were pleasantly surprised. It smelled wonderful when we walked in. We ordered a pizza, salad, breadsticks, roast chicken and pasta. Enough for 4 people, and it cost us about $32 total. And the food was very tasty. So, you cannot judge a book by its cover.
I walked around the autographing with Meg, talked to a number of writers and other folks. I enjoy going to cons, because there is so much opportunity to talk to so many people. I owed Meg a drink, so we went to the bar. I didn't realize that here they have pints and then super sized drinks (22oz). I wasn't given an option, which annoys me, because they automatically gave me the larger drink. Meg drank all hers, but by around 10, I was hitting that wall (yay time zone change). I pushed through a little bit longer, but I finally had to go to bed around 11.
Saturday morning, I got paid. This meant I had money to actually spend in the book room. I had scoped out what I wanted to get, and did a blitzkreig shopping expedition. I have already shipped the books back, but I did get Carrie Vaugh's new short story collection, an anthology that Sharon Shinn is in, and an interesting variety of things, some of them from authors I have met this weekend. I also attended several program items yesterday. The programming was quite good this year.I attended panels on the language of fantasy, Faustian bargains in fantasy, a wonderful Q&A with Tim Powers, James Blaylock, and K.W. Jeter on the foundations of Steampunk (this was fabulous, it was recorded, and should be on YouTube soon), Immortals in Fantasy, and the Not-So-Fair folk. There were other programs items I would have loved to have gone to, but I had dinner with my buddy John, and there were other things I needed to do. I popped into the artists' reception briefly, then went to a couple of parties. I still got back to my room relatively early, around 11.
Today will be taken up with a long WFC board meeting, the awards banquet (I'm not going to the banquet, but I am going to the awards ceremony after), then some relaxing the rest of the day. I'm leaving early in the morning.
My impressions are a mixed bag. The grounds are very pretty, with amazing rose bushes everywhere. I've been on this property the last time I was in San Diego, and it looks exactly the same. But it's hard to feel connected to the con, because everything is spread out over several buildings. The bar, such as it is, is really far away from the convention center. The programming was very good. (I'll write up my notes on the program items I attended at a later date.) There were some issues, like connecting to the free wifi, which I was finally able to do this morning.I have been able to see a number of people and talk to them, and that's always what I especially enjoy about going to a con. I am looking forward to heading home tomorrow and seeing my girls (I'm taking off Tuesday as a destress day).
The next two years, WFC will be outside of the US. Next year is in Toronto, the year after in Brighton, England. Last night, Brighton announced China Mieville will be their toastmaster. As I was telling Kim Kofmel yesterday, I need to get my passport renewed. (It just expired a few months ago, I know where it's sitting, I just have to send it in with my payment.)