Norwescon 32 Report, with pictures
When I attend Norwescon, I usually don't arrive until mid-Friday. This year, however, being unemployed, I decided that I'd try arriving earlier and see just how much trouble I could get into during a longer weekend.
I had the good fortune of benefiting from dreamline and inevitableguy's kindness; they allowed me to crash in their room for the duration. I could not have afforded to attend the show otherwise.
This year, because R.A. Salvatore was the Guest of Honor, there was more programming devoted to games and gaming than usual (and less devoted to hard science, about which I heard griping from several quarters). The two panels I participated in on Thursday (Novelization of a Game and Writing for Hire) were part of that programming. The first panel was crashed by Mr. Salvatore himself. As Jeff Grubb said in his blog, he and Bob "nattered on like old grandmas about the 'good old days'." I got to play referee, and it was a lot of fun. I shared the second panel with two men I've known so long, I don't actually remember the specifics of meeting either one: Greg Cox and the_monkey_king. There's nothing like being on panels with people you love. Yeah, it was good. I had dinner that evening with friends, attended the Wily Writers' reading briefly (where I got to see greyjoy briefly, lookin' all snazzy), then hit the small press party.
My Friday panels were successful. In many ways, they were two parts of the same coursework: breaking into being published. I've done these panels a million times in one form or another, and every now and then, someone buttonholes me and tells me that something I said made a huge difference to them. It's always a satisfying experience. I also attended melkahb's first-ever reading. The story was terrific. I hope there will be more where that one came from.
Friday afternoon, I had a little jewelry sale in the hotel bar. I sold about a third of the stuff I brought with me. Unfortunately, I lost a piece I'd brought to sell, which was irritating. It didn't turn up at either the hotel or the convention lost-and-found. Oh well.
Friday evening was the Philip K. Dick Awards, about which I've already blogged. What I didn't mention was that two of my radio theater friends were stand-in readers along with me, so we got to sit at a table together, ooh and ahh over each other's fancy-dress clothes, and offer each other moral support for our performances. If you watch the video at the above-linked post, you'll see them in the lower left corner of the screen. After the awards ceremony, I called Adam, changed into jeans, and headed to the pro party in the presidential suite. I concluded the evening with my roommates, twilight2000, and miki_garrison in the bar.
Saturday I participated in the second of two critique sessions for the Fairwood Workshop. The writer is someone I've critiqued before; she's got a career ahead of her if she keeps it up. Later, after distributing hair extensions in colors not found in nature, lisamantchev gave a perfectly delightful reading. I dropped into the "How to Start a Magazine...and Why You Shouldn't" panel to see tbclone47 and the_monkey_king share their wisdom. I ended the day's programming by participating in "The Art of Titles," which turned out to be a lot of fun. paulmelko is not only a terrific writer but also hellaciously funny. he's the sort of man who doesn't say much, but when he does--bam!--the humor is smart and sharp. Jeff Carlson (lj user="sci_fi_writer">), whom I'd never met before, was also hugely entertaining, very charismatic, and just delightful. He was entertained by the sight of me standing beside Duane Wilkins of the University Bookstore, and insisted on documenting our friendship in an image he dubbed the "DuaneJannaDeathmatch."
Saturday evening could not have been more terrific. I enjoyed a lovely dinner with jackwilliambell and some friends of his from Bellingham. My only regret was that I didn't see Jack for the rest of the evening! I then made my way to the masquerade, where I found dreamline in costume as Poison Ivy. The masquerade itself was very good indeed, featuring some really remarkable stuff including a gryphon with articulated wings, Lili from "Legend," a hooka-smoking caterpillar, a minotaur, and an actual marriage proposal. The hall costumes were awesome this year too, including my friend Dave as a poor, impaled Wash from "Serenity" (the sign around his neck says, "Screw you, Whedon"), I checked into the Wizards of the Coast party, then ended the evening with a bunch of folks at Todd Lockwood's small room party.
Sunday morning was taken up with a long and lovely discussion with kenscholes and breakfast with Night Shade Books publisher jlassen, Snappy Dresser (tm).
I honestly don't think I could have enjoyed myself much more this weekend. With only one regrettable incident, the weekend was otherwise a success, and I left feeling bouyed and inspired.
I had the good fortune of benefiting from dreamline and inevitableguy's kindness; they allowed me to crash in their room for the duration. I could not have afforded to attend the show otherwise.
This year, because R.A. Salvatore was the Guest of Honor, there was more programming devoted to games and gaming than usual (and less devoted to hard science, about which I heard griping from several quarters). The two panels I participated in on Thursday (Novelization of a Game and Writing for Hire) were part of that programming. The first panel was crashed by Mr. Salvatore himself. As Jeff Grubb said in his blog, he and Bob "nattered on like old grandmas about the 'good old days'." I got to play referee, and it was a lot of fun. I shared the second panel with two men I've known so long, I don't actually remember the specifics of meeting either one: Greg Cox and the_monkey_king. There's nothing like being on panels with people you love. Yeah, it was good. I had dinner that evening with friends, attended the Wily Writers' reading briefly (where I got to see greyjoy briefly, lookin' all snazzy), then hit the small press party.
My Friday panels were successful. In many ways, they were two parts of the same coursework: breaking into being published. I've done these panels a million times in one form or another, and every now and then, someone buttonholes me and tells me that something I said made a huge difference to them. It's always a satisfying experience. I also attended melkahb's first-ever reading. The story was terrific. I hope there will be more where that one came from.
Friday afternoon, I had a little jewelry sale in the hotel bar. I sold about a third of the stuff I brought with me. Unfortunately, I lost a piece I'd brought to sell, which was irritating. It didn't turn up at either the hotel or the convention lost-and-found. Oh well.
Friday evening was the Philip K. Dick Awards, about which I've already blogged. What I didn't mention was that two of my radio theater friends were stand-in readers along with me, so we got to sit at a table together, ooh and ahh over each other's fancy-dress clothes, and offer each other moral support for our performances. If you watch the video at the above-linked post, you'll see them in the lower left corner of the screen. After the awards ceremony, I called Adam, changed into jeans, and headed to the pro party in the presidential suite. I concluded the evening with my roommates, twilight2000, and miki_garrison in the bar.
Saturday I participated in the second of two critique sessions for the Fairwood Workshop. The writer is someone I've critiqued before; she's got a career ahead of her if she keeps it up. Later, after distributing hair extensions in colors not found in nature, lisamantchev gave a perfectly delightful reading. I dropped into the "How to Start a Magazine...and Why You Shouldn't" panel to see tbclone47 and the_monkey_king share their wisdom. I ended the day's programming by participating in "The Art of Titles," which turned out to be a lot of fun. paulmelko is not only a terrific writer but also hellaciously funny. he's the sort of man who doesn't say much, but when he does--bam!--the humor is smart and sharp. Jeff Carlson (lj user="sci_fi_writer">), whom I'd never met before, was also hugely entertaining, very charismatic, and just delightful. He was entertained by the sight of me standing beside Duane Wilkins of the University Bookstore, and insisted on documenting our friendship in an image he dubbed the "DuaneJannaDeathmatch."
Saturday evening could not have been more terrific. I enjoyed a lovely dinner with jackwilliambell and some friends of his from Bellingham. My only regret was that I didn't see Jack for the rest of the evening! I then made my way to the masquerade, where I found dreamline in costume as Poison Ivy. The masquerade itself was very good indeed, featuring some really remarkable stuff including a gryphon with articulated wings, Lili from "Legend," a hooka-smoking caterpillar, a minotaur, and an actual marriage proposal. The hall costumes were awesome this year too, including my friend Dave as a poor, impaled Wash from "Serenity" (the sign around his neck says, "Screw you, Whedon"), I checked into the Wizards of the Coast party, then ended the evening with a bunch of folks at Todd Lockwood's small room party.
Sunday morning was taken up with a long and lovely discussion with kenscholes and breakfast with Night Shade Books publisher jlassen, Snappy Dresser (tm).
I honestly don't think I could have enjoyed myself much more this weekend. With only one regrettable incident, the weekend was otherwise a success, and I left feeling bouyed and inspired.