Con Report-y Good-ness
Aug. 18th, 2003 12:35 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
daemonlunaThis weekend was Con-Version XX, Calgary's annual SF&F con. God knows why I'm up at 12:30pm tonight, because I am wiped. (Actually, I think it's just residual adrenaline, but anyhow.)
This is my third Con-Version, and I had a really good time. I was off work Friday, and took Saturday off. The Fri off was a good thing because it gave me a chance to get some last-minute tidying up done prior to our houseguests showing up. Barb's aunt Ann, and her best friend BJ (who is also a Barb) crashed on our futon for the weekend.
Fri, we showed up at the con shortly before seven, and spent the obligatory twenty minutes or so standing in line. We missed the first bit of the opening ceremonies which is a shame because Anime Alberta (specifically, Karl and Mark) put together a kick-ass opening video complete with photos from last year (more about the gypsies later) and a light-sabre fight between the two of them. On a playground. With light-sabres that were approximately the same size as a ballpoint pen. Karl did cut off Mark's hand though. *g*
After a couple of attempts to see The Cat Returns (new Ghibli movie, yay!!!) in which I never actually managed to show up at the right time, and poor Mannie's discovery that brand-new contacts and subbed anime don't mix that well, we headed out for supper with Ann and BJ and Dale. This was a good thing, because low blood sugar was starting to kick in and make me all headachey.
I had to ask Barb what we did after supper on Fri, because I was completely blanking out on it. We went back to the con, and attended a panel on short stories and whether or not they're worth writing. (In short: all the participants like short stories and we all agree they're good. The end.)
We were home and in bed by one-ish, which is good because Ann and Barb had to be at the con for the short story contest at ten Satuday morning. Ann because she was judging, and Barb because she was one of the top five finalists. It was a blind judging with all the names stripped off, so Ann had no idea which story was Barb's. Each of the three judges then presented their critiques on each of the finalists, and then they announce the winners.
I'll spare the suspense--Barb won!
Meanwhile, I sat in on a panel on writing SF for kids, which was good. I kinda wanted more about the how than the whys. Granted, I'm probably more familiar with recent children's literature than most of the audience, let alone what's popular. I missed the panelists' introductions, dammit. They all were very knowledgable, and I wished I'd known exactly who they were. Heh.
I wandered through the dealer's room, and I was good! I only bought four books this year! The one used-book table had some library discards mixed in with the rest of their books. Grrr. That irks me, but I bought one of them anyhow. (Larque on the Wing by Nancy Springer, if anyone cares.) I am such a book slut. I also picked up a Peter S. Beagle novel, and two by Nina Kiriki Hoffman which thrilled me to NO end--The Thread That Binds the Bone (which is out of print), and Past the Size of Dreaming new, in hardcover, for half-price.
(Incidentally, she's got a new book coming out that's a prequel to the Read Heart of Memory/Past the Size of Dreaming series or duology or whatever. It's called A Stir of Bones and I waaaaaant...)
And I just realized that I can't find my bag of books and stuff from today. Bother and damn. I'm hoping it's tucked away somewhere here at home, and I didn't leaveit in BJ's van.
But I think I'm going to finish this tomorrow and write about the most interesting stuff when I'm not so tired. Adrenaline's wearing off here... watch this space for costuming, Roman legionnaires, Queen Jadis and the pirate wenches at the slave auction, how Mannie fetched a pretty penny, and meeting Esther Friesner.
Sleeeeep...
This is my third Con-Version, and I had a really good time. I was off work Friday, and took Saturday off. The Fri off was a good thing because it gave me a chance to get some last-minute tidying up done prior to our houseguests showing up. Barb's aunt Ann, and her best friend BJ (who is also a Barb) crashed on our futon for the weekend.
Fri, we showed up at the con shortly before seven, and spent the obligatory twenty minutes or so standing in line. We missed the first bit of the opening ceremonies which is a shame because Anime Alberta (specifically, Karl and Mark) put together a kick-ass opening video complete with photos from last year (more about the gypsies later) and a light-sabre fight between the two of them. On a playground. With light-sabres that were approximately the same size as a ballpoint pen. Karl did cut off Mark's hand though. *g*
After a couple of attempts to see The Cat Returns (new Ghibli movie, yay!!!) in which I never actually managed to show up at the right time, and poor Mannie's discovery that brand-new contacts and subbed anime don't mix that well, we headed out for supper with Ann and BJ and Dale. This was a good thing, because low blood sugar was starting to kick in and make me all headachey.
I had to ask Barb what we did after supper on Fri, because I was completely blanking out on it. We went back to the con, and attended a panel on short stories and whether or not they're worth writing. (In short: all the participants like short stories and we all agree they're good. The end.)
We were home and in bed by one-ish, which is good because Ann and Barb had to be at the con for the short story contest at ten Satuday morning. Ann because she was judging, and Barb because she was one of the top five finalists. It was a blind judging with all the names stripped off, so Ann had no idea which story was Barb's. Each of the three judges then presented their critiques on each of the finalists, and then they announce the winners.
I'll spare the suspense--Barb won!
Meanwhile, I sat in on a panel on writing SF for kids, which was good. I kinda wanted more about the how than the whys. Granted, I'm probably more familiar with recent children's literature than most of the audience, let alone what's popular. I missed the panelists' introductions, dammit. They all were very knowledgable, and I wished I'd known exactly who they were. Heh.
I wandered through the dealer's room, and I was good! I only bought four books this year! The one used-book table had some library discards mixed in with the rest of their books. Grrr. That irks me, but I bought one of them anyhow. (Larque on the Wing by Nancy Springer, if anyone cares.) I am such a book slut. I also picked up a Peter S. Beagle novel, and two by Nina Kiriki Hoffman which thrilled me to NO end--The Thread That Binds the Bone (which is out of print), and Past the Size of Dreaming new, in hardcover, for half-price.
(Incidentally, she's got a new book coming out that's a prequel to the Read Heart of Memory/Past the Size of Dreaming series or duology or whatever. It's called A Stir of Bones and I waaaaaant...)
And I just realized that I can't find my bag of books and stuff from today. Bother and damn. I'm hoping it's tucked away somewhere here at home, and I didn't leaveit in BJ's van.
But I think I'm going to finish this tomorrow and write about the most interesting stuff when I'm not so tired. Adrenaline's wearing off here... watch this space for costuming, Roman legionnaires, Queen Jadis and the pirate wenches at the slave auction, how Mannie fetched a pretty penny, and meeting Esther Friesner.
Sleeeeep...
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2003-08-18 07:33 am (UTC)I'm mega-tickled to hear Barb won, that's really super!
Thanks for the info on N.K. Hoffman's upcoming book; I'll be looking forward to that for sure.