BayCon ... sort of
May. 26th, 2008 05:59 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
deborahjrossOne full day was more than enough for me. Alas, there was little on the program to interest me, the panels on writing, sf, f, creative life and the social issues I care about being thin to begin with, and generally scheduled in the same time slots. I was given only 3 panels, one of which was utterly irrelevant, having to do with media sequels. Media as in TV, which I have not watched in years. So, two. No signing, no reading, no writer's workshop, which I love to do.
I made it over the mountain for the Sunday morning (10 am) SFWA meeting, chaired by Howard Hendrix, and I do think everyone who showed up at that hour deserves a Nebula for devotion. Chatted mostly about "what has SFWA done for writers?" but one of the younger members (did not catch her name, but tres impressed with how she carried off the purple hair and Goth corset) did put forth the idea of a SFWA podcast. Listen to youth.
Therefore have resolved to get my backlist of short fiction on podcast. Stay tuned for details.
My one panel, on naming characters, was one of the better ones of recent years. I do moderate well, says she without false modesty, and it was easy. Fabulous panelists: up-and-coming hot sf writer Juliette Wade (expertise in linguistics), Maya Kaathryn Bonhoff, one of my fave co-panelists, a new writer named Ann White, Tony Todaro (who writes as T.N. Todaro and is active in the LA Writers Club, I think it's called). With only a soupcon of guidance, panelists held forth intelligently and respectfully. Audience exuded enthusiasm. We got through the obligatory warning not to string together unpronouncable apostrophes and dug into the cultural aspects of naming, the emotional resonances of sound combinations, the dialog between author and character regarding yeye's name, much rich thoughtyness.
Then, lunch with Juliette. I am a sort of godmother to her first published story (July/August ANALOG, which also has one of Maya's stories as well!) A year ago, I met Juliette at BayCon, introduced her to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
lingster1, who then encouraged her to send the story to Stan Schmidt. We talked writing and careers and kids and dreams.
Hung around, signed books in the dealer's room, chatted with Lillian Todaro, Tony's wife who does amazing beautiful jewelry, caught up on news with Mike Moscoe/Shepherd (who is, I think, somewhere here on LJ).
Dinner was ladies night out with Denise Lee and Tanja Nathanael, all of us catching up on news and support. We fled the hotel (neo-warehouse industrial style, good restaurant but far too small, so 45 minute wait) for an Irish-themed place called Brannigan's. End up by splitting a Death-By-Chocolate for the endorphins. Much too much fun.
But by the time I had wended my way back over the mountains, I knew I was Done. Normally, I'd be up for more schmoozing and maybe a hello to GoH Tim Powers, (and even my Monday 10 am panel -- most likely more panelists than audience) but I'm still very thin on emotional resiliency. Slept in, did much good self care today. Even wrote a little.
Maybe WisCon next year, if I can manage to deal with an airport.
I made it over the mountain for the Sunday morning (10 am) SFWA meeting, chaired by Howard Hendrix, and I do think everyone who showed up at that hour deserves a Nebula for devotion. Chatted mostly about "what has SFWA done for writers?" but one of the younger members (did not catch her name, but tres impressed with how she carried off the purple hair and Goth corset) did put forth the idea of a SFWA podcast. Listen to youth.
Therefore have resolved to get my backlist of short fiction on podcast. Stay tuned for details.
My one panel, on naming characters, was one of the better ones of recent years. I do moderate well, says she without false modesty, and it was easy. Fabulous panelists: up-and-coming hot sf writer Juliette Wade (expertise in linguistics), Maya Kaathryn Bonhoff, one of my fave co-panelists, a new writer named Ann White, Tony Todaro (who writes as T.N. Todaro and is active in the LA Writers Club, I think it's called). With only a soupcon of guidance, panelists held forth intelligently and respectfully. Audience exuded enthusiasm. We got through the obligatory warning not to string together unpronouncable apostrophes and dug into the cultural aspects of naming, the emotional resonances of sound combinations, the dialog between author and character regarding yeye's name, much rich thoughtyness.
Then, lunch with Juliette. I am a sort of godmother to her first published story (July/August ANALOG, which also has one of Maya's stories as well!) A year ago, I met Juliette at BayCon, introduced her to
lingster1, who then encouraged her to send the story to Stan Schmidt. We talked writing and careers and kids and dreams. Hung around, signed books in the dealer's room, chatted with Lillian Todaro, Tony's wife who does amazing beautiful jewelry, caught up on news with Mike Moscoe/Shepherd (who is, I think, somewhere here on LJ).
Dinner was ladies night out with Denise Lee and Tanja Nathanael, all of us catching up on news and support. We fled the hotel (neo-warehouse industrial style, good restaurant but far too small, so 45 minute wait) for an Irish-themed place called Brannigan's. End up by splitting a Death-By-Chocolate for the endorphins. Much too much fun.
But by the time I had wended my way back over the mountains, I knew I was Done. Normally, I'd be up for more schmoozing and maybe a hello to GoH Tim Powers, (and even my Monday 10 am panel -- most likely more panelists than audience) but I'm still very thin on emotional resiliency. Slept in, did much good self care today. Even wrote a little.
Maybe WisCon next year, if I can manage to deal with an airport.
