Had a great time at Con-Version 2004 in Calgary.

Met John Preet, who gave me a short lesson in how to push bigger people over, and expressed himself willing to give input on works in draft with military overtones, making him a genuine friend of the Okal Rel Universe find. Great to meet you, John.

Also bought jewelry from Superchick, aka Katie, in the dealer's room and socialized with Katie, her sister Karen and their father Allan.

Spent quality time with Edge publisher Brian Hades and his wife Anita, who is a lovely, brilliant and professional medical type who is also great fun after even a single vodka spritzer. If getting a bit tipsy brings out the repressed side of someone's nature, Anita's is happy, vigorous, loving and affectionate.

Adam Volk, Edge editor until he had to leave this summer due to a move, wasn't able to make it. Hope to keep in touch with him by e-mail, and count him a friend of the Okal Rel Universe.

Brian and I quickly got past some sticky bits regardly the different directions in which publisher and author angst can sometimes strain when so much in invested in bringing a work to market, and enjoyed each other as we have at previous Con-Versions.

Still working on the balancing act of holding firm and being flexible when it comes to going public with the ORU, but I think it is getting easier and I am less prone to bad weeks and sleepless nights if I deal with the stresses early and frankly. No good relationship is without its upsets. We kissed and made up--spouses present and participating. :-)
David Lott wisely asked when Courtesan Prince might now be out, and we were told it might be possible to have copies in hand by the time of Studio Fair in Prince George, in November. Keeping my fingers crossed for that.

Discovered the emergence of Green Magpie Press, the brain child of publisher Donna-Lee Ost, which is going to publish a work I have been interested in for years, The Lateral Truth - An Apostate's Bible Stories, by Whinter Davis.

Rebecca Bradley read a very engaging passage of her novel in progress, set in pre-historic times. I also attended a reading by Marie Jakober, from her new Edge publication Even the Stone.

I took part on three panels--two scheduled and one I was recruited for at the last minute by Blair Petterson, all on science topics.

John Preet moderated the first panel I took part in, on Technology in Science Fiction and I was delighted that he considered ORU technology worth putting on the list of three recommended examples in his hand out to the panel. Also had the pleasure of sharing the panelist's role with Neo-Opsis publisher Karl Johanson on more than one occation.

Had a great chat with Marie and a picnic lunch in the con suite with Rebecca and her daughter, Kat, who will forever make me think of the character inspired by her in the last of Rebecca's Gil books.

Very much enjoyed "Bedtime Stories with IFWA", with the theme "Weapons of Mass Distraction", where among other delights I heard heroic con organizer Randy McCharles read for the first time.

IFWA, Calgary's speculative fiction writing group http://writtenword.org/ifwa/ also put on a bang up job of Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Once More, With Feeling episode, dedicated to Robyn H. I particularly enjoyed Ivan Dorin's comic genius as Xander et al. but all the performances were great, the music and sound (Allan Harron) support very competent, and the narrator did a professional job of managing the transitions; all done with a very convincing sense of everyone on stage having fun, and outbreaks of audible audience participation. Danita Maslankowski had the appropriate stage presence as the demon Sweet and I appreciated the gusto with which Anna Bortolotto rendered the "bunnies" bit as Anya. Shawn Moore managed to cover Dawn and Willow without getting confused and Heather Osborne, as Tara, did a very nice rendition of "Under Your Spell", which is not an easy song to sing. The voice of Giles was closest to that of the actual actor. Buffy (Val King), who was on stage nearly the whole time, was as tireless as the real thing and Spike did some cool gituar work during his key scenes. I was especially impressed with all the cast during the parts of the script where vocal delivery overlaps, and was able to hear words clearly that I have always guessed at.

Also delighted to learn, at the Firefly Shindig, that I and my family--all Firefly fans--can look forward to seeing the return of the whole cast, in the Firefly movie this April! Warms the heart to know quality and characterization can triumph over crass commercial demands for mere action, after all. :-) (Action is great, but I want to know why I care first, as Marie and I discussed in connection with some recent movies.)

Marie also expressed the opinion, in a corridor conversation, that "killing your darlings" is a bad thing because it is a formula, and formulas are bad things. I was objecting on the grounds that it's a cheap shot, nasty, ugly and depressing. Make people laugh. Make people cry. But don't make people care just to yank the rug out from under them and leer as if proving life is short, brutish and meaningless is something we all need more lessons in to help us get on with the day. (End of tirade.)

On a promotional note, I was honored to sign books; donated one to the raffle; and was floored by a round of spontaneous applause for the ORU series when I introduced myself, at Blair's urging, in order to make a comment from the audience at the panel on why fantasy is more popular than sci fi these days. My special thanks to Jim B., who was sitting beside me and happened to have a freshly signed copy of Throne Price to hold up for inspection in that wonderful moment--well, a wonderful moment for me in any case--and all the more so for being so completely unexpected.

GOH George R.R. Martin summed it up the panel topic well in his lament for the miscarriage of the bright future promised by the golden age. We are less keen and optimistic about being able to make a difference for the better, through science, in the modern age, and turning to magic for solice. Fantasy "rings true emotionally".

Missed seeing Alison, of course, who was otherwise engaged, and Spider Robinson, who spent the con in hospital. Saw Dave Duncan but never connected. Maybe next con. Always enjoy talking to Dave.

Took in Robert Sawyer, Derryl Murphy, Donna-Lee Ost and Karl Johanson on the small press panel. Robert is now in the publisher's seat as well as the author's and found it enlightening in the same way I have, in connection with Reflections on Water and my work with UNBC Press. Helps to understand how the other half works. Derryl, of course, is a mainstay with On Spec magazine. Also heard Derryl, a fellow Prince Georgian (is that the adjective?) read a passage from a story in his upcoming anthology.

Best of all, I spent a lot of good hours with my husband, David Lott, and David thoroughly enjoyed himself as well. He stayed for most of the Slave Auction (but couldn't quite afford to buy the one he wanted), I caught just the end. We did the same thing with Arrogant Worms, who really had the crowd roaring and hooting by the time I dropped in for their last couple of songs after my Friday night panel.
David Lott and Brian Hades took in the concert together, and that's where we met Allan and his daughters.

On the culinary side of things, David and I discovered "A Taste of Calgary", a taster's delight where 5 tickets (for about 3 bucks) let you pick a sample dish from any of about two dozen booths run by specialty restuarants.

I missed the Celtic Knots workshop, which I had meant to attend. Can't remember exactly why, but I think it had to do with spending time with good, interesting people.

Gave Alison a synopsis of some of this on the phone last night, but hoping this will fill in blanks and preserve memories until we connect on the phone again. Everyone's con is unique. This was mine.
posted by Lynda at 09:18   comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments