WFC 2003

A forum for book reviews and discussions, market information, and KnoxGothic members' publication announcements.

Moderator: JaNell

Post Reply
keltora
Posts: 82
Joined: Mon Feb 24, 2003 9:15 am
Location: East Tennessee
Contact:

WFC 2003

Post by keltora »

WORLD FANTASY CONVENTION REPORT
By Laura J. Underwood (age...whatever)

David B. Coe arrived right on time Wednesday to pick me up, and the two of us drove the long road to Washington DC. Briefly, we got lost (two sets of address instructions, each one different), but when we realized that we were on the wrong side of the capital building, we managed to get us (and the maps) turned around and found our way to the hotel. There we checked in, got stuff piled into the rooms and went in search of dinner.

We were dining in the hotel restaurant (sheer laziness on our part) when Jim Bailey showed up. We asked him to join us and had a nice dinner catching up.

Since there was not much else going on that night, we headed back for the room and retired.

Thursday was to be the big day for me. I had a reading at 2:30. I milled around, getting the "lay of the land" and wound up down at the registration table around 11:30 where I was asked if I would like to "volunteer" some time stuffing bags. Sure, I thought, and was sent to a room where they were indeed stuffing bags with books--lots of books. I leapt in enthusiastically once I was shown the ropes, and devoted about 30 minutes or more to stuffing
bags, and while I was glad to help, it turned out to be a mistake. I forget sometimes that certain limbs are not as strong as they used to be. My left arm may have a stretched tendon now (it still hurts like hell).

Went off to find lunch, then back to registration to get checked in. Ran into Jim again in the lobby, and got ready for my reading. To my surprise, there were people in the room listening to Tee Morris, and when he finished, they did not leave (as I have had happen in the past). They all stayed, and more joined them. It was a nice little crowd of about 20 strangers and half a dozen friends. Very nice for my ego. I read from "The Kelpie of Loch Fuil," and my reading got me a lot of compliments for days after.

After my reading I ran into fellow Yard Dog Dusty Rainbolt (and Pat C....shoot, just forgot her last name). We moseyed over to the bar for a good time. Folks like Sarah Zettel and Esther Friesner and Sarah Hoyt joined us and departed. There was a person sitting there reading that I kept thinking I should know, and when he left, he introduced himself. It was Sean Wallace! Dusty ran after him and brought him back with the promise of a drink. He stayed and we got to chat. (For those who don't know Sean, he owns Prime
Books, and he also works with Wildside Press--he did the set up stuff on my collection MAGIC'S SONG and designed my cover.)

Dusty and Pat and I went seeking dinner, and we found the restaurant at the Holiday Inn across the road had an excellent fare at a cheaper price.

After that we went up to the Hospitality Suite where we "posed" for a picture to send to Selina (and included fellow Yard Dog Gary Jonas) and chatted with David Hartwell and Ed Bryant. By then, I was ready to collapse, so we went our separate ways.

Friday, I awoke to the ringing of the phone. Lynn Flewelling wanted me to join her and her family for breakfast. I dressed and went down. Lynn introduced me to Fiona McIntosh, an author from Australia who is well published in her own country. Fiona was a hoot. After breakfast, I agreed to squire her around the con since she did not know anyone. Lynn and her family went off to do the tourist thing, and I introduced Fiona to fellow writers, editors I knew, friends in general and made sure she got to her panel on time. We went to the dealers' room and had loads of fun, then on to the hospitality suite to enjoy tacos and food and drinks, then back down to sit in the bar. Afterwards, we got together to meet Lynn and her family for dinner. We rode the Metro to a sushi restaurant where I actually managed to eat with chopsticks, something I have never dared to try before, knowing my own clumsiness.

After dinner, there was the autograph session where I sat with Lynn and Fiona and the rest of the Australian authors (who adopted us). Signed a couple of books and lots of chapbooks and even a few program books. Amused a number of people with the "obscene Tarzan doll." Sean Williams (one of the Australian authors) and Garth Nix were having way too much fun with
the doll. Tee Morris kept coming over and telling me "that is just NOT natural." Everyone thought it was funny. Several people said they would have to go get one on their own. Rob Gates caught up with me at the signings and we chatted for a while. Finally, there was a visit to the bar, a few hops into parties and off to bed.

Saturday morning, I got up slowly (up late the night before), breakfasted on stuff I had brought in the room as I woke up. I had a panel on Myth, Folklore and Fantasy with Jane Yolen, Lillian Stewart Carl (moderator), Kij Johnson and Alexandria (forgot her last name now...shoot). We had a great panel with a large audience in attendance. I felt quite happy to finally get a chance to be on a panel I knew something about.

Rob Gates then took me to lunch over at Union Station. Lovely food in a really nice restaurant. We chatted, then hurried back in time to catch Lynn, Delia Sherman and two others (more names to zip out of my head) doing the panel on gay and lesbian themes in fantasy fiction. It was a great panel.

My next stop was to change clothes and look for dinner companions. Alas,everyone was already gone, so I went to the art show (which I had yet to peruse) and walked around looking at (drooling over) lovely art with Jim Bailey. Met Sheila Gilbert from DAW while I was there (introduced myself to her as one of Marion's authors). Then I went back to the lobby, grabbed a sandwich from the shop there, took it back to the room and dined alone. It was actually kinda nice. Watched tv for a bit, then went down in time
to go to Fiona's reading.

Afterwards, there was the bar scene where we all told silly jokes, then a visit to the hospitality suite for the SFWA party. Sat chatting with Rob Gates and Wen Spenser for a while.

Finally, the pumpkin hour arrived and I could not keep my head up any longer. I snagged two of those lovely Dominion Rootbeer bottles to take home, went back to the room and crashed.

David and I crawled out of our beds the next morning, ate our private stock for breakfast and hit the road back to Tennessee. It was still bright when I got home, but I tell you, I was tired.

Between the long weekend, and the cigarette smoke, I ended up with a sinus infection (that is still clinging to me even as I type this).

But all in all, it was a wonderful weekend. I admittedly did not accomplish a couple of tasks I was hoping to do (talk to agents, visit Chinatown and get a sandlewood fan), but I still felt like I had a great weekend. It was worth all the strife and effort and scrimping to get there.

If I have but one (make that two) regret, it was that the hotel was too expensive. Oh, and my stakler was there, and pulling his usual stuff, trying to get back in my good graces. I ignored him, and he knew better than to approach me, so he kept trying to approach me through other writers and through a fan that I know who was there.

But for that, it was fun!

Laura J. Underwood
Black Hunters, Demons and Bogies--Oh, MY!
ChRONICLES OF THE LAST WAR available from Yard Dog Press
Lost Traveler
Posts: 1725
Joined: Wed Mar 12, 2003 6:41 pm
Location: A blackhole (Knoxville)
Contact:

Post by Lost Traveler »

:shock: wow great weekend
Fashion is FOR Victims...-LT.
..The men in black, thier lips are sealed...-BOC
- Even your sins are retail- John Stewart
User avatar
JaNell
Moderator
Posts: 2163
Joined: Wed Feb 19, 2003 2:33 pm
Location: Casa de Chaosium
Contact:

Post by JaNell »

Yes, I was going to ask about your stalker...

Other than that, I'm glad you had fun and am sorry I couldn't go.
Image
Post Reply
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests