Post-con...

[catherineldf]

Well, truthfully taking the day off because I was tired and needed some down time. Time changes always knock me for a loop.
           Marscon was a fine time, as usual. I met friends for dinner on Friday night, then went to a few of the parties.
          The ghost stories panel on Saturday morning was not very well attended but we had some interesting discussion about ghost story tropes, how they've changed over time and a sidebar on Wisconsin ghosts (from an audience member). The Rapidfire reading after that went well - everyone (except me) did a great job. I hadn't gotten around to giving my story excerpt, "Great Reckonings, Little Rooms" one more go round beforehand so I ended up stumbling around a bit in the fairly heavy style that I used to invoke the writings of Marlowe and Shakespeare. That's what I get for not resisting the temptation to edit on the fly. :-(
          After that, I attended a poetry reading by P.M.F. Johnson, Ruth Berman, Rebecca Marjesdattir and a couple of folks whose names I didn't catch. Attendance was quite sparse on this one, which was a real shame because many of the poems were quite good. I was glad I opted to eat my sandwich quietly in the back instead of skipping it to go to lunch.
           The small press panel was excellent - lots of good discussion, trading ideas back and forth, answering audience questions about where to find good small press books, etc. Glad I proposed that one and got good panelists in the bargain. The Reading outside the SF Mainstream panel after that would have been more successful if Bryan Worra hadn't gotten sick and had to skip the convention. As it was, there were just the two of us with some input from the audience. Not bad, just not quite as vibrant as I hoped for after the small press panel.
           From there, it was off to dinner, hanging out with friends and watching the masquerade. Got to see some folks I haven't hung out with for awhile and had a generally swell time.
           It sounds like I may be adding another 2 conventions to this year's schedule but I need to get some of the details worked out.
And best of all, I came home to a reorganized and cleaned up basement, as well as a postcard from Iowa, courtesy of mr_bad_example - "Worst fears realized. Seth and Rueben too. Send gumboots." :-D
         

Comments

[coyote-eyes.livejournal.com]

I thought your reading went well, esp since my phone rang in the middle of it - I'm so sorry about that, btw. I forgot to set it to vibrate ahead of time. That's a mistake I'll try to not repeat. I look forward to seeing the rest of that story sometime. I really enjoyed to concept and it ties in well to some historical thought on the origins of some of Shakespeare's works.

[catherineldf.livejournal.com]

Hey, it was the opportunity for comic relief. :-)
But I'm really glad you enjoyed it and I'll definitely be posting when that antho comes out.

[jean-roberta.livejournal.com]

I'm curious: what were the old ghost story tropes, and how have they changed?

[catherineldf.livejournal.com]

Morality tale/cautionary anecdote on to literary take on the nature of the home and sexuality to the current split between scary and Cupid. There's an enormous amount of stuff out there - i recommend checking out Jessica Amanda Salmonson's Violet Books website for starters.

[thaedeus.livejournal.com]

I enjoyed the Small Press panel. Even though
my intent was to show up for the reading before it.

Always interesting to see lumbering beasts of industry
attempt to change--or remain the same long after everyone
else notices they are dead.

Personally I find the 'shelf-life of a big publisher book'
disheartening. Not to mention the whims and vagaries of
Editors (or should that be 'editors'?).

Much like in the music industry, the only way I can persuade
myself to write, is to do it for myself. If I start pondering
the inevitable fate of my work, I tend to lose motivation.

It would be easier if really good writers stayed on the shelf
forever--amid dancing unicorns and rainbows; but when even work
I consider really awesome gets thrown in the wood-chipper, it
tends to demoralize the troops.

[catherineldf.livejournal.com]

True enough. And that would be the best thing to say in support of small and medium presses. :-)

[cathschaffstump.livejournal.com]

I didn't think your reading was as bad as you do.

I wish I'd had more time to hang out. Whenever we enter the costume contest, that just eats your time...

Catherine

[catherineldf.livejournal.com]

Me too! We shall have to do breakfast at WisCon or something I only caught part of the masquerade - what did you enter as? Did you win? :-)
Re: my reading. Honestly, I do this enough I should know better. It's okay. Next one will be better. Yay for variable perfectionists.
And I enjoyed your story and look forward to reading all of it.

[cathschaffstump.livejournal.com]

I'm okay with breakfast at Wiscon.

I have entered masqs before in some fairly elaborate stuff, but this time I was mostly spotting for number 6, Disc World Death. That was my Bryon. We won a best prop award.

Mark Twain's Daughter searches for a home. As soon as I get the official rejection from where it is now, I will most likely shine it up again and send it out again.

Catherine

[catherineldf.livejournal.com]

Ah! This would explain why I didn't remember 'seeing' you! It was a fun bit - congrats!
Perhaps it will be an acceptance? It happens, or so I've heard. :-)

[cathschaffstump.livejournal.com]

An acceptance? Stranger things have happened!

Catherine