Denvention Wrapup
Worldcon was a tremendous experience. I truly enjoyed meeting Anne, Janiece and Tania in person – they are every bit as much fun face to face as they are online – and consider them to be great friends.
Anne, Tania, Jeri and Janiece surround author John Scalzi as Janiece presents him with a ceremonial UCF t-shirt. He looks a little nervous, doesn’t he? Congratulations, Scalzi, on your Best Fan Writing Hugo!
The convention was, on the whole, well run, compared to my ultimately very frustrating experience with Norwescon. The venue was spacious, almost all sessions were adequately sized and supported, and organizational support was really very well done. The only exception was guest of honor Lois McMaster Bujold’s (totally awesome) reading from her new Miles book – which they booked into a small event room, and was standing room only by 15 minutes before start time.
Janiece and Anne have stuff signed by Lois McMaster Bujold. The always-hilarious Jay Lake is the author next door.
The dealer & art gallery room upstairs was a great place to hang out (except that it was far too easy to impulse spend). It had the usual assortment of great book dealers, t-shirt sellers, SF novelty items, jewelry and art, costume and fan paraphernalia – plus some snack vendors off to one side and some big old oversized pieces of (rental?) furniture in comfortable groupings down the middle for sore-footed readers to curl up in.
Things I learned:
- Utilikilts are not only popular in Pioneer square – they seem to be a hit with SF fans too. My favorite was the wildly tie-dyed one, worn with a matching t-shirt, like a crazed deadhead.
- Corsets are fiendishly expensive. (I know this because a friend tried one on – they are not to my taste.)
- Corsets really look silly on men, although there is a line made for them and I saw a few worn.
- What’s with the small-furry-animal on the shoulder thing? Is it an Honor Harrington tribute, or something else?
- Heinlein panel discussions tend to end in fireworks. I don’t know why – but folks debate his work as fiercely as they do theological works.
- I go to a panel discussion to hear the panel members’ opinions – not the audience’s. The audience contributes questions, not their own opinions, which is a concept that many attendees did not seem to grasp. (Exceptions, of course, for notable authors or professionals who happen to be in the audience.)
- I love the author “dress code” and want to dress like that when I grow up. (Many male authors wore cargo shorts and t-shirts or Hawaiian shirts. Women dressed more in a very creative version of business casual.)
- Many SF authors are tremendously personable and patient with their fans – Elizabeth Moon, Lois McMaster Bujold, John Scalzi, Robert Forward, Charles Stross, and more were completely patient with us being gushing fangirls.
- If I hang out near the dealer room, I buy. My haul includes signed first editions of Lois McMaster Bujold’s Miles, Mystery & Mayhem, Greg Bear’s Slant, Charles Stross’s Saturn’s Children, and an postapocalyptic anthology called Wastelands. Plus assorted t-shirts and a couple of cool semiprecious gemstones for jewelry making.
- SF fans are a tremendously friendly bunch and it’s usually great fun to strike up a conversation on any subject with an assorted group of total strangers. Asking to pull up an empty chair at a big table is a great idea.
- I want to do this again!
The supremely, amazingly awesome author Charles Stross, signing my book.
As Janiece mentioned, we did talk about using the Worldcon as a forum for UCF folks getting together in real life, whenever timing, budget and the city of choice appeals to people. 2009 is Montreal, with guest of honor Neil Gaiman – which sounds fun but somewhat spendy. 2010 is Melbourne, which sounds fun but way-the-heck-out-of-my-league spendy. If Seattle is selected for 2011, I hope many choose to make the trek westward. My spare rooms, couches, air mattresses, and maybe even a tent or two in the back yard will be available. 
August 10th, 2008
I’ve already chimed in that I’m all in favor of Montreal.
August 11th, 2008
Sounds awesome. Montreal? We’ll see what happens.
August 11th, 2008
Seattle, I can do Seattle.
Personally, though, I’d like to see Anchorage on the list – yeah, like that’s going to happen.
You guys look great, and Scalzi does look a little nervous, like he’s afraid of being bagged, tagged, and stuffed into the UCF Scooby Doo van and spirited away.
August 13th, 2008
I wish I’d gone! I was just surfing the web for news on how the con went. I liked your list…it brought to mind mostly great memories of Worldcons past (I think I’ve been to 6 or 7 since 1986 in Atlanta).
Anyway, SF fans are awesome…I hope to have some of my own some day. Look me up on Amazon.com. I have 2 books being reissued and 2 more due out from Canadian publisher Edge Science Fiction.
August 13th, 2008
Nathan, Matt – Montreal is a bit of a lengthy jaunt for those of us on the west coast. We’ll have to see how that works out – it helps that it’s an interesting destination that I’d like to visit.
Jim, if Australia is on the list then Anchorage can be on the list. And Anchorage is good at conventions – I can see one in September, when hotel space is available, rooms are a tad cheaper and the weather is still pretty decent. I’d vote for that.
August 13th, 2008
Stephen, this was my first worldcon, although I’ve been to regional or local cons before. I was pleasantly surprised – it was very well done. I did look you up on Amazon and your books look fascinating – you have a fierce imagination. I’m adding one to my list.
August 13th, 2008
We’d love to have you all in Seattle if we win! Just stay in touch with us and let us know how we can make things work for you. I am sorry to hear you had such a difficult time at Norwescon I am interested in hearing off line what the issues were so we make sure that a Worldcon in Seattle doesn’t have the same problems. I am sure we won’t if nothing else because it is not the same people but still…. please send your thoughts to info@ the bid website.
August 13th, 2008
Bobbie – I’ll email your info address, but I’ve published my thoughts on Norwescon on this blog. The problems were in two basic areas – unbelievable overcrowding so that the sessions were completely inaccessible, and horribly designed and run admin processes related to registration & special events.
I live across the sound from Seattle, and often work downtown, so I’m sure hoping Seattle wins the bid!
August 16th, 2008
Nice report!
Keep in mind that since 2010 is off of the continent, there’ll be a NASFIC somewhere in North America. So far, only Raleigh, NC has put in a bid to host the event.
August 16th, 2008
“What’s with the small-furry-animal on the shoulder thing? Is it an Honor Harrington tribute, or something else?
I believe this actually predates Honor Harrington by a considerable margin, with fans of McCaffrey’s Pern books. Some of them made or bought small stuffed dragons to wear on their shoulders or carry around at conventions. (I remember one vendor at conventions who dealt exclusively with such toy dragons for a while.)