When Words Collide 2017 – the tragedy that almost was.

Today was the second day of WWC 2017 in Calgary, and I was having too much fun! Now you have to remember something, Guy Gavriel Kay is one of the keynote speakers at WWC this year, and he is one of ‘those’ authors to me. He is the one whose words I read when I need to compare my writing to the best of what ‘real’ fantasy should feel like. His words and the way I feel when he uses them is why I write the way I do.

The conference was now 2/3 over and I still hadn’t had the time or the mobility to attend any of his sessions. So I figured on not getting the chance to meet Mr Kay in person, and was just relaxing and having fun with all the new authors and readers that I was meeting.

On Saturday night, in the middle of the autograph signing session, with the line to meet him for 3-second signing was right out the ballroom doors, not possible to me with my razor wire knees, my body caught up with my brain and yelled STOP in a you-will-sit-down-now voice that I couldn’t ignore.

So I called for help and my faithful knight, Sir Michael of Bunning, revved up the chrome charger and dashed to my rescue, grabbed my books and bags and ran, okay walked, okay wombled, up to the main gates. And wouldn’t you know, as I was standing waiting for Mike to pull up in the Van, Mr Kay walks across the parking lot in front of me and we exchanged a few pleasantries.

“Thank you for coming” “Oh, I love coming to Calgary” “Have a good night” that kind of stuff.. but I’d met him. Angels sang and neon stars flashed in my eyes (okay no, but it was cool). Mr Kay walked away across the parking lot, just as the great blue charger rounded the corner to pick me up.

“NO!” I screamed (internally I hope). “Don’t run over that one, he’s important to me.”

Brakes work, heart works, sweat glands working overtime, all while Mr Kay walked calmly into the hotel, never knowing the tragedy that almost happened.