Ad Astra - 2012
I went to the Ad Astra Convention in Toronto this weekend. It’s more of a chance for me to catch up with people that I only get to see once or twice a year, rather than a learning/career opportunity.
I started off hanging out in the lobby with Chris Szego (and finally learned to pronounce her last name), Peter Halasz, and the trinity that is Michelle (Michelle Sagara, Michelle West, and Michelle Sagara West) talking about movies and stuff as we waited for the con to get organized.
I hung out at the Bakka Dealer’s Table for a while pestering Chris and Michelle, and chatting with whoever showed up. (For example, I chatted with Ed Greenwood, who I always chat with whenever I meet him, but only this year found out who, exactly, he is.)
Later I met up with Ian Keeling (who gave me a pep talk) and Lesley Livingston (who gave me a pep talk), the GOH (which she insisted on pronouncing as a single word in Klingon – repeatedly) and we hung out – mostly in the Green Room because it had free beer--for the rest of the night. I had a long conversation with Rebecca Simkin about…um…something life altering, I’m sure.
The next day I met up with Lesley for breakfast, and then she ran off to do GOH things. Luckily that was right about the time Caitlin Sweet and Peter Watts (who both gave me a pep talk) showed up. I’m sure neither of them realise just how wonderful I think they are – mostly because the make a point of including me in everything, and Peter has promised to kill me off in a book soon. So I tagged along with Peter and Caitlin and Dave Nichols and Madeline Ashby and Dave…um….Dave the really nice, funny, tall guy (sorry Dave!) and we all went to a pub, because the hotel DIDN’T HAVE A BAR, just a restaurant. Seriously. (Dave and I chatted about self-pubbing, btw. That’s tall Dave, not Dave Nickel—although Dave Nickel is tall too, and…never mind.
Somewhere in there I ran across Douglas Smith, but only got to talk to him for second, Sunny M Hope (who I chatted to off an on throughout the con) and Leah Bobet. I helped Leah put up posters for her book launch, which consisted of Leah holding the posters up just slightly out of my reach, and me attempting to throw tape at them to get them to stick to the wall. I even talked with Julie and Roger Czerneda at Leah’s launch. (I’ve met Julie before, but never really chatted with her—her first comment to me was, “You’re always dressed so smartly.” So I’ve got that going for me.)
Adrienne Kress (who gave me a pep talk) showed up somewhere in there, and we both bought really cool steam-punky pocket watches (although hers is more girly than mine—just saying) and we chatted about movies and…um…something life altering I’m sure. I know we got into a discussion about luck, and about how mine really sucked, so JM Frey (who gave me a pep talk) decided she was going to introduce me to the publishers of Dragon Moon Press to pitch my book, but then couldn’t find them, thus proving my point.
Still, J.M had this whiskey flask which she said contained some sort of magical alcohol from Japan where she stayed, sacred to the local god of poetry and literature, so I took a sip. You all know I don’t drink, but it was magical, and from Japan, and…um…in a flask, so how could I say no? Anyway, if I suddenly get an agent or publishing deal within the next few months or so, I’m blaming it all on that drink, just so as you know, J.M.
Anyway, the rest of the night and the next day were spent doing a lot of the same. To be honest it probably blurred more than usual because I forgot to bring my sleeping pills so didn’t sleep at all during the con. I remember I did chat with Don Shears, who I used to work with in the military, but I could have imagined that.
I started off hanging out in the lobby with Chris Szego (and finally learned to pronounce her last name), Peter Halasz, and the trinity that is Michelle (Michelle Sagara, Michelle West, and Michelle Sagara West) talking about movies and stuff as we waited for the con to get organized.
I hung out at the Bakka Dealer’s Table for a while pestering Chris and Michelle, and chatting with whoever showed up. (For example, I chatted with Ed Greenwood, who I always chat with whenever I meet him, but only this year found out who, exactly, he is.)
Later I met up with Ian Keeling (who gave me a pep talk) and Lesley Livingston (who gave me a pep talk), the GOH (which she insisted on pronouncing as a single word in Klingon – repeatedly) and we hung out – mostly in the Green Room because it had free beer--for the rest of the night. I had a long conversation with Rebecca Simkin about…um…something life altering, I’m sure.
The next day I met up with Lesley for breakfast, and then she ran off to do GOH things. Luckily that was right about the time Caitlin Sweet and Peter Watts (who both gave me a pep talk) showed up. I’m sure neither of them realise just how wonderful I think they are – mostly because the make a point of including me in everything, and Peter has promised to kill me off in a book soon. So I tagged along with Peter and Caitlin and Dave Nichols and Madeline Ashby and Dave…um….Dave the really nice, funny, tall guy (sorry Dave!) and we all went to a pub, because the hotel DIDN’T HAVE A BAR, just a restaurant. Seriously. (Dave and I chatted about self-pubbing, btw. That’s tall Dave, not Dave Nickel—although Dave Nickel is tall too, and…never mind.
Somewhere in there I ran across Douglas Smith, but only got to talk to him for second, Sunny M Hope (who I chatted to off an on throughout the con) and Leah Bobet. I helped Leah put up posters for her book launch, which consisted of Leah holding the posters up just slightly out of my reach, and me attempting to throw tape at them to get them to stick to the wall. I even talked with Julie and Roger Czerneda at Leah’s launch. (I’ve met Julie before, but never really chatted with her—her first comment to me was, “You’re always dressed so smartly.” So I’ve got that going for me.)
Adrienne Kress (who gave me a pep talk) showed up somewhere in there, and we both bought really cool steam-punky pocket watches (although hers is more girly than mine—just saying) and we chatted about movies and…um…something life altering I’m sure. I know we got into a discussion about luck, and about how mine really sucked, so JM Frey (who gave me a pep talk) decided she was going to introduce me to the publishers of Dragon Moon Press to pitch my book, but then couldn’t find them, thus proving my point.
Still, J.M had this whiskey flask which she said contained some sort of magical alcohol from Japan where she stayed, sacred to the local god of poetry and literature, so I took a sip. You all know I don’t drink, but it was magical, and from Japan, and…um…in a flask, so how could I say no? Anyway, if I suddenly get an agent or publishing deal within the next few months or so, I’m blaming it all on that drink, just so as you know, J.M.
Anyway, the rest of the night and the next day were spent doing a lot of the same. To be honest it probably blurred more than usual because I forgot to bring my sleeping pills so didn’t sleep at all during the con. I remember I did chat with Don Shears, who I used to work with in the military, but I could have imagined that.
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