World Fantasy Convention schedule—plus bonus challenge for collectors!

Kelley and I have had to make some last minute changes to our travel plans. We won’t be arriving in Kansas City until mid-afternoon Friday. So if you were expecting to see us at social events and panels before then, don’t be alarmed. We will be there, just later than expected.

Here’s what my truncated schedule looks like:

Friday, 27 October8:00 – 10:00 pm — Mass signing Saturday, 28 October12:00 – 12:50 pm — Panel: Magical Healing and Disability Aids in Fantasy (Empire A/B)1:00 – 1:50 pm — Kaffeeklatsch (Dragon’s Den)Sunday, 29 October10:00 – 10:25 am — Reading (Chouteau B)12:45 – 3:45 pm — Banquet and Award Ceremony (Atlanta/New York)

Mass signings can be interesting—anything from a handful of people showing up with dog-eared paperbacks to a massive line of people with bags and boxes of every single thing I’ve ever written. The only thing of mine I’ve never signed (aha! a challenge for all those collectors out there!) is my very first publication in a professional venue: a short essay in an issue of Spare Rib in the mid-80s.1 For the avoidance of doubt: I love signing stuff—old, new, tattered or brand new. I have no problem personalising for readers and none for flat-signing for collectors. If you want it signed, bring it! One caveat: don’t ask me to draw something, and if you ask me for a quote it has to a) be very short and b) you have to tell me what, exactly.2

As for the kaffeklatsch, well, I haven’t done one of these for long I’m not quite sure how they work! All I know is that I love talking about writing, I love talking about my work, and I love meeting readers, so we should all have a lovely time over a nice cup of tea or coffee. I believe attendees have to sign up for these things at registration. Depending on how many slots there are for each session, if you’re interested you may want to jump on it early.

Obviously the reading will be one of my favourite sessions. I’ll read from and chat a bit about Menewood. I have a handful of different readings—everything from death and danger to joy and exhilaration—so I’ll see how the mood takes me on Sunday. You want to know how those chewy names are pronounced? Come listen!

Apart from that, you will most likely bump into me in the bar. It seems to be where Kelley and I spent most of our time at conventions. If you do, please feel free to come and say hello.

1 I think it was issue 170, but it was a long time ago and I wouldn’t swear to it. It was a short essay—and truly an essai: me trying to work out how I felt and what I thought of the realities of power in BDSM practice between women. Basically, I was wondering whether it was possible for two women whose sex play is based on power/pain/violence, particularly if the roles of top and bottom are fixed, to be truly equal. I was tired of hearing my friends argue about it in the pub and at meetings and wanted to figure it out for myself. I don’t think I reached a conclusion—as I say, it was a long time ago. I was very young.

2 Sometimes my right hand gets stiff—this is the reason I’ll sometimes refuse to use your special sparkly pen or crayon or whatever—and sometimes my brain is tired and just not willing to think of clever things to say.