ReaderCON 24
And so it begins. This post will be expanded over the next few days to chronicle my ReaderCON journey. Posts will be in reverse chronological order, so look for the headings in YELLOW that have the date/time stamp.
I love this con, and I hope you enjoy my annual semi-streaming running commentary and drink fest.
Any typos etc will corrected later, once I've had sleep. :)
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5:55 PM 07/12/13 (Friday Evening)
Starving, but have a couple of things I wanted to participate in first—
The Silent History: A Killer Serial
Samantha Henderson, Maureen F. McHugh, David G. Shaw (leader), Graham Sleight.
The Silent History is a unique story experience utilizing media (iOS devices), serialization and a ‘geocache-like’ ability to enhance the story via fan-fic and a GPS.
It’s absolutely a brilliant use of new media and you can learn more and enjoy the fully completed story by heading over to http://www.thesilenthistory.com. Discussion centered on the quality of the arc and the technology involved. Fantastic insight from the team who were virtually spoiler-free in their review, interpretation and discussion points.
I’ve got a copy on my iPad now. I seriously suggest you pic this up as it is one of the first use of the eCodex I’ve seen that I liked—the format, movie and intactive fan-fic aspect just works.
Reading: Peter Dubé
What, I’m going to miss one of my favorite people at the con reading a different scene from The City’s Gates? I think not!
Reading: Shira Lipkin.
Shira read from her upcoming novel—a brilliant scene between her main character and a dancer she had been observing at the club. The use of 2nd person—while difficult—is used to perfection here. And the cadence of the passage is written so you feel the nightclub ‘thump thump thump’ backbeat as the scene unfolded.
Kaffeeklatsch with James Morrow.
Another favorite author and a true intellectual and satirest—the hour long session with Jim had me crying with laughter. We spoke about his ever-present work on Darwin and his upcoming The Buck Rogers Stuff. I just adore the man, his writing and his outlook on life.
Break time. Food, a drink then back to it.
12:50 PM 07/12/13 (Friday Afternoon)
Registration was a raucous and hilarious affair, despite the fact that I arrived an hour early. The good news is I got through it and had time to grab a coffee and grab a seat with Glenn Skinner and Peter Dubé for the first panel of the day—and it was a good one.
21st-Century Fey
Steve Berman, Richard Bowes, Elizabeth Hand (moderator), Patricia A. McKillip, Kathryn Morrow.
I always love listening to Kathy Morrow at ReaderCON—she adds a passion and scholarly take into any discussion. And Liz Hand lead a marvelous panel discussing fairies, the fey and the various forms they take. The panel bantered about many different takes on the fey—from the Tolkien-esque high-browed elves to the cruel and nasty fairies of Holly Black.
A lively debate on the origin of the fairy courts and the creatures that inhabit them. I know enough now to realize that I need to research some of the scholarly works on the unseelie.
Of Gods and Goddesses
Richard Bowes, Lila Garrott (leader), Greer Gilman, Sandra Kasturi, Patricia A. McKillip, Sonya Taaffe.
Gods.
In fantasy—especially Urban Fantasy, the genre I write in—are more and more prevalent. Gods behaving badly is a constant through out history and the discussions focused on (initially) Greek mythos and focused more on modern works such as Gaiman’s American Gods or Discord's Apple. The panelists, again, were brilliant—especially Sonya, Sandra and Lila.
This linked nicely with the first panel as the debate continued with a discussion of the potential overuse of both fairies and Gods in modern fantasy writing—are they interchangeable or is it a result of one trope becoming overused, so the ‘next set’ of ‘more powerful than mortal’ creatures are used.
An interesting theory was proposed that the proliferation of stories with the Gods as characters are a direct result of the Gods themselves make sure us mortals remember them.
A personal note: There was a woman in front of me knitting and I was reminded that my dear friend Leah Petersen isn’t here this year…
5:24 AM 07/12/13 (Friday Morning)
The cats have woken both the missus and I up. She’s getting ready for work and I’m updating the blog.
Today, is of course, the first FULL day of ReaderCON. Last night was the primer—two hours of free-to-the-public programming. Multiple readings and panels offered up to wet the appetite and to get people in “Con mode”
As opposed to “KHAAAAAAAAAAN!” Mode. Um. Ahem.
Forgive me, it was a late night.
Thursday evening started off scary. The old Irish pub—a mainstay of ReaderCON’s over the years—was closed for renovations. I could almost hear the ominous organ chords of an old timey horror flick playing in the background.
Where once had been a lobby along with the pub, now a bare white wall with a “pardon our appearance whilst we screw with ReaderCON” banner stood.
I exaggerated that last bit. Nobody uses “whilst” anymore.
Pictured: Angels Weeping
Anyway, I went to the restaurant, which thankfully has its own little bar, and had a quick drink before attending my first panel.
Have You Seen Me?: The Absent Children of Urban Fantasy
Toni L. P. Kelner, Shira Lipkin (leader), Natalie Luhrs, Veronica Schanoes, Romie Stott.
Sitting in the first row, I could hear and see the excitement for this panel as I arrived a few minutes early. I especially wanted to listen to this discussion as children characters were in The Prodigal’s Foole and they play a role in the next book along with the future of the series. I don’t remember if it was Shira who mentioned something about rum first, with Veronica adding “with something sweet,” but I found myself on an entertaining mission to find both rum and coke for a panel of five beautiful and intelligent writers.
I missed the first half of the panel, which was sad—but scored a bottle of Bacardi and a two-liter Coke and placed it on the table for the team.
Without missing a beat, the ladies poured while continuing the discussion.
The Q&A commentary was already in full swing, and it ranged from Grimm’s original tales through to a discussion of the new child actor rules impacting how we perceive children on TV. My personal take is that children are used—in many instances as a plot device to ratchet up the tension, as a red herring or as a ‘hand-off’ for the next generation. I have a different set of plans for the “Hell-spawn” children rescued in my first book.
A very relaxed and professional panel that was fun to participate in.
The Nuances of POV
John Chu, Eileen Gunn, James Patrick Kelly (moderator), Darrell Schweitzer, John Stevens.
I have a conundrum.
I want to write a book from completely different points of view. The Arcana Chronicles is a first person series told from the Symon Bryson’s perspective. However, I want to use a plot device where we hear Symon’s thoughts, but also hear the titular character’s thoughts from my protagonist’s perspective. Can I do a first and third POV novel? I settled in next to friend and fellow fantasy author Glenn Skinner to find out.
And I wasn’t the only one interested in this panel. Yves Meynard was there (we exchanged greetings—he is one of the nicest people I’ve met at the con) as were dozens of other participants.
Including Scott Edelman, who missed his first ReaderCON ever last year. But I’ll get back to Scott in a moment.
This panel was suggested by John Stevens and PHD candidate Meriah Crawford (who was unable to attend). Meriah is actually finishing her thesis on Point of View, so I was expecting strong opinions.
Back to Scott. Jim Kelly (who was in great form) used Scott as the example in discussions mostly around first and third person. The panel agreed rather quickly that, while in use, second person is a rare device used in writing today.
Although the premise of this panel states “When writing genre fiction, many authors begin with the approach that first-person point of view (POV) is useful for horror and heroic quests to bring immediacy to the story; third-person is necessary for epic world-building; and second-person is too confusing and best avoided.” Although the last point was basically agreed to—they rejected the statements about first and third person except to say that those perspectives are expected in that genre.
I was at first heartened to hear that a couple of the panel members started in one point of view then switched mid-manuscript. But that was a change that impacted the entire story. Although Tolkien used something called ‘third person omniscient’ allowing him to (rather successfully) head-hop, no one really recommended changing POV. The advice I received was basically “try it and see.” Perhaps this explains my struggles with The Young Practitioner.
Two panels behind me, Glenn and I shared a drink in the bar and discussed both our works in progress. Glenn’s WIP (Book 5 of The Keya Quests) is building and realizing what’s been built before. It’s exciting stuff as he was kind enough to send me the first four in the series which I devoured (Yes, I know Glenn. I owe you a couple of reviews).
On the way out, we ran into Shira Lipkin who was in process of sharing the rum I’d purchased for her with a group of friends. I ended up staying an hour or so longer than expected—enjoying conversations about family, children, life and of course laughing until tears streamed from my eyes.
And now I need to find the anthology I have that has one of Shira’s short stories…I know it’s around here somewhere.
Seems like the lack of the old pub won’t impact the fun after all.
Peace
