Worldcon 2013 Recap
I've been home for a few days now, and I'm still struggling to put into words how amazing an experience it was. It was about writing and industry, but more than that it was about friendship. It was taking really good friends and passing acquaintances from online and founding deeper relationships that I hope will last forever and ever.
Three of us formed a Codex Cookie Brigade. We brought cookies to the people! No one was allowed to suffer from low blood sugar. We handed out cookies in hotel lobbies, in hallways during late night parties, and to entire cram-packed elevators. Want to make friends? Offer them cookies. Even the people who said no--we gotta bring gluten-free cookies next time--walked away smiling.
My sister-in-law and her boyfriend came for the weekend, and got to be included in all sorts of shenanigans. It was a happily geeky family reunion.
There were a gazillion amazing authors present. George R. R. Martin didn't kill me. I was introduced many SMoFs (Secret Masters of Fandom). I met Jo Walton and managed not to gush over how much I liked Among Others. I had my first in-person acceptance for an anthology, which was freaking awesome.
Two highlights:
I spoke with Gail Carriger and told her how much I enjoyed her books and that they inspired me to write steampunk, and that I now had a two-book deal. She was delighted and said I was her first "book baby." She was such a pleasant and impeccably dressed person. She'll be at a con near Phoenix next year, and I do hope we get more time to talk.
If you read any interview with me that asks about my favorite authors, I always say, "Elizabeth Moon." Not only is she an amazingly prolific writer across space opera and fantasy, but she's also the mom of an autistic child. On an online community a few years ago, right after Critter was diagnosed, Elizabeth offered me helpful advice on more than one occasion. One of my big goals of the con was to tell her how deeply she inspired me as a writer and a mom. I did that at her kaffeeklatsch--and I managed not to cry!
The staff at the Marriott Rivercenter was incredibly friendly. I did find the con layout confusing because it covered so much terrain spread over multiple levels. I've never been a party person, but I did stay up late and roam the room parties and had a blast... but being the way I am, I had almost no alcohol, instead indulging in massive quantities of British cheese, marzipan, Finnish caramels, Kansas City BBQ, bumpy cake from Detroit, and poutine. Yes, poutine. My first time to try the Canadian staple was in San Antonio, Texas. They don't call it Worldcon for nothin'. (Why the variety of foods, you ask? Many of these places are bidding to host future cons, and they woo people with food. I like being wooed in this manner.)
There have been a lot of other Worldcon summary posts about the lack of diversity. This was something I noticed, too. Most of my experiences with larger cons has been of the anime or comic variety, which is a much younger and colorful demographic. I was honestly surprised at how the Worldcon attendees skewed toward white hair and Hoverounds. Everyone was super nice. The only rude people I encountered were not in the con, but out on the Riverwalk--seriously, tourists, you do not need to walk four abreast on a narrow sidewalk!
I really want to meet my Worldcon friends again. London next year would be lovely but I wouldn't want to go just for the con, and that means it's an issue of time and money. However, Spokane won their bid for the 2015 Worldcon, and that is a definite possibility.
The Cookie Brigade must ride (elevators) again!
Three of us formed a Codex Cookie Brigade. We brought cookies to the people! No one was allowed to suffer from low blood sugar. We handed out cookies in hotel lobbies, in hallways during late night parties, and to entire cram-packed elevators. Want to make friends? Offer them cookies. Even the people who said no--we gotta bring gluten-free cookies next time--walked away smiling.
My sister-in-law and her boyfriend came for the weekend, and got to be included in all sorts of shenanigans. It was a happily geeky family reunion.
There were a gazillion amazing authors present. George R. R. Martin didn't kill me. I was introduced many SMoFs (Secret Masters of Fandom). I met Jo Walton and managed not to gush over how much I liked Among Others. I had my first in-person acceptance for an anthology, which was freaking awesome.
Two highlights:
I spoke with Gail Carriger and told her how much I enjoyed her books and that they inspired me to write steampunk, and that I now had a two-book deal. She was delighted and said I was her first "book baby." She was such a pleasant and impeccably dressed person. She'll be at a con near Phoenix next year, and I do hope we get more time to talk.
If you read any interview with me that asks about my favorite authors, I always say, "Elizabeth Moon." Not only is she an amazingly prolific writer across space opera and fantasy, but she's also the mom of an autistic child. On an online community a few years ago, right after Critter was diagnosed, Elizabeth offered me helpful advice on more than one occasion. One of my big goals of the con was to tell her how deeply she inspired me as a writer and a mom. I did that at her kaffeeklatsch--and I managed not to cry!
The staff at the Marriott Rivercenter was incredibly friendly. I did find the con layout confusing because it covered so much terrain spread over multiple levels. I've never been a party person, but I did stay up late and roam the room parties and had a blast... but being the way I am, I had almost no alcohol, instead indulging in massive quantities of British cheese, marzipan, Finnish caramels, Kansas City BBQ, bumpy cake from Detroit, and poutine. Yes, poutine. My first time to try the Canadian staple was in San Antonio, Texas. They don't call it Worldcon for nothin'. (Why the variety of foods, you ask? Many of these places are bidding to host future cons, and they woo people with food. I like being wooed in this manner.)
There have been a lot of other Worldcon summary posts about the lack of diversity. This was something I noticed, too. Most of my experiences with larger cons has been of the anime or comic variety, which is a much younger and colorful demographic. I was honestly surprised at how the Worldcon attendees skewed toward white hair and Hoverounds. Everyone was super nice. The only rude people I encountered were not in the con, but out on the Riverwalk--seriously, tourists, you do not need to walk four abreast on a narrow sidewalk!
I really want to meet my Worldcon friends again. London next year would be lovely but I wouldn't want to go just for the con, and that means it's an issue of time and money. However, Spokane won their bid for the 2015 Worldcon, and that is a definite possibility.
The Cookie Brigade must ride (elevators) again!
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