Aug 28 2016

I’m back from Worldcon…

Rosemary

… but down with the most miserable cold/flu/whatever.

It actually hit Sabine the last day of the convention, which resulted in us staying in Kansas City one extra day, since she was in no shape to even ride in a car for an eight-hour drive, much less share the driving (we drove cross-country, remember?).

And during that extra day — yep, I caught the same damn bug.

Fortunately, it hit me not quite as hard, so between the two of us, we managed to slog our way from motel to motel back across the country, setting aside all plans for exploring the sights on our exciting road-trip.  We finally reached home Thursday night and collapsed in a DayQuil/NyQuil haze until, basically, now.

Still got it, but I thought I’d let people know that we made it home safely.

I do have stuff to say about the convention — but later, sorry, not now.  Must dose myself with even more NyQuil and sleep soon.  I’ll just say that I met many old and new friends, all my panels went well, and I actually had people show up for my autographing!

Also, many of you made a point of speaking to me and letting me know how much you liked my work — Thanks so much for that!  It means a lot.

My reading was also well received, and fun to do.   If you’re interested in what I read, it’s the same bit that read at Boskone last year, which I posted online in September.  (Just click here to get there.)

Thanks.  Must go.  More later.


Aug 19 2016

At WorldCon!

Rosemary

… With no opportunity to post (I’m writing this on my iPhone, while waiting for my autograph session to start).  I’ll fill you in later– but note my Twitter feed, over there in the next column on this page. There’s a chance I might tweet now and then, and you can see it here without even having a Twitter account, if you like

Having a great time!  More later.


Aug 11 2016

Thanks to all for the Happy Birthdays!

Rosemary

Still in Chicago, where I’ll be until just before the con, staying at a dubious Airbnb place with a crowd of people, but mostly hanging with Ada Palmer (of Too Like the Lightning fame), and Jo Walton (of fame fame), and various others who are equally excellent (but who might not want me to plaster their names all over the Internet, so I am being discreet).

Yep, I’m older.  But still here, so: WINNER!

No actual time to post much, but here are some quick pix:

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Heron hunting in the Beaver Marsh at Cuyahoga National Park.

 

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View of Lake Michigan.

Soon: brunch, and the Field Museum.

 


Aug 10 2016

Chicago, I am there. Plus: let’s update that program schedule.

Rosemary

Just so’s you know.  Visiting friends and new acquaintances, taking in the scene and the culture, for a week before Worldcon.

My updated Worldcon program:

Living with Cancer

Wednesday 14:00 – 15:00, 2206 (Kansas City Convention Center)

$£%* Cancer. Our panel talks about the experience of cancer, how it affected their writing and lives, and how we can support the fan community.

Janet Freeman-Daily, Rosemary Kirstein, Ms Pat Cadigan (M), Priscilla Olson

(For those of you just joining us, I’m doing fine now; the cancer exeperience took place a couple of years ago, and I am cancer-free!)

Writing Major Minor Characters

Wednesday 16:00 – 17:00, 2210 (Kansas City Convention Center)

Do you ever read a book and come across a character that is so wonderful you want to know everything about them, yet you know you never will because they aren’t the main character? Such characters add immeasurably to our reading experience and yet they are very hard to write. This session discusses how to do just that.

Michelle (Sagara) West (M), Julia Mandala, Connie Willis, Rosemary Kirstein

(I’ve been told that I’m good at this.)

 

Reading: Rosemary Kirstein

Thursday 13:00 – 13:30, 2203 (Readings) (Kansas City Convention Center)

Rosemary Kirstein

Autographing: Rosemary Kirstein, Larry Niven, Robert Silverberg, Jeff Sturgeon, Connie Willis

Friday 15:00 – 16:00, Autographing Space (Kansas City Convention Center)

Rosemary Kirstein, Larry Niven, Mr Robert Silverberg, Jeff Sturgeon, Connie Willis

(I expect this to be an exercise in humility.  I shall observe the long lines for the other authors, and acknowledge their superiority.  It will be good for me.  Plus: ebooks, hard to autograph. )

Transcending the Genre

Sunday 13:00 – 14:00, 2209 (Kansas City Convention Center)

Critics still use the term “transcending the genre,” but what does that really mean? Do we want to completely transcend genre, or are we experiencing snobbish reactions rooted in fannish history? When Zadie Smith talks about reading Octavia Butler, or Marlon James says his next novel will be “an African Game of Thrones”? do we really want all the genre walls to disappear? 

Dr. Tom Easton, Rich Horton, Jennie Goloboy (M), Rosemary Kirstein, Teresa Nielsen Hayden

(Teresa is part of the crowd I’m hanging with this week… She’s so damn smart!)

 

More later