Silent on the subject of Worldcon because…

Rosemary

I’ve been silent on the subject of the World Science Fiction Convention in Chicago Labor Day weekend, because, alas, I’m not attending this year. The cost of getting there, staying there, and membership was just too steep for my current cashflow this time around.

I plan to take the 3-day weekend to write instead! Possibly whilst hiding out at some less-expensive nearby place.

But I seriously plan to attend next year’s Worldcon — Plus, if London wins its bid for the 2014 Worldcon, I will absolutely be there if I have to quit my job, sell my car, and trade my sister’s dog for a rowboat! I WILL GO TO LONDON.

Meanwhile, I’ll just be slightly jealous of my friends, acquaintances, and admired authors who are going to Worldcon this year.

People like:

Jo Walton

John Scalzi

Catherynne M. Valente

Eleanor Arnason

Joe Haldeman

George R. R. Martin

Robert Reed

Walter H. Hunt

Okay, that’s enough of me listing them — go ahead and look at the whole list.

Worldcons are wonderful fun, and inspiring, and enlightening, and goofy; and they are places where you make friends for life, or for an evening; where you learn about new writers, and hear the latest rumors, and see amazing art; and sometimes fall in love.

Oh, and you get to watch them give out the Hugo awards! In person!

You should go, if you can.

This entry was posted on Friday, August 24th, 2012 at 7:11 pm. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

14 Responses to “Silent on the subject of Worldcon because…”

  • Lindig Says:
    August 24th, 2012 at 10:07 pm

    I can’t afford WorldCon either. Hell, I can’t afford DragonCon and it’s only 4 hours away and my friend Quinn Yarbro is one of the literary guests. Nasty being poor, ain’t it.

    • Rosemary Says:
      August 25th, 2012 at 10:05 am

      Lindig —

      You know, I’ve always wanted to attend a DragonCon

      — but it’s always opposite WorldCon.

      DragonCon is HUGE. Plus: they have a lot of science programming, and their “Skeptics track” is chock-full of fascinating people.

      (“Skeptics” in this context refers not to people who automatically disbelieve everything, as the word is usually used in casual conversation. Instead, it means those who support clear, critical thinking — whilst kicking the chair out from under the bastards who try to prey on human gullibility. Logic, science, revenge — what’s not to love?)

  • Nonesuch Says:
    August 24th, 2012 at 10:19 pm

    Wait–your sister has a DOG??

  • Nonesuch Says:
    August 25th, 2012 at 10:31 am

    I think you’ve explained very succinctly why I was forced to react as a Skeptic to your offhand dog remark. I kick your chair, madame!

  • Giovonnae Says:
    September 5th, 2012 at 1:47 am

    Glad to hear that you are still writing. I just finished the Steerswoman series (up to the Language of Power) again on my summer break. Still looking forward to books 5 and 6!

  • bawa Says:
    September 10th, 2012 at 2:12 pm

    Please do write. My daughter and I have read and re-read the series 5 times over by now: and the pleasure in the good writing only grows 🙂

    • Rosemary Says:
      September 10th, 2012 at 8:28 pm

      Bawa —

      Thanks! I’m glad to hear you like the writing, as well as the events of the story.

      Half the pleasure of writing is coming up with the tale; and the other half is find the best way to tell the tale.

      I hate it when writers only do one or the other — that’s doing only half the job!

  • bawa Says:
    September 14th, 2012 at 5:42 am

    I totally agree with that. I am really annoyed by some “fashionable” writers nowadays that 1)have a good idea but can’t be bothered to finish it up properly by thinking it through 2)never seem to edit what they write: don’t use 700 words to tell something that can be done 70.

    P.S. My daughter has several plans to “make” you write, each more extravagant than the last!

    • Rosemary Says:
      September 15th, 2012 at 2:49 pm

      Bawa —

      Yep. These are writers who are read by readers who mostly watch television. Prose is used for informational content alone; doing it well or poorly is irrelevant. Just the facts, ma’am.

      As if there were no difference between walking and dancing. They both get you from point A to point B.

      PS: Okay, you can’t say that and not expect me to be curious! Some examples, please. (We’re not slipping into Stephen King’s Misery territory here, are we?)

  • Naira Says:
    October 31st, 2012 at 12:06 pm

    Haha I was just reading your blog and was going to post a comment about how awesome it’d be to have Worldcon at London and you being there… and instead I come across a mini conversation between you and my mother! The Internet is funny 🙂

  • bawa Says:
    November 6th, 2012 at 7:51 am

    Just realised that my daughter has come into the comments: internet is nicely funny sometimes!

    There are so many authors where I have this grudge. Starting from something like the Harry Potter series: not great, lots of borrowing, but whatever there was could have been written so much better and far, far shorter. Carlos Zafón: the latter part of the book just spiralled out of control and the hand of god to resolve the plot. Reverte is another case in my opinion. There was a a best-selling teenage series in Spain here by Laura Gallego, that suffered both from “lets forget the plot now that we are selling like hotcakes” and really bad writing, including sentences that were actually repeated through out the book.
    Even Stephen Donaldson (and we like him very much) should not be writing that 3rd set of Covenant!