Back from WFC

[pbray]

Back from the World Fantasy Convention in Madison. I had a great time--met lots of interesting people, caught up with old friends, met e-friends in person, hung out with folks who share my passions, had too much to eat, drink, and too many late nights. In short, it was a perfect weekend.

I described WFC to someone as a tribal gathering, but it's more than that. It's part corporate board meeting where we hear the state of the business, part family reunion where we see people we haven't seen for years, or finally get to meet that new cousin/in-law we've all been hearing about, and part college reunion where you catch up with the class of 2002 and see how everyone is doing.


The best part of WFC is getting together with kindred spirits.

Was thrilled to meet LJers in person, including kaygo, aieron, janni, lnhammer, jaylake, naomikritzer and to catch up with mcurry, matociquala. Hung out with bgliterary at the autographing on Friday night, where we discovered our shared interest in SF on the small screen. Also met Sarah Monette, Sarah Zettel, Kristen Britain, eeknight and others whose real life/LJ names I wrote down somewhere, but can't find right now. Apologies to those I've missed.

On Saturday night arcaedia's clients surprised her with an appreciation dinner. It was a great success, though I had to leave early for my 8PM panel on architecture and monsters which went very well. I was surprised by how many people turned out for a panel at 8PM on a Saturday night.

Had good meetings with my editor and agent, and I'm feeling good about the next series. Enjoyed talking shop with other writers, and sharing career strategies.

jpsorrow was a great roommate and traveling companion. This was his first WFC, so it was a tad overwhelming at first, but by Saturday he was trained to introduce himself by saying "My first book is THE SKEWED THRONE, and it's coming out from DAW in January."

There are too many folks to mention by name, but I want to thank everyone who took the time to speak with me at WFC, to tell me that they liked the Devlin stories, or my reading, or that they enjoyed one of the panels I was on, or even just that they thought the lizard trinkets were cool.

In short, I had a great time, I got to hang out with wonderful folks, and I left feeling energized and ready to write.



Returned home, and found that my house was

It was nearly 1AM by the time I got home, and after the long weekend I was brain dead. As I entered the house I saw a rubber lizard on the kitchen counter. It didn't look like the lizards that I had gotten as promo giveaways-- mine were metallic colors, but this was spotted and fairly realistic looking. Puzzled, but clueless, I continued on.

Then I saw another one peeking over the door to the fridge. Going to the bathroom, three lizards glared at me from the faucets on the sink, while their brother proudly perched on the towel bar. I spotted lizards on picture frames, on bookcases, crawling over my CDs, on the sofa, climbing my bike, a total of nine lizards perched around my bed glaring at me from the alarm clock, the night stand, the blinds on the window....

Even my life-sized cardboard Aragorn now sported a lizard on his shoulder. It was funny, but vaguely creepy as well. The message was clear. "You were gone, and now this place is ours."

Since I'd just spent the conference joking about being queen of the lizards, it struck me that someone had heard me, and my subjects had decided that my house was now their rightful territory.

I lost count at 70 lizards, but jennifer_dunne has confessed that there were 84 in total. Kudos to her for pulling this off, and to jpsorrow who knew of the gag and didn't let it slip the entire weekend.

Comments

[fancythat2.livejournal.com]

I hope you or somebody snapped some pictures of the 'infestation'. :-)

[pbray.livejournal.com]

Wanted to take pictures last night, but was too tired to hunt down camera & film. Some of the lizards have been relocated (all the bathroom lizards were moved), but most are still in place and I may take pictures later this week when I return from my business trip.

[fancythat2.livejournal.com]

Those pictures will be such a fun tangible memory to have years from now.
"The Lizard Queen's Court"?

[mizkit.livejournal.com]

Yay! I'm glad the surprise for Jenn went off well! And I hope there are pictures of the lizard infestation! *laugh* Awesome. :)

[writerbythebay.livejournal.com]

*fit of giggles: snorts, and sputters into coffee cup*

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

It was great to meet you in person!

[pbray.livejournal.com]

Likewise! It was wonderful to hang out with you, and I'm already looking forward to our next con together :-)

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

Actually, there are only 83 lizards there. I found one in the packaging from when I unwrapped all the lizards. He must have followed me home.

And I more than knew of the plan . . . I devised it! Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!!!

Thanks jennifer_dunne for helping me pull it off.

[fancythat2.livejournal.com]

But what if He is a She? I mean, she was in the packaging with all the other lizards for who knows how long. She may be breeding. Now what are you going to do?

Just asking, that's all.

[pbray.livejournal.com]

But of course they are breeding. I strongly suspect jpsorrow has more that he's holding in reserve.

[fancythat2.livejournal.com]

Uh oh, change the locks or you will be overrun in a fortnight!

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

They are breeding! OMG! I'm being overrun!

[fancythat2.livejournal.com]

Hee.
No good deed ever goes unpunished. Or is that: no good prank ever goes unpunished?

Get a breeders license and sell those little lizards?

Marketing gimmick: "Need good home to a few little lizards, been handled by three published authors, guaranteed to entertain, travel well and get everywhere".

[pbray.livejournal.com]

You are now elevated from the status of minion to arch enemy! Bwa-ha-ha-ha! Prepare for light sabers at dawn.

[mistress-sin.livejournal.com]

hehe. nicely done by those involved. though i do hear revenge is pretty sweet. and pictures would be a wonderful idea. i've seen mouse infested but never lizard infested.

[pbray.livejournal.com]

And the jet lag added that special treat, as I started off thinking "Am I seeing what I thing I'm seeing?" followed by "These are fake lizards, right? I'm pretty sure they're fake, but that one is giving me the evil eye..."

[fancythat2.livejournal.com]

Hey man, as long as they weren't moving it's all good.

[eimarra]

Don't know why you were surprised at the Saturday turnout; it was a great panel.

I am, rather slowly, blogging my notes from the various panels, but I'm still on Thursday's. (I discovered that I attended 19 panels, 1 interview, and 2 readings. I did manage to chat a bit, though. And I treasure my green lizard.) So it may be next week before my notes for the Maze show up.

[pbray.livejournal.com]

Cool, I'll be interested in reading your impressions.

One of the reasons why I was surprised by the turnout was that Madison had so many great restaurants I figured people would be late getting back from the dinner break, and might miss the 8PM panel.

[eimarra]

Ah, the restaurants. Yes, I went to Takara, one of the Japanese restaurants on State Street, with Daniel Archambault and Katie Ferreira. Going early in the dinner break seemed to be key, as there was quite a line waiting when we left.