I have returned from Readercon with a head buzzing with conversation and general glee. I am wary of writing a blow-by-blow sort of convention report post, but I do want to say several things.
1. The fantasy/science fiction community is amazing. I met some of the kindest, most intelligent, talented, and generally lovely people this weekend. One of the reasons I am not writing a blow-by-blow report about the con is that the most amazing part of it for me was meeting so many truly splendid people, and I feel awkward gushing. The point is that I feel like I am now a part of a writing community in a way I did not feel before, and it means the world to me.
2. On a similar note, I was so nervous to speak to authors whom I admire that I kept chickening out, but when I gathered up my petticoats and marched into the fray, every single one of them was kind and generous.
3. Best text message exchange with Gill while waiting for goblin girls and sundry poetesses to get ready to go out:
Me: We are all putting on so much bpal that when we walk together we will smell like a brothel having a bake sale.
Gill: Naughty cakes!
4. I want to say something about writing and spirituality that is a product of several panels I attended, but it hasn’t quite come together in my head yet.
So, a fond hello to all of you whom I met this weekend! I feel rich in friends both actual and virtual.
Hello back! Am very happy to have met you in person. That was my first con and I came back from it being able to put faces to very many of the names on my f-list, which is awesome.
I am very happy to have met you, too! It really does add a whole new dimension to journaling on the web.
You have a ninja clock?
Magill, my beau, has a ninja clock. It’s shaped like a ninja star and has a little swinging ninja for a pendulum.
. . .WANT.
Had a great time with you this weekend!
We discovered that the very same ninja graces ‘s knee-high socks. It was hilarious.
I have ninjas in my gmail.
I have a FOX. And also tea! Your ninjas should come over for parties. Except I’d probably miss them.
I have a very similar fox in my lj, so I like to imagine that he goes to visit your fox. Also the kid I’m babysitting today was watching youtube videos with me and wanted a fox video, so I found him one of a fox playing on a trampoline. It might have been one of ours. 😉
I’ve seen that vid! HEE! Toooo awesome.
It was lovely to meet you, and to hear you read and play the harp. I’m not too great with actually talking to people in large groups, alas, but it’s great to be able to put faces with names, and to have a more tangible idea of personality. Also, I totally voted for your poem to win the short form Rhysling. I figure that’s worth mentioning. I’m in no way sorry that Amal won (I voted for hers lower down the list), but I thought you should know that I really adore yours.
It was lovely to meet you, too! Sorry we didn’t get a chance to chat more… things were so busy! And I’m so, so flattered that you liked my poem. It means a lot to me.
Hallo! It was lovely to meet you, and to sing with you, and all those other things. 🙂
Likewise! 🙂
Hi there! ’tis the British Alex. Was lovely to meet you.
Lovely to meet you, too! I hope you are enjoying your continued travels!
Hello! I was not at Readercon but I have happened upon your journal by way of the internet. Would it be alright if I friend you?
Of course! 🙂
Hello! kindly told me your username. I was only at Readercon on Saturday, but that meant I got to hear your *wonderful* performance of your poem at the Rhysling poetry slan. It was beautiful. And I gather that you, like , play the harp–saw a lovely photo of you on ‘s LJ. You guys are multitalented, characters out of the poems you write–as it should be 🙂
Thank you! I’m flattered! 🙂
Did we talk on Saturday? It’s so tricky to match lj names with real names and faces!
No, we didn’t 🙂 But I’m Francesca–you can find me in ‘s lineup on Flickr, and that’s me in the userpic.
Ah yes, I remember you and your lovely poem from the Rhysling reading!