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Nov. 3rd, 2008 11:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lenora_roseInitial, and, at the rate I've been posting lately, likely to be only posted thoughts on World Fantasy Convention in Calgary.
- the people we were staying with (SCA names Morrigan and Dalton) are LOVELY. I liked them before, when we met them at their archery event and at Quad Wars, but they were excellent hosts, excellent people, etc.
- I've been told that people mind the whole issue of getting to and from a convention if not on site. I guess it's easier when you're a 20-30 minute walk away. Admittedly, the one night I wasn't going home earlier in the evening or getting picked up, I had to taxi it, but the fare was pretty cheap. Had I been doing less visiting with relatives or arching, I might see the issue. But the morning walk was a good start to the day.
- I want to go back to the Calgary archery range. Muchly. Even though when I went I was insufficiently fed, tired, stressed, self-conscious about my poor showing in archery lately, and more self-conscious when I proved it. (I did eventually relax into the shooting somewhat.)
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vilashna, EVERYBODY says hi. I may pass on more news and comments when we see each other next.
- WHAT WAS I THINKING, bringing three books to read for the trip? True enough, I might have needed one for the way there (Though I ended up reading for none of the travel time and not much of the hotel). But grabbing two more for during and the trip back is kind of.... forgetting the giant bag of swag, never mind the fact that i near doubled it with purchases. (More of the purchases were paperback, or used. i even got one book for 25 cents, though that was at a cafe in the neighbourhood, not a WFC vendor).
- It was decidedly odd going to a convention and realising I was almost entirely there in my capacity as artist. True enough, I went to readings as a fan and panels as an aspiring writer, sort of, though I drew through several of them. But I mostly ended up talking to artists, made most of my new acquaintances among the artists (Hardly a complaint, as this included some exceedingly nice people), talking about art, etc. I was explicitly invited to at least one convention, in Surrey, as an artist. Even though Colin and I agree that SFF cons are not the best (Or at least should not be the exclusive) places for me to sell my style of art.
- I sold ten pieces total. Not too bad. It may pay for the fees to get in. One of them was even an undecorated, non fantasy-related bowl.
- I spent considerably more than that. There is a disadvantage to not having to spend on hotel fees, even as there is an advantage. I went a little overboard on my intended budget on book-buying, but not badly, pounced on one cd in my single wander through the mall (Killing time until the awards Sunday, as I was not in the banquet). And then I bought waaay too much art (Two pieces, but the price tag of the second was about my total intended budget for frivolous purchases. Shaun Tan's art practically made me swoon.) But I was saddened, as nobody had Ink and Steel.
- I amused Minister Faust (after his fabulous, dynamic reading) and some other Edmontonians with my observation that Winnipeg is a crow city, while Edmonton (and Calgary) are magpie cities.
- Patricia McKillip is a lovely person, as far as I could tell, as well as a lovely writer, but not a terribly interesting panelist.
- Of people I've known online, I met Patrice Sarath and Lucy A. Snyder (las). Of people I've met at prior events, Guy Gavriel Kay seemed to have no idea who I was (But I said directly that I expected him not to.)
- One thing that irritated me that i saw in at least two panels. If people are attempting to discuss a general trend in fantasy books (or, presumably, sf books, horror books, fantasy art, sf art, etc.) which you feel you are personally an exception to? DO NOT DISMISS THE ENTIRE TREND AS THEREFORE NONEXISTANT OR A NON-ISSUE. You are not the be-all and end-all of Fantasy. No matter who you are. (And while George R.R. Martin once did this to a degree, I wouldn't have noticed as much had I not been sensitized to it by seeing it in others. The author who made the most blatant example of this was... not in that league for sales or reputation. Not a nobody, either, a decent-selling author with multiple books, but even so.)
- Not much real music: The one music related thing started off with a number of people doing Lord of the Rings filks to "Once More, with Feeling" tunes (The first "I'll never tell" variant, with Legolas and Gimli, was at least funny, and the girl Maja who sang Gollum's bit had a pretty good soprano, though she wobbled a bit without accompaniment. Then Martin Springett did a few songs, starting Lord of the Rings and wandering off into other territory. He's a truly talented guitarist, a decent singer, and a songwriter of some skill, though I have to admit, his style is not to my personal taste, so I'm not likely to buy a cd. But it broke up without ever opening up.
- I didn't practice nearly enough on the Angry Chicken, though I did get some practice time in. And I won't do much tonight, either, as I am tired and it is time to sleep. Sorry, Abacchus.
- the people we were staying with (SCA names Morrigan and Dalton) are LOVELY. I liked them before, when we met them at their archery event and at Quad Wars, but they were excellent hosts, excellent people, etc.
- I've been told that people mind the whole issue of getting to and from a convention if not on site. I guess it's easier when you're a 20-30 minute walk away. Admittedly, the one night I wasn't going home earlier in the evening or getting picked up, I had to taxi it, but the fare was pretty cheap. Had I been doing less visiting with relatives or arching, I might see the issue. But the morning walk was a good start to the day.
- I want to go back to the Calgary archery range. Muchly. Even though when I went I was insufficiently fed, tired, stressed, self-conscious about my poor showing in archery lately, and more self-conscious when I proved it. (I did eventually relax into the shooting somewhat.)
-
vilashna, EVERYBODY says hi. I may pass on more news and comments when we see each other next.- WHAT WAS I THINKING, bringing three books to read for the trip? True enough, I might have needed one for the way there (Though I ended up reading for none of the travel time and not much of the hotel). But grabbing two more for during and the trip back is kind of.... forgetting the giant bag of swag, never mind the fact that i near doubled it with purchases. (More of the purchases were paperback, or used. i even got one book for 25 cents, though that was at a cafe in the neighbourhood, not a WFC vendor).
- It was decidedly odd going to a convention and realising I was almost entirely there in my capacity as artist. True enough, I went to readings as a fan and panels as an aspiring writer, sort of, though I drew through several of them. But I mostly ended up talking to artists, made most of my new acquaintances among the artists (Hardly a complaint, as this included some exceedingly nice people), talking about art, etc. I was explicitly invited to at least one convention, in Surrey, as an artist. Even though Colin and I agree that SFF cons are not the best (Or at least should not be the exclusive) places for me to sell my style of art.
- I sold ten pieces total. Not too bad. It may pay for the fees to get in. One of them was even an undecorated, non fantasy-related bowl.
- I spent considerably more than that. There is a disadvantage to not having to spend on hotel fees, even as there is an advantage. I went a little overboard on my intended budget on book-buying, but not badly, pounced on one cd in my single wander through the mall (Killing time until the awards Sunday, as I was not in the banquet). And then I bought waaay too much art (Two pieces, but the price tag of the second was about my total intended budget for frivolous purchases. Shaun Tan's art practically made me swoon.) But I was saddened, as nobody had Ink and Steel.
- I amused Minister Faust (after his fabulous, dynamic reading) and some other Edmontonians with my observation that Winnipeg is a crow city, while Edmonton (and Calgary) are magpie cities.
- Patricia McKillip is a lovely person, as far as I could tell, as well as a lovely writer, but not a terribly interesting panelist.
- Of people I've known online, I met Patrice Sarath and Lucy A. Snyder (
las). Of people I've met at prior events, Guy Gavriel Kay seemed to have no idea who I was (But I said directly that I expected him not to.)- One thing that irritated me that i saw in at least two panels. If people are attempting to discuss a general trend in fantasy books (or, presumably, sf books, horror books, fantasy art, sf art, etc.) which you feel you are personally an exception to? DO NOT DISMISS THE ENTIRE TREND AS THEREFORE NONEXISTANT OR A NON-ISSUE. You are not the be-all and end-all of Fantasy. No matter who you are. (And while George R.R. Martin once did this to a degree, I wouldn't have noticed as much had I not been sensitized to it by seeing it in others. The author who made the most blatant example of this was... not in that league for sales or reputation. Not a nobody, either, a decent-selling author with multiple books, but even so.)
- Not much real music: The one music related thing started off with a number of people doing Lord of the Rings filks to "Once More, with Feeling" tunes (The first "I'll never tell" variant, with Legolas and Gimli, was at least funny, and the girl Maja who sang Gollum's bit had a pretty good soprano, though she wobbled a bit without accompaniment. Then Martin Springett did a few songs, starting Lord of the Rings and wandering off into other territory. He's a truly talented guitarist, a decent singer, and a songwriter of some skill, though I have to admit, his style is not to my personal taste, so I'm not likely to buy a cd. But it broke up without ever opening up.
- I didn't practice nearly enough on the Angry Chicken, though I did get some practice time in. And I won't do much tonight, either, as I am tired and it is time to sleep. Sorry, Abacchus.
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