Now it’s over and done, this is the last I’ll post on ArmadilloCon for a while.
First off, the Writers’ Workshop went very well. I’m very happy to be a part of it. My group of students (with Julie Kenner and Rosemary Clement-Moore) were all fantastic, and did a very good job taking critique and giving it to each other. Not to mention listening to my rambling with cheer and good grace. Stina Leicht, the Workshop Coordinator did an amazing job and is an amazing person. And if the excerpt she read from her second book is any indication, it’s going to be astounding. If you haven’t read Of Blood and Honey yet, what are you waiting for?
Some other high points:
- Seeing people I hadn’t seen in a while (like Kimberly Frost) and meeting some fantastic people for the first time (like Scott Lynch and Elizabeth Bear). I may have gotten a bit fanboy around Scott. But only because Lies of Locke Lamora is just that good. And his reading from upcoming Republic of Thieves has me very excited for that one.
- Lou Anders of Pyr Books, the editor special guest of the con, was brilliant and informative and very personable with everyone who came up to him. And he spoke at length praising and promoting my fellow Onyxhawke-represented author James Enge. I think a lot of people left the Con with him on their to-read list.
- Paolo Bacigalupi, the Guest of Honor of the con, is totally hysterical. Especially when he’s sitting next to Lou Anders. If those two had a podcast, it would be the best thing ever.
- My panels were a lot of fun. The Food one was a hoot, especially given that it was at 10PM Friday night. I talked at length about food and worldbuilding and culture and exotic fruits and okra. No one made me shut up. The one on Class in SF/F was very cool, and a packed room, but that was since it was me with Joe Lansdale, Will Shetterly and Scott Lynch. The Singularity panel was fascinating, especially since Bruce Sterling was a surprise late addition to the panel. I’d like to think I didn’t totally embarrass myself on that panel, though I’m probably wrong.
- On that note, a public apology to Elze Hamilton. I claimed a certain story was an Asimov story, insisting even after she said it was Greg Egan. I dug through my books last night and found out I was in error. So: I was completely wrong, she was completely right. I’m very sorry, Elze.
And I pretty much fell into a mini-coma after getting home. So now: back to work. Plenty to do.
I’m so upset that I missed the food panel! If it hadn’t been for the fact that my husband had just flown back into town after a week’s absence I TOTALLY would have been there! Food, science fiction, and okra! Three of my favorite things! BIG fan of Kimberly Frost, as well.
Anyway, so glad to have met you at the con – even more so that I was in your workshop group. What a fantastic experience! Thank you so much! 😀
Was anyone in the audience for the food panel able to identify a secondary-world fantasy work that features okra?
Kendra- I’m very glad it was a good group experience for you. It’s very important to me (and, I’m pretty sure, to Stina) that the students feel the experience was valuable.
jheaton- No, but one of the other panelists did remind me of its African origins (a fact that had once been in my brain and left), and how it was one of the things eaten in ancient Egypt.
I knew it was African in origin, but I didn’t know it was found as far north as Egypt. I thought it was more a tropical, west African plant. In any event, African-inspired secondary worlds are not that much easier to come by than American ones, though.
Really great to see you again! I had so much fun this year.
jheaton: Well, someone said it was eaten in Egypt, and I haven’t confirmed that with research. But you are very right about African-inspired secondary worlds. But that could be a whole different can of worms…
Audrey- Likewise! This was a great year.