World Fantasy Convention 2009
Oct. 31st, 2009 02:23 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
furtechI needed to make a trip up to SJ to take care of some business and Gordon suggested this weekend: he had an extra membership to the World Fantasy Con. WFC is not like your typical sf convention: it's very sercon (serious and constructive). More like a writer's convention than a fan-con: there is a small art show, no masquerade (or anyone in costume for that matter) and the dealer's room is about 80% books. The con is almost all about panels and discussions.
A cool effect of the literate crowd is that the conversations are almost always intriguing: in the bar/lounge last night Gordon spotted (in various small groups) Greg Bear, Peter Straub, Richard Lupoff, Elizabeth A. Lynn among many others. Here's a complete guest list (fan and pro) Regardless of the individuals, you could just sit and hear conversations all over the lounge that were interesting. I'd forgotten about this phenomena: intriguing conversations are not what anime/furry/comic conventions are about. Fourth Street Fantasy Faire is another con like this: fascinating. I've also heard good things about Foolscap, in Washington.
Last night's event was the mass autographing session: a two hour session in the main ballroom where all the authors sit and autograph and chat with people. The authors there that I'm a fan of included Jane Lindskold and Stephen R. Donaldson, in addition to a number of old friends I hadn't seen in years.
The fans and authors (there's a lot of overlap) blended well with the elegance of the Fairmont: most were well-dressed and seemed to enjoy the elegance of the lush furnishings. I am both curious, yet dreading what kind of atmosphere a furry con here will result in.
Apache is off getting a tracking intensive from my sister and R0ndo is enjoying being an only dog again (or...IS he?).
A cool effect of the literate crowd is that the conversations are almost always intriguing: in the bar/lounge last night Gordon spotted (in various small groups) Greg Bear, Peter Straub, Richard Lupoff, Elizabeth A. Lynn among many others. Here's a complete guest list (fan and pro) Regardless of the individuals, you could just sit and hear conversations all over the lounge that were interesting. I'd forgotten about this phenomena: intriguing conversations are not what anime/furry/comic conventions are about. Fourth Street Fantasy Faire is another con like this: fascinating. I've also heard good things about Foolscap, in Washington.
Last night's event was the mass autographing session: a two hour session in the main ballroom where all the authors sit and autograph and chat with people. The authors there that I'm a fan of included Jane Lindskold and Stephen R. Donaldson, in addition to a number of old friends I hadn't seen in years.
The fans and authors (there's a lot of overlap) blended well with the elegance of the Fairmont: most were well-dressed and seemed to enjoy the elegance of the lush furnishings. I am both curious, yet dreading what kind of atmosphere a furry con here will result in.
Apache is off getting a tracking intensive from my sister and R0ndo is enjoying being an only dog again (or...IS he?).
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Date: 2009-10-31 09:59 pm (UTC)(It also sounds deadly; I don't know how I'd escape without lugging home more books.)
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Date: 2009-11-01 08:38 pm (UTC)Something I didn't mention in the report: Part of registration is they give you a goody bag (a nice canvas bag with a zipper!) filled to bursting with books (both paperback and hardcover) that publishers donate. Some are obscure, some are new and popular and cool. Near registration is a big table where people can trade out books from their bags: abandoning books they have no interest in and snagging books that they -do- want.
The dealer's room is like a blast from the past: book dealers (old, rare and new) out-number other dealers about ten-to-one. You'd end up with a bazillion books...