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January 23, 2005
Confusion 31 Wrapup
I was in the middle of writing up a long and involved entry about my weekend at ConFusion 31, but then the power went out and I lost everything I'd written, so now you get the short version.
Overall: Much fun, primarily for the bar chat, a comment which should not be understood to detract from the overall con excellence.
Cool people I hung with included (but are not limited to): Patrick Nielsen Hayden, Steven Brust (pictured above with the super-competent and otherwise entirely excellent con chair Anne Murphy, who is sneaking up on him), Emma Bull and Will Shetterly, Kathryn Cramer (whose husband David Hartwell I spoke to as well, albeit briefly), Tobias Buckell and Emily Buckell and most especially the Fabulous Lorraine Garland and Jody Wurl, who basically adopted me as their pet for the weekend, not that I minded at all. I also met Subterranean Press publisher Bill Shafer, who is a fine man; SP, as you may know, will be doing the hardback of Agent to the Stars.
Fun Con Moments:
* Getting a nicely enthusiastic compliment about Old Man's War from Steven Brust. Since he's one of my favorite sf/f authors, you could say I was happy.
* Getting a box of Subterranean Press books from Bill Shafer as a "welcome" present. Not only were the titles themselves very cool, but the physical production of the books is very nicely done. I am ever more pleased A2S has found a home there. Also, as an aside, if'n you ever want to get on my good side, a box of books is an excellent way to do it.
* Going out in weather more or less described by the National Weather Service as "suicidal" in order to procure Thai food with Lorraine, Jody, Emma, Will, Patrick and also Jacqueline Carey (who sadly I did not spend much time in conversation with), among others. Yes, I drove; well, I drove me, Lorraine and Jody. No, I didn't kill anyone. Apparently I've got the Mad Snow Driving Skillz, yo.
* Dancing like a 15-year-old until about 2 am in the morning with Jody and Lorraine, and then waking up the next morning with legs full of hate and lactic acid. It was worth it, mind you, but don't expect me to be doing sprints any time soon. Clearly, I need to exercise more.
Would I go to ConFusion again? On the basis of this weekend: Yup.
Posted by john at January 23, 2005 09:04 PM
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Comments
Ellen | January 23, 2005 11:03 PM
I don't even know how to express my jealousy. What a group!
Christopher Davis | January 23, 2005 11:15 PM
Arisia, which was also this weekend: also fun, also snowy. ConFusion sounds like it would have been enjoyable, though if I'd gone I'd be stuck there because all flights into Boston were cancelled due to the blizzard...at least the people stuck at Arisia could just add a one-day relaxacon on the end (Arisia 2005.1) because they were stuck en masse.
Andrew Cory | January 24, 2005 04:01 AM
Steven Brust and John Scalzi in the same room? Why am I never invited to parties like that?
John Scalzi | January 24, 2005 06:59 AM
Christoper, I think I may have just deleted a comment from you from an earlier entry (more than a week old) that you posted today. If I did, would you go back and post it again? Thanks, and sorry!
Tripp | January 24, 2005 03:19 PM
Now that sounds like the life, although I don't know many of the names you dropped. Are you still considering that convention in Madison, WI?
I started and finished OMW in one sitting yesterday, and it is better than I remembered from a couple years ago! It has an optimism that I've liked since the early Heinlein.
One thing, though - the language. I think the cussing is true to the characters, probably even cleaned up, but I'm a little hesitant to share the book with my teen sons. I know they have heard and used the words, as have I, but it is an akward topic between us.
And a final question - have you written any short screenplays? There is a pretty good amateur video scene locally that I'd like to take part in - I've
created some little three minute videos to pop songs. With songs I can use the flow of the song and not have to write any story. I'm not much of a writer.
So I'm looking for some short screenplays that I could make. Nothing for money, of course. I was hoping with your movie background you might have something laying around.
John Scalzi | January 24, 2005 03:38 PM
Tripp:
No short screenplays, I'm afraid to say. It's not a medium I've tackled.
Re: the cussing -- I totally understand if you're hesitant to give it to your teens. If you do decide to share it with them, just remind them that just because you give them a story with profanity in it, it doesn't mean you've given them a go ahead to use it around you (or use it in a general sense).
Tripp | January 24, 2005 04:49 PM
John,
The teen-parent thing is weird. I remember reading my Dad's copy of "Sos the Rope" by Anthony out in the car for privacy because of the little bit of sex in it.
It is no easier being on the parent side of things.
Lenny Bailes | January 25, 2005 09:07 PM
Hey John:
Good seeing you at Confusion. Here's some miscellaneous info on "Murder and the Android," the TV adaptation that I mentioned, of Alfred Bester's short story, "Fondly Fahrenheit."
It was nominated for the Best Dramatic Presentation Hugo in 1960, losing out to a Twilight Zone episode.
Google turns up an actress credit for Suzanne Pleshette that also claims it was episode 1.8 of "Sunday Showcase" aired 18 October, 1959. (Rip Torn and Kevin McCarthy were apparently in it, too.)
Howard Waldrop reminisces briefly about it in a recent Infinite Matrix column (http://infinitematrix.net/columns/waldrop/waldrop14.html).
Not much else online. I have recollections of various sf & tv critics praising it in print. [.... Hm, your comment section doesn't seem to want to let me insert any CR/LFs, although I see that this is possible in other comments.]
John Scalzi | January 25, 2005 09:08 PM
Thanks, Lenny!
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JamesG | January 23, 2005 09:56 PM
Sounds like good times. I am going to my first Con this year, I hope I have as much fun.