Kinda off topic but did you know that the first Babe Ruth baseball card was printed in 1914 by the Baltimore Sun Newspaper, back when The Babe was a minor league ballplayer for the Baltimore Orioles. That particular baseball card, being the first card ever produced of the young pitching prospect, has been sold for as high as $517,000 in recent years!

I think it's because he's become so successful that he thinks his way is the only way, while at the same time ignoring the entire of literary history out there that proves him otherwise.

OSC? Ego? *shove, push, gasp for air* Ah, that's better. That's not smog in NC, it's his ego. Gosh, yes, I have a different favorite author, and you betcha, I said so in reference to his rant. I've actually *stopped* reading his stuff since meeting him. Seriously, I liked Ender's Game and all, but wow. Gimme some Palahniuk or Mieville or Vandermeer or Doctorow, etc., instead. Just my two cents worth. Keep the change, I'm sure. :)

WTF?

Actually, in contrast, I did find LWE to be funny last Trinoc. Whenever someone would say "You shoudn't do X in a story" He'd say "Oh, i've done that". Then agree that it was a bad idea.

It was his appearance at the LitFest two years ago in Chapel Hill that did it for me. He went on at least a ten-minute rant that you should never, ever, by no possible means, write in the first person, then proceeded to read a story with a first-person narrator.

Actually, when it comes to the list authors i've met that are really nice people, OSC is on the "notable exception" list. I remember his rant at Tri-noc 2002 where he was whining about readers who had favorite authors other than him -- and had the nerve to tell him.

So, yeah, the ego thing is a bit disturbing. Which is why L and I decided not to attend.

And I found out that Mark Van Name's interview with Orson Scott Card on Saturday morning had only thirty people in the audience, which was a bit surprising. Even with his archaic views on gay marriage and his colossal ego, he still has a hardcore group of fans. I heard that after he was done, they went down to the booksigning area at the Brickyard, and all the fanboys followed him like baby ducks.

Nick, you coined "Amorphous Blob"? Kewl. It turned up in so many discussions that I wasn't sure who had come up with it first.

Mike, I think "survived" is definitely the right word. I'm just now starting to recover. Sorry you couldn't make it, man.

Glad you survived the Lit Festival. I was hoping to make it to a couple of the events, but got caught up in too much work and other stuff at home. Sounds like a good time!

I knew people would start saying amorphous blob if I stuck with it.

Rob, I think I've finally gotten to the point where I can actually think of authors as real people, though there are some that still turn me into a gibbering fanboy; Jonathan Carroll did that to me, for instance.

Thanks, Jon. And I'm coming to find you and mess up your new garden just for that comment. Grr...

Andreas, it was good to see you too, even if just for a few minutes before I had to run off and avert another disaster. Kelly, Andy and Dale are all very awesome; I still don't know Dale very much, but Andy always has a kind word, and Kelly always has a big hug ready for me. It was nice to see them this weekend, though I'll be seeing Kelly again soon at WisCon.

Good to see you, Janet, Jamie and all there, Jason. Luna and I had a lot of fun.

"...and the Library used book sale..."

Aw, hell... I guess I missed that part of things. I do hate to miss a good library sale.

Oh, well. I picked up some excellent nifties anyway.

Actually, what always surprises me about meeting successful authors is how gosh darn nice they are in real life. There have been one or two notable exceptions, but, damn... Kelly Link, Andy Duncan, and Dale Bailey were great people to meet and talk to. I'm glad I have such nice people to look up to, 'ya know?

Fabulous work, man. You should be very proud of yourself.

So, I trust you'll be doing this again next year? ;)

I'm always suprised by meeting succesful authors face to face. Usually it is their height that throws me. George Pelecanos looks menacing on his book cover but in person is cigarette slim and pleasant. And I would read "Shutter Island" by Dennis Lehane first, then read his detective series.