Long overdue for a World Fantasy Con report. Is it worth giving one at this point?

Let's see what I can reveal. Minnesota was cold (glad I bought that winter coat from Goodwill) and the air was dry. Then my lips became dry and chapped and despite adding Bliztex while there, I came home with a breakout in cold soars (three of them!) that I haven't had since I was prepubescent! I knew I moved away from Minnesota for a reason.

I shared a room with the great Jay Lake. I finally got to meet Shawna McCarthy, but I didn't get to talk to her long, only enough time to say hello. Thanks to Hillary (fellow Web Rat and Contributor to Realms of Fantasy) for introducing me to Shawna. I didn't know she was standing right behind me at the Tor party. And Shawna recognized my name as a contributor, which is good. I haven't been forgotten yet.

I also talked to Ellen Datlow who told me if I didn't have a story on her desk, I should send one, and as a matter of fact I did have a story there.

I met and hung out with Trey, also a fellow Web Rat. The only other Web Rat I missed was Jim Hines. Sorry, Jim. Maybe at another con.

I stayed for the awards ceremony. Talked briefly to Ginger Buchanan of Ace.

During the weekend, I also spoke to Karen Joy Fowler. I haven't seen her since Clarion in '93. She recognized me as one of her students and it was nice to see her again.

I didn't go to many panels. I think I only sat all the way through one. Over all the panels seemed to be about catagorizing an author's work and the author being worried about which category. At least the ones I scoped out. I wasn't big on panels this Con.

I may not go to Washington D.C. next year for World Fantasy. Instead, I may head up to the Surrey Writers Conference up in British Columbia. I have a whole year to decide.

That was a fairly lame Con report. Since World Fantasy, I've gotten a rejection from Ellen Datlow for the story that was on her desk. She liked it, but it wasn't right for the site and she reccomended trying Gavin Grant at Lady Churchill's. Also, I am now offically on seasonal layoff from my job, the novel is closer to being done but I need to push harder.

And I'll talk more about that in my next entry. Yep. I'm going to try to keep you all up to date a little more often. Have you heard that before? :-)