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Friday, June 29
Took off early from work to go to the Early Bird Autograph Session.
Meet David Weber (the Author GOH) and Michael Stackpole (the Gaming GOH). Claudia Christian (the Media GOH) is signing autographs nearby. Due to a recent injury, Weber is only signing two books per person. If you have more books, you have to go to the end of the line and start over. I got one book signed for me, and one for Joe Singleton (who had to cancel at the last minute). We're both HUGE Honor Harrington fans. Michael Stackpole is at a decided disadvantage. All his fans are off gaming somewhere in the hotel, even though the gaming hasn't officially started yet. He sits and watches as the Weber line grows. Claudia Christian is also attracting a lot of attention, but strangely, the different types of fans don't seem to be mingling much.
A quick tour of the Dealer's Room reveals that this Con has more Real Books than most in recent memory, including the bookseller from Louisiana who took all my money at AggieCon. Some of the dealers seem to have an overly inflated opinion of their wares. An early copy of a Lester Del Rey novel is selling for $60. My guess is that Del Rey Books will be re-printing it in the next two or three years. There's been a lot of that sort of thing going around in the publishing business lately. For $60 bucks, I can wait.
Back to the autograph table to see if I can line up an interview with Weber. He readily agrees, but says we'll have to work it into the Con schedule. Since he's on a panel almost every hour, this may be tough! Hang out for a while and learn a few juicy secrets about some of his story lines. Will have to wait until the interview to see how much of this is for publication. He states that the next Honor Harrington book will not be out until July of NEXT Summer. Still, he doesn't expect the twins he and his wife are adopting will slow him down. Everything should be on schedule. Lots of luck David! This father knows how these things work.
A final tour of the Dealer's Room convinces me that there is plenty here to attract my attention tomorrow. Unfortunately, we have to leave early because Sidra's boyfriend is arriving at the airport soon. Still, its already been memorable.
Saturday, June 30
The (scheduled) gaming action lasted until 2:00 a.m. last night, but they're already setting up in the Port Aransas Room when we arrive this morning. When I arrive Weber's holding forth to a crowd of admirers. Weber and I compare notes and discover that we have a lot in common. He's also 6' 3", and married to a short red-haired woman (who scarily enough is named Sharon)! We're also both prone to migraines. Among other things, we compare notes on different medications. By the time I finally make my attempt to cut him out of the herd for the interview, its time for a panel! Did I mention that David was on a LOT of panels? Between panels, he and Stackpole have to find time to eat (Stackpole is also on a lot of panels).
Sheryl has hit the Dealer's Room while I was busy schmoosing with Weber and has undoubtedly spent TOO MUCH. Not that it would have done any good if I had been along. Sidra and Zack have been busy somewhere in the Dealer's Room and Zack is talking about acquiring a sword. None of the cutlery I saw yesterday seemed to impress me. Wonder if I'm jaded or just not as "into it" as I used to be? Anyway, it seemed to be the usual collection of imitation Goth / Trek stuff I've seen a lot of recently. I don't even remember seeing anything functional, much less a sword. Wonder what struck his fancy. Zack then disappears into the Gaming Room, not to be seen again for hours.
Attend the panel "Author to Editor to Artist: (Making a Book Cove)." That last word should have been "cover," but there's a typo in the convention program. Who should be there, but David Weber! Is he on every panel, or what? Artist GOH Charles Keegan expounds on the trials and tribulations of creating a cover which (1) satisfies the editor, (2) looks like a scene from the book (he likes to read the book first), and (3) survives the entire process from beginning requirements through to the actual printing. Much technical talk about foils and other special effects. Everyone agrees (including a representative from Baen Books) that such effects are used to increase the interest of the book seller, not the fan. Since I usually ignore such things, they may be right. I usually check out the blurb when I'm looking for a new author. If that looks promising, I sometime check out the author's bio to see if I think they know what they're talking about. This process doesn't always work, but I'm rarely bored with my purchases. After the panel, Weber is feeling the beginnings of a migraine. He and Stackpole go off to eat lunch. I head back to the Dealer's Room.
One of the Fan GOHs, Cliff Davis, is an old acquaintance, but I have yet to see him. Still, he's on the program . . . must be here somewhere. He's not in the Dealer's Room, but the Edge Books booth is. Seems today that every time I take a turn around the room, I wind up back at Edge Books buying something else I just can't pass up. The proprietor, Zane Melder, confirms that an out-of-print book I've been looking for does indeed exist. Unfortunately, he doesn't have a copy.
I check the time of David Weber's next panel and then we decide that we, too, have time to eat lunch. Unfortunately, Weber and Stackpole aren't dining at Denny's today. I'm beginning to feel really stalkerific! Still, I have my orders.
After lunch, another panel. Still can't connect with Weber, so we all go home (except Zack) to put the CT on-line for another month.
Sunday, July 1
Even though I'm feeling a bit burnt out, manage to get up and head for the Con. We arrive in time for me to attend A Meeting with the Author where David Weber tells the most amazing batch of "spoilers" I've ever witnessed. He also asked that I not publish them here, so I shan't. Attend a convention some time.
There is just time to take a quick tour of the Dealer's Room before the Auction. This convention has a combination Art / Charity Auction. The auctioneer tells us whenever an item comes up which is being auctioned off for charity. Otherwise, the item is being sold for profit. The charity involved is a local women's shelter. I spend more than the cover price on a book by a local artist just because I'm interested in it and the proceeds go to the shelter. Sheryl buys a thing or two.
But the star of the show seems to be, you guessed it, David Weber. Does this man ever sleep? Try to talk to him as the auction ends, but (of course) he has a panel to go to. I'm feeling beat because I was up half the night putting up the CT. We agree to do an e-mail interview. He gives me his address. I'll send questions, he'll answer them. Things are beginning to wind down. Still haven't seen Cliff Davis.
Zack has indeed bought swords. A matching pair of display-quality Japanese Samurai swords. Not very sharp. Still they look pretty. Fortunately, he has friends to transport them home for him. The airlines take a dim view of carrying swords onto airplanes. (Not that you'd have room to swing one.)
This is the best I've seen in the Houston area in years, even if I didn't get to see as much of it as I'd have liked. Lots of activities, lots of celebrities, lots of panels, and lots of books (who are, of course, the real stars at a Science Fiction Convention). Maybe next year they won't schedule it on the last weekend of the month.
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