Jan. 26th, 2009

netmouse: (Default)
Hey all --

We had a really great convention this weekend. The buzz in the air was totally positive. Jim Hines contributed to the fun tremendously with the ConFusion Princess contest for the release celebration of The Stepsister Scheme, and all the guests of honor were absolutely fabulous. Cat Rambo tells me she had such a good time she and Wayne are planning to come back again next year. The Scientist Guests (Elizabeth Turtle and Ralph Lorenz) had terrific turnout and insightful questions for their presentations and even had fun at the parties Friday night, Cory Doctorow did Tons of stuff (he and I snuck in a quick lunch yesterday, and he seemed to have had a good time), Davroz perked up the entire scene with photos from the last 27 years of ConFusion blown up and on display on easels around the convention, Freon put out some fabulous performances -- I felt really lucky to catch some of the War of the Worlds original broadcast re-enactment -- and Diana Harlan Stein was perky and smiling every time I ran into her and also reported good attendance at the art program. Someday I hope to see her binders of badges and write-ups of the over 300 conventions she has been to (!).

We missed some of our regulars, both to family emergencies and (no doubt) to the economy, but the convention went off superbly for everyone who was there and I want to thank all of my department heads for that, especially Don Wenzel (Transportation), Aaron Thuhl (Registration), Richard Tucholka (Dealers), Tammy Coxen (ConSuite), Debbie Rigdon-Smith and Karen Roe (Green Room), Sheryl Bradakis (Masquerade), Lisa Garrison-Ragsdale (KidFusion), and Bill Korsak (Gaming), whose departments went off SO smoothly they required nearly no support or intervention from me during the convention, so I could focus on other things. Matt Fanny was his usual amazingly wonderful uber-volunteer support, Jer Lance and his Ops party staff were so solid I actually slept full nights each night, with absolutely no worries to trouble me, and Jessica Zerwas, my assistant chair, helped keep all of our spirits up and did too many small things to mention to keep everything smooth sailing.

Doselle Young was there all the way from California just because he's wonderful that way, and it was nice to see John Scalzi as usual even if he was playing a "civilian" and not on the program - just made him easier to find at the bar. Saturday Brian and I were lucky enough to eat dinner with Rikhei Harris and Jane Irwin, both of whom live too far west in Michigan for us to see often enough, and it was good to see my frind Keith and others here from Chicago, though unfortunately only in short glimpses. Oh, and Scott Kennedy and Lucy Benson put together a spontaneous post-feedback session dinner gathering for those who didn't have to pack up rooms and load the truck, and that was great too. Yay chair-dancing! You all rock!

I even got in a couple meeting/breakfasts with the Subterranean Press crew and a board meeting with the Science Fiction Oral History Association, so it was a really full and rewarding weekend for me. Thank you all.
netmouse: (Default)
Oh, and I forgot to Mention, John (DJ Brick) Matthews did absolutely amazing service on sound in general and the dance in particular. We had no complaints about the dance this year!

Amazing.

Furthermore I should give huge kudos to Richard and Kim Sussman, who collated and laid out the program guide in record time this year and with a lot of extra work that was greatly appreciated. And Steve King was my hero too, getting material up on the web in real time as fast as we gave it to him.


PS Happy Chinese New Year! Who here was born in the year of the Ox?

I was born in the year of the tiger, myself. With luck I'm expecting a lovely print illustrating that to hit my mailbox someday soon by one of our art show artists.
netmouse: (relaxed and happy)
Many happy congrats to my friend Neil Gaiman for winning the Newbery Medal for children's literature for The Graveyard Book.

I had the honor of helping proof the Subterranean Press special edition of this book which, after being a Beta reader for it and then re-reading it before doing interviews of Dave Mckean and Neil for the subpress special feature Graveyard Book website and then re-reading and proofing our edition three times this fall, means that I have read that book five times in the last year. And honestly, I would happily read it again. It's that good.

I think it's my favorite thing that Neil has written so far, and I commend the Newbery Committee on their good taste. And also Neil, of course, for writing the thing.

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