As you're reading this, I'm more than likely airborne or just landing. The ginormous (thank you, JC Wilder, who taught me that word this week)RT Booklover's Convention is over and I'm one of the last to leave here Monday morning (trust me, there's a method to my madness).
As always, it was wild. A crush. A zoo. Faboo. The most fun you can have with your clothes on. Exhausting. Draining. Silly. Enlightening. It was a total hoot meeting my readers, my Yahoo loopies ::waves to David:: and reuniting with old friends.
I'll post pictures on my website this week but I wanted to share with you all a wonderful thing: I met noted SFF author Barbara Hambly, one of my longtime favorite authors. I more than met the esteemed Ms. Hambly. I sat and talked with her for several hours.
I am--to quote my UK friend Lynne Connolly, who was also at the convention--gobsmacked.
I've read Ms. Hambly for years. The Silicon Mage is a top ten favorite. But there are so many others: Stranger at the Wedding, the Sunwolf and Starhawk books, her Star Wars and Trek books...oh, the hours of joy! You can see her booklist here: http://www.barbarahambly.com/hambooks.htm
Several times during the conversation I had to mentally pinch myself. Holy Crap. I'm talking to Barbara Hambly.
She is a gentle, gracious woman with large eyes behind round glasses. She listens intently and has that writer's slight perpetual puzzled expression that is a combination of thoughtfulness and curiousity. We talked industry talk, we talked of her new projects and mine. The whole paranormal romance thing interests her. I'm so very glad. I would love nothing more for a noted writer such as Barbara Hambly to come play in my pond. It would be a boon to this cross-genre.
And, holy crap, I met Barbara Hambly.
She's going to be Guest of Honor at Archon in St Louis this coming August. I'll be there as well, along with author Stacey Klemstein and, I hope, author Isabo Kelly. And another noted author: Jacqueline Lichtenberg.
I will definitely be gobsmacked.
~Linnea
www.linneasinclair.com
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Wow! Barbara Hambly! I just LOVE the Antryg and Joanna books. Sounds like you had a great time.
ReplyDeleteAs Linnea said, it was a hoot, that's for sure! ::waving back at Linnea:: And as one who is new to the RT experience, the first couple of days were indeed like Old Home Week -- lots of warm hugs. It really struck me at this convention that many of these authors are more than just colleagues. In many cases they're very dear friends, like literary sisters in arms who've trod through much of the same mud, minefields and barbed wire to come out the other side scratched and bruised, but alive. And as I sat there in their gracious company, I got to watch them as they took some of the newer writers under their wings, passing along their observations and wisdom, woven together like soldiers' war stories. There was humor and caring, and some good-natured teasing, much like a greatly extended family of sorts. In a word, it was fun. There was business of course, and more than one of the authors I met was working to a deadline, even here, but the feeling of congeniality was wonderful. Of equal pleasure was meeting some of the contributors to this very co-blog in person. A very special sisterhood this is and I was delighted get to meet the people whose words I've read. I suppose all this connectivity is going to play havoc with my hermit-like tendencies. And I was showing such promise, too. Oh, well.
ReplyDeleteIt was awesome! :) Best one yet, in my opinion. And David, it was fantastic meeting you.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait for the convention in August!
I love Hambly's two Victorian vampire novels and her Benjamin January mysteries set in early 19th-century New Orleans.
ReplyDeleteLinnea, I just saw the pictures from this convention on your website. You and Susan Grant both look fantastic. I'm not familiar with any of the other faces. Glad you got the chance to kick up your heels!
ReplyDelete;)