Worldcon Impressions From a First Timer

The first time at any of these gi-normous conventions are slightly overwhelming. Bright Lights, Big Noise. But people are really nice.

And happy.

And enthusiastic with their opinions.

The first thing I learned is you can’t do it all. So many workshops and events happening simultaneously. And, alas, I’ve not yet learned how to bi-locate, let alone tri-locate.

So, what I did was go through the Convention Guide (they had a fabulous app, too) and circle all the workshops I wanted to take. Then, I decided which topics would be good to sit in on and which topics I could Google. That still made for a packed schedule and, truthfully, I wound up only taking in a handful…what with mental exhaustion, hotel shuttle bus schedules, timing and ending up in the wrong rooms and all.

Did I mention how humongous the convention center was? And, although there were helpful people positioned at various intersections to point you in the right direction, it was still very maze-like.   I got turned around quite a bit. Kept finding myself back in the Dealer Room. Must have been my love of shopping. I never get lost in malls, either.

So here are some things I learned (in a random format):

• How to world build around an economy. Very insightful as the main character in Book One of the Entean Saga sets in motion the need for each planet in the Ring to learn to self-govern themselves and self-regulate their economy. You’ll be reading about that in Book Three.
• Robert Silverberg and George R.R. Martin had a lot to say about WorldCons of the past and how it’s changed today into a huge circus. It was a delightful conversation to witness. (BTW, I shook George R.R. Martin’s hand! Squeeee! And he told me that in the next Game of Thrones book all the characters will be die horrible deaths—just kidding. He said nothing about his next book.)
• There are many different kinds of corsets. Some are much more comfortable than others to wear.
• Terry Prachett’s imagination is as colorful as a kaleidoscope and is sorely missed.
• OJ Simpson is guilty beyond a shadow of a doubt. Don’t believe otherwise. Analyists had more than enough DNA to figure that one out.
• A clone is an identical twin. Identical twins share the exact DNA. Identical twins do not need to look identical. Nor do they have to be the same gender. Orphan Black’s got that one right. Clones are not carbon copies.
• Humans living in low gravity for prolonged times have some real issues. Your face gets so puffy you can hardly look at yourself and others. Your eyeballs flatten out and your vision gets messed up. You get migraines. You lose bone and muscle density. Forget about having a baby in space without gravity. And then there are the mental issues…Here’s a book entitled Humans in Space if you want to know more.
• People spend lots of time on their costumes (and in their costumes!)
• Nobody can decide what makes the best book cover with regards to a marketing strategy.
• Nobody can really differentiate between SF containing relationships in the story and SF Romance. It’s a thin line. My advice: Read what you like to read and write what you like to read. And categorize the book in both categories so people can find it.
• (Very Important to know) In the registration hall there are bulletin boards announcing the parties/meet-ups. Check those out. Mr. Al and I did not. We learned about it after the fact. Sigh.
• Military SF is alive and well. Those who currently read it and write it the most have had combat experience mainly during the Afghanistan Wars. Therefore, they are writing about a volunteer army. When Military SF first came out, it was written from the POV of an army partially volunteer and partially draft. Different take.
• You can strike up a conversation with just about anybody at the convention and find it meaty and satisfying.
• The art! WOW! Dare I say…out of this world?

I leave you with masses of pictures.

Have a most excellent week, Peeps!  Still on target with Brightness Calling’s pub date!  Why? Cuz I’ve got the best people helping me and working with me.  Can’t do this alone, that’s for sure.

Lining Up to Register

Japan lobbying for the WorldCon in 2017.  Helsinki was the chosen spot.

Cool tiny spaceships.

I bought this print entitled The Eastern Portal by Tammy Tripp. I love it. It inspires me.

Spokane: Beautiful and Smoky

The Peacock Bar in the Davenport Hotel.
George R.R. Martin chilling on stage with Robert Silverberg discussing the Olden Days of Worldcons

Adorableness

More adorableness

Yours truly LOVING my hat with a Victorian in riding habit.  I must say, whenever I put on my hat I suffered with entitlement issues. Felt VERY put together and should be walking on rose petals (or red carpets,) with doors opening magically before me.

At the Masquerade

Loved this costume from Princess Mononoke. The hood and mask were perfect. Sadly, she took them off before I could take a picture.

Timelords

The Party Board on the last day. Many more choices on the earlier days.

Serious balloon art

Captain America

Mr. Al and a Not So Wee Blue Man

Here we have Dumbledore’s Phoenix hiding out in a steampunk world. This is what I was told. Verbatim.

Patricia Briggs reading to us.

Exhausted Adorableness