Catherine Cheek went to the World Fantasy Convention last month and kept her camera busy. Here you’ll find some pictures of George R. R. Martin, Kay Kenyon, Todd Lockwood, Guy Gavriel Kay, and Catherine herself! Thanks for the pics, Catherine! Now those of us who couldn’t make it can dream of what might have been. . . maybe next year!
Before the pictures, here are some impressions from Catherine about the convention.
Most memorable things I heard on panels: (unfortunately paraphrased)
From Barbara Hambly, writer of dark fantasy and mystery, who spent a night in a hotel room with a “presence”, and asked the hotel staff the next day if the hotel was haunted, was told “Oh, but we’ve never had any ghosts on the second floor.”
From David Morrell, creator of Rambo, “They found in the civil war that only 10-15% of the weapons had been fired, that people would think they had fired their weapons but weren’t able to, because a governor within the human mind keeps people from wanting to kill another person.”
And the absolutely most memorable thing I heard, from Minister Faust, “What I dislike about high fantasy is how many times they seek to solve their problems through genocide. Like the orcs, for example.”
[Person from the audience] “Yes, but the orcs were manufactured, they were mud people.”
Minister Faust “The exact same argument has been used against human races.”
Memorable only for me:
I printed out the two pieces I was going to read on the backs of each other, to save paper. Then my water bottle leaked and the corner got smeared. I managed to read them anyway, and must have done okay, because several people commented afterward that they liked my reading.
“Which reading?” I asked.
“The one where your manuscript was smeared.”
Ummm…
Also memorable only for me: having a stranger ask me to sign The Living Dead.
The most startling thing:
Calgary was much, much warmer than I had expected. I hardly needed a jacket. I was hoping/expecting snow, at the least.
Unexpected pleasures:
The art show, where I saw the work of Shaun Tan, which completely blew me away. [The art reception also had the best salmon I’ve ever eaten.] Having my name recognized by people who’ve read it in their slush pile. Winning a prize in a raffle at the Seattle 2011 Worldcon bid party. Getting to shake Guy Gavriel Kay’s hand after he won the award for best novel.
Expected pleasures:
Seeing my fellow Clarionites again. Meeting editors whom I know by name but not by face. A giant bag of free books. Dealers gave me Canadian candy.
The worst thing about World Fantasy Con:
Missing Halloween! (No trick-or-treating with my kids!)
Louise Marley on the Convention:
A number of people didn’t make it to Calgary because of the expense of the flight. I’m concerned about what the recession will do to convention attendance in general. It’s such a vibrant part of the speculative fiction community, and it’s going to really hurt if people have to stay home because travel is beyond their budgets. World Fantasy in particular is a place where editors and writers and a few agents reconnect each year, and it’s a hardship to have so many people absent.
Ryah Dennes, one of the con’s tireless organizers.
Guy Gavriel Kay, winner of the 2008 World Fantasy award for his novel Ysabel, and Carrie Vaughn, author of Kitty and the Midnight Hour.
The editors of FlashMe magazine.
Award-winning editor Ellen Datlow and Nina Hoffman at the signing.
Artist guest of honor Todd Lockwood at the signing.
Award-winning artist John Picacio shows off his stuff.
David Drake at the signing.
Derek Kunsken, Jerome Stueart, Catherine Cheek and Peter Atwood participating in their first author signings.
Louise Marley and Kay Kenyon at the author signing.
Linda Van der Pal, Cindy Squires and Cindy Yan show off their costumes on Halloween.
Nina Kiriki Hoffman at the Living Dead reading.
George R.R. Martin at the Living Dead reading.
My favorite panel was on Killing Off Important Characters with G.R.R. Martin, Steven Erickson, and Tad Williams. I learned Yes, GRRM suffers when he does it. And I also was inspired to do some killing myself; after all, I’m writing the final book in my series The Entire and The Rose. Don’t blame me. I’m following in the path of giants.
I missed that panel! I really wanted to see it.