Worldcon Day 3 (Belated).

Wedding
Adoption of my daughter
Birth of my sons
Worldcon Day 3

In terms of the significant events in my life Day 3 might actually rank up there as number four visa vis milestone events. It was that intense.

It started out with the panel I feared most. Not for the people who'd be on it (that, OMG, was the panel that came immediately _after_the Firefly panel!) but for the people who'd be in it (the room that is). How do I put this? A Firefly fanatic is a bit of an albatross. Sort of a cross between the blind fanaticism of a deadhead and the insistent (and almost constant) ribaldry of a Monty Python fan. Get one thing wrong, step incorrectly on one nanometer of hallowed ground and you'll soon know it. I entered a room filled with hundreds of such fans, some, I might add, actually singing the Ballad of Jayne (for those of you not familiar with the series Jayne is a character who...well, let's just leave it at that), took my seat and prayed for mercy. Here's the joke - didn't need it. I was so well prepared (thank you again, Larry) that I actually managed to out Firefly the Firefly fans. Me: "Ever notice that in the episode, "objects in space" the only one whose mind River can't read is Kailee's?" Crowd: Hushed silence followed by a quick "Oooooh." From there on in all it was was pure fun. And it really was. So much so that I completely forgot to get nervous about the upcoming Time Travel Panel. Before I knew it I was sitting down next to Connie Willis and S.M. Stirling. That didn't feel quite right to me so before things got started I switched seats with my brother Eytan. History/Time Travel was decidedly his gig and I was more than happy to physically marginalize myself to the end of the table. I added my 2 cents from time to time but for the most part it was -- and I kid you not - the Kollin (as in Eytan), Stirling & Willis show. And quite a show it was. Thinking life couldn't possibly get cooler than that (i.e. not looking like a blithering idiot), someone comes up and nonchalantly asks me for my autograph. "But," stutters I, "I don't have a book out yet." To which she whips out a diary in which she'd gotten everyone else on the panel to sign. So, flabbergasted, I sign my first ever autograph.

Pausing to breathe here. Any ONE of these things would have been a great day in my book. Yet, it kept going.

One hour later we made our way over to the Tor party (Tor is our publisher and known for putting on the best party at the con). Suffice to say, once in the door things started to (once again) happen fast. I started talking to newish Tor author, Warren Hammond (http://www.warrenhammond.net/) who in the midst of our conversation remarks about how much he likes our book cover. To which I say, "what book cover?" To which he says, "the one over there on the wall." Now mind you, the book cover's a big deal. I mean I could easily have devoted an entire post to the concept but do you see how much text's already been written? Sheesh. So I rush over to the wall and proceed to freak (it's shiny!). I mean I've only been waiting for this moment since like, well forever. So I go over to grab Eytan who is talking with...wait for it. Robert Silverberg! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Silverberg) a veritable living God of sci fi. Can't yank him from that, can I? So I start shooting the shit with...well pretty much the Lord (this is how this day is going alright?) and finally Mr. Silverberg has had well enough of the drooling brothers and departs. I immediately bring Eytan over to the window (he by the way kept on saying, "what's so damned important you'd interrupt me talking to God?"). He looks up at the cover on the window and also freaks out. So there we were, two idiots staring wide-eyed at our cover, pretty much ignoring everyone else in the room (which we were there to supposedly 'work' See: http://theunincorporatedman.com/var/1718/143211-Book%20Cover%20Surprise_WS.jpg.) At this point S.M. Stirling joins us and wants to know what's going on (really) to which Eytan shows him the book cover. Next thing I know the two are side-barring on who knows what for the better part of an hour.

Ok. Exhale, Dani.

So much of this journey has been in drips and drabs (good drips and drabs mind you) -- that it arrived for one day as a torrent came as a complete shock to the both of us. I'm not complaining, just explaining. But just like my wedding day and daughter and sons' arrival, this day too will forever rank up there. And really, can you blame me?

Thanks for listening.

Dani

Well, it started out with the best of intentions. The plan: write from the worldcon daily and let you all in what, to a newly minted author, the worldcon was like. I made it to day one. What I hadn't factored in was the abject exhaustion a working author faces as he negotiates the myriad panels, meetings (impromptu or otherwise), events and parties. I kid you not, working a worldcon -- and that is what you must do if you want to start getting your name known -- requires you to be on your feet both figuratively and literally for what amounts on average to 18-20 hours of each 24 hour day. I was off my game one day...one day and I managed to mangle the guest of honor's name when I finally had an opportunity to meet her (Yes, I called Lois McMaster Bujold "Ms. Willis"). On the plus side Ms. McMaster was quite accommodating and even consented to be photographed with the offender (http://theunincorporatedman.com/agalleries/c10512.php). Her graciousness aside, I realized I would no longer have the luxury to screw up that bad. Further, I didn't have the luxury even to allow my eyes to wander when speaking to anyone for that matter much less a famous author (and trust me, at a Sci Fi convention the world is your visual stimuli oyster). Why? Not only because of what we Jews refer to as "Derech Eretz" which essentially means "respect" but also because anyone you talk to is a potential blogger or word of mouther and our fledgling career depends almost as equally on who we influence as much as who our publisher gets to shelve our books.

At the panel Eytan and I did on time travel (remember? the one I was freaking about with S.M. Sterling and Connie Willis) Mr. Sterling would often interrupt the twisted machinations of the panel and audiences time travel conundrums with a hearty "Brain Hurt". (always to much applause and laughter). Well my brain hurt after that first day and I hadn't the strength to post...at least what I considered something post-worthy. Yes, I know it's alright to just drop a line and say "Met so and so today, it was great!" but I've determined from the outset that that's not what this blog is about. Though I stray from time to time this blog is about the newness of having signed and the specific experiences within that message.

So I've determined to continue blogging from Worldcon, albeit many days late. There is ALOT to tell you and when my brain stops hurting all will be revealed. Suffice to say it was absolutely a fantastic experience and all of you who told me to chill out were 100% right. I was prepared, had my overstuffed 3-ring binder (and scared a few fellow panelists to boot) and once in the groove had a much easier go of it.

So thanks for bearing with me. More new-author guy revelations to come!

Dani

Whatever happened to just going to cons? Oy! Met with a Firefly Fanatic yesterday to pick his brain for a panel I'm on re: Firefly - What if there'd been a 2nd Season? Terrifying the extent of dedication this dude had. Knew every episode, almost every great line from the episode and every bit guest part actor's stage and real names. If all he was was a didact I wouldn't be so worried (anyone can memorize) but this dude was way more than that. He was the fan I fear (LOL). Good thing he's a close friend. Suffice to say if you're gonna be at Worldcon and get a chance to hit up that panel you'll hear some really cool stuff (Thanks, Larry if you're reading this). Then had to secure a digital camera because in the words of our publisher "you need lots of pictures." Ok. More pre con shlepping. Still heavy into researching for the other panels, still in the midst of reading Connie Willis' Doomsday Book (close to 600 pages! - Oy!) Still doing freelance work to put food on the table. Oy!

On a positive note, got Larry Niven (yes, that was a name drop - but it happened and damned if it wasn't just about the best part of my day) to give me permission to cut down his Theory of Time Travel short story from his incredible short story collection called All The Myriad Ways (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_the_Myriad_Ways).

The part of me that realizes I could just take it all in stride (as does my brother) realizes that if that were the case we never would've gotten published. I'm the OC perfectionist, he's the too chill dude. It's my job to worry and his job to laugh at it. I'm resigned to that.

I suppose once I've done this long enough - and hopefully we'll move enough books to keep this gig going - I won't stress out nearly as much (insert: disbelieving laughter from people who know me). Until then, Sentient AI, Holographic Books, Time Travel, Firefly and a whole host of other ridiculously cool things I'll need to learn in the next few days will keep me in the Oy zone.

I should be able to knock off another post before I hit the road and then plan on posting from Worldcon. A first author's perspective of the greatest SF show on earth ("Wow, New York City! Skyscrapers and everything...just like I pictured it!").

Dani

My goal when starting this blog to was let my fellow writers/readers in on both the ups and downs of early authorhood. As I experience it for the first time so do you. So for every "begging" to be invited to a con, pleading for a panel (we were on only one at Worldcon...I tracked down the program director and got her to put us on 5 more), for every cash-strapped decision you'll make about what con to attend and for every time you may feel thoroughly out gunned on a panel...you'll sometimes get a day like I got yesterday. A magic day.

I got an email with 22 words then moments later one with 169.

The first was from Robert Sawyer - Hugo Award winning author.
The second was from Jane Oliver, moderator of a panel I'm on about time travel.

Robert's was a response to me from an earlier email I'd sent to him commenting on his latest book, "Rollback." (http://sfwriter.com). Robert, it should also be known, wrote a blurb for our book. I hadn't realized until I'd finished reading his latest novel a few days ago just how incredible a story it was and just how fortunate I felt that a writer of his skill and renown had deigned to write something about us...and I told him so. His response was one of thanks.

The second email however really blew me away. Jane sent it out to all the panelists, to in her words, "get the ball rolling" on suggestions for the panel. And here's what floored me. In addition to Eytan and me, cc'd on the list (as fellow panelists) were best selling author S.M. Stirling and 9 time hugo, 8 time Nebula award winner Connie Willis.

Though I knew a few weeks ago that we'd be seated with these big guns it hadn't hit me until yesterday what that meant. We'd been tossed into a "whaddaya think" email with this lot and quite frankly I was stupefied. As soon as I got the email I called my brother and "holy shitted" the poor bastard for at least 20 minutes.

And this is the funny thing. When I posted about panels (see: suddenly I'm not so smart) I hadn't realized the other caveat. The person sitting next to you might be just as intimidating as the crowd gathered round you. Great; cornered. (P.S. I'm rushing to the library today to read up on Ms. Willis!)

You write for moments like this. You write and don't ever give up writing so that one day the impossible happens. One day they allow you to play in the sandbox - even when you don't feel you deserve it.

I'm only now beginning to realize that that this one-year build up to the book release may be more than just an interminable wait. It may be this series of "holy shit" moments that make you into what you've always wanted to be. I hope I never lose this "kid in the candy store" mentality. I hope I never stop dreaming.

Have a great weekend, all.

Dani
P.S. Shout out to my friend, fellow writer and now...yes... author! Gail Carriger who appeared in the latest edition of Locus under "Books Sold" (http://gailcarriger.livejournal.com/49743.html). Whoohoo!