I started the day by dropping off copies of Shimmer in the Book room with Small Beer Press. Gavin Grant very kindly agreed to stock them for us. So far we’ve sold five copies of the magazine here. Which is great.
I also tracked down the box of Twenty Epics anthologies. They had gone missing and no one seemed to know where they were. David Moles, one of the editors, said that they had been delivered on the sixth and that “Warren” and signed for them. When I asked at the front desk, they actually knew what I was talking about, and happily took me to find the books. I suspect that Warren actually referred to the network of rooms below the hotel rather than a person. You know the movies, where the action hero runs through a warren of rooms and tunnels, passing through the kitchen of the hotel? Evidently, you have to pass through the kitchen to get anywhere.
After dropping off the books at, again, Small Beer Press, I went to breakfast with the gang from Codex. I’m happy to report that Doug Cohen, Elaine Isaak, Danielle T. Friedman, Will McIntosh and Joy Marchand are all delightful people. Much witty banter was had by all.
I headed off to a panel on Small Press run by Matthew Kressel and the other folks of Sybil’s Garage. It was a very interesting talk and gave me plenty of ideas for new ways to market Shimmer.
From there I went to lunch with John Joseph Adams, David Barr Kirtley and–and I suck with names. Thank heavens everyone wears nametags.
More panels, and more hanging out. I’ve purchased lots of small press magazines and a couple of books to take back to Iceland with me. Ah, and then I napped as well.
Paul Berger had arranged for a reading from the Twenty Epics anthology, since six of the contributors were here. It was fun and, much to my surprise, I was very nervous. I don’t get nervous in front of audiences much anymore, so sort of enjoy the sense of butterflies. I think it was because this was the first time I’ve read my own words in public. I’ve performed in plays with my words, but there’s lots and lots of rehearsal and cast mates to support the experience. I’ve read my words in recording studios, and I used to compete in interpretive reading, but this was different. Even my knees were shaking. I don’t think anyone noticed, but part of my brain was cataloguing the symptoms of nerves the whole time I was reading.
Then I hung out at the bar with Joy, Doug and Will. Joy and I declared that we were exhausted and headed up for bed where we proceeded to stay up till four a.m. talking through problems with pieces we are working on.
It was a great day.
Wait a minute, I’m not hearing anything about how you’re pressing Apex into the hands of everyone you meet.
Well, I wasn’t stating the obvious things.
Actually, I did take two copies with me and handed out one.
Mary, it was great meeting you at Readercon and listening to you read. And your licorice was fantastic!
I blogged a bit about the con too. You can see it, if you are so inclined, here.
Berger. Paul Berger.
Nice guy, great writer.
It was grand meeting you, too! I’ll bring licorice with me to the next con I attend.
Ah! Thank you, Kris, I’m so bad at names. I’ve corrected it.
No problem – I knew who you meant, and I was flattered just to be mentioned. Now I’m triply flattered.
(Thanks for looking out for me, Kris!)
— Paul