Here are some things I remember from ConJose in 2002:
John Hemry/Jack Campbell and I went looking for lunch, and we walked and walked and walked on a kind of hot day, and we never exactly found the restaurant. John still holds this against me. And I kind of can't blame him. But, like -- there was barely MapQuest in 2002, let alone the wonder of Google Maps.
Tobias Buckell isn't a client of mine any longer, but I had the honor of representing him at the start of his career, and we had a pretty long chat at the Starbucks in downtown, around the corner from the Waldenbooks now long since gone, about the wonderful novel that became Crystal Rain. The Starbucks is still there, and I'll think fond thoughts of Toby and Crystal Rain every time I pass by.
It was an adventure getting to the party floors at the Fairmont, finding the secret stairs to walk up and up and up because the elevator service wasn't up to it. Sadly, this is a familiar story at lots of conventions. Rarely do hotels have elevator service designed for peak hours.
The Marriott didn't exist yet.
Those were the days when you could still head out and catch a mall bookstore, a B&N, a Borders, more -- all in close proximity. I visited sooooo many bookstores in 2002. Borders in Milpitas and Los Gatos and Fremont and Emeryville and Dublin and San Ramon and here and there and lots of other bookstores besides. The store in Milpitas, not far from the Cisco HQ, was a fabulous store for science fiction and fantasy. And back then, the front of the store wasn't being sold off to the highest bidder and was still largely determined by what was doing well at each store, so you knew the moment you walked in that you were in science fiction heaven. L. E. Modesitt visited as many or more bookstores as I did, and however many I went to in 2002, but he had a car.
Still around, the Barnes & Noble on Steven Creek Pkwy, which I took the bus out to, and which was an amazing store as well for science fiction and fantasy. I kind of miss when my life was a little less busy, a little simpler, and I could more easily explore the world beyond WorldCon when I went to a WorldCon.
Meisha Merlin did exist.
In any event, it's sixteen years later with one World Fantasy at San Jose between now and then.
Maybe you can help me create some new memories this year?
There are three JABberwocky authors up for Hugo Awards this year -- Marie Brennan, Suzanne Palmer and Brandon Sanderson. The last time I was in San Jose, I had read some Brandon Sanderson but not yet Elantris, and we weren't officially author/agent for another six months.
My 2018 schedule:
Friday, 11am, 211C in Convention Center
Negotiating Book Contracts
Saturday, 3pm, 211B in Convention Center
Kaffeeklatsch
This event will require an advance registration through the convention
The link on internet to my schedule page is here:
For another couple of days, I've opened an express line for querying me. If you are going to San Jose, and if you put WorldCon in your schedule line, we'll give top priority to looking at queries. What better way to find a great new manuscript for me to take on, and maybe even talk about it at the Starbucks just like I got to talk about Crystal Rain with Tobias Buckell sixteen years ago.
Find my query guidelines here.
I'd love to have more panels on my schedule, so more definite places where you can hear me speak, find me after, collect a business card -- that sort of thing. But I'm going to WorldCon to be part of it. I'll be around the Dealer's Room when I can be, so maybe you'll find me roaming about there. If you're a SFFWA member, I'll pop into their hospitality suite. I'll be hanging at whatever hotel bar all the publishing people end up hanging at. I like to visit the different bid parties or publishing parties, so sometimes at night it's just a question of being in the right place at the right time as I rotate from the bar to the SFFWA suite to the bid parties to a publisher party. And wherever I am, unless I'm in a meeting I'm there to meet people.
WorldCon, Baby!
WorldCon!!
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