appearances and disappearances

[adelaidesean]

Here's my schedule for the rest of the year:

• SwanCon 36/Natcon 50 (April 21-25) 
• LA Times Festival of Books (April 30-May 1)
• Auckland Writers & Readers Festival (May 11-15)
• Sydney Writers' Festival (May 16-21)
• Aurealis Awards (May 21)
• Hay Festival of Literature and the Arts (May 26-June 5)
• World Fantasy Convention (October 27-30)

If you want to catch me at any of these events, check the sites for program details. I'm the Australian GOH of Swancon, an invited guest of LA, Auckland, Sydney and Hay, a possible presenter of an AA, and just hanging out at this stage at WFC. There will also be the odd signing and tour date outside those festivals, which I’ll try to update here.

Sadly, I won’t be at this year’s Writers of the Future bash because it clashes with both Sydney and Auckland. Congrats to all the winners--particularly, and rather parochially, the Australians (I’m told we have a couple this year). My apologies for not being able to be there to celebrate with you.

I'll also miss the Nebulas (clashes with Sydney), which is a shame as I was keen to attend at least one SFWA committee meeting while ORD. Can't be everywhere at once, I guess, but I still feel a little guilty about it.

If you're in Adelaide and want to catch up . . . July is looking good!

Comments

[thiefofcamorr.livejournal.com]

Oh wow, I wish I were going to the World Fantasy Con!

Also wish you were coming to Continuum (http://continuum.org.au/). It's the only con other than Supanova that I'm going to :(

[seanwilliams.livejournal.com]

WFC is cool. Rob a bank!

I'm sad to miss Continuum too (add that to the list--sigh). Have a ball, won't you?

[thiefofcamorr.livejournal.com]

I'll possibly be in London :( Which shouldn't be :( but it is in this regard!

I'm also a little apprehensive of travelling to America. Not because of the 'terror threats' but just... the people and the culture, really.

[seanwilliams.livejournal.com]

I felt the same way about USA and USAians before I went there for WOTF in 1993. All my biases went out the window once I realised that it's not a monoculture. There are good things and bad, just like anywhere. I'm still shocked by some things when I go back (food serving sizes, hyperreligiosity, lack of a kettle in hotel rooms) but on the whole I enjoy it. And I have lots of wonderful friends there that I'd never see if I didn't go.

I hope the trip to London won't be too :-(

[thiefofcamorr.livejournal.com]

No kettle?! How does one have cups of noodles and tea (not in the same cup, unless incredibly tired) at all!?

And that's true, I suppose. If going to a con where you have the same interests one would assume you're mostly seeing excellent people :D

London trip will be excellent (going in two weeks, hopefully going again in October) but missing Swancon because of the first trip. Damn my planning skills (well, lack thereof.)

[seanwilliams.livejournal.com]

The kettle thing is really barbaric. :-) You have to use the in-room coffee filtration system to get anything remotely like hot water, and then it tastes like stale coffee grains. Not good at all for peppermint tea, I tell you!

[thiefofcamorr.livejournal.com]

In-room coffee filtration system? What the--?

I can visulise those coffee machines where you put the cup in and select if you want coffee or tea or hot chocolate... but 'in-room'?

[seanwilliams.livejournal.com]

There's probably a proper name for these things that I don't know. You pour a cupful of water into the top. The water is boiled and filters through a sachet of coffee grains. It then drips into a cup in the bottom, perfectly coffee-ized. You can run them without the sachet to get the hot water, but the machines have made hundreds of cups of coffee by the time we tea drinkers get to them, and the flavor has soaked into the very plastic. Probably the caffeine too...

[thiefofcamorr.livejournal.com]

Oh wow, that sounds utterly gross. If I'm travelling late then I always need a cup of noodles - if I can't get it I'd be (childishly, I admit) annoyed.

Is the World Fantasy Con on every year?

[seanwilliams.livejournal.com]

Yup to both. :-)

The WFCs on the west coast are much easier to get to and usually well-populated with Australians. There's often a party just to celebrate that fact. And hangovers the next day...

[thiefofcamorr.livejournal.com]

I think next time it's on the west coast I'll have to go then :D Do you go most years?

[seanwilliams.livejournal.com]

Not really. About one in two. This will be my fourth since 2003.

[thiefofcamorr.livejournal.com]

Right, next time it's on the west coast, and next time you go, I shall adventure out and drag a few buddies along with me :D

[seanwilliams.livejournal.com]

Awesome! That would be terrific. :-)

[callistra.livejournal.com]

OK, note to self: find small travel kettle fitted to american power.
:-)

[seanwilliams.livejournal.com]

Yes. Must get same for myself. (One more gadget to clog up my suitcase...)

[girliejones.livejournal.com]

I figured out how to use the little coffee maker to boil water, sort of! It can be done.

[meljane.livejournal.com]

Wow you're so busy :o
By the way I still owe you a drink .
We're only going to Thurs and Sat of swancon(until we can find more money in the mean time) so I'll have to hunt you down .

[seanwilliams.livejournal.com]

I'll be about somewhere! It'd be great to see you, drink or no drink.

[yerorobe.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the information. I think that you should wash your face at least 3 to 4 times a day. You’ll be surprised how much better your face will look.

[gusiover.livejournal.com]

You made some good points there. I did a search on the topic and found most people will agree with your blog.

World Fantasy 2011

[firebat58.livejournal.com]

Hi,
Is there a WF 2011 group yet? I need to buy a membership from someone!

Re: World Fantasy 2011

[seanwilliams.livejournal.com]

Good luck!