Tags
Atlanta, authors, conventions, DragonCon, movies, scifi, scifi conventions, tv
I know you’re not getting what DragonCon is like from this post. Imagine you’re on a merry go round/roller coaster combination and you’re rushing up and down escalators, grabbing food whenever you can, surrounded by Storm Troopers and people in gorgeous Steampunk outfits (Victorian clothes) and every other costume imaginable and everything is happening all around you all the time.
Of course, I spend 5-6 hours a day in one room working Media Relations. It was kind of nice to have the occasional refuge from the madness, but the madness was joyous.
Sunday, I saw Sherrilyn Kenyon. She packed Centennial Ballroom, and was her usual charming, funny, earthy Sherry self.
Sunday night, I went to the Mad Scientist’s ball and witnessed the amazing singing Tesla Coils. I can’t describe them. Here is a video:
Oh yes, I also saw my friend Marc Gunn. I had got to talk to him and hug him earlier, and he signed his new CD “Happy Songs of Death” for me. He’s signed about 20 CDs for me over the years and all of them are just his name. But this time, when I got back to the Media Relations room and looked he signed, “To Rhetta, for years of support for the music. Thank you! Marc Gunn. I almost cried. It was touching. Then I went to see him perform and he was his usual nutty self.
Monday, I finished at noon and actually got to see three panels in a row! I saw “Ask the Authors” with Gene Wolfe, John Ringo, Lois Masters Bujold, and Kevin J. Anderson. I had been trying to see Gene Wolfe all Con. I loved his “Shadow of the Executioner” so much, and his other books just awe me. And it would not be the Con if I did not see KJA and the inimitable Ringo.
Then! Oh joy! I went to a panel with Peter David, Timothy Zahn, W.E.B. Griffith, a couple of other people (sorry, forgot the names) and…Peter S. Beagle! He is in my top five authors in the world, and after the excellent panel, I got to tell him how much I loved We Never Talk About My Brother and he THANKED ME FOR REVIEWING It! Peter S. Beagle thanked me! I could have died happy. What a truly great human being that man is, and he has the best voice ever.
I said goodbye to Dan and all the Media Relations crew and went to the wrap up party at the Space track with Ken. I didn’t talk about all the time I spent over there because it was late at night and I can’t remember the name of the scientists and physicists except for Bill Kiel. At the wrapup, we made and ate up the last of the liquid nitrogyn ice cream.
Then, I went and sat in line for an hour and a half for the Dead Dog party, which is called that because that is what we look, smell, and act like by that point. It’s a free dinner for staff. The food is barely passible, but it’s free and by that point that is important. Ken and the Space track were late and I sat with my former director and dear friend Sue Phillips from Sci Fi Lit track, Christopher Robin and his very charming and beautiful wife. Ken won a signed photo of Aaron Douglas from Battlestar Galactica. We aren’t BSG fans, but Aaron Douglas is another friendly celeb. We may put the photo on Ebay so someone can buy it who will treasure it.
Dan says if he is till director next year, I will have a press pass (because of the journal I edit.) I can’t wait for next year! I should be recovered by then!
In the meantime..I told Sue I will do the Sci Fi Lit website. I just have to keep DC going year round somehow.
By the way, the no. 1 lesson I have learned in 13 years of DragonCon is that the more recognizable the star, the nicer and friendlier they are, usually. If they are further down the celebrity chain, that’s where you get snobbery and attitude when you get it at all. 90 % of DC celebs are really lovely, though.