LTUE XXV: Day Three
The third and final day of LTUE began with the "Word Wizarding" panel. Ginny Baker ("Virginia" it says on the cover of Jack Knife, which I've only just torn myself away from in order to blog this) moderated the discussion. My sister-in-law Nancy Fulda, David Farland (aka Dave Wolverton) and I filled out the panel, and had a fun discussion that centered at least in part around "you keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."
I did some book signing afterwards, and whipped out a couple of commissions. I talked to the gal running the register, and it turns out that book sales were good for me at this convention. I think I sold more than I have at any event since Comic-Con in '06, which is a trend I'd like to see continue.
Sadly, I finally caved in and had some chocolate in the Green Room. Leaping from the low-carb wagon (rather than merely falling off of it) is my usual modus operandii in situations like these. I plowed through the Oreos, the chips, and other starch-rich, sugar-rich, or otherwise carb-rich junk foods with what I choose to describe as "calculated abandon." I don't fall off the wagon and lie in the ditch. I leap from it and run naked into the deep forest to frolic with the fey folk.
I think the elves slipped me something, because I was fighting some form of dietary stupor all afternoon and evening. If attendees or guests reading this blog noticed, and thought me rude, lazy, or drunk, hopefully I can convince them that I was merely rude, lazy, and having an extended sugar-crash.
The afternoon and evening panels "Promoting Your Art Online" and "Designing a World Visually" went well. Steve Keele (whose website I've seen, but couldn't find again without help -- hello, object lesson), Kevin Wasden, and Brian Hailes did a good job of picking up the slack for their rude, lazy, and drunk fellow-panelist. I just met Brian at the panel -- this guy bears watching. His art is BRILLIANT. And Kevin is the one who drew the Captain Tagon sketch above on one of his sketch cards. I swear, these things will be worth millions someday.
Sandra and I sat with Bob Defendi, Dan Willis, and Julie Czerneda at the banquet. It's become kind of a tradition for Dan, Bob, and I to get together at some point, and Sandra and Julie threw themselves into our raucous conversational brawl like professional pit-fighters. Not that we said anything too antagonistic -- we were just loud, with lots of laughing.
Aaaand then it was all over. It's always sad to see a convention draw to a close. It's even sadder to realize that twenty-five years after its birth, Life, The Universe, and Everything might be forced to look for a home that doesn't have disfunctional family members demanding that the music be turned down. Still, I'm sure the ConCom will bang something cool together for LTUE XXVI next year.
I might even help out, even if all I'm doing is shouting advice from the back seat.
Oh, wait. Maybe I'm the dysfunctional family member...