In my last post we’d made it as far as Los Angeles, mainly by plane. The next phase of the tour began with a road trip to San Francisco! Thanks to the generosity of new friends, we had a fun home base in a camper-van near Golden Gate Park and this author & entourage used our time off to explore the city. Here’s the view from Moraga Steps: We visited the Castro on our day off as it was Pride Weekend. It was an emotional visit due to the recent tragic crime in Orlando. We made friends with some lovely folks at a bar near Dolores Park, and I felt like the heart of the community was sore but still so proud, so kind, and so alive. Curtis and I got to sign books at landmark bookstore Borderlands, and then we had a great event at Laurel Bookstore (photo courtesy of my aunt Mia Stageberg): Next stop: Portland! On the road there, we began listening to the audiobook of Spells of Blood and Kin. What a cool experience to hear my characters voiced so well by Vikas Adam (especially Nick and Jonathan–he really nails the stoner-speak!) Powell’s at Cedar […]
Wiscon!
I’ve never been to Wiscon before and I just found out there’s a time-travel-themed queer dance party! My rainbow leg warmers just got added to the packing list. Will you be there? Come to one of the panels or readings I’m in! FRIDAY:10:30 PM – 11:45 PM Assembly: Let’s Judge a Book By Its Cover Science fiction and fantasy can have some knock-your-socks-off cover art. Art that draws you to the book and sticks with you later. (Sometimes even being reprinted on posters, t-shirts, etc.) At the same time, sf/f covers can be egregiously sexist or racist. They can be whitewashed and/or designed by committee to be as cookie-cutter as possible. Often, the author has zero control. We will look at classic examples of the good and the bad, and discuss current trends in book covers. SATURDAY:9:00 PM – 10:15 PM University C: Introverts Rock! (Quietly … Alone in Their Rooms.) The hidden power of introversion! Let’s talk about what’s awesome about being an introvert and some of the challenges we face. (I’m moderating this one!) SUNDAY:10:00 AM – 11:15 AM Conference 2: Dispatches from the GlitterShip! GlitterShip is a podcast and magazine of LGBTQIA+ short fiction. Come listen to […]
In which I get sentimental over Heathrow
I began this morning reading an excerpt in Harper’s from Alain de Botton’s new book, A Week at the Airport, written about his stint as Heathrow’s poet laureate. I remember the concept making news at the time, and thinking how delighted I would be if I landed in a country and discovered that even its airport had its own poet. The book, if this section is anything to go by, will delight me just as much, and move me, too. I travel frequently and I find it such a strange intersection of pampering and deprivation. I can provide myself with a stack of magazines and an iPod playlist, my powder compact and Kiehl’s lip balm and a glass of wine, but I am powerless to reach my husband and my cats. I once sat in the departure lounge at LAX talking to my father on my cell phone and hearing the news that he’d had a hospital bed moved into the living room. I knew he wanted to die at home; I hadn’t known, until then, that it would be before the end of the month. Since I am a very privileged person, I could at least get myself a […]