Origins Game Fair 2011 wrap up
Fair warning, this is going to be a looooong picture filled post.
To start out, I can’t think of a better way to have spent my 32nd birthday than as a guest at Origins. If you were following my tweets/facebook updates at Origins, I think you pretty much have a fairly good idea what things were like for me & how much fun I had (plus how much I learned). But if not, here you go:
I started out the convention on Thursday morning playing my very first RPG – no, not Rocket Propelled Grenade (which was my first thought) – but a Role Playing Game. I had no idea what to do – something I think the gamemaster quickly realized when she told me to get out my dice. “Why do I need dice?” So, there’s something else I learned when playing an RPG – you need dice. The gamemaster kindly loaned me a set of her dice & between her & Mac they very patiently taught me how to play. Thankfully it was a Star Wars game, so I at least knew the “world” we were dealing with, and didn’t have to be schooled in that – it was my saving grace/geek cred. 😉
After the game (which turned out to be a lot of fun!), I had to head up to the author meet & greet, where, I’ve got to admit, it was VERY surreal to be “peers” with the likes of Aaron Allston, Michael A. Stackpole, & Timothy Zahn. I mean, I’ve been reading these gentlemen since I was 15, so yeah, this was surreal & awesome! I was also glad for the opportunity to get to meet the rest of the authors there, and especially to get to know Jean Rabe, Marc Tassin, Steven Saus, Sarah Hans, Donald J. Bingle, & R.T. Kaelin. There were a few other authors (full list here), but I didn’t really get a chance to get to know them this time around – next time I hope to! I have to say, I was awed by the amount of authorial talent at the convention. 🙂
After the meet & greet I taught several workshops (and learned a lot myself – you never stop learning!) – then it was time to head down to the library & set up my table.
I had fantastic placement – I got to be next to Bryan, Aaron, Mike, & Tim!
Delta managed to lose our luggage, so the knife only made it out on the last day, but that’s another story…
For the remainder of the convention I pretty much gave seminars on writing, spent some time with old friends and new, and got to meet a lot of really cool/interesting people throughout my days. Getting to know the Club Jaders was a definite highlight – thanks for making me feel so very welcome. And Holy crap, I’m still shocked that War of the Seasons, book one: The Human auctioned for $80! (For RIF – Reading is Fundamental)
One of my favorite things to do was take photos of all the cool shirts that people wore when they came up to my table – In fact, I think I’ll make this a reoccurring thing at every convention I attend. A post con photo post of cool shirts/costumes I see while I’m manning my table signing books.
When it absolutely has to be there before you need it…
Commies have NO class!
Warning, these are NOT the droids you’re looking for…
That sneaky giant squid… Also, if I remember correctly this lovely gal came by the next day and called me evil for uploading only the first two chapters of my book on my website… 😉
Firefly!
It goes without saying if you come by with a Doctor Who shirt I’m going to stop you…
Dark side of the moon
I loved this shirt so much I got one too…
Who needs a cool shirt when you have these?
This was another surreal/awesome moment for me – my book next to Timothy Zahn’s in a fan’s bag (that’s Tim in the background – fantastic man!). WOW!
This too – R.T. Kaelin reading The Human. Can’t wait to get into Progeny myself. 🙂
At one point Tim told me I had to have a beard or a drinking habit to be a real author – I opted for the beard. 😉 (Photo swiped from his facebook – taken by the lovely Anna).
And last but definitely not least – my tireless minions, Other Me & Ron-Ron. Couldn’t have done it without you two! <3
Overall, Origins was a fantastic convention! I met some really great people, learned a lot (like, don’t give your character an Irish accent if you don’t want to have to replicate it durning a reading), and hopefully got the word out about War of the Seasons: The Human.
Also, just 13 “likes” away from someone winning a free signed copy of “War of the Seasons: The Human”: http://www.facebook.com/JanineSpendlove