Got home tonight after an uneventful flight (although everything seemed to be delayed by hours from Laguardia, so I suspect I was lucky). I ran into Devi Pillai of Hachette and agent Ginger Clark on the flight--I hadn't seen them at all at Denvention...which was the big problem of the con. Too big, too spread out, the convention space was abominable--lousy acoustics and even within the convention center everything was totally spread out seemingly from one end of the huggggee hall to the other.

The panels I was on were not bad, but I think I'm done with the resurgence of the non-theme original anthology panel now. Attempting to stay on track --discussing "original non-theme anthologies" just doesn't seem very productive. Either someone insists on taking up more than half the panel on the history of that kind of anthology, or someone starts talking about reprint anthologies, or it moves back into theme anthologies or a marketing panel. Which was never my intention. Oh well. Presumably some sf/f historian will analyse why there has been a resurgence in the past 3 or so years.

The pre-Hugo party was in a sad-looking set of rooms but the snacks were tasty and the post Hugo party was sumptuous. The food was fantastic!

I was tired the entire convention and never stayed up past 1:30 or so --Pat Cadigan and I were sharing a room at the Courtyard Marriott downtown which was just off the 16th street mall's free tram, which helped hike to the convention center but in heels we often took cabs. Even if we'd stayed at the Hyatt next to the center, while there was a nice bar in that lobby where everyone seemed to hang out--the party hotel was several blocks away at the Sheraton. And for two evenings in a row there were monsoon rains. I'm glad that I saw those people I did see but there are tons more that I saw only the last night or not at all. Thank god for cell phones--I'm glad I set up most of my meals in advance.

Karen Haber and I spent a couple of hours antiquing on stretch along Broadway. At the last minute Greg and Astrid Bear joined us, but only after we threatened Greg with death if he interfered or whined about our shopping...He was very good -in fact, I was impressed with his shopping skills ;-) Karen scored some interesting items and so did I --I found two Japanese wood block prints of unknown date. They were from an estate with a large number of prints--some by recognizable names and most with no prices on them. The material had been bought by a dealer and hadn't been appraised yet. I was impressed by a series of prints, many of which were of workers...and obviously all by the same artist. One of the two I was interested in had a tag of $40 on it, which I thought very odd. Astrid and Greg liked a more modern one by another artist and that had no tag on it. We brought them downstairs and the women who ran the mall said they'd just come in, the owner hadn't priced them but she was coming over soon...would we wait? We finished browsing and the woman had arrived. She looked at the prints we wanted and told the Bears that she couldn't sell that one yet. She further said that whatever prices were on the prints were the original prices from 37 years before (long story of where they came from). So I'm figuring, oh great 1) I can't buy them and 2) even if I could they're probably at least double if not triple what's marked which would mean 3) I couldn't buy them ;-)...But... she said I could have them for $40 each. So of course I bought them. Perhaps Greg and Astrid will get the one they wanted....Now to figure out where to hang them once they're framed.

But finding out just before I left for Denver about the WFA nominations helped assuage the pain ;-)

From: [identity profile] lingster1.livejournal.com


Wow. hearing about all the space involved in getting from place to place, I'm rather glad I bowed out at the last minute. Not to mention the weather -- I'd have been in sad shape with this cast on my foot.

From: [identity profile] ellen-datlow.livejournal.com


Sheila,
It would have been hellish, I think. Susan Casper and a few other people used scooters so that helped a bit. We all wished we could have borrowed Sedgways...there were people (security people?) using them.

From: [identity profile] sdn.livejournal.com


welcome home and mazel tov.

the non-theme original anthology panel

do they ever mention the firebirds anthologies? just curious, since the first one was five years ago.

From: [identity profile] ellen-datlow.livejournal.com


Thank you :-)

We were mostly talking about sf but no, I'm afraid they didn't come up...

From: [identity profile] realthog.livejournal.com



"But finding out just before I left for Denver about the WFA nominations helped assuage the pain ;-)"

Congrats on this!

From: [identity profile] foresthouse.livejournal.com


So far I haven't been to any of the more giant conventions - one of the reasons I had such fun at Capclave last year was that it *wasn't* gigantic. Hopefully next year will be better arranged...

a sad-looking set of rooms

This phrase made me laugh and awwww at the same time. I felt bad for the sorry little rooms.

Ooh, Japanese wood block prints. They sound charming!
themadblonde: (Default)

From: [personal profile] themadblonde

B&N came through...


I'm toddling on over during lunch to pick up the Vampire collection. Yay!

From: [identity profile] ellen-datlow.livejournal.com

Re: B&N came through...


And I bet you're the first person to buy it--today is its first appearance in stores!
themadblonde: (Default)

From: [personal profile] themadblonde

It's LOVELY.


Great introduction (was not tempted @ all to skip it, as I often am. Personable, straight forward, NOT trying desperately to prove how much you know about the subject as so many intros/forwards/etc do), & so far am very much enjoying the first story. It was fun to run into the names Bear & Cadigan so recently after reading them on your journal.

From: [identity profile] ellen-datlow.livejournal.com

Re: It's LOVELY.


The intro is old but the bios were all updated. I'm not knowledgeable enough to write a "deep" or analytical intro to anything so I keep them brief ;-).

Where did you see "Bear?"
themadblonde: (Default)

From: [personal profile] themadblonde

In the "Thank Yous"


I can't remember exactly, but it was *Somebody* Bear. Unfortunately, I left the book @ home or I'd be reading it all day instead of the other collection I'm 1/2 way through. The OTHER collection is not nearly as much fun so far (I DID get through your first 3 stories yesterday. Quiet day.), though I did find a few stories in it that I liked quite a lot. More surprising is that they're relatively modern stories. It's pretty rare that I like the newer stories in a collection better than older ones, particularly when it's a collection of "ghost stories" & the newer ones are NOT what I'd classify as ghost stories. Anyway, it looks like the promise of reading YOUR collection when I'm done is the motivation I need to finish the OTHER collection, so I'm forcing myself to postpone the pleasure of delving further into _Whisper of Blood_ today. Also, the other collection is a 2nd hand paperback & I'm less worried about carrying it about in the rain & getting lunch on it than I am your lovely new book.

From: [identity profile] ellen-datlow.livejournal.com

Re: In the "Thank Yous"


Very odd. I double-checked and there are no "Bears" in A Whisper of Blood. The only two writing Bears I know are Greg Bear and Elizabeth Bear--I had a story by Elizabeth in The Del Rey Book of SF&F but I assume you haven't read that.
themadblonde: (Default)

From: [personal profile] themadblonde

I haven't.


Ummm... I'm sure it's on the "thanks to" page, right @ the beginning, across from the dedication to your folks. If I have time, I'll hit the B&N again @ lunch today & make sure. If not, I'll look it up tonight.

From: [identity profile] ellen-datlow.livejournal.com

Re: I haven't.


Found what you're referring to: Astrid Anderson Bear (Greg Bear's wife. Poul Anderson's daughter). I don't recall why I acknowledged her but she must have been of help with the book.
themadblonde: (Default)

From: [personal profile] themadblonde

Cool.


It's a name that catches my eye, as it's my nickname for my husband.
themadblonde: (Default)

From: [personal profile] themadblonde

Actually...


I COULD have bought it Friday night, apparently. That's when they called me that they had it. I just couldn't get back downtown before this morning.

From: [identity profile] ellen-datlow.livejournal.com

Re: Actually...


That's interesting...so maybe someone DID indeed find it in a local Denver B&N.
themadblonde: (Default)

From: [personal profile] themadblonde

I called the local B&N last week...


when you mentioned it was "out" & asked them to put a copy aside for me (poor thing hobbling about on a cane & all). I got a call @ home Fri afternoon that it was ready, but didn't get the message 'til I got home late Friday night.

Meanwhile, I picked it up yesterday from the reserve desk & didn't notice where they had it in the store (looking around in the B&N bargain section is a dangerous occupation for me), sorry.

From: [identity profile] sarahwriter.livejournal.com

Wood block prints


Sarah whose last name I can't remember right now is the Japanese prints curator at the MFA. Ellen & Delia know her too. Bet she could tell you about your prints.

Will send you her name as soon as it bubbles to the surface of my cluttered, post-vacation mind.

Congratulations on the WFA nominations!

From: [identity profile] ellen-datlow.livejournal.com

Re: Wood block prints


Eileen Gunn had me mail her photos of the prints and she thinks they were drawn in the late 18th-early 19th century, originally. And she sent me to a few sites with signatures and seals of Japanese artists but it's like looking for a needle in a haystack trying to compare kanji I don't understand with....kanji I don't understand :-) So perhaps if you can remember the name of the curator I can contact her.

From: [identity profile] ellen-datlow.livejournal.com


Good to be home, even though I woke up (late) this morning and it was still dark (from a thunder storm brewing). Weird.

From: [identity profile] melissajm.livejournal.com


It's been a very weird summer. The pool STILL hasn't warmed up!

From: [identity profile] chris-reynaga.livejournal.com


Glad to hear you had a great time, Ellen! =)

-Christopher

From: [identity profile] joeicarus.blogspot.com (from livejournal.com)

Howdy!


::waves::

I wanted to say hi at Denvention, but you seemed so busy every time our paths crossed.
.

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