LKH at NASFiC - Say It Ain't So

[parafan.livejournal.com]

Apparently LKH is attending the NASFiC in St. Louis this weekend and is scheduled to appear in a number of guest panels over those 4 days (Aug 2-5). The panel subjects she is participating in just screamed for snark comment so I have listed them below in italics. Can’t say I am very good at this but please once you have read them, have at them yourselves. I can’t imagine how many times during these events she will suffer from “open mouth, insert foot”. If anyone here is attending please, please, take notes, it would be fuel for discussion here for months I am sure.

One Trick Pony: Rachel Caine, M.R. Sellars, Michael Flynn, Laurell K. Hamilton, Mark Tiedemann, Elizabeth Moon (M)

Should be called turning tricks with pony’s given her penchant for were sex. And Rachel Caine on the Panel – wow – interesting mix..

Workshop - Crossing the Genres Fantastic: John Dalmas, Linda Donahue, Alexis Glynn Latner, Rick Wilber, Linnea Sinclair, Laurell K. Hamilton

A lesson I am sure on how she invented the cross-genre concept – oh please.

True Grit - Urban Fantasy: Laurell K. Hamilton, Barbara Hambly, M.R. Sellars, Rae Morgan, Richard White, Susan Sinor
The Duke is turning over in his grave and Anita had nothing to do with it. If only there was grit left in her writing, true or not.

Are Vampires Really Socio-pathic Serial Killers?: Susan Baugh, Barbara Hambly, Laurell K. Hamilton, Stephanie Bedwell-Grime, Sara Harvey, Ruth Souther

More like bad-dressing, cliché-spouting, pouting, pussy-whipped caricatures, at least in LKH’s world.

Censorship Takes a Holiday: Laurell K. Hamilton, Linnea Sinclair, Alexis Glynn Latner, Daniel Kimmel, Carolyn Ives Gilman (M), Kelly McCullough

LKH gets to talk about sex. Bad sex. If only censorship applied to bad writing. Sigh.

Modern Myths: Lloyd Kropp, E.E. Knight, Laurell K. Hamilton, Barbara Hambly, Thomas Stratman, Richard White

She is a modern myth in her own mind as well as her belief in the popularity of her recent books.

And Then What?: Barbara Hambly, Laurell K. Hamilton, Sharon Shinn, Rachel Caine, John Hemry, Elizabeth Moon
Boy wouldn’t we like to know, but unfortunately we already guessed – more bad writng and disintegration of once interesting characters Didn’t Sharon used to be in LKH’s writing group?.

The Little Workshop that Could: Janni Lee Simner, Laurell K. Hamilton, Sharon Shinn, Deborah Millitello, Marella Sands

Hmmm, if only we were talking about LKH attending one instead of LKH giving. Oh the errors in ways impressionable minds will learn.

Scare Me to Death: Barbara Hambly, Bradley Sinor, Thomas Stratman, P.C. Hodgell, Laurell K. Hamilton, Carolyn Ives Gilman

Not a chance.

Sleuth Facts - Real P.I. Procedures for Your Plot: Linnea Sinclair, M.R. Sellars, Laurell K. Hamilton

Hmm, how come LKH doesn’t use any then . . . damn forgot . . to use them you would NEED a plot.

NASFiC web page here – http://www.archonstl.org/31/index2.html

Panel info here - http://www.archonstl.org/31/pocket_program.html

Comments

[ladyniko.livejournal.com]

What? She's attending this year after all?

I know they made her GOH for next year. *gag*

I wonder how many of these she will attend because, she likes to use Trinity as an excuse to get out of panels......

She did it at Midsouth Con some years back. "Well, I can't do my late night reading (even though I agreed to it months ago!) because I have to put Trinity to bed..." or, to leave early on Sunday w/o telling Con Com. :-p

Well, I will be there on Saturday, so maybe I will find a tape recorder just so y'all can hear some of her answers during her panels.

(I'm *not* paying the $120 door price because Archon just ain't worth it and I don't want to pay the NASFic franchise fee just so the con chairs can keep their pocket $$.) You don't want to get me started on how bad this con is this year - they couldn't "afford" a shuttle bus to run back and forth from the overflow hotels *not* in Collinsville and parking at the convention center - like non-existent for this size crowd. Certainly not enough at the Holiday Inn to accommodate the amount of people that are going to be attending.... All in All - FUBAR!!

[parafan.livejournal.com]

Thats disheartening to hear that a NASFiC is treated like a small regional con. It is supposed to be a replacement for the Worldcon in size and scope for those that cant attend the overseas con. Showing my age, but the last NASFiC I actually attended was one in Lousville which was absolutely fantastic and one of the best I have ever been to. Sorry to hear they are going downhill.

If you do attend, it would be great to get some new snark material.

[devilkitty0.livejournal.com]

Your worldcon and your nasfic are only as good as your committee. And the behind the scene hysterics and politicing usually suck and kill most committees and volunteers.
I'm hitting worldcon this year as an excuse to get out of the country.

DK

[ladyniko.livejournal.com]

Yeah, $120 at the door for only 1 writer GOH - Barbara Hambly, a handful of other guests... Lani Tupu, Richard Hatch, 2 of the MST3K guys....

They should have gone to the new Embassy Suites in St. Charles, which is co-located w/ the St. Charles Convention Center - *plenty* of space there... But, according to Rich Zellich who is like the lifetime chair of Archon, (ie, the one who's pocketing con profits) said that it would be "too expensive" to do Archon up there, and that the con "wouldn't fit" in the convention center.

I've not been impressed *at all* with the way this has been handled and there's a precedented trend now of the cons that hold NASFiC have a tremendous drop in membership for 2-3 *years* after NASFiC - below what they had *previous* to NASFiC. Some cons have even folded after NASFiC.

Plus, the way this is being run, they're driving off the local con fen. Local con folks can't get fan tables, because preference is being given to non-local groups, not balanced. One Local dealer was shut out because he didn't have the "appropriate merchandise" for WorldCon. Note - same dealer has done World Con w/o problem in Chicago in the past. (Yet, the junk dealer husband & wife team that's had the *same* merchandise for like 20 years, got in - the pair that no one wants because they've been carting the same junk from show to show that doesn't sell.... go figure the intelligence there. :-p)

And then, to have a member of ConCom quote to me "Well, we're World Con - we're already in trouble for having 1 media guest!"

Note, my disbelief here....... I know that World Con is supposed to be more of a writers' convention, but this is the 21st century. What rule stated that they could only have 1 media guest? You want to get the people in the door, you have to start changing. Or, if no media guests, then, bring in more authors. The rest of the authors are still "chump change" to the amount of work that Barbara Hambly has produced. Esp. LKH. :p

*grumble grumble* Yeah, yeah, yeah..... feed me more stories of how this is "World Con..." I certainly haven't seen much evidence of that since they're not willing to provide shuttle services from the outlying hotels and there's not enough parking at the convention center to accommodate everyone - not with the addition to the convention center which took out a large chunk of the parking lot.

[devilkitty0.livejournal.com]

I've not been impressed *at all* with the way this has been handled and there's a precedented trend now of the cons that hold NASFiC have a tremendous drop in membership for 2-3 *years* after NASFiC - below what they had *previous* to NASFiC. Some cons have even folded after NASFiC.

I cut and pasted because I didnt see the quote thing.

I worked worldcon at the committee level in 2004, Boston/Norestcon4, and then walked away from the whole thing in disgust, due to lack of planning and communication and the backstabbing.

You drain your local con runners putting on a show that big and those that you piss off, walk away afterwards. Those that remain are burnt out or just too entrenched in conrunning to get out of it. This con was about 3 or 4 years in planning (or not planning) and you get sick of the drama after a while and the people.

This year's worldcon is probably the last one that I am going to.

DK

[jonquil.livejournal.com]

But... but... Rachel Caine is by no means a one-trick pony!

[parafan.livejournal.com]

Yes and Rachel's writing just gets better and better as opposed to LKH. Rachel's Morganville Vampires series is quite good.

[pith]

Modly: Please edit an LJ-cut into this entry, as it is a bit long. Instructions are linked in the FAQ.

[parafan.livejournal.com]

Thanks for letting me know - was hoping someone wopuld direct where or how to do that.

[wakarimashta.livejournal.com]

Seems like a number of her co-panelists are members of her writing group, aren't they?

[sap-girl.livejournal.com]

I recognize a few from LKH's (former?) writing group- Deborah Millitello and Marella Sands, I think.

[skeezix74.livejournal.com]

MR Sellars sounds familiar but I'm too lazy to research why.

[mardelwanda.livejournal.com]

I think Marella Sands is a Historical Romance novelist. I don't remember seeing anything from her lately, but then I haven't read historical romance since...years ago.

[moonsinger.livejournal.com]

Elizabeth Moon is one of the best writers in SF/fantasy these days. She's one the Nebula for one of her novels. I'm not sure if she's one the Hugo or not, but she's been nominated. She's flat out one of my favorite authors and really cool in person.

[parafan.livejournal.com]

E.E.Knight has been writing quite awhile and his Valentine vampire series is quite good and popular. John Dalmas and Elizabeth Moon have been writing for years and have lots of SF and Fantasy titles out there. All are quite accomplished.

[ladyniko.livejournal.com]

I've heard of a few of 'em - MR Sellars is a name I've heard before. Elizabeth Moon, I think has done work with Anne McCaffrey. Linea Sinclair is a newer author - she's only got about 5 or 6 books out last I knew.

Ms. Sinclair is not bad - she's not a vamp/sex/gore nut that LKH is. Her stuff has like PLOT. *gasp* I know it's shocking, but hey! There are writers who do do work with plots. :-p

Oh, and on a side note.... I heard that the Vampire Ball in NO sold out last year *just* because LKH was going to be there. Anne Rice doesn't go anymore, because *gasp* there are vampire people there and they're evil and she's now been "born again...." *dies laughing* If only LKH would be "born again" - maybe then, she'd quit writing such campy material! :-p

[easol.livejournal.com]

Nah, she expects God to accomodate her, not vice versa. Doesn't he know she's the Diety, NOT him?

[ladyniko.livejournal.com]

*lol*

I jsut hope that one of these days, a better author puts her in her place on a panel where everyone can watch it.

Totally OT

[ctrl-issue.livejournal.com]

but, by chance, is your icon from Galaxy Rangers?

Re: Totally OT

[ladyniko.livejournal.com]

yup yup. :)

I'm the GR pusher on LJ. *laugh*

I went out to SDCC last year & pumped the need/want for a full GR US DVD set since Koch Video out of NY can't/won't give it the treatment it deserves. :p (Good thing that the BCI Eclipse guys are fan boys from way back... when I got home from the con, one of the BCI guys commented that the acquisitions lawyer guy I talked to - Jeff - probably thought that I had been put up to pushing GR on him by the his co-worker. The co-worker has gone to him in the past and said, "Dude! You gotta get Galaxy Rangers!"

Re: Totally OT

[ctrl-issue.livejournal.com]

Well, considering they have DVD for COPS, Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors, Captain N, not to mention the USA cartoon renditions of Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat, I don't see why these guys are dragging their heels!

Personally, I <3 Doc like whoa, but that's me. ^_^ He didn't have some cool superpower, like transformation, psychic powers, or a powered arm gun, but he was smart and sweet and could be a real goober at times and he was just awesome. ^_^;; Sorry. Flashbacks...

I know they have four vol on DVD, but when are they gonna release the series?! Ah, well. I'm still waiting for people to release Gargoyls Season 2 Vol 2... *pouts* Not to mentoin Static Shock the entire series. *mourns*

Re: Totally OT

[ladyniko.livejournal.com]

*lol* Yeah, I love Doc too, but, Niko. Niko is my fave because beyond all else - she *totally* kicks ass. She doesn't use the "I sense danger" and is a Jean Gray/Deanna Troi type of psychic character. ;)

[roguetailkinker.livejournal.com]

I heard that the Vampire Ball in NO sold out last year *just* because LKH was going to be there.

With the Goth population in this town? I'd take that assumption with several large grains of salt.

[moonsinger.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a pretty good con to tell you the truth although I'm not sure why they'd let Thomas Stratman (if he's the game designer that is) be on a panel.

[witchwillow.livejournal.com]

Modern Myths: Lloyd Kropp, E.E. Knight, Laurell K. Hamilton, Barbara Hambly, Thomas Stratman, Richard White

She must not contaminate E.E. Knight!!!! Her dragon might try to hump his brain! oh noes!

And Then What?: Barbara Hambly, Laurell K. Hamilton, Sharon Shinn, Rachel Caine, John Hemry, Elizabeth Moon

I.... Sharon Shinn, LKH. Same room. I happen to like Shinn's stories precisely because she tells the same one over and over again with a few interesting tweaks. It's my fluffy romance (her angels).

But...

...

[easol.livejournal.com]

I'm deeply ashamed to admit that I've never heard of most of these people.

One Trick Pony: Or, how to write the same sex scene over and over, and use it as a way out of any dilemma.

Workshop - Crossing the Genres Fantastic: Or, how to mash together Anne Rice, Van Helsing, Dark Shadows, and whatever else catches your fancy... for fun and profit.

True Grit - Urban Fantasy: Or, making your heroine an obnoxious twit with a gun. What could be grittier?

Are Vampires Really Socio-pathic Serial Killers?: Or, how to turn an elegant killer into a wussy little lapdog with fangs.

Censorship Takes a Holiday: Or, if you don't like my sex scenes, you're a prude.

Modern Myths: Or, how to plop totally random mythologies into modern urban fantasy with no explanation.

And Then What?: Or, I haven't got the slightest idea, but I know it will have lots of sex.

The Little Workshop that Could: Or, buy my failing comic! If you do, my current husband might not soak me for quite as much alimony.

Scare Me to Death: Or, my evil sleeping vampires are scary! Really scary! So are my bug-planting vampires with masks, which make people... uh... want to have even more sex than they're already having! Really scary! Nightmares, actually.

Sleuth Facts - Real P.I. Procedures for Your Plot: Or, my ex-husband's brother is a cop, so I already know everything about this.

[elsandra.livejournal.com]

I feel sorry for Barbara Hambly since she appears with LKH on so many panels. Hambly's vampires are nothing like LKH's and I find them much scarier. Hambly is also a much better writer.