I came to say I'm going . . .

[chelseagirl]

. . . to the International Conference on the Fantastic in the Arts, in Ft. Lauderdale, leaving for the airport in about an hour. My lack of posting lately has had a lot to do with my preoccupation with getting my presentation written. I'm giving a paper on John Crowley's Aegypt series, and I'm also on a panel on academia and fandom. M. is coming along for the ride, since he's never been to Florida and we've not yet actually taken a vacation together. The best part of this conference is that writers come as well, not just academics. M. is excited that Stephen Donaldson and Brian Aldiss are going to be there; I'm hoping to see readings or panels by Elizabeth Hand, Nalo Hopkinson, and Caitlin Kiernan.

Way behing reading my friends' list; miss you all! Back Sunday.

Comments

[mortalwombat731.livejournal.com]

Wow, have a blast--I'm off to the American/SWTX Pop Culture Association conference in San Antonio in a few weeks, and so looking forward to both the weather AND the lit-lite!

[chelseagirl.livejournal.com]

It was so fun! Imagine chatting with one of your favorite authors in a hot tub and it turns out she wants to see your paper when it's written. :-) Full report as soon as I catch up on my last teaching prep for the week -- of course I arrived home totally behind.

I did the SW/TX Pop Culture a few years back -- it was huge! It was in Albuquerque that year and a bunch of us took off and went to a Pueblo and it was all lovely, though I didn't get to as many panels as I'd meant to. What are you presenting on?

[mortalwombat731.livejournal.com]

I was shocked by just how large the pop culture thing is--but I'm from San Antonio, so this is more of a vacation than a conference--I'll give a few days to the panels, but the rest is mine mine mine!!

I'm presenting on Elizabeth Peters' use of Victorian pop culture to create her own--now if only I could sit in a hot tub with Rider Haggard and talk about my work!!

[chelseagirl.livejournal.com]

Very nice for you!

Well, that's a big difference between working on live and dead authors -- I know Dickens, Collins, Trollope, and Carroll aren't gonna tell me anything in my dissertation is wrong. I got nervous that maybe John Crowley would show up and tell me my paper was way off. ;-) Apparently he has been to this conference, and at a Neil Gaiman talk he once mentioned being at a conference and attending a panel on his work; he complimented one of the presenters and told the other one s/he had got it all wrong. Can you imagine how crushed that poor scholar felt? And when Neil told the story, the whole audience laughed like it was the funniest thing ever.

Dead authors are safer, even if you can't have a drink with them!

[linaerys.livejournal.com]

That sounds like the best time ever. Have fun! I want a full report!

Also, what would you recommend starting with if I want to read John Crowley. I tried Little, Big when I was far too young to appreciate it (like 13 years old).

[chelseagirl.livejournal.com]

It was fabulous -- full report as soon as I catch up on my teaching prep for the week, since of course I got home and was waaaay behind. Just one more class and then I get to breathe!

I read Little, Big first as well, but it was only last year, so whole different story. The book that really caught me, though, was Aegypt -- alas, it's currently out of print. I'd be happy to loan it to you, but I'd need it back promptly because I'm thinking of trying to write a draft of the article based on my paper soonish. Alternately, a collection of his short stories is due out on May, called Novelties & Souvenirs. That might be the best place to start.

[linaerys.livejournal.com]

BTW, I just posted a Sierra club hiking announcement filtered for just you and starroses on my LJ. I know you don't always check it so I wanted to let you know.

See you tonight!