Daniel Hatadi

[Ken Bruen]

We need to get Daniel to America.................fast and soon

[Christa M. Miller]

I say Baltimore '08.

[Sandra Ruttan]

No, I say B'con Alaska!

[Christa M. Miller]

Well, OK. But only if he goes to Baltimore too. 'Cause I'm not going to Alaska, and I want to be able to meet everyone at my first con. (Saith the group wallflower.)

[Sandra Ruttan]

Everyone except me, most likely. I may capitulate depending on what's happening (if I have a book coming out), but Baltimore is going to be nuts. Every author who doesn't go to Alaska (ie: 75% of them) will be wanting a panel at Baltimore. I'd go for the Jordans, but then I think if I want to do something really nice for them I give them one less headache.

I'm having visions of multiples of everything from Madison, 20 authors wearing chef outfits and five authors with whips in the book room and my chest is tightening just thinking about it. I'm seriously thinking about no conventions for a whole year.

[Christa M. Miller]

Sandra, I'm confused. Panels? Chef outfits? Whips? Just go to have a good time. By '08, everyone who is there will have been here first, so we'll all know you and you won't have to worry about selling books. Right?

Remember, though, I know nothing about cons....

[Sandra Ruttan]

Oh Christa, I don't worry about selling books so much, although I do need a reason to write off expenses on my tax returns. Hanging out at the bar doesn't count, and it's about as expensive to go that direction as Alaska for me. It is the sea of mass-marketers who flood B'cons I can't stomach.

For the life of me I fail to understand why some of the heavy-duty gimmicky authors at B'con cornered authors and tried to give the spiel about their books. Not that I want to see them corner anyone. I envision it being much worse at Baltimore, because B'con seems to draw out those overkill self promoting types, and so many will miss Alaska. Do you know how many people cornered me at B'con asking me to profile them, review their book, publish their story in Spinetingler? Fuck. I actually cried at Left Coast Crime and it's nowhere near as bad.

The reality is, B'cons are so insane that you don't get to really talk to many people at all. You think you'll get to hang out with friends, but you spend most of your time seeing people in passing if you see them at all.

[Christa M. Miller]

Crap, really?? Do you think it's worse for you because you're a reviewer?

I guess I just read post-con blog posts that say what a great time the blogger had (pics and all) and I haven't been on a vacation in five and a half years, so it all looked pretty cool. Hmm.

[Sandra Ruttan]

Yeah, it's just my reality. Well, not just mine. Probably a few others here who've had experiences.

And I'm not talking about people saying, "I was thinking of sending in a story, are you accepting submissions right now?" That's fine.

I'm sure you will have a good time Christa. I always come out with something positive to say - as you've seen - but at future cons I won't wear the ID anymore.

But do be prepared for the heavy-duty marketing. I'd been warned ahead of time, but it was still shocking because at Harrogate nobody does that, and it's such a great environment. I love it. B'con is a real shock by comparison.

[BrianLindenmuth]

How can anyone not want to come to the home of The Wire?

[Anne Frasier]

i was just thinking about this the other day. everybody chipping in a little bit to get daniel over here. thought that might embarrass him, but i like the idea. not the idea of embarrassing him, but everybody chipping in to get him here.

[J.D. Rhoades]

Put me down for five bucks.

[Bill Cameron]

Me too.