Silicon con report and SGU

This was my first time at Silicon. It seems to have more of a science bent? And it's definitely smaller than BayCon. I don't know if the venue was just larger than needed or their attendance was down. Or maybe I'm just used to BayCon. Interesting panels, though.

On the Joys of research panel, we discussed resources, methods, narrowing your search and finding experts to steer you in the right direction. One of my fellow panelists, as it turned out was Candy Lowe. Candy (as C.S. Lowe) has co-written many stories for Analog with G. David Nordley, who was already on my interview list. Candy and I shared lunch after the panel. I'll be interviewing both of them, now. All the better! But not until November, at least. I'm reserving this month for horror.

I have Alice Henderson, author of Voracious and several Buffy books and Jennifer Brozek, editor and writer of sf, horror and rpg worlds. I shared both of my panels on Saturday with author Fred Wiehe. He has a story collection coming out in a couple of weeks called Holiday Madness. So now we have yet another horror writer for October. I know he'll be good for a stimulating interview.

I attended a great panel on alien autopsies, complete with grizzly slides led by Pat McEwen. The grizzly slides were mostly of dead humans, of course.

I skipped the parties Saturday night and got some much-needed sleep.

Sunday, I attended a worldbuilding panel that Gerald (Nordley) was on. Gave the garage rocket ship panel a miss reluctantly. My back couldn't take any more sitting.

I picked my books from the dealer's room and headed home. On the way, I drove by my childhood home in San Leandro. Of course, I couldn't remember or recognize which one was mine. They all looked alike and I can't remember the house number. I also don't remember the neighborhood being so dumpy. Either it went downhill or my perception has changed. I was 8 years old when we moved away. I wonder if our kids will have a similar experience if they ever decide to visit this tract home long after we've moved away. How can you get sentimental over a tract home in a suburb or bedroom community?

Of course, first on the agenda when I got home: SGU (Stargate Universe)
OK. So we have Lost in Space, complete with Dr. Smith (Rush) and The Last Starfighter (Eli Wallace)trying to horn in on the SG franchise. Hmmm. And who's idea was this? I was unimpressed.

I have another reading gig. This one at the Hotel Healdsburg (in Healdsburg, CA) with other local authors. Dec. 5th. More info to follow.

vote it up!