| Author | Message | ||
     Gcw (Gcw) Username: Gcw Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 217.43.119.113 |
Well, I done it now, yes Soozy & me have just got back from Fantasycon 2008! We had a fantastic time...everyone was such good company (At the least, it would have been worth it to see Zed's face when I materialised in front of him  !) So a mega thanks to ....Mick & Debbie, Lord Probert, Joel Lane, Allybird, John Travis, Zed n'Missus, Ramsey, for all being such great comapny for me & Soozy. (And a sorry if I have missed any names there...Still a bit knackered from the drinking sesh!) I have lots of photos which I will upload pronto. Great time. gcw | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.242.126 |
Mate, it was a genuine pleasure to see you - and Soozy is a delight. We had a superb weekend (Emily is still buzzing). Thanks to all for attending my reading, btw. I felt honoured. | ||
| Mick Curtis (Mick) Username: Mick Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.159.152.134 |
Had a bloody excellent time, me - great to catch up with GCW & Soozy, JLP, John Travis, Ally, Stuart Young, Zed & Emily, Ramsey, plus a few folk I'd not met before - Jon Oliver for one; only caught him briefly but very nice to finally meet - plus special mentions to Charles Black and Joel Lane - two smashing chaps who made my day by coming up to me to introduce themselves and say hi! Went to a couple of panels, which were excellent, despite the late hour of one, and several readings - JLP's being as wonderfully creepy as you'd imagine, Joel's being quite dark but very funny in parts, plus both Ally & Zed read splendidly, and you'd never know either was doing it for the first time - well done guys! Spent more than I should have on books (or so says GCW, but I don't believe him) and not enough on drink. Hey ho - there's always next year! Oh, and Ally, could you email me John Travis's email address please? | ||
| Mick Curtis (Mick) Username: Mick Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.159.152.134 |
Blimey, forgot to include Simon and Fran! | ||
| Mick Curtis (Mick) Username: Mick Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.159.152.134 |
...and Chris Teague, ever the gentleman, who's very friendly and always has a smile for everyone, but who most importantly showed us where the bar was on friday when we first arrived! | ||
| Stevebacon (Stevebacon) Username: Stevebacon Registered: 09-2008 Posted From: 90.211.103.112 |
I thought Fcon 08 was a great success, too. The panels didn't seem as appealing this year, but I loved all the readings I attended. I'm definitely gonna have to stay for more than the saturday next year... | ||
| Joel (Joel) Username: Joel Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 91.108.12.25 |
Soozy didn't have a name badge but I identified her from contextual cues. Lovely to meet some RCMB folk I'd not met before, and others I knew from past conventions. I could find fault with some aspects of the hotel geography (those lifts... and the nine floors from the convention level to the readings) and the sequencing of events, but as ever it was the people who made it a great weekend. Goodwill, festivity and shared passion for the field were prevalent from beginning to end. Apart from the evil f**k who stole the film projector. | ||
| Allybird (Allybird) Username: Allybird Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 79.70.89.102 |
Nearly 10p.m. Dropped John Travis off a hour ago and having pizza soon - haven't eaten anything since breakfast. Loved seeing everyone again and meeting Emily and Sooz for the first time! Congrats to Ramsey! Joel - I'm absolutely bowled over with your award! It represents everything you have worked so hard for. I'm very tired but happy. Heather is tucked up in bed and all is well in my world tonight and I sold out at the con - 52 books sold over the weekend. | ||
| Mick Curtis (Mick) Username: Mick Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.159.152.134 |
...and the books I bought were:- The Second Humdrumming Book of Horror Stories A Family At War The Enigma of Departure - Nic Royle Bull Running for Girls - Ally Bird Coffin Nails - JLP Beneath the Surface - Simon Strantzas Mark Samuels' PS Showcase We Fade to Grey How to Make Monsters - Gary Mc plus issue one of Black Static... Reading frenzy!!! | ||
| Allybird (Allybird) Username: Allybird Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 79.70.89.102 |
Stephen - try and get over to Alt.fiction too! Ramsey tell Jenny - I put a complaint in about not being able to get into my hotel room at 4a.m. 3 times I had to got to reception to get it sorted when I was knackered that night. | ||
| Mick Curtis (Mick) Username: Mick Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.159.152.134 |
Bloody hell, Ally that's great news about those 52 copies - I've not dipped in to the book yet but really liked the one you read up in the greenhouse on the tenth floor so I'm sure I'll enjoy the rest. Well done - go pick up a bottle of champagne! | ||
| Alansjf (Alansjf) Username: Alansjf Registered: 09-2008 Posted From: 93.97.93.216 |
I'm very envious of your haul there, Mick - I've a couple of those already but I really want the rest! Time to dust of the credit card again ... And Ally - well I said I thought Bull Running deserves to do well, and I'm really pleased to see it's doing so. | ||
| Allybird (Allybird) Username: Allybird Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 79.70.46.30 |
Thank you Mick and Alan! Obviously I have Grin of the Dark,Rain Dogs,The Scalding Rooms along with other books bought throughout the year. Bought- We Fade to Grey - Gary McMahon Best New Horror - Stephen Jones Myth-Understandings - Ian Whates How to Make Monsters- Gary McMahon The Exaggerated Man - Terry Grimwood Beneath the Surface - Simon Stranzas Glypotech - Mark Samuels Second Book of Humdrumming I've asked a relative to buy Coffin Nails for me for Christmas :>) | ||
| John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 213.253.174.81 |
Oh yes a terrific success. I drank very little and enjoyed myself a lot more. Plus even though I only had 4 hours sleep each night I feel very chipper this morning. An absolute delight to meet some familiar faces but also GCW & Soozy, Simon & Mrs Strantzas, Simon Unsworth, and a whole pile of people who wanted to buy Coffin Nails and cleaned me out of the copies I had with me and the copies I've even yet to receive! Thank you thank you thank you to everyone who came to my reading as it's always more fun to don my Jackanory persona if there are lots of people present. I bought / acquired: We Fade to Grey - Gary McMahon Best New Horror - Stephen Jones How to Make Monsters- Gary McMahon The Exaggerated Man - Terry Grimwood Beneath the Surface - Simon Stranzas Second Book of Humdrumming Land at the End of the Working Day - Pete Crowther Reach of Children - Tim Lebbon Bull Running for Girls - Ally The Appetite - Nick Royle Passport to Purgatory - Tony Richards Plus the usual pile of second rate teen girlie fantasy novels that the powers that be at the BFS seem to think I need on my shelf. Despite my attempts to lose the erotic poetry and various flyers I still had a load of old rubbish to dispose of when I got home, but then that's part of the fun. | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 129.11.77.198 |
 Wish I'd been there. Not that I'd have been much fun. I've felt lousy for days. Glad everyone enjoyed it, tho! | ||
| John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 213.253.174.81 |
You were greatly missed GF, not just by my good self but by a plethora of GF & GFP fans. | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 129.11.77.198 |
And what did you all do when you stepped out of the lift? | ||
| Jonathan (Jonathan) Username: Jonathan Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 79.77.92.169 |
Absolutely fantastic to put some names to faces and to finally meet John properly along with Mick. Sorry I didn't get to chat to more people. Manning the table and doing panels ate up a lot of my time so I didn't get to do so much socialising as I usually like. Many congrats to Joel for winning the award. As I always say, Joel is hands down one of the finest short story writers in the UK, genre or otherwise. There were so many more books I'd have brought if I weren't as skint as a church mouse but, hopefully, next time I'll be able to pick up some more of the work of the RCMBers. On a down note - for some bizarre reason I came back from the Con with a nasty ear infection and sat down at my desk today to recieve an e-mail from an anonymous Abaddon reader telling me how shit they thought the Twilight of Kerberos series is. Thanks! Anyway, back in the saddle and onwards. Big love to you all and it's a genuine pleasure to be friends with such talented and warm people. Jon | ||
| John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 213.253.174.81 |
We couldn't - it was stuck at the time. I suggested we do Vault of Horror & tell stories but Pete Crowther was more interested in who was going to be eaten first | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 129.11.77.198 |
FCon anecdote: getting in a left on the 9th floor and it stopping on the 6th. Clive Barker getting in and standing in front of me sideways on. Me looking into the ear of the man who invented Hellraiser. Me not saying a word. | ||
| Mick Curtis (Mick) Username: Mick Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.10.41.13 |
Been there. Done that! | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 129.11.77.198 |
Ah, but have you ever sent Steve Rasnic Tem underpants through the post? | ||
| John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 213.253.174.81 |
One story I have yet to share is the girl in the copper-coloured gown who professed a desire to lick me on the Friday night. I thanked her but said I had to go and chair the William Hope Hodgson panel discussion. And then have a healthy and invigorating cold shower which I'm sure was for the best. | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 129.11.77.198 |
Willy Hope what? | ||
| John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 213.253.174.81 |
While I'm at it (ooer) other weekend memories would include: Ramsey politely making a suggestion about doing something to Sarah Pinborough with a rope after winning his award. Joel Lane winning his award. Joel Lane's reading. Reggie Oliver's marvellous rendition of 'The Wig' Gary McMahon telling me he loved me over and over and over again Gary McMahon kissing Conrad Williams Gary McMahon & Gary Greenwood's new naked wrestling ad campaign for Anchor spreadable butter Ian Watson & Steve Volk's interpretive dance for the non-fiction award that felt like one of those awful Eurovision song contest intermission things. | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 129.11.77.198 |
Sounds positively promiscuous! Glad I stayed at home with my Catherine Cookson... | ||
| John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 213.253.174.81 |
There was a significant amout of homo-eroticism that perhaps I was senstive to on account of my not drinking this year... | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 213.219.8.243 |
I somehow managed to trap Reggie Oliver in the lift doors as he tried to shake my hand after my reading. I was horrified. Such a genteel man, and I almost got him squashed. | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 129.11.76.230 |
The mind boggles. Why did he shake you hand from a lift? | ||
| Stu (Stu) Username: Stu Registered: 04-2008 Posted From: 86.29.97.22 |
FCon was fun. Hotel was shit. Congrats to Ramsey and Joel. | ||
| Adriana (Adriana) Username: Adriana Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 99.230.239.233 |
"Gary McMahon kissing Conrad Williams" PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE tell me there are pictures! ;) | ||
| Adriana (Adriana) Username: Adriana Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 99.230.239.233 |
It's probably a good thing I wasn't there. Sounded like too much fun. | ||
| Albie (Albie) Username: Albie Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 87.102.117.231 |
Yeah, filthy swingers! | ||
| Adriana (Adriana) Username: Adriana Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 99.230.239.233 |
If i'd been a less sensible lass, I'd have offered to have Conrad's next child, at the world Horror Con last year. | ||
| Adriana (Adriana) Username: Adriana Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 99.230.239.233 |
Is it just me, or is he scrumptious? | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.242.126 |
Conrad is very scrumptious. He's also a very, very nice bloke, and writes prose to die for. | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.242.126 |
Hi Adriana, btw. It seems like ages since I spoke directly to you, my petal. :-( | ||
| Steven_pirie (Steven_pirie) Username: Steven_pirie Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.152.254.169 |
Sounds like a good time was had by all... | ||
| Gcw (Gcw) Username: Gcw Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 217.43.119.113 |
Conrad cornered me while I was humming n'hah-ing over whether to buy 'The Unblemished'. Once I realised I was being schmoozed by the author I pissed myself laughing n'bought it -after I got him to promise to post me a freebie copy of another of his books! I spent a bloody fortune...from memory.... Bull Running For Girls (Ally) Coffin Nails (JLP) How To Make Monsters (Zed) The Unauthorised Guide To Blake's 7 The Unblemished (C.Williams The Lost District (Joel Lane) Beneath the Surface (Simon Strantzas) Also, Soozy bought something called 'Meat'...I suspect because it contains a blowjob scene in the first 10 pages (!). Additionally, like everyone I was deluged by freebie books ... Most of which appear to be the first in a trilogy of six parts and feature elves. Random observations... The hotel was shit...i've been in worse but I guess I'm getting soft. The Guinness was substandard. The Jack Daniels made up for it. The company was great! Reggie Oliver looks like he may well have a Pentagram in his shed. I think he may have put a curse on my unborn children... I wish everyone had been there..Particularly, Gary Fry, Mark Lynch & Adriana. I would do it again! Soozy enjoyed it a lot and was easily charmed by that old rogue Probert! Ramsey Campbell has an immense VOICE!(and was a lovely fellow). Is Mark Morris Dorian Gray? Is Christopher Fowler one of The Incredibles?? How cool is Pete Crowther? (Verrry cool) How pissed was Zed? (Verrrry!) Sorry to Simon Strantzas & Fran for missing them out on my 'love yers' above Was Mick & debbies' mate who came with them abducted by Aliens?? Love, gcw | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 129.11.77.197 |
Thanks, GCW! I'll certainly try get to the next one. | ||
| Adriana (Adriana) Username: Adriana Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 99.230.239.233 |
Man I wish I'd been there. And hello, comrade, Zed. I feel like we're both in orbit around different planets, and I only ever see you when we pass - every 100,000,000,000,000 years, these days... Naturally, I spend the rest of the time missing you. Which is a long long time. | ||
| Jonathan (Jonathan) Username: Jonathan Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 79.77.115.95 |
After the elation of the Con and seeing good friends I'm actually feeling really low right now. Nasty e-mail as mentioned above really put me down plus something that was probably meant as a throwaway comment by somebody else in the industry at the weekend has really affected me much more than it should have. The fact that I'm slightly ill at the moment probably doesn't help but for the last two days I've been having really crippling self doubt, bursting into tears and assessing what the hell I'm doing. For the record none of this is due to you guys who are supportive and wonderful. Various things at work and a couple of things at the Con have really stuck with me in a not good way. Not that the Con wasn't great overall, it's just that those two things seemed to be dominating over my good thoughts right now. I'm gibbering and probably need more rest... apologies. | ||
| Adriana (Adriana) Username: Adriana Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 99.230.239.233 |
I hear you Jonathan. | ||
| Joel (Joel) Username: Joel Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 217.37.199.45 |
Jon, sorry to hear this. Don't worry. Post-convention comedowns can be rough – it's a reaction to the high of the event, with sleep deprivation adding its little fist to the general shock of coming back to the mundane. Talk to some other convention veterans if you doubt this. Get some sleep and otherwise just keep going. You'll be fine by the weekend. | ||
| Adriana (Adriana) Username: Adriana Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 99.230.239.233 |
Listen, with the risk of sounding sappy - fuck whatever the person said, Jonathan. Really. Here's the thing -- sometimes the outside world gets it right, and sometimes they get it wrong. And considering we're all mostly just flailing around and finding our way and spewing opinions - you need to have your own internal meter that helps guide you on what to worry about and what not to. I say, think about "what the hell you're doing" and ask yourself why you're doing it. Is it a worthwhile pursuit for you? (for whatever personal reason?) If you feel that it IS, then don't bloody let someone who doesn't really have anything to do with it, get in the way. Seriously. I feel like shit most of the time. And worthless. And talentless. And crippled. But at the end of the day, it's all just illusion and bullshit. If we spent half the energy that we do on letting things get in our way - instead towards archiving our goals, we'd be shocked at how much ability we have to actually realize our visions. So what this comes down to - is DO NOT give wasted power or energy towards, throwaway comments, or nasty emails. Seriously. Instead, recongnise that you're not feeling well, and that you have some touchy spaces, and then recognise how that can be helpful to you, and how it hindering, and then move forward from it. | ||
| Adriana (Adriana) Username: Adriana Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 99.230.239.233 |
Oh yeah, and what Joel said! | ||
| Jonathan (Jonathan) Username: Jonathan Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 79.77.115.95 |
You guys are right of course. It's probably just due to being overworked and this having been my sixth or seventh convention this year that I'm feeling this way. (Plus I'm trying to fit in writing an epic fantasy novel around everything else) They do take it out of you even though they're fun. I can also be a little bit over-protective of the Abaddon range sometimes. | ||
| Steven_pirie (Steven_pirie) Username: Steven_pirie Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.152.253.247 |
Sorry to hear that, Jonathan... hang in there, is all I can say... | ||
| Allybird (Allybird) Username: Allybird Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 79.70.76.167 |
Wow - sixth or seventh convention this year Jonathan and all you have to do, is a big workload. You need some rest. Don't let those nasty things get to you - people can get really jealous. I'm feeling really knackered too and a little disorientated. Hope you feel better by the weekend Jonathan! | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.242.126 |
Jon - have faith in yourself, mate. Sounds to me like you might be taking too much on...perhaps it's simply a little burn out. I know when I do too much I often buckle a bit under the strain. Pull back, regroup, and give yourself a pat on the back, mate. You deserve it. >>I've been having really crippling self doubt, bursting into tears and assessing what the hell I'm doing<< You're doing a dream job: working for 2000AD, commissioning and editing horror, SF and Fantasy novels. What could possibly be better than that? :-) | ||
| Tony (Tony) Username: Tony Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.129.151.199 |
Yeah, Jonathan - presumably you've had good responses to the books? Can you use those to balance the bad? Sometimes when folk are being nasty they're usually being nasty for other reasons that have nothing to do with what they've said. Also - maybe he just doesn't like the books, in which case there's nothing to be done! No-one likes everything. My other feeling is that if you saw grains of truth in what the guy said (that upests me when folk pick up on stuff in my stories) at least you can act on them at, which is part of the process and an opportunity for growth. | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 82.3.65.135 |
Pisser, Jon. When I feel a bit glum, I just put my emotions on standby and let some time pass by. Usually works. Watch some great films, go somewhere crazy for the weekend. Ride it out. The body's like the stock market and we're all long-term investors. | ||
| John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 213.253.174.81 |
go somewhere crazy for the weekend Do tell, Dr Fry! | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 82.3.65.135 |
Darlington. Told it was crazy. | ||
| John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 213.253.174.81 |
Crazy man, crazy. | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 82.3.65.135 |
Crackerdoobie. | ||
| Jonathan (Jonathan) Username: Jonathan Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 91.143.178.131 |
Sorry guys, feeling better now and you're right in that perspective and distancing is needed. I am indeed very privileged in my job and I do love it. Most of the time. | ||
| John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 213.253.174.81 |
Hey Jon - it was a pleasure meeting you at FCon by the way - thanks for introducing yourself. I can even remember our conversation! Keep at it - you're doing good work! | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 213.219.8.243 |
Glad you're feeling better, John. I actually emailed you late last night because you seemed so down in the message above. | ||
| Jonathan (Jonathan) Username: Jonathan Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 91.143.178.131 |
A genuine pleasure too John. Really looking forward to reading more of your stuff. Gary, many many many thanks for your e-mail. That was really touching and much needed. You're a star! | ||
| Craig (Craig) Username: Craig Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 75.4.236.16 |
I was going to offer some commiserative encouragement too, Jonathan, but... you're all better now. Oh well. See ya!  The downside of being at it (whatever "it" is) so long, is that the highs never last. The upside, is that the downs never last either - no matter how deep the down. I say, whenever you get sucker-punched in the gut, just go down and writhe in pain for a few moments... it goes a lot quicker... and it's easier than staggering away with a sickly smile swearing all's okay... | ||
| Allybird (Allybird) Username: Allybird Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 79.70.104.53 |
I've only chatted to you once and that was when John Travis and I crawled over from a hideous hotel to yours and had coffee with you. Alt.Fiction Derby 2007. Enjoyed the chat and sorry didn't have time to talk much this year. Are you going to Newcon4? | ||
| Jonathan (Jonathan) Username: Jonathan Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 91.143.178.131 |
I'd have loved to have chatted some more Ally, and to have brought your book which looks to be the nuts, but I was running around like a blue-arse fly on various missions etc and am pretty much skint for the rest of the year. Anyhew, not going to Newcon, just one Birmingham Comicon for me and then I can rest on my laurels a bit and actually do some more writing. But I very much hope to see you (and John for that matter) at the next Alt Fiction, where we shall have pints and wax lyrical. |