Sunday at NYComicCon

[ellenkushner]

The China Mieville interview went well, as we discussed influences on his new YA novel UN LUN DUN. Turns out he's another Dido Twite man! I shoulda known. He is such a good guy: a man who genuinely likes women, thinks they are real people, and listens well as well as speaking brilliantly. Not at all what you expect when you see him in a photo, or across a room, so I'm tellin' ya now.

Then had time to wander around enjoying the con. Got to meet Erica Friedman at the PRISM booth; she explained the wonderful world of Yuri to me - her thorough con report here. Highlight was meeting artist Craig Hamilton, who turns out to be a huge fan of Swordspoint & The Fall of the Kings. Craig is smart and funny and warm and articulate and immensely gifted; we talked for hours. Also got to chat with Austin Grossman, whose interstitial novel Soon I Will Be Invincible (coming from Pantheon in June) already has the best webpage ever!

So my good news is: since we'll be in San Diego in July anyway, teaching at Clarion, during San Diego ComicCon, my publisher (Bantam) is going to have me there signing books again!

One more good thing: as I may have mentioned (or may have forgotten to), I'm working on a new performance piece with genius musician/writer pals Yale Strom & Elizabeth Schwartz - it will premiere in November at the Michigan Festival of Sacred Music - but anyway, today the Forward ran a great piece about Yale's new book, The Absolutely Complete Klezmer Songbook!

Workmen coming early tomorrow, so must crash.

Tomorrow, if you're good, I'll tell you about NYC's greatest shoe sale ever - if you're a Size 7 or 11.

Oh, and I'll finally divulge why I've been grinning like an idiot since Monday (as if you didn't know) . . . .

Comments

[abostick59.livejournal.com]

Tomorrow, if you're good, I'll tell you about NYC's greatest shoe sale ever - if you're a Size 7 or 11.

Don't tell me -- let me guess: People with sizes 2, 3, or 12 have to pay extra for a lousy selection of shoes, right?

[ellen-kushner.livejournal.com]

Ah, if only it were that simple....!

[crowyhead.livejournal.com]

Oh man, I was already excited about Un Lun Dun, and knowing that he's a Dido Twite fan makes me even happier. :)

[rosefox]

Oh, and I'll finally divulge why I've been grinning like an idiot since Monday (as if you didn't know) . . . .

Oh my gosh, you're pregnant?!

[ellen-kushner.livejournal.com]

What kind of idiot do you take me for?

[rosefox]

Er... I was very much joking.

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

I read the two chapter teaser from Soon I Will Be Invincible and am pretty sure I will lose my mind from anticipation waiting to read the rest. I tried to worm an ARC out of the marketing lass at the booth, but she was having none of my puppy-dog eyes nor blatant supervillainesque threats ("Deliver to me a bound galley or I will encase the Javits Center in a glacier! Bwah! And hahaha! Fear my wrath already!"). If I had been wearing spandex, with a boob window, I know I would have gotten that ARC. I just know it.

I'm also quite eager to read Un Lun Dun, but since I can actually get a copy of that relatively soon, I feel less insane over it. China was charming, as was his interviewer, though both of you moved around too much while I was trying to sketch your heads and hands.

[ellen-kushner.livejournal.com]

So was I!

The subtleties of vocal shading require for true witty repartee get kinda lost in this medium, don't they, alas?

[ellen-kushner.livejournal.com]

Yeah, well, we're like that . . . I'll sit (still) for you sometime, if you like.

[rosefox]

Apparently they do! If I drank coffee, I'd say we could both use some coffee. *)

[ellen-kushner.livejournal.com]

It's not the message; it's the medium.

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

I don't suppose you'd let me do your portrait with a rapier and sleeve-slashing? Because I'd utterly love to do that to you. I mean... do an homage to an old-fashioned portrait. There could be a stack of your books on a lacquered table beside you, and a vase of roses with one with the slightest curling edge fading to brown to remind us all to gather our own rosebuds, and one of those curvy mirrors on the wall behind you reflecting Delia. And some Latin somewhere. And all in miniature.

We could just start with, uhm, a pencil sketch. A pencil sketch would be nice.

[rikibeth.livejournal.com]

I went to elementary school with Austin Grossman! He broke my wrist in third grade (okay, it was an accident, he pushed me and I fell all wrong). :)

[hangedwoman.livejournal.com]

I love the way Mieville's mind works. Can I ask you about Dido Twite? I could ask Uncle Google, but I suspect your answer will be much more interesting.

This is the THIRD time I've tried to post this comment. If they suddenly all appear at once, I'm sorry. :D

[ellen-kushner.livejournal.com]

ARE YOU DELIBERATELY TRYING TO MAKE ME SWOON???

Such a portrait has long been my dream.

And to work with an artist of your caliber . . . .

When do we start?

[alethea-eastrid.livejournal.com]

*shameless fangirl squee*

And will prints be avaliable?

[handworn.livejournal.com]

Actually, I don't know, so I look forward to your post tomorrow.

What's a Dido Twite man? I remember the Joan Aiken character, but not why she would have an eponymous kind of man.

[redhotswing.livejournal.com]

China Mieville is one of my author obsessions of the moment. His books have this incredible creativity and imagery, and gave me the impression of a very smart author who is really aware of the social and economic systems he's imagining, fantastical as they are. I'm glad to hear that he's that cool in person.

[ellen-kushner.livejournal.com]

He is precisely as you have described his books! Good insights.

ComiCon Meeting

[yuricon-alc.livejournal.com]

It was a tremendous pleasure to meet you, Ellen. Thanks for your plug for Okazu and Yuri!

Cheers,

Erica

Hungry for Yuri? Have some Okazu: http://okazu.blogspot.com

Yuricon - "For real women who like their women...animated."
http://www.yuricon.org