Worldcon Through A Timewarp - Friday

Posted by Colin Harvey Aug 14, 2009

The Codex Writers Group have arranged a group breakfast today and tomorrow, but without wi-fi I have to guess which branch of Eggspectations is the venue. I guess at the Rue St Jacques branch, but on arrival I'm met with blank stares by the waiters when I ask about a booking, so sit on my own. Cheryl Morgan takes the table next to me, and while waiting for her breakfast partner arrive, we chat about Bristolcon, and the possibility of making this year's event a pilot for a full-scale con.

As I'm about to leave, I see the Codex-ians sitting at the back. Damn.

After that I go for a Stroll with the Stars (the only day of four that I actually make it) and meet my fellow Angry Robot-eers Lauren Beukes and Kaaron Warren. We amble around Montreal Old Town continuing a fine tradition started all the way back at Denvention.

Because I was away on holiday until the Sunday before traveling out, I was only able to read the manuscripts for the critique session on the flight out. Spend the morning typing up the comments for the session, since even I can't read my own handwritten comments.The session itself is good and hopefully the three writers got much food for thought out of it.

Spend the afternoon mooching before heading for the Angry Robot launch party.

Which I suspect may go down in Worldcon folklore - including the moment Hotel Security arrived to close it down, before re-locating it to the party floor. If anything, that only added to the fun - especially when a Klingon stomped up to the robot, which yelled "Uh-oh! Klingons!" and whoop-whooped a la classic Trek alarm. When left alone, the robot amused itself by humming the opening bars of TOS theme tune.

My only concern is what that bugger Harris got on video...just the thought of what idiocies I may have uttered to the robot while he was filming us makes me break out in a cold sweat....

I see the artwork for Winter Song as a cover properly for the first time. Wow. It looks completely different with text on. Even without the text it was good, but now it's staggering.

Kaaron Warren brings half of Australia as moral support, But Lauren Beukes needed no reinforcements. Aliette de Bodard came from supporting TL Morganfield, who narrowly missed out on the Sideways Award, which was won by another Robot-eer, Chris Roberson.

Too many people to name check everyone, but visitors include the New York crew of Matt Kressel, D. Mercutio Rivera and Alaya Dawn Johnson, Paul Cornell, Jonathan Strahan and Darryl Gregory and the lovely Caitlin Sweet, both from Canada.

I have no idea what time it finished, which is always the mark of a damn good party...