For meeting editors, agents, and authors, the big conventions are the places one should go, and the World Science Fiction Convention did not disappoint this year.
There were way too many panels and too little time to go to all of them. I was satisfied to make it to the “Upcoming Books” panels put on by the various publishers. I also sat in on a few writing panels, including the very helpful, “Revise, revise, revise!” which gave me some great insights into the writing and revision process.
The Hugo Awards were put together well this year, with Guest-of-Honor Connie Willis as master of ceremonies. She and Robert Silverberg had great dynamics together. A speech by Harlan Ellison was very . . . interesting and colorful. And a surprise visit from Morena Baccarin, accepting the Hugo for Jos Whedon’s Serenity, left the audience in awe of her beauty, poise, and delivery.
From listening to the panels and the editors and authors, the trends right now are in historical fantasy (Jonathon Strange & Mr. Norell, His Majesty’s Dragon, and more), vampires (too many to name—an absurd number), paranormal romance (again, too many to name), and good science fiction (anything Pyr books publishes).
I attended two kaffeklatches—a group of ten people making an appointment to speak with an author or editor—and talked with editors Jim Frenkel (Tor books) and Lou Anders (Pyr book’s one-man editing machine). Both sessions were good and informative. More about Pyr books tomorrow. They deserve a whole post.