Originally posted to my LiveJournal – links are to LJ accounts.
I feel like writing out my thoughts bullet style rather than a day to day synopsis sort of post. Here goes!

*nyssap was a lovely house guest and roommate. Without her, I don’t think I would have made it to the con nor met many of the awesome people I met.

*I took a different approach to this conference than I have to cons in the past. I was there as a reader and reviewer, but also in a professional role representing www.pumpupyourbook.com That in and of itself helped me to feel more confident when talking to people. It also helped me to relax about schedules, where I had to be, etc. I was less focused on me as the writer trying to get to all the panels and more focused on me as a woman with multiple sides beyond being a writer. Taking a more relaxed approach was truly the way to go.

*I found all the panels I did go to fascinating and well worth the time spent sitting. With the exception of one panel that almost became a battle royale between the feminists and the lone male participant, everyone got along fine, were well-spoken and interesting. I can’t think of a panel where I didn’t wish we could stay longer and talk more.

*Listening to Russell Kirkpatrick talk about maps is fascinating. The block lasted two hours and I still wished it could have gone on longer.

*I do wish I would have had a little more time for socializing. Getting a big hug from eneit in person and being able to sit down with gillpolack for a chat was all made of awesome.

*I had a lot of fun on the last day shedding my professional and writer sides to become pure fan girl. Garth Nix, Narrelle M. Harris and Trudi Canavan were all wonderful enough to sign my books. I had extended chats with Nix and Harris, which were both excellent. I love listening to authors talk about their work and their inspirations.

*Frankly, I am still in shock that I didn’t get sick during the convention and I’m not sick now. Could it be that Australia has well and truly cured me of all my ills? Or could it be…

*According to rumours going around, chuckmck1 thinks that is very possible I am one of the undead, as I do not snore or even make breathing sounds when I sleep (he crashed on the floor of Nyssa’s and my room after the horror ball). All I have to say to that at this point is: No comment.

I didn’t get many pictures, unfortunately. And even some of the ones I did get, some picture participants requested no Facebook/blogs/etc. So here we are!

Launch of Baggage, edited by Gillian Polack

AussieCon4 Logo

Opening ceremony speech

Fan fund winners, etc.

“Foundlings and Orphans” panel: Sarah Parker, Delia Sherman, Gillian Polack, Mary Victoria, Mur Lafferty (not in order)

“Thinking in Trilogies” panel:Glenda Larke, Trudi Canavan, Fiona McIntosh, Russell Kirkpatrick

Book buys.

View from the 16th floor at the Hilton.

Poor Stormtrooper…

Review books from Nyssa

AussieCon isn’t the first convention I’ve been to. My first convention was Conflux in Canberra, and it involved a heap of nervousness and excitement (and staring at Garth Nix, trying to figure out if he was real). I eventually be came a comfortable fish in a comfortable Conflux pond.

AussieCon? Well, that is going to be huge compared to Conflux. This baby is international, and it’s not a big surprise that many of the hotels are booked out for the time of and around the conference. There are going to be signings, movies, talks, book launches… I’m drooling just thinking about it.

That being said, I’m blocking out time to write on the conference schedule.

I’ve written before about how hotel rooms are my muse, and this room is going to be nice. While I am certainly going to enjoy the con as much as I can, I’m not going to let such a gorgeous muse go to waste.

Did that read weird to anyone else?

Anyway, I always carry around my little story ideas book with me at conferences because they are so incredibly inspirational, but I rarely make time to right. (Most times because I stayed in places a good distance away and had late nights combined with early mornings. This time, I’m staying in the hotel that is connected to the convention centre. No big drives involved.

I have the niggling feeling, though, that if anyone heard me talk about blocking out writing time during a conference, they would think I’m a little weird. Even though that time will likely be later at night (seeing as the program creators are sane and things don’t start until 10am most mornings).

Have you ever been to a conference? Have you/would you make time to write? Dedication to the craft or a waste of good networking time?