WFC RECAP W/PICTURES!

[mrockwell]

Writing

Back from my first WFC. Where to begin?

Writing partner Jeffrey J. Mariotte and I got in too late Thursday to do anything but crash, and Friday morning we had to be up bright and early for a White House tour (unfortunately, you're not allowed to take pictures there, so you'll just have to take my word for it, heh). Then Jeff, who used to live in the area, took me sightseeing.

We went to the Wall where I got to see my great-uncle Richard Kucera's name:



We saw the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, where we got buzzed by Marine One:



It was cold and rainy, but the sun popped out in time for me to snap this shot of the Washington Monument:



We also went to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum and the National Museum of the American Indian, but by that time my back was really bothering me, so we didn't stay long in either place.

That night, we had the mass autograph signing:


(photo courtesy Rebecca Lovatt)

And I finally got to meet my literary idol, Guy Gavriel Kay, who was kind enough to sign my books and accept my gift of Bridges of Longing, which wouldn't exist in its present form if not for him. Total fangirl moment!


(photo courtesy Jeff Mariotte)

Afterward was our "How Graphic is Your Novel?" panel, which actually had a decent turnout despite being at 11 PM at night (though we did lose a panelist somewhere):


(me, Jeff, James Chambers, and Angela Slatter; photo courtesy Rebecca Lovatt)

Saturday I met with my lovely agent, we had lunch with an old high school classmate of Jeff's, and then it was time for the 33rd Morhaim (black tie) Family Dinner, where I got to spend most of the night chatting with Stephen R. Donaldson, another literary idol:


(Jeff, me, and Christopher Golden; photo courtesy...I honestly can't remember. Sorry!)

Sunday we said goodbye to all the lovely folks we had gotten to meet (or see again), including Rebecca, Missy Katano, Joe Martin, Tim Marquitz, Kenny Soward, Joshua Palmatier, Mike and Anita Allen, and a ton more I'm sure I'm missing.


(Missy, Jeff, me, and Rebecca; photo courtesy Joe Martin)

Sunday night was dinner with Jeff's lovely siblings and his adorable nieces, then Monday we visited the Newseum, where we got to see some cool exhibits, including a bit of the Berlin Wall:



And Monday night included a reception for Jeff's big brother, a legendary anti-nuclear activist who was being honored with a lifetime achievement award for thirty years of amazing work. I even got to meet (and shake hands with!) Ralph Nader, so that was cool.

And Tuesday it was back home, where I finally heard from my doctor about my back, but I'll leave that for the next section.

All in all, I had an absolutely AMAZING time, got to spend time with some truly awesome people (never enough, sadly), and I hope to do it all again next year! FX!

Everything Else

I mentioned hurting my back (somehow) a while back, and my doctor sent me to get an MRI. I got the results on Tuesday - a bulging disc with possible (probable) nerve impingement, and so my doctor is referring me to a neurosurgeon. Which means back surgery is likely in the offing. But given how much pain I've been in, I think it's probably for the best. Further bulletins as events warrant, heh.

#SFWApro

Comments

[jeff mariotte (from livejournal.com)]

Great wrap-up! It was indeed a fantastic time!

[mrockwell.livejournal.com]

It really was! Thanks for being my guide!