[glendalarke]

Just returned from Melbourne and the wonderful "Continuum". I had a ball - besides the announcement about The Tainted being in the Top Ten Voyager books (how in the name of any deity do I get mentioned in the same breath as Tolkien, Bradbury, Feist, Goodkind etc???), it was a delight to meet Robin Hobb and Poppy Z. Brite, plus almost all the Australian Voyager authors.

Neil Gaiman was the other guest and I never did get near him because of the fans, but what a funny, lovely man he is. So approachable , if all those fans are anything to go by, and totally unpretentious in spite of his stature. Robin Hobb has to be one of the greats of the fantasy genre, and she also turned out to be so unpretentious, even shy. A lovely lady with a great many very sensible things to say. I was a fan before the con, now even more so.

[Rocket Sheep]

And it was good to see you again, Glenda. We love it when you come more downunderer.

I loved what Robin Hobb had to say about being a writer parent. I'm pretty much in the same boat and am always torn between the needs of kids and the pressure to go to "the" sf parties and cons. So I enjoyed hearing her perspective especially since she had so many more kids and started so young.

I've always consoled myself with the idea that too much of me at a party probably isn't a good thing anyway... (you know I got a bit tipsy one night and talked to Russell and Jen Blackwood for an hour about Sartre and Shroedinger??? Russell has a degree in philosophy and I was making up stuff about philosophers' cats!)... anyway, it was nice to hear that Robin had to cope with the same, "if you have kids and don't hang out, you're not serious," views.

[glendalarke]

Actually, Sheepie, I was wincing at a lot Robin said because I recognised myself as one of those who copped put with the "too busy" excuse for so very many years. I am kicking myself now. I so should have got serious so much earlier, and I would have been so much better placed right now.

Robin has shown that it is possible to produce quality work in appallingly difficult conditions and with lots of kids, no writing workshops and no contact with others...so get to it, girl! You can do it!!

And I am pretty sure you are coherent even through an alcoholic haze...

[Radthorne]

Robin is very definitely a class act. She lives in my area, so I've been fortunate to see her at various cons, do panels with her, etc. We shared a table during a mass author signing at the University of Washington bookstore; even though we were surrounded by people, I felt as if I had her all to myself during those couple of hours. We had a delightful chat.

One important thing I learned from her is that if you have a teenage daughter, be wary of taking her into the dealers room at the conventions. You will come out much poorer... ;)

[glendalarke]

No teenage daughters any more, Radthorne...the youngest reached 30 this year. (And I decided I am going to start counting birthdays - mine, that is - backwards from now on).