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08/31/2002 Entry: "Con Jose Day 3"

I was much more laid back today--not trying to do every panel in sequence or obsess over the gazillions of books in the dealer room. The highlight of my day was attending a reading by Sherwood Smith, she of the Crown series. (See our entry for August 8, below.) Smith read Chapter 1 of an adult novel set a thousand (?) years in the past of the same world. (I really should have taken notes.) The protagonists are children in this first chapter, but the entire novel spans decades. Here's a feeling I've become familiar with in the last few days: frustration--because I want to read the book now! The book (I forgot the title as soon as Smith finished speaking it) is under consideration by some editor right now. Fingers crossed that it's accepted for publication.

I was first in line at Patricia McKillip's booksigning, which was a good thing since the line quickly grew to include a couple of dozen people. She was gracious enough to sign all of the many books I brought with me, including two of my long-time favorite books: THE FORGOTTEN BEASTS OF ELD and THE CHANGELING SEA. Apparently THE CHANGELING SEA is one of her own favorite books. She mentioned that an editor is looking at MOON-FLASH and THE MOON AND THE FACE for possible reissue. Although I'm not sure how serious she was about the following comment, she said that she might be interested in writing a YA book again. I truly hope she actually does so. What an absolute thrill to meet this legendary author.

So many intriguing books get mentioned at the various panels that I'll be kept happy bookhunting for a while. Hopefully some of them will not only be good, but romantic too.

More tomorrow...