The Little Proposal that Could
Plans for the con have reached critical mass. Signings to attend, games to run, and – I'm embarrassed to admit – an awards ceremony. I’m even in negotiation with a pair of ninja bodyguards, which won't seem so odd if you’ve ever been to GenCon.
All this plus Saurus, Wentz and Technobi2k in the same city? Watch out Indy.
No word from White Wolf yet, which I am assuming to be a bounce. They had planned on announcing the winner at the con, which means legal (contracts issued, signed and returned) would have to be taken care of first. So with only a week to go, my powers of deduction tell me that I’m not the big kahoona. There's still a chance of being a little kahoona, but no knowing how long it might take to arrive at that decision. As a wise woman once told me, you have to write and move on.
BUT before you whip out the whetstone and start sharpening your poisoned shuriken, here’s a story to allay your vengeful wrath:
A year ago Publisher X asked for a novel proposal. I cranked one out, only to watch it vanish into the ether.
Or so I thought. Turns out it has been floating from hand to hand between editors. A week ago one emailed me saying he liked the proposal and was interested in more, even though the original proposal had nothing to do with his line.
We’re meeting at – you guessed it – GenCon.
This is clearly NOT even close to a done deal, but it is flickering candle of optimism for all of us would-be novelists. Prior to this I always assumed the rejected proposals ended up in the trash, but it turns out that some stick it out, struggling to work magic with whatever life we’ve given them.
A year out in the world, shuffling from desk to desk, advocating for the cause. That’s a hard working little proposal. If we work out a deal at the con, I’m raising a glass to the trooper.
//H
====
Also, Young Dragon J.L. Collins has a new site up. You can find it here:
http://www.jl-collins.com/
17 comments:
If there is one area where I think I'm lacking as a writer, it's networking. I'm definitely looking forward to all the "meet & greet" opportunities at GenCon.
Stick close to Ed. That guy is the Don King of GenCon, (without the mafia ties).
//H
I have the fortune of rooming with said Don King of GenCon. Hence, I will be well-protected and sure to meet the industry's best. :)
It's one of the frustrating aspects to not being able to attend GenCon - I feel like there'd be so many more interesting freelance possibilities if I'd just network with the publishers. Face to face contact tends to work so much better than e-mail, I've noticed. : )
Of course, even more frustrating is the inability to hang out with new friends.
Good luck with the meeting (and for everything involving GenCon, of course!)
-Mike
We'll miss you, Mike. Next year for sure.
//H
Ed the Don King of GenCon... never mind the Mafia connections - let's also be sure that folks understand he doesn't have the hair, either (which makes him, at least in my book, way more handsome than the original).
He learned from the best, so you might also introduce yourself to Richard Lee Byers at some point. The man's a true master.
You'll always be a big kahuna to us, Grimmy! ;)
And here's hoping TLPTC nets you a trilogy of trilogies!
::goes off to sharpen meatforks for stabbing of silly editors at White Wolf...just in case...::
Will you be attending Beer Con Thursday evening?
Keep your head up, man!
--Cath
Cath,
"I shoot him in the eye!"
//BB
====
Dei,
BeerCon is looking iffy. I want to go but have important commitments. If you're there, look for a guy named Alex accompanied by 2 ninja femme ninjas. We're trying to setup an After-BeerCon-Con.
//H
I think Matt's going to be a "maybe next year" as well unfortunately :( I'm holding out for a last minute deal, but not overly optimistic about it.
And congrats on the other proposal generating some interest after a long-lost stint!
Heh. Ninja femme ninjas.
Double danger.
And if you've ever been with a ninja femme ninja, then you know exactly what I mean.
====
Bartmoss,
One day we'll all be thankful you married a responsible man.
But not today. ;)
//H
i'm not a femme ninja!
*pout*
Maybe not, but you are coming to GenCon for me, which is far cooler than anything else I've been given. :)
Even the AK. Maybe not the hooked horror though. ;)
//H
There were 13 murders in Indianapolis in the last week. Please be careful! (Despite the Ravosaur's arsenal.)
Don't worry. We'll be inside with geeks all day, rolling dice. No danger there, except to our social status.
13 killings?! Where do you get this stuff?
//H
The internet told me. Specifically, the little headlines that I get in my yahoo mail. I just happened to catch it this morning before the news switched to primaries and the mideast again.
Post a Comment