MY TRIP TO PROVO
for LTUE (Life, the Universe, and Everything: Marion "Doc" Smith Science Fiction and Fantasy Symposium)
I flew down from Fairbanks, Alaska on Tues, Feb. 11th. On the way down, I saw Denali (Mt. McKinley) sticking out of the clouds. There is a vast mountain range surrounding it, but only Denali is tall enough to stick out of the clouds like that.
I went to LTUE last year and really liked it. This symposium focuses on writing and publishing science fiction and fantasy (though I understand some romance writers have started attending, and I saw a few panels on that). There were 1500 attendees, many of whom were writers.
for LTUE (Life, the Universe, and Everything: Marion "Doc" Smith Science Fiction and Fantasy Symposium)
I flew down from Fairbanks, Alaska on Tues, Feb. 11th. On the way down, I saw Denali (Mt. McKinley) sticking out of the clouds. There is a vast mountain range surrounding it, but only Denali is tall enough to stick out of the clouds like that.
I went to LTUE last year and really liked it. This symposium focuses on writing and publishing science fiction and fantasy (though I understand some romance writers have started attending, and I saw a few panels on that). There were 1500 attendees, many of whom were writers.
On the way down, I had a layover in Anchorage and I stopped at the Silvergulch restaurant at the airport. I love trying new beers, so I tried a Blueberry Goose. It was smooth and mild with a hint of blueberries. I really liked it. Then I tried a Farmhouse 49, brewed with pepper and cloves. I thought that sounded interesting and tried to taste that in the beer. It tasted spicy but I liked the Blueberry better.
When I travel, I like to bring my traveling moose with me as companions, Sven and Svenga.
When I travel, I like to bring my traveling moose with me as companions, Sven and Svenga.
While in Provo, Utah, I got a chance to walk around some of the old neighborhoods I used to live when I went to Brigham Young University in the 80's. The weather was warm, in the 50's, and there was little snow. It's a beautiful city.
Just before the symposium, I got my first printed copies of the paperback edition of "The Gods of Garran," which is my first published novel.
I also had a dealer's table where I offered it for sale and did some signings. My sister, Lynette, and my niece, Larissa (who illustrated the book and might consider illustrating books for other authors at a reasonable rate: [email protected]) also sat the table.
I also had a dealer's table where I offered it for sale and did some signings. My sister, Lynette, and my niece, Larissa (who illustrated the book and might consider illustrating books for other authors at a reasonable rate: [email protected]) also sat the table.
On Friday night (Valentine's Day) I participated in the mass book signing with 79 other authors. Unfortunately, Orson Scott Card missed the first 2 days of the symposium, due to weather. David Farland was sick and didn't make it at all. But I met a lot of new authors.
Saw some good friends there. One was D.T. Read (a.k.a. Diann Thornley Read), author of Ganwold's Child, a military science fiction trilogy (available on Amazon).
She did a reading from her upcoming trilogy, Running from the Gods, the first book in a new young adult military space fantasy series, The Seventh Shaman.
GANWOLD'S CHILD. The son of a rebel hero becomes a bargaining chip in a galactic war.
"A very good first novel, in which a youngster plunges into a demanding military environment and is forced to find out just how good he is. This novel is exemplary for showing how the effective military mind really works--you'll find no romantic military nonsense here." Orson Scott Card
http://amzn.com/0812550951
She did a reading from her upcoming trilogy, Running from the Gods, the first book in a new young adult military space fantasy series, The Seventh Shaman.
GANWOLD'S CHILD. The son of a rebel hero becomes a bargaining chip in a galactic war.
"A very good first novel, in which a youngster plunges into a demanding military environment and is forced to find out just how good he is. This novel is exemplary for showing how the effective military mind really works--you'll find no romantic military nonsense here." Orson Scott Card
http://amzn.com/0812550951
Got to visit some other good friends while in Utah, like my friend from the University of Utah, Darci. We had brunch at Anna's in Salt Lake City before I left on Sunday.
I hope to get back to LTUE in the future, maybe next year, if all goes well. But there are many other conventions I'd also like to attend. Maybe I'll get to Westercon this July in Salt Lake City.