Confluence Day 2--Ho Hum.

Saturday at Confluence was kind of boring. Mainly because I only had one event that day and it was a signing. At 4pm. I didn't figure anyone would show and none of the early panels were interesting, so after getting up late I got a map and ran to IKEA, where I spent far too much money. I also ate out (even though the in-hotel restaurant and bar had good things on the menu--white chicken chile with artichokes!--and decent prices) at McDonalds because I wanted to eat light at the con. When I got back to the hotel I wandered around a little, then hit Larry Smith's and bought far, far too many books. Actually, I was raiding in order to replace some of the books I lost in the flood. I'd gone through those lost and decided which ones I'd replace and which ones I'd replace in paperback rather than hardcover, and which ones I just wouldn't bother with. I took the list with me. I ended up buying $120 in books. I also noticed Larry had sold another copy of my book. So that was 2 copies sold; twice my goal for the weekend!! Anyway, it was time for the signing so I ran up and got my materials (candy, magnets, display copies of the books) and set up. Wen Spencer and David Kirtley (a short story writer) were signing with me. Wen got almost all the attention of course. But someone, the person who bought Larry's copy of the book, showed up and had me sign it! I was stunned. She brought her sister and we chatted. She explained she had a large family all interested in SF and if she liked it she was sure they'd all buy it and at least one of them would pass the word on to all her SF friends and she was a heavy con-goer . . . so hopefully she likes the book. *grin* Word of mouth is so hard to get, because alot of SF readers don't pass on the titls of the books they like. Because of course they've moved on to another book.

After the signing, I had dinner with Sam Butler at the hotel, joined by an aspiring writer. It was a good dinner, but I discovered that I was out of my age group. They started comparing things to "the Road movies" and were laughing and guffawing and I was smiling, but in that way that indicates I have no idea what they're talking about and am just going along for the ride. They noticed. So they explained that the Road movies are these movies with Crosby and Bob Hope where they go to places like Morocco and Utopia and have misadventures with much hilarity and recurring characters and referring back to the previous Road movies.

Anyway, we ate, we drank, and then we went to Sam's Literary Beer in which 2 other people showed up (one of them the other author scheduled for the Beer at the same time) and after that I called it a night. Not that exciting. But most of my events were scheduled for Sunday, so I took the free day in stride and geared up for Day 3 . . . which I'll report on later.