We survived, and even had fun. We decamped to the lounge area outside and discussed earthquakes and disaster preparedness, and all sorts of other delectable topics - and then they, alas, had to leave so we bid one another a fond farewell and they're coming to visit us on Dec 15 anyway so more earthquake discussions to come. These are Good People.
Well, but this was it for the con, really. We hung out in our room for a while, and then decided to check out the Dead Dog Parties, if any - and, having found one, hung out there for a while before decamping to try out the restaurant after all for a light supper. This done, my back was starting to act up a bit so we eschewed further parties and retired to our room and eventually to early bed.
Monday, we rose to a damp and gray day, and ventured forth to experience the Portland Streetcar. We caught one to the Pearl District, and Powell's, and spent a happy while burrowed into bookshelves, coming out with some considerable loot - but first I signed about seven copies of the first Worldweavers book, and also some six copies of "Embers of Heaven" - folks, this book is a UK edition, only really available in the UK via the British Amazon, and the postage costs there can be pretty high, but now you have the opportunity of GETTING THEM FROM POWELLS, signed, and if you have anyone on your list who might enjoy the folow-up to "The Secrets of Jin Shei" but who was handicapped by living inthe US where the book hasn't been readily available - well - Christmas is coming, and the books are at Powells waiting for you, orderable online. They cost some $8 or so plus shipping, nothing to break the bank. You heard it here first.
We then caught the streetcar back to the main library, where I had a pleasant encounter with a couple of librarians and left a sheaf of bookmarks ("COOL!" one of the librarians said, "We often get asked for bookmarks but only have those boring old ones with the library rules to hand out - these are GREAT!") I discovered that the Multnomah library system has some ten copies of "Gift of the Unmage", and at the time of writing this report all but four of them were out and about being read. This pleases me.
I left
rdeck in the library while I braved the weather in search of more bookstores. One of them appeared to have vanished - the frontage was still there but the actual building was empty with "For lease" signs hanging in the windows - and then it really started to rain hard, and I somehow got turned around and lost and very wet, and only managed to find Borders by being literally pointed to it by several people. A verey nice young man in Borders apologised profusely because they "Appear to have sold out" all my books, informed me that he was going to have a word with their inventory department forthwith, accepted more bookmarks and a couple of signed bookplates for "Spellspam" when it hits their shelves (on February 26, I am informed, for your information) and was generally welcomed with warm fuzzies and an idea that these people might have an actual interest in selling and promoting my books.Back to the library to pick up
rdeck, and back to the hotel to await "joycemocha for a prearranged dinner date. She picked us up around 5 and took us to a restaurant with a WICKED dessert selection, leaving me declaring that I would like one of each, please, to go. Magnificent stuff. We talked of NASA and skiing and teaching and writing and cats and horses and children and snow and chocolate and of what Portland looked like a quarter of a century ago. This was a thoroughly nice evening in thoroughly nice company. Much, much appreciated!Back at the hotel.
rdeck is asleep. I will be shortly. Packing to do tomorrow, and then we're off to the station, grabbing a bite to eat at the restaurant close by which I spied on the way out when we got there on Thursday, and waiting for our train. Home by midnight. Look forward to fussing my cats.All in all, a thoroughly good con.
Good night, now. See you all on the other side.
