Fresh from swancon 2008 in beautiful Perth, Western Australia, we have RandomAlex keeping us company tonight and talking about sci fi conventions, winning awards, the appeal of sci fi, favourite gourmet icecream flavours, the mighty Last Short Story project now in its 2nd year of reading all the short stories…



for swancon program ^{clicky clicky} on the logo:


LSS Disclaimer: yes, if your spec fic story was published in the last year and you received payment for it … we probably read it.

Not even Spin the Bottle in Worlds of Wonder? No, on second thoughts, don’t answer that: I don’t want to know.

But just in case we need to bribe you, would you prefer cinnamon or gingerbread icecream?

What if it’s cinnamon with baked fig swirled through? I haven’t seen that written on the specials board yet but i’m looking … and have you tried the licorice as Dr Tansy recommended?

Damn, can’t access that link at the moment but A Photo of the Last Short Story crew minus Tansy Rayner Roberts sadly … I was most impressed at 4 of you being in the one spot. I know you met TRR at the melbourne convention last year but I can’t remember if you’d met the others.


lastshortstory.livejournal.com

I probably do. Got to give credit to the Tech Ops guys; their block works really well.

Ben, Alisa, Jonathan & Alex – Cat Sparks

And you won an award! Details, please. Including who took the actual thing home.

Congratulations … will it share a shelf with your award for Best Peasant?

Highlight of swancon, besides a trip to the other side of the country?

For a little while now, think of Arnie, and then I’ll fill the gaps…

(and for those plebs out there: “I’ll be back”)

So… come on! Ask away.

I will say one thing: Perth water is gross.

That’s why you drink bubbly.

what was the silliest costume? were there any fluffy animal costumes outside the masquerade? do you have the convention bug or will 2 be enough for a while? how many back issues of magazines did you bring home? any girly fan moments? any disappointments besides the water quality?

are we anticipating the third Mummy movie or Indiana Jones 4 more? My vote goes to the Mummy despite a different leading lady. I know Indy will be great (it’s Indy with Cate) but there’s just something about the other one. It could actually be the romance aspect.

Silliest costume: well, only two people I think wore anything costumeish outside the masquerade (goths don’t count): one woman with bunny ears, another with horns on a headband. No, wait – a couple of people did dress up as Dr Who types.

The next national Con is in Adelaide, and I’m already basically booked for a panel… Melbourne is meant to be getting the world con in 2010! I’m very excited.

Got four back issues of Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Mag – very nice. Couple of fangirl moments: Sean Williams DJing at my room party; meeting Marianne de Pierres (her Dark Space is bloody awesome!); Dirk Flinthart is very cool… and Jonathan Strahan, who edited my favourite anthology from last year!

I think Indy will be better. I’m not sure I can do Mummy without Rachel W.

that’s the thing i noticed at the Discworld Convention (my first and so far only) that some of the people in costume couldn’t quite pull off wearing a cloak in public. Got to have the shoulders back and stride so the hem swirls nicely … of course, not so easy when there’s chairs and lots of people in the way. But the woman in the Death of Rats outfit, oh my!

tips for attending conventions? besides take water, and maybe a cushion?

And is Dirk Flintheart really his name? If so, I am jealous.

Of course you can do Mummy ... there’s John Hannah. Archaeology. Curses. Maybe a sword fight.

No – Dirk is his nomme de plume. And very appropriate it is, too!

yes, I like the idea of another Mummy movie – but it won’t be Egypt! But Brendan Fraser… there’s an incentive.