Home again.

[valis2]

Had some interesting adventures, as always, and had a good enough time as can be had, I think. Wasn't the greatest of shows, and the promoter got in my face (which was weird) about something I had no control over, but overall just another experience to file in the vault.

On Sunday I got up at 8 am, did the show, packed up, and drove nine hours to WI...got there at 5 am. Long day. Only slept two hours, because I still had so much to do on Monday. I haven't recovered quite yet.

Had one of the best Italian meals I've ever had, one of the best Thai meals I've ever had, and one of the best Mexican meals I've ever had, so that was nice. But I think I won't be back to Kansas, which makes me sad.

I need to write a new chapter, definitely. I have a few new thoughts which will enhance the story, I think.

I also met a published author and had a lovely conversation about books and the modern publishing industry. It was quite interesting.

I missed you all! Glad to be home, so very glad to be home.

Comments

[sylvadin.livejournal.com]

Shows? You do shows?

By any chance are you an arts&crafts merchant?

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Oh yes. I saw that you also do shows---it was one of the things (besides your wonderful stories) that I friended you because of.

That was the worst sentence structure ever...I'm so tired and out of it! sorry. Will be more with it tomorrow.

[sylvadin.livejournal.com]

What type of products do you merchant/create?

For me, it's currently cloaks and fabric pouches with a few mage robes and medieval costumes thrown in for good measure. In the past I've also done soft sculpture beasties and even handpainted T-shirts.

I do the whole production package - designing, sewing, merchanting, plus all the sundry overhead tasks needed when one runs a solo person business. I mostly vend at sci-fi/fantasy conventions, renfaires, SCA tourneys, and the occasional general arts&crafts fair.

Perhaps we could share a few in-the-field horror stories? You know, 'those' type of shows.

You mentioned a nasty show producer - brings to my mind the time I was set up next to one show's director. I had a brand new tent, the director had a small yappy dog...which liked to lift its leg... Ahhh, the stuff of such 'fond' memories...

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I usually sell at outdoor art fairs. I sell handmade items. I have done one small Renfest for several years, but I finally gave up when they began to demand that if you had an EZ up you had to cover the entire tent, inside and out, with concealing fabrics. I don't do enough Renfests to justify that sort of expense, and they were terribly organized, so I just gave up.

There are many war stories, aren't there? *grins*

[sylvadin.livejournal.com]

To be honest, by the time you finished concealing that EZup, you might have spent almost as much as if you had bought a small medieval style tent.

In my case, most of my outdoor events are either renfaires or SCA events so I went ahead and built my own medieval pavilion from scratch. Now that I think about it, I'll only be doing two shows this year where I'll be using my EZup.

Oh yes! War stories! For every show director that is personable, reasonable, and organized, there's three that are grumps, play politics, or let bedlam reign at their events. Over 15+ years I've become an expert at smiling through my teeth, always acting co-operative, and generally keeping a low profile. Unlike some merchants I've met (and 'fellow' merchants are a whole new volume of horror stories) I've worked hard to develop a reputation as being a merchant who always acts professional, is polite to everyone, and doesn't bitch about the difficulties that the director can't do anything about (like the weather).

May I ask what type of handmade items you create?

[privatemaladict.livejournal.com]

Welcome back! Seems ages since you've been around - you missed quite a kerfuffle! (Probably a good thing...)

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I missed a big kerfluffle?!! Aw! I'm sure I'll find it all once I begin the enormous task of friends?skip=2,642,634,727,784.

[privatemaladict.livejournal.com]

I honestly don't know how you keep up with your f-list when you go away so often. If I'm away from my comp for just a couple of days, it's already hard to catch up, and my f-list is much shorter than yours.

And yes, teh kerfuffle should be all over LJ - there are probably threads of it that are still going. (It was about Skeyhawke, and child pornography laws in Australia. Maybe you caught the beginning of it.)

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Oh, I saw the beginning of that wank just before I left. It achieved critical mass, eh? Wow.

[julian-black.livejournal.com]

Let's see--there was the Australian Kiddie Porn Laws Kerfluffle, but there was also the No More Songfics at the Pit of Voles Kerfluffle. The latter was particularly wanktastic...

[valis2.livejournal.com]

No more songfics?!! Hip hip hooray!! What a victory for quality fiction!

I also saw that one of the authors I normally read on fanfictionnet has some sort of little blurb about how she can't respond to reviewers in the author's notes anymore. I wonder what's that about.

[julian-black.livejournal.com]

Perhaps the Pit's policy is better phrased as "you can't quote lyrics to songs in your fics anymore, not even if you credit them." Or, "If you didn't write it, don't post it."

So one could still post Yet Another Evanescence "Bring Me to Life" Songfic, as long as it included none of the lyrics. However, most fanbrats seem to think that, "Liek, OMG, how are people going to know what the story means if I can't include the lyrics?"

Trying to explain basic copyright law to fanbrats, and why the music industry is organized to quash copyright infringement in ways that individual authors are not, is like pounding one's head against a wall. Lengthy, patient explanations of why including a disclaimer and giving credit for the lyrics does not cut it do not make it through thick fangirl skulls.

So, while I applaud the decision simply as a crap filter, I think it's going to take a while before most fanbrats finally "get it."

As for not being able to respond to reviewers in ANs, I hadn't heard anything about that. I will say that having to scroll through multiple responses at the beginning of each chapter annoys me to no end. The worst was one author who kept spoiling her own fic by answering reviewers' questions at the beginning of each chapter--"LOL!!! Yeah, you guessed right! [XXX] is really [YYY] in disguise!"

Writers who feel the need to explain their motivations, or include lots of background information in footnotes, provoke my ire, too. "Just shut the hell up and tell the story!" I inevitably yell. "If you've done your job as an author, I'll get it! Trust me!"

[reads back through post]

I am just so ranty lately, aren't I? Maybe Mexican food will help...

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I usually thank the reviewers by name and then cut to the chase. I don't like to read too much blather...especially if they're spoiling their own work, which I have seen just as you've described it.

I also am unimpressed with author's notes that babble about their cats, their muses, or their physical inspirations for their characters ("Dex Thunderhammer looks just like Justin Timberlake! Squee").

;) Enjoy tu comida deliciosa!

[aerynstales.livejournal.com]

Hello! You're back! Sounds like you had quite an adventure...and some tasty food. Been ages since I had Mexican...yum...

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I missed you! Hope the wedding plans are all on track. And the Mexican food was absolutely awesome, though the sangria wasn't as good as I'd hoped.

[aerynstales.livejournal.com]

Yes, all is on track...and the move begins May 14th! It's going to take 2 weekends (due to me needing to work that week in the middle). Heh.

Now I want Mexican...damn you woman! LOL!

BTW: Missed you too!

Huggles!

[kitschicat.livejournal.com]

Glad you are safely home. :) Miss you! We are probably going to be up at the Clarkston Union this weekend sometime in part to celebrate c0nsumer's birthday. Any chance you could meet us there? :D

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I would love to...the schedule is really, really full though, because I will be in Jackson nearly all day Saturday and I will be doing the Mother's Day thing on Sunday. Let me know what time is involved.

I almost called you on the way home...then I remembered you'd probably be working, and so I didn't. ;)

[julian-black.livejournal.com]

Welcome back!

I thought about you yesterday, while browsing the sale tables at my neighborhood bookstore--they had a book on Giant Squid, and yeah, I bowed to impulse and bought it.

Mmmm. Mexican food. I've been obsessed with it lately. I made a burrito foray last night, which proved disappointing. Living in a student ghetto means access to lots of cheap, mediocre food, and last nights specimen of carne asada was just not up to snuff. I'm going to have to go prowling again. Your account has made me hungry...

[valis2.livejournal.com]

w00t! Squid books! How awesome. I was at an exhibit about Pearls while I was in WI and they mentioned that nearly all cephalods can make pearls, including the Giant Squid...cool, eh?

[deepforestowl.livejournal.com]

welcome home!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

*hugs* Good to be back!

[aramintasnape.livejournal.com]

Glad you're back safely :)

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Oh, so am I! It's always a little scary driving the whole night through...I'm happy to be home in one piece.

[tsh9s.livejournal.com]

Welcome back! xxx

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Why thank you, dear! ;)

Love the icon.

[snapesforte.livejournal.com]

Have a slighlty late (it's been happening a lot lately) "welcome back!" from me.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Not late at all...I'm still attempting to (in a rather grumpy manner) figure out why Firefox & Trillian are not working properly, anyway.

Thanks for the welcome! *tries to hug* *ducks Stunner*

[morricone1900.livejournal.com]

Welcome Back!

Maybe I'll eventually see you online again now. :)

[valis2.livejournal.com]

When I'm out of town, there is no chat...sad, I know. ;)