How to WorldCon in Style - Part II

And today we continue with more WorldCon tips! If you missed the first set, it is a tragedy and you must be chased by rabid dogs through the street--or you can just read up on it here. Now, we'll continue with our program.

Tip #7 - If a publisher has a party...you GO. We met James Frenkel, Senior Editor at Tor, within seconds of walking into the party and we spent the next two hours chatting with him. We also met the very awesome and entertaining, Eddie Schneider, a literary agent at Jabberwocky. If you are looking for an agent and you haven't queried him...do it! He's fantastic.

Hanging out with agent Eddie Schneider and a
fun new friend with a PhD in Physics is definitely picture worthy.

Tip #8 - Although, it is very cool to attend the Masquerade. It's also okay to be fashionably late...especially if you wear some unbelievably awesome corsets. Also...if you ever need a corset, you should buy it from the freaktastic ladies of Damsel In This Dress. Michelle (the owner) is amazing and SO fun. Everyone should have a corset...this may even apply to men. I haven't seen one in a corset yet, so I'm reserving judgment.

Dude, need I say more?

Tip #9 - If you have done the work to get yourself into a corset(not an easy task, but totally worth it), wear it to as many balls, parties, local gas stations, etc. as possible. Because who doesn't like to feel this fancy?

Also, making the "Blue Steel" face from Zoolander = never a bad idea.

Tip #10 - Stop by Friday to learn of the amazing coolness that is the BWB (Brothers Without Banners) and why you REALLY need to know them.

McDonald's Giveth & McDonald's Taketh Away

Good ole' MickeyD's taught me a very good lesson about writing this week. I know what you're thinking...if we're learning writing lessons from a fast food restaurant, what's the world coming to?

Touche' my friends, touche'. Just let me tell my story, and then decide whether or not the lesson is worthwhile.

The other morning, I stopped by my local McDonald's for a fruit parfait. As Backpack from Dora would say, "Mmm mmm mmm Delicioso!" Or something multi-cultural like that.

As I pulled into the drive-thru. They did the customary greeting where they try to convince you to buy more food than you really need in an effort to make all of America more spherical. Usually, I can resist these pretty well. But on this day, it was snowy and cold...and they played to my weakness. The conversation went a little something like this.

MD's - "Welcome to McDonalds! Would you like to try a steaming cup of our gourmet hot chocolate today?"

me - *long pause while I dream of hot chocolate*

MD's - Um...can I help you?

me - Yes, actually, I would love a gourmet hot chocolate.

MD's - A hot chocolate?

me - Yes, and a fruit parfait. (I know, I'm a health nut...what can I say? ^ insert sarcasm here^)

MD's - What kind of hot chocolate did you say?

me - *long pause of utter confusion* Um... gourmet?

MD's - *long pause while they look up the definition of gourmet* I'm afraid we don't have any hot chocolate.

me - *whimpers* You don't? Why not?

MD's - I guess we're cleaning it or something.

me - *cries*


Yes, folks, that's how it went down. What can we learn from this excursion? We can learn that we shouldn't lead our readers to believe they will receive something and then never give it to them. We must meet the expectations we set for the reader. Otherwise we leave them crying and questioning the meaning of life in the McDonald's drive-thru... or, um... disappointed at the end of the book (assuming they finish it at all).

So? Was it a good lesson? Or am I just desperate to give meaning to my disheartening drive-thru experience.