Massive BronyCon Wrap-Up · 10:07pm Aug 7th, 2019
A few things before I start:
This is long. Like, 5,000 words long.
There are a lot of exclamation points in this. That’s because there were a lot of things I’m still very excited thinking about.
There’s a fair bit of ego tripping. I’m mentioning it because I normally try to be careful about that kind of stuff, but some of it was so exciting to me that I have to share it (see also: exclamation points.)
There are some parts in here where I rag on my husband because one or both of us had some Lost Time-Rainbow Dash type parenting snafus, but he was really the MVP for the weekend. He had Trixie almost morning to night every day, which was the plan, but he did it with (mostly) enthusiasm and good cheer.
There are several gaps in my timeline, and several things I know happened but can’t remember exactly when, and many, many people I saw in passing or signed autographs for who have slipped my mind. I hope this recap goes to explain how much was happening in my four days at the con, but if you feel slighted I’m so, so sorry. I know for a fact I was delighted to meet you because I literally did not meet a person at this con I wasn’t delighted to meet.
Two specific things which I think both occurred on Saturday (which was actually about 2 days packed in to 24 hours) were meeting Undome Tinwe to sign a book for Novel Idea, and Sharp Spark buying me a copy of Bad Horse's picture book. Thank you both: Undome for going out of his way to let me offer some love to a friend, and Sharp Spark for being so casually generous.
I also ran into the very busy Morning Sun a few times and got to chat a bit, and it's always lovely to see her. And I got to see RBDash47 a few times and spent most of it thanking him profusely for everything he's done. Maybe I could have been more interesting, but every time I saw him I was overwhelmed with gratitude.
Now, on with the con:
Wednesday
“I am _determined_ to be prepared for BronyCon to avoid disasters with Trixie or spending a ton of money last minute, so I am Twilight Sparkling this bitch, with lists on top of lists and schedules and research. So I was up until 3:30 scouring the schedule for events I didn't want to miss and didn't want Trixie to miss.
“Trixie did not get the memo and woke up at 5:30.”
-- bookplayer to GhostOfHeraclitus
In spite of that, I spent Wednesday shopping for food and snacks to have in the room (including fruits and veggies because I am a Responsible Parent!) and last minute prep stuff (also booze for Super Trampoline because I am also a Cool Mom?) I packed Trixie’s bags with multiple coordinated outfits for each day (in case of accidents) in their own bags! By Trixie’s bedtime I had some bags already in the car, and all I had left to do was pack my bag and do some stuff I needed her not around for.
...So she took two and a half hours to fall asleep. I finished packing and prep stuff at 4:30 AM. But no big deal, I just needed to be up at 7:00.
Thursday
The prep work paid off, and I got everyone up and out the door by 7:50! Right on schedule! Two and a half hours to Baltimore, with a stop for gas and another stop to run in a grocery store for milk and yogurt to stick in the prepared cooler (Responsible Parent!), should let me get there at around 11:30. My panel was at 1:15. It was a Thursday, so traffic on the Bay Bridge should be fine, and we’d be hitting Baltimore well after rush hour.
...there was a traffic jam outside of Cambridge, MD. There is never a traffic jam on the eastern shore. We don’t have enough cars for a traffic jam. They probably had to call some people in Annapolis to come down and have a traffic jam.
So, okay, I was sitting in traffic that doesn’t exist, when I got a text from BlazzingInferno and Epic Yarn, my fellow panelists who were flying in that morning. Their flight was an hour late, they should be landing at BWI at 11:30 rather than 10:30.
Our panel, once again, was at 1:15.
We cleared the traffic jam after about twenty minutes, and I mentally cut the grocery stop. We stopped for gas, and I grabbed some overpriced convenience store milk and yogurt and stuck them in the cooler.
I wondered if Georg and Pascoite were there yet, in case Blazzing and Yarn got delayed again, and texted Axis of Rotation to tell him that if all else failed, he was going to be on a panel about writing families and children, congrats-you’re-the-new-Rainbow Dash style.
We made it to Baltimore by 11:30, and after the normal three stooges routine of trying to get the stroller, kid, kid’s stuff, and random stuff we needed out of the car (we only locked and unlocked the car four times, and got halfway to the elevator before running back once!) we made it into the con, where the magic of being a panelist got me my badge by noon.
Blazzing and Yarn texted me that they landed on time and were on their way, so I looked at the map for Quills and Sofas where we were supposed to meet up… and it wasn’t there.
So I set out in the general direction of the things that are usually near Quills and Sofas, determined to find it or, at this point, possibly find some other room and refuse to leave, dubbing it Quills and Sofas henceforth.
Quills and Sofas was mashed in with Pastel Pastures (the artist room) which, fine, whatever. I was there. I texted Blazzing and Yarn to warn them as they got their badges, and we met up at our appointed meeting up time of an hour before the panel! Yay!
I also said hi to many people at this point, and I mostly have absolutely no idea who. I know I saw Trick Question, who gave me a copy of her book because it includes a TwiJack story I loved (thank you!,) and Admiral Biscuit, who had a replacement shirt for James (thank you as well!.) And I saw Sharp Spark and HazyHooves, because Sharp Spark looked adorable (I mean, Hazy looked fine too, but I love Spark's haircut.)
Elsewhere at the con: People were randomly showering my daughter with gifts, including a Trixie plush that sat in her stroller with her throughout the con, and frequently mistaking my husband for Dustykatt.
Blazzing and Yarn also had gifts for Trixie, a plush orca with a California sweater and a pony activity set, which was wonderful and thoughtful of them. <heart>
The Panel
Time to head over to the panel! It’s a writing track panel, early afternoon on the first day of the con. People were probably still checking into hotels and getting badges. No one was really going to be there, right?
Hahahahahahaha.
There was a line down the hallway. We stopped when we saw it, and I leaned over to Yarn and said “That’s for us,” and her eyes went wide.
We walked up to the door (“Are you here for the panel?” “Um, we are the panel.”) and got inside, and got ready.
The panel went great, in large part thanks to Yarn. You see, there are some people with a kind of magical ability that allows them to speak in public. Like, naturally, without awkwardly hesitating or trailing off because you realized at some point that thoughts and words are different things. In spite of sitting on panels at five of the six previous BronyCons, I do not have this ability, and with absolutely no offense to BlazzingInferno, I’m not sure he does either.
But Epic Yarn does possess this magic, which meant that I could wait until I my thoughts formed (or at least half formed) into sentences before I said things, and the panel felt smoother than any panel I’ve ever done. I might have preferred a little more practical writing advice, but everyone who brought it up to me seemed to enjoy it and took things from it, so SUCCESS!
And with that out of the way, I could enjoy the rest of the con.
More Thursday
Elsewhere at the con: Trixie was having a blast in the Crusader’s Clubhouse kids room, and at some point my husband got this picture to prove he is not, in fact, Dustykatt:
I think this is when I decided to wander down to the vendor hall, to take a look at this whole bookstore thing. There was a line for the vendor hall, but it was moving fast.
Once I found the bookstore, I learned two things. One (which I actually knew, but had totally forgotten) was that Ghost of Heraclitus had a collection there, and I had to have it.
The other was that the bookstore was really, really, really popular. There was a line blocking most of the other booths in the row and books were selling fast. Apparently everyone vastly underestimated foot traffic sales.
(Which I think is interesting. My theory: I think fanfiction is kind of the stepchild of fandom because of the time investment: it takes a few minutes to look through an artist's work, or a few hours to read one of our stories. But to buy a book, even with a line, only takes a few minutes. Who knows if it will get read. But I think the interest in fanfic is there just like it is for art and music, it's actually reading the story that turns a lot of people off.
Alternate theory: FiMfic has a ton of readers who aren't part of the community here, so people on and off the site forget about them in our calculations.)
Anyway, Sharp Spark was getting in line for her books, so I joined her. We got to about fifth or sixth in line when they decided they needed to move the line.
So we followed a staff guy off to the side, where we were standing in line in a random spot for seemingly nothing! You can't say writers don't appreciate symbolism.
We were retrieved from the line five or six at a time (except Sharp Spark agreed to stay behind and babysit the line) and got our books. I have my copy of Tales from the Civil Service now!
After that I somehow got roped into doing the hotel check in and luggage thing by myself (Trixie was still having fun in the Crusader's Clubhouse.) After some negotiating with the hotel and valet over a luggage cart I got everything up to the room! And it had a fridge! Except I left the cooler of milk and yogurt in the car!
I figured it was on ice, and would keep for a few more hours as long as we got it before bed, and Yarn and Blazzing texted me about dinner (in the midst of their own hotel saga) so we agreed to meet. Axis also texted me, and we agreed to merge our parties, so it was me, Yarn, Blazzing, Axis, SharpSpark, Hazy Hooves, equestria.sen, and Exuno.
Axis of Rotation's con special talent is arranging things, so we let him decide about dinner until he decided to take a vote. Then we rebelled and decided to just go to the raman place.
I sat with Sharp Spark because she mentioned her area of study and it reminded me of a point I had about Halt and Catch Fire, which I mentioned she should watch, but I now feel I didn't impress that strongly enough on her: seriously, Spark, if you're reading this, clear your weekend and watch it. We both like the same style of character focused drama, you will not be disappointed.
Ahem.
I also sat across from equestria.sen, who was a delight and asked my wisdom on life and how it's reflected in my writing. I said things that may or may not have been enlightening or made any sense. Then food came, and it was good.
After dinner, Axis, equestria.sen, and I headed to a panel: Fanfiction Foundations: Root Your Story in the World. It was good, but Wanderer D was on it, so that goes without saying.
Once the panel was over, I was going to hang out in Quills and Sofas… but I could not, because they were at capacity? This was annoying. Luckily I ran into Georg in the hall, and had a lovely conversation. It was briefly interrupted by Journcy saying hi (and promising he’d proofread the ending of Sun and Hearth if ever write it.)
Eventually it was interrupted for good when my husband texted me that Trixie had finally gotten fed up with this whole strange place/no mommy situation, and I hauled tail back to the hotel.
She calmed down within minutes of me getting there, and I got her in bed. I sent James out to have a smoke and grab a few things from the car, including the cooler. Trixie fell asleep, and I was drifting off when James got back.
He did not bring the cooler. So I went to sleep, gave up on the whole milk-and-yogurt thing, and figured we could buy some overpriced stuff from the cafe in the hotel or the Starbucks at the con (Responsible…? Parent.)
Friday
Apparently cons are a great way to wear out an energetic five-year-old, because Trixie slept until 9, which meant I also slept until 9! I didn't have much planned for that morning, so I wandered down to Quills and Sofas and saw Jake the Army Guy.
A long, long time ago, Jake and I had some catty shipping drama, but soon after that I met him at BronyCon and discovered he's an absolute sweetheart. Since we run in different circles on the site I've always looked forward to catching up with him at Quills and Sofas every year.
Which I did! Then we were immediately kicked out for some Pastel Pastures thing!
So we went and had a smoke and did our catching up, and gossiped about the con.
I left to meet James and Trixie at the vendor hall, where she had a little fit over an EqG doll that I should have just bought for her because he grandmother gave her money for exactly that occasion, but I thought she should look around more first and the whole thing happened fast. (I did take her back the next day and she got a playset, and I bought her the doll on Sunday.)
Anyway, then we went to the stage at the front of the vendor hall to see pony music and tesla coils, and ran into TheJediMasterEd and Willow Wren. We chatted a bit while I tried to keep Trixie occupied.
Once the act was set up and started, Trixie had a great time: Link because I'm lazy
Unfortunately, after a few songs the guys on stage started talking about how it all works, and Trixie has the attention span of… well… a hyperactive five-year-old. So we split.
She was also already getting worn out, the con was a lot of a lot for her, so James took her back to the room to jump on the bed and play with pony toys.
I got up with Axis, Hazy, and Exuno for lunch. Sharp Spark got caught up helping at the bookstore, and said she'd meet us there if we'd take her bags from Quills and Sofas for her. So I grabbed her purse and Axis carried her huge backpack, and we determined that being in college too long must make people forget what constitutes a reasonable number of books to carry around. But she did meet up with us, and we had a nice lunch.
I kind of puttered around and visited James and Trixie at the hotel until I got a text from Bad Horse (who had finally arrived at the con after the traditional Bad Horse BronyCon mishap) inviting me to join some folks for dinner. I spent some time in Quills and Sofas beforehand and found that Super Trampoline had arrived, and we arranged to meet up later so he could pick up his booze.
We went to Phillip's as a big crowd and ended up at different tables. I sat with Bad Horse, CoffeeMinion, and Moosetasm, and split a dish with Bad Horse because Phillip's is expensive.
Met up with Trampoline just as James texted that he was taking Trixie out for a stroll. We decided it was best if Trixie didn't see me, since then she might want me to stay and I had a panel I wanted to see, so of course Trampoline and I stepped off the elevator just as they were rounding the corner, and James had to duck down another hallway to avoid it.
But Trampoline got his drinks are was on his way, and I headed to the Hilton for a panel on Pony Fandom Drama by some folks at Horse News, where I met up with Axis.
I consider myself a fan of internet fandom drama in general (I can even give a full account of the exploits of Andy Blake/ThanFiction if you have an hour!) There were a few good things in the panel, but overall they were both unprepared and trying too hard. Internet drama of the proper magnitude should be relayed straight, so people can fully appreciate the levels of absurdity it builds to.
But after the panel, Axis and I found a spot and talked for a long time one on one, which is always great and probably one of the few things I regret not doing more of at the con.
It was after midnight when we wandered back to the hotel...
Luckily this meant I was still awake when Trixie rolled over and threw up in bed at 2:30 am!
She was fine, but her father had decided that she could live on chips, graham crackers, peanut butter cookies, and lemonade for the whole day. Thank goodness she went right back to sleep, and we got new sheets from the hotel and got things cleaned up easily.
Saturday (The Best Day of the Best Con Ever)
Trixie slept late (until 9-ish) again but woke up ready to go, feeling fine. I also got to sleep until 9, and after letting James get some time to smoke, making him promise to get Trixie real food, and getting ready, I was off to the RCL Best Fanfic in Fandom panel!
I was ready to have a bad day!
See, when the thread came out announcing this panel and calling for submissions, I might have had a mini breakdown to Ghost. I might have whined that once again Whom the Princesses Would Destroy was one of the first fics nominated (rightfully so!) and that no one was gonna nominate me because I had never written anything worth calling one of the “best fics in fandom,” because I write weird stories about magical ponies dealing with mundane emotional issues. I might be over-invested in my fanfic about talking candy-colored horses.
So I might have gone into this panel expecting to leave with at least a wistful sigh and some questions about what I had been doing with my life. But I was curious, and had to root for Ghost, and the RCL are good guys so it promised to be largely tongue in cheek.
...I might have been a little wrong.
Because when the 16 finalists were announced, Lost Time was up there. (So was Whom the Princesses… some things are obvious.)
To say I was surprised would be an understatement. I was on top of the world, my life had meaning, and I was once again way over-invested in my fanfic about talking candy-colored horses! But happily this time!
Present Perfect gave a lovely explanation for its inclusion, and it made it through the first round of voting! It even lost to the eventual winner!
(Ghost went down in the first round to Skywriter's Princess Celestia Hates Tea. Don't worry, he's sworn vengeance.)
It really was one of those situations where just being nominated was an honor I never expected. I'm still thrilled just thinking about it. Did you guys know I can write stuff people like sometimes?
Too bad I'm still gonna finish Sun and Hearth.
And that was before I even got coffee!
Elsewhere at the con: Trixie and James encountered a group watching the latest episode on a projector. Trixie was interested (Pinkie and Cheese Sandwich! Her faves!) and the guys scooted right over to let her stroller in. I love this fandom.
I wanted to see the VA script reading because Horizon, Skywriter, and Mono wrote it, and fanfic has to represent. But I only had 45 minutes, and lines this con had been crazy, and there were VAs involved, and I was not standing in a 45 minute line without coffee.
So I met up with James and we got coffee and some milk for Trixie (Responsible Parent!) and I got a text from Axis asking if I was coming to the script reading.
I told him I'd take a look.
Which I did, and they said they were at capacity, and were turning people away from the line. Which I related to Axis.
Then he got me in through the Magic of Friendship (by which I mean he suggested I walk into the registration room and merge with the line when no one was looking. Look, the Magic of Friendship works in mysterious ways.)
So I got to see the script reading! Axis saved me a seat with Ed and Bad Horse and Willow Wren.
The script was good! The voice actors were good! All was good.
Afterwards we all went to lunch. Conversation with Ed and Bad Horse is always great, and this was no exception.
When lunch was over...
I’m not entirely sure when this happened, but I’m pretty sure it was Saturday, so I’ll put it here. At some point I went outside for a smoke and met Sparknanator, who had written a few fics. We got to talking about fics we hadn’t abandoned, really, we’d just spent several years replenishing our creative juices. I mentioned I had a fic with two scenes left to write, like two days of work, and I had been sitting on it for months. From there the following happened:
Sparknanator: What fic?
Me: It’s called Sun and Hearth.
Sparknanator: That’s why I know your name! Finish it! Finish it!
Me: I will!
...so I guess there might be some people who want me to finish this fic?
After (maybe?) that and… some other things…? I met up with James and Trixie at the Crusader’s Clubhouse for Rocking Out with Sunset Shimmer.
It. Was. Adorable. Rebecca Shoichet was adorable with the little kids, and Trixie had a great time dancing and running around with ten or twelve other little girls to pony songs. They had ribbon dancer sticks, and when Trixie was having trouble with hers another little girl made her one out of popsicle sticks and ribbon scraps.
After they were done, Trixie and I had a little misunderstanding (I was trying to let her know I had to leave, but she thought I was telling her she had to leave.) She threw a little temper tantrum, so we had to get her out of there (she was really tired anyway.) But she calmed down quickly, got a hot dog, and she and James went back to the room to rest up.
I had to meet up for the Writer’s Dinner, where I sat with Bad Horse, Ed, Present Perfect, Freglz, and another guy whose name I didn’t catch.
It was loud. I couldn’t hear anything, so I smiled and nodded and looked for our food. I apologize if anyone thought I was bored, I wasn’t, I just couldn’t actually hear you and didn’t want to keep asking you to repeat yourself (since I probably wouldn’t hear that either.) I did get to hear and drink to Shakespearicles’s toast to the perseverance of the fanfic community, which was great. I also got to tell Wanderer D that I don't think he's scary anymore.
The dinner took a long time, but the next panel I wanted to see wasn’t until 12:30, so I headed to Quills and Sofas, but on the way I ran into Stellar Wind.
I'm not sure how to talk about this one, but I don't want to leave it out.
One of the fastest ways to become one of my best friends is to talk to me about my own stories. It doesn't even need to be complementary, just… informed. Like you actually remember things about stories I wrote. Like I actually made an impression. (This is not a requirement for reading my stories. As long as you enjoy them, I feel I did my job.)
Anyway, the feeling is less "I am a great and powerful horsefamous writer," and much more "senpai noticed me!" But in this case senpai is… the audience. The people I write for.
Stellar Wind had been trying to get up with me all weekend to get me to sign his book and chat, and thanks to his persistence it finally happened. He found me, and we stepped outside to talk.
And, you guys, he knew my writing! Like, lots of it! Blogs and stories! He had favorite quotes!
And he also had the magical power of talking, so we had a great conversation about many things, including his writing, AppleDashLight (and bats' fic Room for One More), defending Rarity (we both agree she’s great, but he ran into someone who didn’t(?!)), how too much RariJack shipping fuel in episodes ruins the comedy of the duo, etc. He is an awesome guy, and a ton of fun to talk to.
And in addition to a copy of Lost Time, he asked me to sign a RatOfDrawn print of AJ and Dash that he'd gotten in the dealer room, and also had signed by Rat and Callisto.
Which meant that Callisto was at the con! I had no idea! Callisto wrote Chocolate Covered Grapes, a fantastic AppleDash fic. I knew she was married to RatOfDrawn, and he was an artist who did conventions, but they live out on the west coast and in all my con going I'd never met her. Clearly before I left on Sunday I would need to fix that.
We parted ways when it was time for a panel: It's In Our Hooves Now: The Importance of Fanfic After the Series Ends. Because I needed to feel more important at this point. It was fun, Pen Stroke was razzed mercilessly, and Shakespearicles gave another version of the toast he gave at the writer's dinner.
Then I needed to get back to my room, and in one final tiny victory for the night, I got to the convention center doors, and it was raining.
...and in all of my over-packing, I had brought a rain poncho! And even had it in my purse!
In all honesty, it wasn't raining that hard and the skywalk to the hotel is only a block long, I would have been fine. But you better believe I wore the hell out of that rain poncho.
Sunday
Sunday was comparatively light. We had to check out of the hotel by 11, which meant my time at the con would have a deadline of "when Trixie starts to get tired" (since we had no hotel room for her to chill in.)
I headed straight to the vendor hall to find Callisto, which I did! I told her Chocolate Covered Grapes is still an awesome fic (which it is.)
I also stopped by the booth of Seaquestria Con, a tiny con trying to start up in Ocean City, MD, which is just around the corner from me. I will probably find out if I can be of some assistance there (and later spoke to Distaff Pope, who is also interested,) so they might have the beginnings of a writing track of some kind. Stay tuned (and let me know if this jumps out at you.)
Then I went to Quills and Sofas and said goodbye to many people, often in supremely awkward ways. Skywriter and I managed to mess up a hoofbump/handshake, and settled for a hug. I had to apologize to Thought Prism for thinking he was someone else all con. I had to follow Axis to where he was meeting up with Bad Horse to get to say goodbye, and then wait for Bad Horse to show up.
I most especially had to say goodbye to Applejinx. See, Applejinx invited me to be a panelist at the first BronyCon in Baltimore, when I'd been in fandom less than a year and was only vaguely considering checking out the con. He also formed Quills and Sofas that same year, and was a constant presence there through the years. I've made lots of friends at BronyCon, and cemented friendships I started on the site, and I can't help but credit Applejinx with making me feel like I had a place there from the start.
So I definitely teared up saying goodbye.
Then we got coffee and went home. And Trixie didn't fall asleep until almost 1 AM.
I know I forgot people and things. As I write this, I'm remembering "oh yeah, that's where I saw Icy Shake! Oh yeah, Zyrian was there! I'm pretty sure I sat with NikitaKitten at that panel." This always happens at cons, and it makes these posts awkward because these types of random meetings are the kind of things that make the con experience awesome, and it feels like a slight to the people who made up that experience. I am really, really sorry.
But even more than most, this con was an amazing experience for me. I got to see Trixie have a blast, and see the fandom I love welcome her. I got a sense of… security of my place in the community that I'm chronically short on (especially these days, without the time to be constantly involved.) I got to meet and reconnect with my old fanfic heroes, many of whom are now my friends, and meet people who saw me the same way (and hopefully see me as a friend now!)
But more than anything, I got a reminder that I'm not done yet. Time to get back to work.
Such a wonderful long post deserves a short theme song.
(You were within a few feet of my wife, the science fanatic, at the Tesla coil music thing, fyi)
Also, I recorded the whole "One" panel. My arms about died. I still have sore muscles.
I'm not convinced. Looks shopped.
In any case, it was very nice to see you and meet Trixie. Glad to hear you enjoyed the RCL panel and the con in general.
And seriously, do finish Sun and Hearth. Between that and Time Enough for Love, all we need is a Celestia/Pansy fic to complete the trilogy.
Darn... I saw your neck at the RCL-panel, but I never got around to say hi.
Well, I'm, glad you enjoyed your time at Bronycon and It was cool to be in the same room as you.
Editing as I read:
>Not Dustykatt = Mind blown
I was staff?
B-but I paid for my hotel room!
Aww. Makin' me blush.
My street cred! Noooo....
It was fun to see you, Bookie, although we didn't chat much :) I hope we meet in other cons!
5101720
I have zero memory of it being you, even with you having said this. I feel like I would have bothered you more, but maybe you were all busy and stuff.
5101727 NP
I was wearing a purple shirt though and grew a beard since you saw me last, so maybe that's why it was confusing.
For the record, I met up with you to get the signature for Novel's book on Friday.
On Saturday, I realized that in the rush of Bronycon, I had forgotten to tell you that I myself was also a fan of your works, and not just trying to find you for Novel's sake. I told this to RBDash47, who very kindly dragged you over to me at QnS so that I could quickly gush over Lost Time and Best Young Flyer for a bit before the con chaos sent everyone to the four corners of the convention center once again.
Glad you enjoyed the convention, and Trixie was super adorable with her dirt flinging while you were trying to get the book signed.
This was a good recap!
Yours was the only book I bought
Thanks for signing it! Both then and when we were on the same table in Quills & Sofas the day before events conspired to drag me off within a couple of minutes, so I hardly got to speak with you. Otherwise I'd have pointed out that, as well as Lost Time, I thought You Can't Always Get What You Want was a wonderful story, with the best-written Zecora I remember ever seeing, and one of the best Sunsets too. I liked What Did You Call Me? as well 
Glad I got to tell you how much I enjoyed your blogs, though, and how sorely more were needed!
Have you noticed the glitch in your book yet?
The corrected second edition is live on Lulu now...
Awwww. I know I was running around at the time, not even staff anymore, but still up to stuff: you were the first writer to sign the Quills And Sofas Shrine Donation, one of my shirts worn while running that room. I badly wanted to get that happening but didn't want to miss you before you left. Thankfully it all worked out.
Awwww again… you know there were other people who helped Q&S happen, not least all the writers who embraced it, but also more than one Bronycon staff pony, both at the time and over the years. I will admit that I fought for it and the vision of what it meant, and that it mattered.
I'm up to my old tricks (and my old Trixie) and you'll be hearing more shortly. Plus stay tuned for quite a few 'but wait, one more thing' type things. But that is for another day… suffice to say, if you think I invented Quills and Sofas and you liked it, I got a few more tricks planned, to be done the same way.
…with love and ponies and a lot of wonderful help… that WILL go appreciated, because I will always make sure folks know it's not just me.
Now tell me again about all the wonderful things I did
This really sums up my experience, too. :D
Seconded. There were so many people who just had such style!
Agreed on Epic Yarn, too. She's a natural rock star. :D And I assumed Blazzing was wisely deferring to the two of you on most things, though when he spoke, he was just as informative as the two of y'all.
I had no idea they had musical tesla coils there! :O That's so cool! I also had no idea Exuno was there, I'd have liked to meet them!
Oh boy. XD
Aw, I was afraid that might have been the case. D: I hope I was not a poor seatmate otherwise.
It was so great seeing you. :D I remember the first year I saw you at Bronycon, I thought you were a little crazy. Now I know you're just crazy enough, and that's perfect. :)
But surely you heard me pounding the table and ranting about James Joyce! I was so loud and obnoxious I shocked an Australian.
(Which I feel partly bad about, and partly ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED!)
Aww, thanks bookplayer! I had an absolute blast talking with you at the con. It was a pleasure after years of reading your work to meet you and say thanks! Plus, I'm really glad you were able to meet up with Callisto.
Glad that you and your family had fun.
These blogs are always so much fun to read, especially when one makes an appearance
If I took absolutely nothing else away from the Best Fic Ever panel (which was most certainly not the case), I now know just how much I need to read TEL. "Better than Lost Time" is a tall order to meet. (My one bookstore regret is that I picked up Lost Time when they had only paperbacks in stock, would've loved the hardcover.)
Anyway I'm glad I ran into you; wouldn't have been BronyCon without at least saying hi. And doubly glad that Trixie had a good time at the con! Those are gonna be great pictures twenty years from now
I never can appropriately telegraph my greeting gestures and it is always awkward, 100% of the tune. Glad to get a chance to see you again, however briefly.
And I'm as surprised as anyone that the stupid Tea fic made it out of round one. No vengeance required.
I was so glad to get to spend some time with you again this year! It’s always such a pleasure.
Thanks for handling my admittedly awful backpack - if there weren’t so many authors writing books that I want, we wouldn’t have these problems, so I blame our annoyingly talented community.
And also, I will make a point to put Halt and Catch Fire at the top of my to-watch list. And maybe bug you when I’ve had a chance to watch some and have thoughts!
I’m seriously blushing! You’re too sweet! I absolutely loved doing the panel with you and would gladly do another. My only regret that weekend was we didn’t get to hang out more, but considering the busyness of the place, I’m not surprised. Hope we get to meet up again soon!
It was a pleasure to meet you in person and an honor to be on the same panel!
I do not (well maybe a little when I'm more rested), although 5101760 is right that I happily deferred to you and Yarn's excellent back-and-forth; my default mode is to listen rather than speak
.
Wow there were so many familiar names that I didn't even know were there! Curses.
Likewise, although I seem to have fallen into the trap of reading BronyCon recaps instead
. I stand ready and willing to pre-read the rest of Sun and Hearth. I'd also totally buy a Sun and Hearth/Respect and Respectability/The Spirit of a Pegasus combo in hardback, should the possibility of such a thing ever arise.
5101747
What's funny is that the first time I read it I didn't notice it, because I started from Rainbow's crash. Then you said something, and I figured it had to be chapter 1, then just a minute ago I went to scan the text of that scene for examples for a blog post I'm writing and... yup, there it is.
5101716
I'm so sorry! I would have loved to meet you.
5101730
I bet it was the purple shirt. I think I'm conditioned to see "purple shirt + telling me where to go = con staff." If there was going to be another BronyCon, I would totally suggest we all get purple polo shirts and see if we can randomly move lines around all over the con.
5101733
Yes! That was so sweet of you!
5101744
I would have loved the chance to talk to you more, and I actually have at least one new blog post on the way.
5101758
I know it wasn't just you, there were almost always wonderful people staffing Quills and Sofas, and I do appreciate them!
5101760
You were not, and I truly wish we'd had the chance to talk more!
Aww, thank you! You came across almost painfully normal, but I'm pretty sure now that you're crazy enough, too. :)
5101952
Do that! Feel free to bug me as you're watching it, if you want. It has the best character development of any show ever, so hearing thoughts along the way is super fun. I will be careful with spoilers, promise!
5101975
I hope so too! You guys are awesome.
5101993
This is a thing that might happen, if only because I really want one. Though I'm not sure whether to bundle those, or wait until I finish my two more planned founding-era fics (one that deals with Cookie and Puddinghead, and one about the start of Clover and Starswirl's romance and the crowning of the princesses.)
5102522
Yeeeeeessss!
5102522
Is it bad that I would rather be painfully normal than annoying? c.c;
5101790
Dear God, man! uh, horse!
5102522
No no no please, don't be! It was me that didn't find you rather than you that was unapproachable! It was still pretty awesome just to be in the same room!
5102522 New blogs sound great! Which of your stories would you recommend reading next, having come from Lost Time?
oh no, how can I compete in haircuts?
5102805
That depends on why you enjoyed it! If you were interested in:
Quippy AppleDash slice of life: The AppleDash Project
AppleDash drama: Wet Feathers
Mane six shipping romantic drama in an unusual context: The Homesteading
Romantic drama in a really unusual context: The Spirit of a Pegasus
Reading another really good bookplayer fic: also probably The Spirit of a Pegasus
Instantly being one of my best friends: Sun and Hearth (then tell me I need to finish it; I have two scenes left to write.)
Hope that helps!
5101918
PRINCE CELESTIA HATES TEA IS A CLASSIC
SHOW SOME RESPECT
I WILL FIGHT YOU OVER THIS, YOU DAMN SNOT-NOSED KID
BTW, I really wanted to hear your writing-about-family panel. Have you got slides?
Yah, that terrified me haha. "Um, families are people you yell at a lot...but also you'd die for them? That's all I got."
Actually, I'd be nothing without Hazeyhooves. I didn't make a single decision for any plan without consulting him: every lunch, dinner and escape room. He and I arrange together!
Good crab cakes if I remember correctly.
Ohh nooo
...What's wrong with that? That's a perfect diet.
Hopefully with a Celestia story.
Seriously, trying to get some of the authors around here to write a Celestia story (or finish one cough cough) is like pulling teeth out of Mt. Rushmore.
Because you're a sillyhead.
YEEEESSSSSS.
5102931
You compete (and win) in hats!
5103182
We do not, we were nowhere near that organized. And while I could write a blogpost, so much of it came from Yarn that it would be an incomplete experience. But maybe I'll look at our outline and try to write something up, and run it by Blazzing and Yarn to see if I can come up with a short version/summary.
I'm in the same boat as forbloodysummer, where I didn't get to talk to you for very long, but it was a real pleasure bumping into you at Quills and Sofas
5103076 Ooh, thanks, that's helpful
I think the thing that sold Lost Time for me was that it was a shipping story with a very, very strong plot hook. Everyone's done 'two ponies get together,' but the idea of Rainbow waking up and suddenly being married with foals, and having to rush through the mental journey of how she got from there to here, that was a fascinating premise. Your blogs gave the impression you'd be pretty damn good at writing romance, and had put more thought into it than most, so I looked through your stories and that was the one that stood out instantly.
I will get my own Bronycon recap blog done, and then I'll look into some of those you mentioned
5103222 Ordinarily I think my boat is a good one to be in, but in this instance maybe we should have transferred to the Speak To bookplayer More ferry
This is hilarious to me because Rat and I are actually friends, because we are both huge love live nerds. I had no idea his wife was a fanfic writer, lol!
Yes, it was enlightening, and I don't say that lightly. To paraphrase: "You're probably not going to make the right decisions, but it's important that you make them anyway. Every decision reflects the hopes and sacrifices of the [pony] making it."