Someone asked me recently how many conventions I had been to. And sadly the answer to that is so many that I have no idea.  I’ve been to at least one a year for the past few years and probably as many as three a year in some cases.  What I love about them is the great sense of energy—talking to authors (which I have much to comment on later) and catching up with people you haven’t seen in months and especially the people you’ve yet to meet. I think this year was more fun than other years for a host of reasons. First, I had not one, but two parties that I was invited to. YEAH ME!!!  Beat that! Um. Well, one of them was the Orbit party we hosted, so I guess I can’t, in good conscience count that. And the other was my author Gail Carriger’s launch party for Soulless and I guess I had to be invited – being her editor and all. . . But on to the news from WFC! 

First, I learned many things. The foremost of which can be distilled down to four words: Authors talk…about editors.  WHOA!!! I had no idea.  I guess they talk about other things as well, but let’s focus on me…I mean, what I’ve learned.  First, they get together in a secret cabal and they hang out together in large groups where they discuss their respective editors.  WHO KNEW ABOUT THIS AND DIDN’T TELL ME????  That‘s what I want to know.

So, because of this top secret thing that authors do, I have invented two secret weapons. And I want you know that I have both of them on hand for everyone’s authors. I have no problem helping out my fellow editors. So #1 item to buy your editor for Christmas? Well, I can’t tell you that – I can reveal that it is very small and can listen in on all your conversations. ANYWHERE. So, supposedly there is this to help you against evil editors (like me), but be warned. We know where you write.  ALL OF YOU. My second item is also very popular and has to do with force fields. So if you (an author) get too close – i.e. talking distance of another author: POOF and on it goes, leaving both you talking in a vacuum and unable to communicate with each other. It is all part of my awesome plan to divide and conquer. Genius…It comes in many forms.

At this point, I’m guessing that most of you don’t want me to keep on my mad scientist hat and would like to know what actually happened at World Fantasy. I have one word for you: Drinking.  Yes. That was the theme this year at WFC. As it was last year, and the year before and the year before that.  After a long and arduous trip flying out of New York and into San Jose, we arrived mostly in one piece and ready to wine and dine. Orbit was there in full force, which was lovely to see: DongWon Song (Associate Editor), Tim Holman (Publisher), Alex Lencicki (Publicity and Marketing Director), Jack Womack (Publicity Manger) and ME (Really, at this point, do I need an intro? But for you plebians, Devi Pillai, Senior Editor).

 I had a lovely meeting with Sally Harding of the Cooke Agency who is the agent for Jesse Bullington and A. Lee Martinez, both of whom Orbit publishes and the former of whom was at our party later that night at the Loft Bar and Bistro.  I also chatted briefly with Jo Fletcher, the luminous Editorial Director of Gollancz and talked about authors over the pond as well as here.

Our party was smashing, crowded enough that it looked HUGE, I mean, a respectable size, but not such a crush that you got claustrophobic and left after a minute of looking in through the door.  We had a smashing time and we introduced a lot of our new authors (some new to Orbit and some just plain new) to our fellow WFC conventioneers: Jesse Bullington, Robert Jackson Bennett, Gail Carriger, Amanda Downum, Greg Bear, Jon Courtney Grimwood, Terry deHart, Seanan McGuire, Kim Stanley Robinson, Kate Elliott, N. K. Jemisin, Brent Weeks.

Saturday, I had a lovely breakfast of Huevos Rancheros that our waiter recommended – AMAZING.  And then it was a busy day full of meetings. Among them, Laurie McLean at the Larsen-Pomada Agency where we chatted briefly about Jennifer Rardin and her next projects as well as new authors.  We chatted with Kate McKean at the Howard Morhaim Agency about zombies!

And then, we had afternoon tea with Jon Courtenay Grimwood. It was absolutely lovely and we adored the tea cosies and chatted about life, books, mostly, TEA!!! We also had a lovely time discussing the future – and the past of publishing with Jon Parker and John Berlyne at the Zeno Agency. We also met with the lovely Liza at Locus and discussed the fate of the mass market as well as e-books.  We then had a lovely dinner with the amazing (by Amazing, I mean, New York Times Amazing) writer of The Way of Shadows, Mr. Brent Weeks and his lovely wife Kristi.  The conversation centered around monkeys throwing poo and pork pies. Both of which were NOT related.

And then, we went to Gail Carriger’s amazing party for her launch of Soulless. It was fabulous. And she was lovely enough to remember my obsession (sad as it was) WITH CHEESE!! Now, the highlight of this party – which was busy from the second it opened (authors heard about food – and the rest, as we say, is history….)  — I GOT CARDED. Yes. Me!!! I asked the bartender, REALLY??? in an incredulous voice, to which the Armenian Lover #1 (or so Gail calls him) said, YES, in a very stern voice. I was so happy I almost did a back flip and dug through for my wallet and called everyone to tell them I got carded. Really, the best thing EVER to happen to me at a convention. It almost made me shed a tear of joy!!!  It’s all about the Indian genes people…

And then, there was the bar. Full of drinking, more drinking and drinking. Joining the Orbit team in copious amounts of alcohol (sorry, I meant, joining us for a drink!!!): Amanda Downum and her husband, Jesse Bullington with his friend Molly, Robert Jackson Bennett and his wife Ashley, Brent Weeks with his wife Kristi, Blake Charlton, Myke Cole, Kate McKean, Peter Brett. I believe the evening can be summed up by this tweet.   Many things happened, most of which I’m sure will be up on YouTube very very soon….

Sunday was a quiet breakfast with Gail Carriger, gushing about the party the night before and about book #3 which she just turned in, BLAMELESS.  Oh yeah. Can’t wait for that can you??? Then the long flight to…bed.

Devi