Cool stuff...

Don't know if I mentioned this earlier but thanks to dear friend and awesome sci-fi romance writer, Linnea Sinclair, I've been invited to attend and participate in Archon 31, which also happens to be hosting the North American Science Fiction Convention (9th NASFIC) since Worldcon is in Japan next year. So, yeah, I got the list of other attendees today, and I'm a little terrified. There are some BIG sci-fi names going to be at this convention. Frederik Pohl. Jacqueline Lichtenberg. Barbara Hambly! Can anybody say, "EEEK!" I've only been to one sci-fi convention before (WindyCon, a long time ago) and found myself amazed and more than a little intimidated as I was majorly out-geeked, something that has not often occurred in my lifetime (except around my friend and MOATT, Ed). : ) So, I think this one is going to be even more nerve-wracking than RT. Much as I'm loath to admit it, I didn't read much pure sci-fi stuff when I was younger. Ever, actually. I watched Star Wars and Star Trek and read bunches of novels set in those universes. Most of my other reading leaned toward the paranormal. Ghosts, witches, earth-based stuff. However, I'm hoping it will be okay because Linnea will be there and she watches out for me, keeping my feet firmly on the ground instead of halfway down my throat. And Laurell K. Hamilton will be there, too. Yea for familiar faces, people I know!!! It's weird, too, because I'm used to RT where I might not know people, but I know names or book titles or even characters. Not this time...

I am, however, pleased to note that this convention breathes life into one of my favorite fantasies. The one where I get to attend as an author (possibly a speaker, the fantasy varies) and I get to meet my very favorite television/movie sci-fi stars, writers, and producers. Such as the following, in no particular order:
George Lucas (Star Wars)
Wil Wheaton (Stand by Me, TNG, and WilWheaton.net)
Patrick Stewart (Two for one! "Captain Picard" on TNG and Dr. Charles Xavier in X-Men)
Jonathan Frakes (Another two for one! He was a producer for Roswell and played "Commander Riker" on TNG)
Jason Behr ("Max" on Roswell)
*Brandon Routh ("Superman" in Superman Returns)
Richard Dean Anderson ("O'Neill" on SG-1)
Bryan Singer (X-Men, Superman Returns, and House)
Ron Moore (Roswell and Battlestar Galactica)
Katee Sackhoff ("Starbuck" on BSG)
Leonard Nimoy ("Spock" on OS)--I would add William Shatner on here, but Wil Wheaton has successfully scared me away from him forever. : ) But I might still have to try, just for my dad.

The "attending as an author" part is a vital part of the fantasy because that way, when I turn into a gibbering idiot around said favorite person, they will know that I'm not a complete idiot all the time. Just around them. However, the "gibbering idiot" thing has worked out pretty well for me in the past; LKH and her husband have remembered me for years, thanks to my completely awestruck and foolish behavior the first time I met them! : )

Next year's Media Guest of Honor is not someone on my list but is a cool sci-fi person nonetheless. Mira Furlan, who some of you will know probably from Babylon 5 as Ambassador Delenn. But I know her as "the crazy French lady" Rosseau (spelling?) from Lost. Very cool!!!

But if I keep attending, maybe one day I'll get to meet all or some of the people on my favorites list (which is apparently very male-dominated). : )

*Funny side story. My obssession with Superman Returns continues. This weekend, while playing Apples to Apples (an awesome game if you haven't tried it) with Ed (MOATT) and Deb, the card with "Superman" came up during play. The way the game works--well, one version of it--is that you flip over a card with a noun on it, such as Superman, and then the players in the game are required to choose from the adjective cards in their hands to come up with the one they think best describes the noun. Now, the trick is knowing the judge. Each player gets a turn as a judge, and it's up to the judge which adjective describes the noun the best. The adjective cards are then placed face down in front of the judge and mixed up so that the judge can't play favorites among the players. The first card I turned over to describe Superman was "luscious." I laughed my ass off...and totally picked that card as the winner. But the really funny part is that I thought Ed had chosen that one because he and I have always joked around about stuff like that. But no! Instead, I find out it's my long-suffering husband who knows me all too well. God love that man!

The other two cards for Superman were "delicious" (Ed's choice--yep, he knows me too!) and "phony" (Deb's choice, which I thought was really clever because Superman is not who he pretends to be all the time).

Also, while we're on the subject, I tivo'd HBO's First Look: Superman Returns, a little fifteen minute segment about the movie and saved it permanently...at least until the DVD comes out yet. Yes, I am that sad.