So... I am a Guest of Honour.

[la_marquise]

Two things, really. In the first, I have been Good, and written a summary for a very ancient book (Valdarrien, which I wrote before Living With Ghosts) and sent it off to nice editor, who is curious. It's strange to go so far back in writing time, though the book is a lot better than I remembered. My poor Valdin didn't get a lot of love from readers and reviewers, but I have a soft spot for him to this day, and it's nice to see his life again.

And, in the second, as some of you may know, I am one of three Guests of Honour at Picocon on Sat 19th Feb, alongside the wonderful Juliet McKenna and Paul McCauley. I am both honoured and surprised. It's quite something to be in such company.
And, umm, I have to do a talk. About being, umm, a writer. Not about King Arthur or Women in Celtic Cultures or Musketeers or 9th century Denmark or anything else I know about. About being writer-me. I have no idea what to say. (I can read, which will take up some of the slot, and is less scary, but I have to talk, too.)
So: what should I say? What do you want to know? What don't you want to hear about, not ever? All suggestions welcome.
Details of the convention are here: http://www.union.ic.ac.uk/scc/icsf/social/events/picocon/index.php
I shall hope to see some of you there.

Skirt of the day: balck jeans (with added Mooncat fluff).

Comments

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

You could talk about how King Arthur and Celtic things and Musketeers made you the writer you are?

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

As ever, you are wise and helpful: thank you.

[aliettedb.livejournal.com]

W00t!!!!!
I'm with sartorias. You can talk about how the stuff you know about shaped you (I vote for putting Dumas centrestage in the speech...)

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

I've talked about that before, but yes, it's probably a good way to go. Thank you.

[woolymonkey.livejournal.com]

Another vote for what sartorias said. But extended to include Chinesey things. Which will of course allow you to insert appetising hints of both upcoming Kings both Grassy and Drowning.
If the audience is interested in writing, you surely can't go wrong with such an individual and specific answer to the perennial 'Where do you get your ideas?'

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

I hadn't looked at it like that!

[kateelliott.livejournal.com]

Following up agreement with the above, you might also turn the question around a bit.

How do the fundamentals of how things interest you, the way you look at the world, influence the choice of scholarly subjects you became particularly interested in; how does the writer you make you the scholar you are?

These things seem to me to be intertwined and part of a larger picture. If that makes sense.

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

That does indeed make sense, and it's something I've written about. But yes, I could talk about it, too. Thank you.

[birdsedge.livejournal.com]

I'm with all the others so far for the bit that you can prepare for, but if you have to answer questions, you're likely to get some that are purely writing related and writer specific, so be prepared to just be yourself. How long it took to get published. How you politely waited howevermany years for an answer to your query and how you didn't get your agent until after you'd sold your first book etc. What your writing process is, the good times and the bad. Some folks think you're a new (ish) author, but remind them about the non-fiction and (wheedling it back to things you are comfortable with) about the difference in the process of writing a non-fic and fic book.

You're naturally charming. They'll love you. Have fun.

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

Thank you. (Especially for the compliment. I've never thought of myself as charming. More like awkward.)

[birdsedge.livejournal.com]

Ah, we never see ourselves as other see us, do we? You're only (a tiny bit) selfconscious when you start thinking of yourself as such. When you get engrossed in what you're talking about the awkwardness - if there was any - drops away. You'll be fine, honest.
:-)

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

Thank you!

[themis1.livejournal.com]

All of the above. Wish I could be there!

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

You will come to the next Write Fantastic Event in May, won't you (it's the Saturday of the 2nd bank holiday, at the same venue).

[themis1.livejournal.com]

Yes, I am planning to attend that :-)

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

Excellent. I look forward to seeing you there.

[mikaela-l.livejournal.com]

Oh, I bought your book :)

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

Thank you: I hope you like it.

[deborahjross.livejournal.com]

Hooray!!

[attimes-bracing.livejournal.com]

Well done and Major Clanger and I will be there

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

Yay! Lunch?

[attimes-bracing.livejournal.com]

Lunch lovely - looking forward to more tales of mooncat.

[oreouk.livejournal.com]

Congratulations - I hope you have a blast! I saw the guest list and thought 'that would be fun to go to' and then I looked at the date and dratted rather because that's the day I'm celebrating my birthday and I have Plans to take my unfortunate friends curling (well really, I couldn't resist! Curling!! Words fail me).

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

Curling has to be tried. Have a great time.

[mojave-wolf.livejournal.com]

Great advice already, so I'll focus primarily on the "woot! congratulations!" aspect of this comment.

Woo hoo! GoH you! Congrats! =)

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

Thank you.

[pbray.livejournal.com]

Cpngrats!

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

Thank you.

[klwilliams.livejournal.com]

I really wish I could go. You're going to be grand.

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

I wish you could be there, too. You could meet some of the other Write Fantastic-ers.

[stina-leicht.livejournal.com]

Congrats on being awarded Guest of Honor at a con! So deserving! I'm so happy for you! Loved Valdarrien, btw. He was one of my favorite characters in the book. So, what do other people know? :P ;)

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

Thank you.
And thank you for a vote for Valdin, too. I am fond of him, I have to admit (he was my first 'hero').

[anna-wing.livejournal.com]

What an excessively existential question. One might as well talk about "Being a petunia".

Talk about whatever you feel like talking about and tell them firmly that it is indeed about "being a writer".

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

I am now tempted to talk about being a petunia. But yes, you are quite correct.

[pennski.livejournal.com]

Would that be a lonely little petunia in an onion patch?

[zaan.livejournal.com]

OOh Valdin, me wants. :)

GoH? Well deserved, love. :) Let the natural you shine out. Tell them about all the stuff that inspires you, like France & Musketeers, like Chinese Theater, and everything. What its like when an idea turns and squirms in your mind utterly demanding to be written! And all of the above. :)

Have great fun and wish I was there to see the wonderful Cinderella of the Green Room, finally BE a guest in a Green Room! *hugs and love!*

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

Thank you!
I'd love for you to be there, too.

[green-knight.livejournal.com]

I think the stuff that came up in the comments already sounds wonderful. You might also want to talk about research in SF: how much, how, and why it matters.

Whatever you chose, I'm looking forward to seeing you at Picocon.

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

Thank you. And see you soon.

[tamaranth.livejournal.com]

Every time I've talked to you about writing, you've said stuff that intrigued and interested me. You're an excellent speaker on anything you feel passionate about.

Lots of good suggestions above: I'd definitely second the 'where do you get your ideas' one. A couple of anecdotes and an insight into the chains of thought that produce a story can be really illuminating.

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

Thank you!