I got back late last night from Babel Con in Baton Rouge, which is about an hour and a half drive for me. It’s a one day con and I had a lot of fun, though I was very tired by the end of the day. I was on two panels. The first one was me speaking on Alien Evolution. I had a very good turnout. There wasn’t a single empty chair in the room and a couple of folks were standing. I forgot to count the chairs but it was around 25 or 30. I thought it went well and several people congratulated me later on it or wanted to ask more questions about what I talked about. It was a good audience and they really got into the audience participation parts.
The second panel was myself and two other poets, but we had a bad time slot (opposite the cocktail party with the stars and the showing of the Rocky Horror Picture show) and we only had a few folks. Still we had some fun discussion among ourselves and with the few attendees. As I joked with the other panelists, though, this is what we’re up against with trying to support and grow genre poetry—a lot of apathy on the part of the mainstream SF/Fantasy/Horror community.
The other poets were J. Bruce Fuller and Robin Mayhall. J is the editor of The Shantytown Anomaly, and a fine poet in his own right. He’s a rising star in the SciFaiku movement in genre poetry. Robin has also been working in SciFaiku, and is currently a poetry editor for the online journal Breath & Shadow. (Thanks also to Dixie and Steve for coming to our panel.)
Other than panels, I hung out with a lot of folks I knew and met quite a few that I didn’t. I bought a book from M. B. Weston called A Prophecy Forgotten, which is her first book but which looks to be pretty good. She was certainly an energetic speaker. I hung out with Bret Funk, the editor of The Illuminata, the online newsletter for which I write a column. I got a signed photo from Lesley Aletter, who is a stunt woman in Hollywood. She doubled for Sigourney Weaver in the last Alien movie, and has been in many other movies besides, including The Devil’s Rejects.
Most enjoyable for me, I got a signed photo by Lee Meriwether, who played Catwoman in the original Batman TV series, and who also played many other roles in TV and film. My favorite role by her was as Losira in the Star Trek episode “That Which Survives.” This is the still picture I got and she signed it to me with “I am for you, Charles,” which if you are any kind of Star Trek Geek like me you’ll know was her basic “catchphrase” in that show.
All in all, a good time was had by all. But I’m a little relieved to be back at the Hermitage with my signings and appearances over for the moment. Today I’m decking it.
16 comments:
Lee Meriwether? Yum yum in her 60s catsuit. Sound like you've had a wonderful past week, eh?
Cool, Charles! Sounds great -- and I'm intrigued by the idea of SciFaiku. And Lee Meriweather, lucky dog! One of the benefits of "putting yourself out there."
Cheers!
I'm not a Trekkie, but I remember that episode with "I am for you." Or at least, I remember the phrase. Sounds like it was a good con and a good day for all.
I was going to say something, but then Danny had to go and say 'in her catsuit'.
Um, what was I talking about again?
Yvonne Craig (Batgirl) came to NZ a couple-odd years back. She hasn't aged a day. Sadly, I was too busy selling comics and doing sketches to introduce myself.
Actually, that's probably for the best. Last thing I need is *another* celebrity restraining order...
I think a lot of us geek types from that era had Lee Meriwether on the brain(or other places). I even liked her as the scientist type from Time Tunnel. Yes I watched that one also.
Glad you had a good time, Charles. Sounds like fun.
Pretty soon you're going to be an "A" list author and will need a motorhome to travel the country in to make all of your appearances, it may be slower but it is better than riding in coach in airplanes and the greyhound.
Congratulations though on your successful panels and all.
Peace
TWM
oh yeah I am thinking of selling my motorhome
How fun! Agree on the Lee M. comments! I'm glad you survived it all, cocktail parties and all. I also seem to get opposite those things whenever I do conferences and wish I was in the party, finished with whatever panel I'm on.
Do you find such events - as exciting as they are - result in a kind of sensory overload?
Saw that episode recently ( re-runs) She was very beautiful.
Glad to hear you had a great time!
It sounds like a great experience and I learned something -- didn't know there was genre poetry. There was an interesting article in Time a couple of weeks ago about the state of poetry in America right now, which as you can imagine, wasn't too encouraging. As tough as the mainstream poets have it, I imagine it's all uphill for the science fiction poet. Godspeed to all poets!
Sounds like you had a great time!
I'm still thinking about you meeting Leslie Aletter. I don't really know her, but if she was Sigourney's stunt double in Alien and she appeared in The Devil's Rejects she must be pretty hot herself.
Congratulations on your continuing success - I have to read more of your postings to catch up - but, from the sound of it, you seem to be doing pretty well for yourself!
Cheers to you! Lindy
Thanks everyone. I did indeed have a good week. Though I'm ready for a day or two at home.
Losira is also my favorite role for Lee as well as my favorite TOS babe. Lee Meriwether has always been 1st class and very beautiful.
As Losira though, she is a fantasy fulfilled for many different genres. I have read of Losira being compared to a siren, a genie, fembot, sorceress, and a seductress.
For me, she has the hypnotic lure of a siren while wearing an outfit and wielding the powers a genie. In fact, has anyone else noticed how similar Losira's dress is to a genie's costume? Minus the pantaloons, of course, since this is the 23rd century, so perhaps, a space genie?
"I am for you..."
Who can resist that? ;)
I have a nice wallpaper of this episode. Is there a way for me to post it here?
By the way, Lee Meriwether has 2 daughters from her 1st marriage to one Frank Aletter.
Leslie, the stuntwoman you met, is Lee's daughter.
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