Life is moving at a breakneck pace right now. I feel like I don’t have time to breathe, much less get my laundry done. (Yes. Laundry. My second favorite writing avoidance technique, next to TV.)
We are gearing up for the San Jose World Fantasy Convention — and I just received word that I have been given a spot on the schedule. I will be doing a reading from “Women of the Apocalypse.” And this is freaking me out.
You know the old saying “Do something at least once a week that frightens you”? Well, putting my name in to the organizers of World Fantasy was my one thing for that week. I was able to do it because I never in a thousand years thought I’d be chosen. Ever.
But there I am, on the roster. Saturday night, 10 pm. (Yeah, I know. The parties will be rolling by that time, nobody will be there, I’ll be reading to myself, etc etc. I keep telling myself this stuff, anyhow….) Eileen Bell. My name.
In the grand scheme of things, it’s not big. It’s one reading. We are having our launch that day (4-6) and there will be lots and lots of other stuff going on around us the whole weekend. And the next weekend we are having our Edmonton launch. Ryan will have already had his London launch. Then we will be gearing up for Calgary the next weekend. Lots and lots of stuff going on, lots of things to prepare for, lots of details to cover. Lots and lots … But.
My name is on the schedule for World Fantasy. I’m doing a reading from a book that has my words in it.
I thought I’d done the brave thing by even putting my name in. Now, it appears I must do something even more brave. Read my words aloud to people in the industry.
Whatever will I wear?