Vivia wrote the following:
I plan to attend the workshop each month. Do you attend regularly? I am willing to learn, and would welcome any advice you can give me.
If you mean the Oquirrh chapter meeting of the League of Utah Writers, I attend as often as I can. It was the first writers organization of any kind I ever became involved with, and through the people I met there a lot of important things have happened in my career. Also, I’ve made a lot of friends in the group, as well as throughout the other chapters of the League. So I go as often as I can.
Back to Vivia:
What does LTUE stand for?
Life, the Universe, and Everything: The Marion K. “Doc” Smith Symposium on Science Fiction & Fantasy. No, I’m not making that up. 2010 is the 28th annual holding of the conference. Er, um, symposium. I believe one’s nose must be slightly elevated in a snooty way to pronounce that word properly, by the way. That’s why I call it a conference. I can do snooty, but not very well.
Vivia (a name I am going to “borrow” for a character at some point) concludes with:
Hope to someday read one of your books. I will get one as soon as possible.
As things hoped for go, this is about the grandest of them all. World peace is almost as good.
Now to practice my assembly presentation a few times before visiting Farnsworth Elementary later today. Not that I’m complaining, not at all, but I’m still a little perplexed at how intelligent, responsible adults can knowingly and willingly expose large numbers of children to me. I’m pretty sure my odd breed of madness is catching. Oh well. Who doesn’t appreciate 300 tetched elementary students?
Hi Clint,
Enjoyed your presentation on Networking. I have a question for you.
What is the difference between Science Fiction and Speculative Fiction?
Guess what I enjoyed most about your presentation, now remember I’m pretty nuts: I loved that phrase you used, that reworking a real old story over and over again “is like doing plastic surgery on a corpse.” Wasn’t your own phrase was it? Anyway I hadn’t heard it before and am still laughing about it.
Thanks for all the help you’ve given me in e-mails
Susanne
Thanks, Susanne. As for the metaphor, I think it’s apt; sometimes we do work on the minor issues of our stories so much we kill the life sustaining them. As for your question about genre, I’ve answered in today’s blog post.
Clint. Did I misunderstood when you say you’re going to borrow my name for one of your characters? Hope so, it would be awesome. Vivia is not a very common name, I have only come across two so far, and these were from the area I was born in Portland, Jamaica.
Are you planning any book signing close by me. I live in West Valley City. I was about to order Green Dragon Codex but I would love to have it signed by you.
You didn’t misunderstand at all. I’m planning to use the name “Vivia” in one of my books someday. I like the phonetics of it, how reminiscent it is of “vivacious”; that “viv” followed by two single vowel syllables is really a great combination of sounds. It’s both energetic and feminine. It might take me ten years to find the right character, but I think I’ll work it in at some point.
As for a signing, I don’t have anything planned in West Valley for a while. I’ll be doing a signing at BYU next weekend, and at schools in the next two months, but that’s all that’s on the calendar at this point. If you bring a book to an Oquirrh meeting I’d be glad to sign it; or you can buy one from me.
I have been called, both energetic and feminine. So I suppose the name suits me. I read the first page of your book, on your blog. I felt hooked. I want to order one now. Please give me details how to order it from you. As long as I have it signed.
Thanks Clint.
To buy a book from my site, go to Clints Work then Green Dragon Codex then Buy GDC. That will give you links to a number of online booksellers that carry the book. Or you can go to your local Barnes and Noble and buy it. As for getting it signed, I’m afraid I don’t have a system to have signed books delivered to people. But if you buy a book and bring it to any event I attend, such as LUW meeting or conference or the like, I’ll be happy to sign it. If you want to buy from me directly, just speak to me at any event I’m at and I’ll give you a discount. Sound good?
Okay Clint. Though I’m in no way doing good financially, I don’t normally expect discounts, unless the price is really high, which your book is not. So I will order it, and take it with me to the meetings at Oquirrh Writers, on the chance you will be there, or if possible you could let me know when you will be attending.
Thanks Clint. As normal, wish you much success in all the good things you are doing.