Sunday, November 09, 2014

"Live Tweeting" A Reading

I'm just back from the Minn-Spec Annual Local Author's Showcase reading, which I participated in. As I was heading out the door, Mason asked me if I'd live tweet my experience. So I took along the iPad, which would have been perfect, except I forgot my Twitter password and so attempted to fake it on FB. Here's how it went:

Who knew Acadia was the old Riverside Cafe? ‪#‎latetothereading‬
Got the stare of doom when I sat in an empty chair. Guess it was taken? ‪#‎nerdsocialskillz‬
Tyler Tork awesome short and an alien invasion involving tax evasion.‪#‎supercool‬
New story involves mandibles clicking. ‪#‎IloveSF‬
Plus "forearm barbs" #notsureitgetsbetterthanthis

Wait, it got better. "A post-apocalyptic steampunk story about a circus traveling through the remains of civilization."
Now not the least prepared... ‪#‎thankyouthankyouthankyou

‬Paranormal military SF... That involves German World War I werewolves.‪#‎fuckIloveSF‬
Next story is "Amish science fiction spy story." ‪#‎notsureIcancompare‬*

(*If you're curious enough about this one to want to check it out, the author just posted a link to his novella: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OJFP2DW/.)

At that point I quit, because Shawn informed me that Mason had wandered off to do more interesting things. There were several more amazing stories including one about 'time traveling sperm' which was ridiculously funny and probably the very worst thing a writer could ever hope to have to follow. So, of course, I went on next, after the time-traveling sperm.

I have to admit I'm not overly fond of readings. I do them because I feel like I ought to and this seemed like a really good way to get out there and such, since it was a shared venue with SO MANY talented people. We were given about 7 minutes a piece, so that made things even sweeter, because how can you screw up 7 minutes? Well, I may have since I probably only read for about half a minute.

Well, see, I have an excuse. I ended up being slated last, and, frankly, it seemed like a fine choice to get up there say a few words and get the heck off the stage so people could go home/mingle/etc. I hung around for a little while afterwards chatting with Micheal Mirrim and a few of the other authors. They're a good group. I'm proud to be a long-standing member of Minn-Spec.

Even though I feel like the least professional among them these days. Sure, I've books out, but these folks are all very serious, hardworking writers.

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