I met Renee at CascadiaCon, the same event where I met Jay Lake for the first time. Quibblers may say something about 'met for the first time' as being redundant, but at conventions, people meet over and over again until finally they actually recognize each other. For quite a few years I played a fun game with one wonderful author in particular, where I would introduce myself to him and, without any cues like "we met at OryCon," see if he recognized me at all--didn't have to be my name. A double-take, "didn't I see you somewhere before?" or even a ruffled brow would have counted, at which point I would 'fess up. He was particularly bad with names and faces, and so I was able to enjoy meeting him as if for the first time for quite a few years before he did finally recognize me.
But I digress. Renee has been very kind to me. She works hard to create opportunities for new writers to meet other writers and workshop their manuscripts. If you're planning to go a Seattle convention, be sure to look for the opportunities Fairwood Writers creates. Remember, deadlines for things like writers workshops come long before the convention begins, so don't dilly-dally before searching for information about writer-oriented events.
Beneath Ceaseless Skies is a free magazine. If you like reading fantasy shorts, please subscribe, and spread the word. It's getting good reviews. By the way, there's a review of each issue in the Internet Review of Science Fiction by Lois Tilton in her short fiction review column. It appears that next month (July 2009) it'll be my turn. Gulp. If Ms. Tilton's tastes align with your own, the column could be a great resource as a what-to-read guide.
