Yesterday morning as I was working in Starbucks, I noticed a woman introducing herself to a man who’d just arrived, primarily because she used the immortal and ear-catching words, “I’m the writer.” I spent the next hour or so alternating between writing and evesdropping as three more men showed up and were introduced.
Someone took out a laptop and showed a video. Great delight was expressed. Enthusiasm grew. The project was discussed. A crowdfunding project was in the works. I was sitting there twitching and going “THOSE PEOPLE ARE OVER THERE MAKING ARTWITHOUT ME!”
I listened intently, but I could not catch the name of the project. After about an hour, two of the men stood up in preparation to leave.
I leapt up and hurried to their table, putting myself between the two men who were leaving and the three people who remained sitting. “I’m sorry,” I said, “I’m sure you’ll think this is very strange, but I couldn’t help overhearing your discussions and your project sounds really exciting, but I didn’t catch the name of it, and I want to know what to look out for on the crowdfunding site.”
I’m not sure I’ve ever seen five people look so collectively astonished and delighted. Chuffed, I believe is the operative term. Hands were offered all around for me to shake, along with, “And your name is?”
“Catie,” I said, “CE Murphy. I’m a novelist myself.”
“I’m the producer,” said the man who’d first arrived. “I’m the director. I hope I’m the director!” said the man leaving with him. “I’m the writer,” said the woman, and the other two men were introduced as actors. The producer insisted I take his seat as they left. *Insisted*. They sat me down. They chatted me up about the project. We exchanged email addresses. They asked my own story. They eventually remembered to tell me what the project was called. :)
It’s called “Artists”, and it’s a proposal for a sitcom, and they’re hoping to launch their Fundit.ie (like Kickstarter, but for Ireland) project in April. I’ll link to it when they do. :)
Dublinia Once in a while we go out and do a night shoot. This is the Dublinia footbridge, a medieval bridge that connects Christchurch (directly to the right of this photo) to, er, whatever the Dublinia building used to be. Well. I mean, it still connects it, but probably in Days Of Yore, the building across the street did not house a history-of-Dublin tourist thing. :)
Ten-second exposure or so, which I had to shoot several times to get a really appealing set of vehicle lights going under the bridge. :)
The weekend was spent at Octocon, which went very, very well, I thought. I finally got to meet Liz Williams, of whom I’ve been a fan for years and an LJ-correspondent for–well, fewer years. :) She’s a lovely woman, and it was absolutely fantastic to get to hang out with her a bit. I shanghaied her on to at least one, possibly two, panels, and I thought not only they, but all the others, went fairly well. Also, I apparently said something brilliant during one of them (or at least, our moderator thought so). I do wish I could remember what I’d said. :)
I managed to catch up with several people, although inevitably I didn’t get to talk with at least as many. I mean, I sat down by Maura McHugh at the panel we were on together and said, “At least I’ll get to talk to you during the panel!” and then indeed, it proved to in fact be pretty much the only time we talked during the con. But I suppose that’s a sign of success in itself, when you’re sufficiently busy that you don’t really get to talk to everyone you’d like to.
But! The con seemed very well organized, really rebounding from the chaos of a few years earlier, so I’m utterly delighted for and by the con runners, and it seemed a good time was had all around. I look forward to next year’s convention!
