Yaoi Con, Author Schmoozing and #$%& San Francisco Cabbies

So yesterday was our big day out at Yaoi Con. This is the huge banner they had for the show, gorgeous stuff.

I had not registered in advance so I had to do it that morning. This lady did my registration, and it was really rather interesting to watch her strutting around and wonder when the bosoms would make a complete showing for the audience in the lobby. But they managed to maintain their position ALL day.

There were tons of people in costume. Some pretty lame but these were some of the fancier ones. Yes, the last picture is a boy. There was a fair bit of flesh on display and the Con is 18+ but on the whole nothing too risqué. I didn't get many shots of the Bishie boys (think the guys on the banner) who were running around later in high heels and uber-miniskirts as they were getting ready for the Bishie auction later that night and we were pooped and heading home.
So what is Yaoi Con all about you ask? Well there are tons of panels during the day you can attend, how to get published, BDSM 101, what the Japanese High School system is like, discussion panels with authors, autograph sessions with the guests of honor, role playing, there is a games room, a dealers room with all kinds of book sellers and people selling art, candy, hats, corsets, jewelry, you name it. There was also a fan market where private fans were selling their own artwork or yaoi related materials. It was lots of fun but very tiring.

I went to two author panels with author's I read which were very fun. They are very small and intimate which is nice. Kris managed to win a ticket to get her book signed by the HUGE guest of honour. She only signed 200 books so out of the thousands of people she was very lucky to meet her.

What about all those rich and famous authors I mentioned? Did I get to schmooze, lick their boots, carry their bags? Almost. I did get to schmooze, but no one let me carry their bags, I think they were scared I'd run off with them. Not that I didn't have enough of my own to carry. My shoulder was killing me. So who did I meet and what are they REALLY like? BWAHAHAHAHA, the truth shall be revealed (in no particular order).

• Clare London - We are sandwich soul mates, no mayo, no mustard, why must everyone put mayo on everything with bread? Funny funny lady.
• Andrew Gray - A man with energy to spare, very very funny and spoiled rotten by his husband who serves him dinner on a tray while he works. I really need to get one of those. Great hugger.
  
• Mary Calmes - Super lady, very funny and the type of person you'd just love to hang out with.
• Marie Sexton - Beautiful and can make horizontal stripes look freaking hot.
  
• Amy Lane - A fun woman who can knit and talk at the same time. Just like you'd imagine her based on her on-line personality, a fellow Mom of a teenage girl.
  
• Belinda McBride - Looks far too young to have a daughter who is a chef. It was fun to find someone who knows all the foodie stuff.
  
• ZA Maxfield - Funny, friendly, just a terrific person, making everyone feel comfortable and at ease, and amazingly even knew who the hell I was.
  
• Ginn Hale - I covet that woman's hair. GORGEOUS! She's tiny and a bundle of energy. Super friendly.
• Astrid Amara - Another one with great hair. Is there a rule that Blind Eye Books only takes on authors with great hair? Another funny lady who was so nice.
• TC Blue - We laughed, I was a goof, I offered to have her autograph my boob since she didn't have any books there. But we found a post card instead. I think she was relieved.
  
• Tessa Cardenas - Gorgeous lady, so young, well, she looked young. :-) Sweet woman.
• Lynn Flewelling - I didn't get much chance to talk with Lynn but I was in a panel with her and she was so gracious to her fans from the previous panel, she patiently signed all their books and was friendly and open.
  
• Felicitas Ivey - We didn't spent much time talking, but I was in the panel she was on and she was very funny and straightforward and a great speaker.
  
• Ariel Tachna - I didn't get much chance to talk to her but she is another tiny young one who had on the most amazing Indian inspired outfit with jingly bells.
  
• Nicole Kimberling - I didn't get a chance to really talk with her but she was working at the Blind Eye booth.
  
• Nikki Bennett - Again, I saw her but we didn't chat.
• EM Lynley - Another author I saw but did not get a chance to talk with.
  

I know there may have been a couple of other authors there I missed Rowan McBride but I heard she was there. No sure who else may have passed by me and not had their "I'm a famous author" blinking sign on. :-) You'll notice a word that comes up over and over above. Funny. These people are all freaking hilarious. To think they can write so much angst and still be so damn amusing. Other adjectives - friendly, gracious, professional, just super people. I got tons of autographed books and I'm pissed I didn't get Mary Calmes. I was going to get a book later when she was there and then totally forgot. Grrrrr. I'll have to stalk you elsewhere Mary. ;-)

It's hard to believe that before this Con, as I told Marie Sexton, the only author I'd met was Robert Munsch. Yes, it's true. I'm on m/m author glut at the moment and loving every minute of it.

So after all that fun, we came home, ordered pizza as my daughter walked up hill after hill after hill and her shins were killing her. LOL While I was out schmoozing (fawning), the sister of a friend took her out sightseeing yesterday. She got to see the SF State University where she attends, they walked ON the Golden Gate Bridge, found an amazing cupcake place and she had an amazing day.

Then about 10:30, Jen, Kristen and I got our costumes (or a sort) on and headed out to Rocky Horror Picture Show. We could NOT get a freaking cab. We phoned 5 cab companies and they either didn't answer or we got "circuit is busy". WTF? So we walked down to a main street and flagged a cab. Three of my friends bailed but we easily sold those tickets to waiting people. The show was great fun, they act it out and had costume contests and other competitions before it started. There were some great costumes but I have to say I saw some better Frank'nfurter costumes in Ottawa last year. There was a Sean of the Dead who was a dead ringer for Sean. He won. But we had great fun, dancing and yelling along.

Then came trying to catch a cab home. First one guy asked where we were going (and it was only a $10-$15 ride) wouldn't even stop for us when we told him. FINALLY someone stopped and when we told him where he refused to go. He would not move the cab until we got out. I was soooo pissed I kicked the cab as he left. After I thought maybe not so smart as I might have had a free ride in a police car. FINALLY someone picked us up. I gave him a $5 tip on a $10 cab ride. We are really close to the Castro so it's not like those other cabs couldn't have gotten a gazillion fares right by our house. I'm still annoyed by it. We got home at 3:00. Ugh. Oh well, that's what vacations are for.

Tonight Kristen and Kris are going to go Trick or Treating, we'll put our pumpkin out on the step too. I'm meeting a friend for lunch and we're going to so a bit more shopping around and just checking out the city today, then taking it easy tonight and tomorrow we're off to the airport. All too soon. It has been so great spending time my blogger friends, we all got along, no strife considering everyone is existing on less than optimal sleep, but we're having a great time and I'm so glad we made this happen.

Happy Halloween everyone.