Final Epic ConFusion post: the Epic Scott Lynch Post

Posted by: Redhead on: January 23, 2012

• In: conventions | Scott Lynch
• 26 Comments

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This is part FOUR of my EpicConFusion posts. Click accordingly for parts ONE, TWO and THREE.

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Come on.

this is me.

of course there is a massive fangirlish Scott Lynch post.  If you’re not a fan, or you don’t know who he is, or you don’t care, skip this. It’s 100% fangirl drooling.  But now I can say I’ve met him!!

if you’re just here for updates on Republic of Thieves,  it’s about two thirds of the way to the bottom.

He was very nice. and tall. and has a lovely voice. and didn’t freak out too much when my attempts at wit came out horribly awkward.  Sunday morning I was pretty much following him around like a puppy.  Luckily his girlfriend (the wonderful Elizabeth Bear) was cool about it. Apologies that this may not be perfectly in chronological order. Epic ConFusion was that kind of weekend.

There was a mass autographing session on Saturday afternoon.  Not knowing how crowded it was going to be, I got in line early, planning to find Lynch’s table as soon as I got through the door. Not only was his the first table I went to, but I was the first person in line for his autograph.  I awkwardly said something about how I came to this con just for him, and that I’d been stalking him online, and if he registered for a restraining order against me by the end of the weekend I would feel like my mission was completed.  He politely signed my well loved copies of The Lies of Locke Lamora and Red Seas Under Red Skies:

For Andrea: You need to set more things on fire to get a restraining order. Cheers and Best Wishes, Scott Lynch

about 20 minutes later, I ran into a friend who was having authors sign the back of her t-shirt. I wondered out loud if Lynch would sign the back of my shirt. She said “go ask him”, and handed me her sharpie marker. I did.  He did.  Scott Lynch touched my shoulder.   

The most valuable FMA shirt in existence.

In fact, I think I’ll bring that shirt with me next year, and have other folks sign the back of it.

Later that evening I was hanging in the con suite (which was lovely), and was chatting with someone who recognized my Fullmetal Alchemist shirt. Scott and Elizabeth (are we on a first name basis yet?) were sitting on the otherside of the room, minding their own business, while I was surreptitiously adoring his long hair.  It was a long skinny consuite, so it was impossible to not over hear other people’s conversations.   Lynch probably heard my mind getting ready to pull his name into the conversation, so he said something like “that shirt is now worth considerably less”, and I replied with “I’m never going to wash this shirt”.  Confusedly, the woman asked why the shirt was suddenly worth less, and I said it was priceless because he (pointing to Lynch) signed it.  She said “who is he?” and I said “he writes the best, most incredible fantasy I have ever read”.   Things may have gotten close to getting something on file.

Scott did a reading from Republic of Thieves. it WILL be hitting bookstore shelves this year, possibly in June. He is contracted for 5 books, and if the publishers decide they like him, he will get 2 more books (trust me, they like him).  Book 3 is where things start to ramp up, with the series moving towards some type of large war.

Scott Lynch reading from The Republic of Thieves

I can’t give you any RoT  spoilers, because he didn’t. He described RoT as being the “awkward teenage years” of the Gentlemen Bastards.  The portion he read involved Locke and Jean, and Sabetha and the Sanza twins,and teaser: there was a bedroom scene.  Locke is obviously in love with Sabetha, but hasn’t figured out how to tell her, so he basically lets her beat the crap out him whenever she wants. There was much in the way of awkward teenagedness,  beautiful swear words, and giggleworthy moments. Scott even got to use his LOUD voice.  Twas truly lovely.

I followed him to the “Women in Combat” panel on Sunday. He was very well spoken, and seemed genuinely interested in discussing how to write a female character in a physically dangerous situations.  Being a firefighter, he’s got some experience in dangerous situations.  I’d pretty much been following him around for like 18 hours at this point, and I didn’t want to freak him out too much.  So I decided to freak out his girlfriend instead.  this may not be verbatim, but it’s pretty close:

me: thanks for letting me stalk your boyfriend all weekend, I just love his books so much.
Elizabeth Bear: it shows you have good taste.  and you’ve got great hair! Scott, she’s got better hair than you!
me:  wow, thanks!  Scott’s are the books that I read when I want to feel better. They’re theraputic for me when I need to escape my life.
Elizabeth Bear: you read his books to feel better? I worry about you.

Well, she didn’t try to kill me.  Cuz she totally could have.  I think she was also part bodyguard.

I guess the moral of the story is Scott Lynch is as cool as I’d hoped he’d be.   I’m happy he came to EpicConFusion, I know being surrounded by throngs of crazy hyper people isn’t one of his favorite things. He seemed to be doing okay, or at least was putting on a very good face. And now I want to read Elizabeth Bear. And I’ll get to read Republic of Thieves sometime this year.

Dear Scott – thanks for making Epic ConFusion so awesome for me.  I promise not to awkwardly stalk you next time.

Tags: authors, conventions