Discworld convention, that is — I’m at the North American Discworld Convention in Madison, my first encounter with Pratchett fandom, and a really engaging one.
It’s hard to believe, now that Terry Pratchett is a household name, but fifteen years ago I had never heard of him. I remember giving a manuscript to a Scottish friend to read, and having her give it back with the comment that it was ‘like Pratchett,’ and thinking ‘Oh-kay;’ it wasn’t until I went to England myself and saw the ranks of his books that I realized this might be a name I ought to remember.
This was back in the day when, as Sir Terry says himself, his books were not so much released in the US as they were allowed to escape. But every year more and more of them became available over here, the Pratchett section grew larger in my local bookstore, and Discworld became more and more a viable alternative to the mundane world. With NADWcon, I guess I’ve gone as far as possible towards living in it for a weekend! I’ve met Mustrum Ridcully, the ladies of the watch, and more Fleegles than I can remember. I’ve attended workshops on creating dragons and country dancing, and touched base with the Zombie rights people. Later today will be heraldry, a bestiary workshop, and the public reading of ‘Where’s my Cow?”
And, of course, one of the best features has been listening to Sir Terry’s stories in his public lectures. An exciting bonus came when Neil Gaiman made an appearance yesterday, for the talk on ‘Good Omens.’ For an hour and a half, he and Sir Terry told us what it was like to write ‘Good Omens’ together, back when ‘Neil wasn’t Neil Gaiman yet, and I wasn’t Terry Pratchett;’ about a time when sending CDs back and forth in the mail was easier and more reliable than using the internet, a publisher who dropped the already printed book because of one bad review, and the professional writers’ (probably constant) concern about whether the months put into a project would pay off. Now, at a safe distance, we know how well it has paid off — not just in money and fame, but in a friendship that it was a privilege to eavesdrop on for a little while.
This may be the last North American Discworld convention that Sir Terry attends. What good luck that I was able to be here! I have to thank my colleague who let me know the convention was happening. I haven’t asked her permission to use names, but anyone who was here will remember her as Horace the cheese and her children as two of the very bluest Feegles.
Now, on the last day of NADWcon, black storm clouds are gathering over Madison and huge raindrops pelt down as if the Midwest is determined to recapture our attention. The workshop schedule for the day ends with ‘What to Read When You’re Not Reading Pratchett,’ and many of the costumed revelers will probably have departed for workplaces where they cannot wear woad or armor. Yet this is the magic of writing — cons end, people take off their fancy dress, but Discworld will always be there, just waiting for us to re-open the books and dive into it.
Happy reading!
