Nippon 2007 or Lack Thereof

Posted on June 23, 2007    Posted by John Scalzi

I don’t know that this will come as too much of a surprise to anyone, but I won’t be attending Nippon 2007. There are a number of reasons for this, but two main ones. The first is that I have two books due pretty much exactly when Nippon 2007 occurs (the novel and the revise of The Rough Guide to the Universe), and I’ll have to be focused on that. The second reason, somewhat related, is that even if those deadlines were not a pressing consideration, I wouldn’t be able to spend more than the time of convention in Japan; I dearly want to visit Japan, but if I go I want to be able to spend more than five days.

What it boils down to is that unfortunately it’s not at a good time for me, in terms of work or personal commitments. Naturally, this makes me very sad. I will be there in spirit. I will also be there in terms of voting for the Hugos, since I have a supporting membership to Nippon 2007. There are lots of people I’ll be wanting to vote for this year; also, if you’ll recall, I am a nominee myself. No, I hadn’t forgotten. Indeed, I’m still pretty chuffed about it. I hope you Hugo voters hadn’t forgotten either. Please vote in my category, even if you don’t vote for me.

Since I won’t be attending Nippon 2007, I know some of you will be wondering if I now plan to attend this year’s NASFiC. In a word, no. I have another commitment that weekend, unrelated (mostly) to fandom, and even prior to making that commitment I had been turned off to the NASFiC due to the convention’s hotel issues, which to be fair to the NASFiC are not about them, but about the hotel owners. Be that as it may, and as I’ve noted before, I’m not inclined to give money to people who so clearly don’t want me there. This is just me and should not be taken as a criticism of that convention; I’m sure the NASFiC itself will be a fun time.

So at the moment the only conventions I have on my schedule for 2007 are the Heinlein Centennial and the Utopiales Festival in France. Whatever shall I do with myself if I’m not at conventions? Well, the rumor is, I occasionally write books. Maybe I’ll do that. So when I go to conventions in 2008 and beyond, I’ll have something new to share. I know! Crazy idea.