So the
Vworp Vworp event at The Lass O'Gowrie in Manchester as part of Manchester Literary Festival has been and gone, and while I think of some words for a proper review of the day, a few things leap out at me.
First off though, apologies to all concerned - particularly
Professor Peach himself Gareth Kavanagh - for getting to this so late. I fell asleep on the train back Saturday evening, halfway through jotting notes and woke up 5 miles outside of York with a drooly, inky face.
Minutes before I passed out, a very pretty girl had been looking over at me, and must have been so impressed with the snoring wreck I'm sure I became. If that was you, ma'am, I'm sorry. I'm also happily wed, so quit with the eyes!
Intimacy and common purpose, that was the secret of
Vworp Vworp!'s
success. Chaps from DWM, Big Finish, some TV show in Wales, Torchwood comic strip and the fans that turned up were all there, clear as to what the day was about, and what they hoped to get out of it.
The pub venue is far better than the hotel function room, there's no herding of guests and fans from one room to another, and I'm sure no one asked for an autograph for anything other than the charity auction.
I was sat chatting on occasion coherently and on other occasions vaguely to people whose work I've admired for some time, while I
looked over at Kasterborous' own Anthony Dry having a chat with other "fandom names".
It's hard to get the balance you know, but on the whole, larger than life or not, these people are exactly that, people. Just like you and me but with a different profession, that doesn't make them gods or geniuses or whatever superlative you want to throw. It's just that they're adept enough at their roles to be very good and make a name for themselves.
It was truly wonderful company at The Lass, from the
foxy barstaff to the assembled guests, and if you didn't go, you should have done, and you definitely must make the effort next time.
