Went to one day of ConQuest 44 in Kansas City this past Saturday. Took the wife, left at four in the morning, and got back to St Louis around ten in the PM. It was a good experience.

The best part of the trip was spending time with Diane, as we don't get to do stuff like this together. Ever. We got one of her GoT books signed by George RR Martin, and also got the Name of the Wind signed by Patrick Rothfuss.

There was a definite difference in the two men's lines, where George was signing his name and moving on, while Patrick seemed to engage with every individual who came to his table. He shared with my wife that the love interest in Name of the Wind, Denna, was almost named Diane. We found that to be cool trivia.

We also went to his reading/Q & A session, where he read an article he wrote as a college student about Taco Bell's Ultimate Chalupa. It was a good time.

I went to two panels while we were there, and enjoyed them, one a little more than the other. There were good tips at both, so it was all worth my time. If you want to write, I recommend getting to conventions like this, and gleaning as much info as you can during these panels. All the other stuff can be fun, but panels are where you find tools for success.

I am currently working through A Wise Man's Fear, the follow up to Name of the Wind. After having seen Patrick Rothfuss this weekend, those memories have brought a new life to the pages for me. It's as if I can hear him reading it.

I enjoyed the first book, and so far, this book is good as well. If you have not read them, I highly recommend them, especially if you are in to fantasy.