Posted: Mon May 24, 2004 5:13 pm
I was at (what I'm pretty sure was) the first reading of Runes. World Fantasy Convention, Oct/Nov 2001 in Montreal. I didn't find the Watch until Spring 2002, so I don't know if I ever posted any information on it.
I've seen Steve do readings every year since '97, and never saw a drop of sweat on his brow until this one. He was visibily nervous (although there were only a dozen or two people in the room, and about a six of those were family/friends). When he sat down, he said something like, "I'm probably going to regret this, but here goes." It was clear that jumping back into the Land was a very big thing for him.
He read Prologue, Chapter 1 - the first draft of what is now posted on the official site. He covered the entire chapter during the one hour reading, but he did skip some parts so that he could finish the chapter in the time allowed. I hadn't heard the rumors of the Final Chronicles at that point, and my eyes nearly shot out of my head when he read that first line. "No, Mr. Covenant ... I can't do that." I couldn't speak for about an hour afterward.
And I'm *still* not over the excitement. Thinking about that first reading still makes my heart race.
I've seen Steve do readings every year since '97, and never saw a drop of sweat on his brow until this one. He was visibily nervous (although there were only a dozen or two people in the room, and about a six of those were family/friends). When he sat down, he said something like, "I'm probably going to regret this, but here goes." It was clear that jumping back into the Land was a very big thing for him.
He read Prologue, Chapter 1 - the first draft of what is now posted on the official site. He covered the entire chapter during the one hour reading, but he did skip some parts so that he could finish the chapter in the time allowed. I hadn't heard the rumors of the Final Chronicles at that point, and my eyes nearly shot out of my head when he read that first line. "No, Mr. Covenant ... I can't do that." I couldn't speak for about an hour afterward.
And I'm *still* not over the excitement. Thinking about that first reading still makes my heart race.
And him making the Official announcement right then and there (see: The News That Sets SRD Fandom on Fire for more on that, plus a synopsis of Runes of the Earth, chapter 5)