A surprisingly classy Q&A…
Back in 2004, I attended Balticon 38. Lois McMaster Bujold was the author Guest of Honor. My brush with fame was brief, but I did manage to trade words with her, both during the autograph session and during the presentation/speech. During the author Q&A, I got to ask Ms. Bujold where she found her amazing turns of phrase that converted stock moments into poetry, grace, and action. Her answer was that they simply came to her. She said nothing of singling out danger phrases that we are taught to avoid in English class (“interesting” “smart”), nor did she wax eloquent regarding any muses. She simply wrote what came to her in the manner that made it real to her.
What I enjoyed most about that Q&A session was the surprisingly classy, almost library-level respectful atmosphere of the wall-to-wall fen. The unwashed, sleepless, T-shirt slogan masses sat quietly while she spoke and applauded with vigor when she fell silent. We waited politely in line — going down on one knee while in line to allow everyone behind us to see! — to ask our one question each at the microphone. Ms. Bujold treated every question and person with consideration and humor. I left there appreciating her as a person as well as in her role as an author, and marveled at what kind of a role model she must be to tame an auditorium of fans by her simple, studious, and solid presence on stage.