[Groop]Autograph policy
Mark Brown
mark@6thebrownhouse.freeserve.co.uk
Wed, 15 Jan 2003 01:51:29 -0000
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>>> Think about why you get items autographed. When I get autographs
(and it is my favorite occupation at conventions), I do it because:
>>> 1. It gives me a good excuse to approach these creators and strike
up a conversation, even if it is brief.
I once had the very good fortune to meet Terry Pratchet (Prolific author
of the really rather good The Discworld Books) at a book signing and
immensely enjoyed chatting to him for the couple of mins it took him to do
me a little doodle and autograph the book - and he genuinely seemed to take
great enjoyment from doing it !
This is the guy who up until a few years back guaranteed that he would
personally reply to anyone who took the trouble to write to him. The story
goes that he was motivated to do this after he received a signed letter from
JRR Tolkien, many many years after he had sent the original letter. TP has
apparently had to give this practise up as he was drowning - not surprising
considering he currently holds (or held - cant remember where I saw the
article) the somewhat dubious title of "The Worlds Most Stolen Author".....
What was really bizarre about the whole meeting TP thing, was that I was
chatting to a young guy who was in the queue behind me and we happened to
get talking about Lord of The Rings (it was a long queue) and this guy who
must of been about thirteen or so, said that he hoped Tolkien would
autograph his prized and cherished copy of Lord of the Rings one day......
There was a lengthy pause in our conversation as I asked myself if he was
being serious and upon deciding he was, weighed up the pros and cons of
telling this poor guy that considering the circumstances that this was a
rather unlikely prospect... what with Tolkien having died in 1973 (?) and
all.... but I did tell him - gently - but it still broke the guys heart
!!!!!
The whole thing rather put a dampener on the whole warm fuzzy feeling you
get when you finally meet someone you really admire... When the photo Mrs B
took of me and Rolf Harris actually came out, I realized just HOW much I
loved my wife.... She maintains the jury was out while the photo was being
developed.....
I was idly chatting to the aforementioned Mrs B the other day and
mentioned that as we have relatives in San Diego and that considering I may
get to be in Vegas around the same time as the Con on business - Mid July
right ? - and as SD is practically next door to Las Vegas (a mere 258
miles) - it would be really cool to just pop along in my inconspicuous
orange Groop T-Shirt, say "Hi !" to our relatives and then add something
along the lines of "can I crash at your house and then disappear for two
days ?????" After all I said.... it would only be polite... and I
said - having carefully planned this conversation beforehand... some
original artwork - purchased from the actual artist would look great on the
wall of the Nursery !!
"..... hmmmm......" said Mrs B immediately smelling a rat and mentally
totting up just how much money I may spend if left in such a playground
without a firm restraining hand. "Just remember that you will be a Dad by
then and will have more important things to spend our money on than silly
comics!"" Ackkk....!!!! Mind you she prob still hasn't forgiven me
for telling her to wash her hands before handling my Signed Groo PC #1......
or.. it could be because I am actually serious about wanting ' Tiberius' if
its a boy.... <sigh>... must be the hormones.
M.
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<BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2><FONT face=3DArial><FONT lang=3D0 =
FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF"><SPAN=20
class=3D000101500-15012003> >>> </SPAN>Think about =
why you=20
get items autographed. When I get autographs (and it is my =
favorite=20
occupation at conventions), I do it because:<BR><SPAN=20
class=3D000101500-15012003> >>> </SPAN>1. It =
gives me a=20
good excuse to approach these creators and strike up a conversation, =
even if=20
it is brief.<BR><SPAN=20
class=3D000101500-15012003> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2><FONT face=3DArial><FONT lang=3D0 =
FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF"><FONT=20
color=3D#0000ff><SPAN class=3D000101500-15012003><FONT=20
color=3D#000000></FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2><FONT face=3DArial><FONT lang=3D0 =
FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF"><FONT=20
color=3D#0000ff><SPAN class=3D000101500-15012003><FONT =
color=3D#000000>I once had=20
the very good fortune to meet Terry Pratchet (Prolific author of the =
really=20
rather good The Discworld Books) at a book signing and immensely=20
enjoyed chatting to him for the couple of mins it took him to do =
me a=20
little doodle and autograph the book - and he genuinely seemed to =
take=20
great enjoyment from doing it ! =20
</FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2><FONT face=3DArial><FONT lang=3D0 =
FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF"><FONT=20
color=3D#0000ff><SPAN class=3D000101500-15012003><FONT=20
color=3D#000000></FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2><FONT face=3DArial><FONT lang=3D0 =
FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF"><FONT=20
color=3D#0000ff><SPAN class=3D000101500-15012003><FONT =
color=3D#000000>This is the=20
guy who up until a few years back guaranteed that he would =
personally=20
reply to anyone who took the trouble to write to him. The =
story=20
goes that he was motivated to do this after he received =
a signed letter from JRR Tolkien, many many years after =
he had=20
sent the original letter. TP has apparently had =
to give=20
this practise up as he was drowning - not surprising considering he =
currently=20
holds (or held - cant remember where I saw the article) the somewhat =
dubious=20
title of "The Worlds Most Stolen Author"..... =20
</FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2><FONT face=3DArial><FONT lang=3D0 =
FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF"><FONT=20
color=3D#0000ff><SPAN=20
class=3D000101500-15012003></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT><FONT =
size=3D2><FONT=20
face=3DArial><FONT lang=3D0 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF"><FONT =
color=3D#0000ff><SPAN=20
class=3D000101500-15012003><FONT=20
color=3D#000000></FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2><FONT face=3DArial><FONT lang=3D0 =
FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF"><FONT=20
color=3D#0000ff><SPAN class=3D000101500-15012003><FONT =
color=3D#000000>What was=20
really bizarre about the whole meeting TP thing, was that I was =
chatting=20
to a young guy who was in the queue behind me and we =
happened to get=20
talking about Lord of The Rings (it was a long queue) and this guy who =
must of=20
been about thirteen or so, said that he hoped Tolkien =
would=20
autograph his prized and cherished copy of Lord of the Rings one=20
day...... There was a lengthy pause in our conversation as =
I=20
asked myself if he was being serious and upon deciding he=20
was, weighed up the pros and cons of telling this poor =
guy=20
that considering the circumstances that this was a =
rather=20
unlikely prospect... what with Tolkien having died in 1973 (?) =
and=20
all.... but I did tell him - gently - but it still broke the guys =
heart=20
=
!!!!! </FONT> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></=
DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2><FONT face=3DArial><FONT lang=3D0 =
FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF"><FONT=20
color=3D#0000ff><SPAN=20
=
class=3D000101500-15012003></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV=
>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2><FONT face=3DArial><FONT lang=3D0 =
FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF"><SPAN=20
class=3D000101500-15012003>The whole thing rather put a dampener on =
the whole=20
warm fuzzy feeling you get when you finally meet someone you really=20
admire... When the photo Mrs B took of me and Rolf Harris =
actually came=20
out, I realized just HOW much I loved my wife.... She =
maintains the=20
jury was out while the photo was being=20
developed.....</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2><FONT face=3DArial><FONT lang=3D0 =
FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF"><SPAN=20
class=3D000101500-15012003></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2><FONT face=3DArial><FONT lang=3D0 =
FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF"><SPAN=20
class=3D000101500-15012003>I was idly chatting to the aforementioned =
Mrs B the=20
other day and mentioned that as we have relatives in San Diego =
<EM>and</EM>=20
that considering I may get to be in Vegas around the same time as =
the Con=20
on business - Mid July right ? - <EM>and</EM> as SD is =
practically next=20
door to Las Vegas (a mere 258 miles) - it would be really cool to just =
pop=20
along in my inconspicuous orange Groop T-Shirt, say "Hi !" =
to our=20
relatives and then add something along the lines of "can I =
crash at your=20
house and then disappear for two days ?????" After =
all I=20
said.... it would only be polite... <EM>and </EM>I said - =
having=20
carefully planned this conversation beforehand... some original =
artwork -=20
purchased from the <EM>actual </EM>artist would look great on the wall =
of the=20
Nursery !!</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2><FONT face=3DArial><FONT lang=3D0 =
FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF"><SPAN=20
class=3D000101500-15012003></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2><FONT face=3DArial><FONT lang=3D0 =
FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF"><SPAN=20
class=3D000101500-15012003>"..... hmmmm......"=20
s</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT><FONT size=3D2><FONT face=3DArial><FONT =
lang=3D0=20
FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF"><SPAN class=3D000101500-15012003>aid Mrs B =
immediately=20
smelling a rat and mentally totting up just how much money I may spend =
if left=20
in such a playground without a firm restraining hand. "Just remember =
that you=20
will be a Dad by then and will have more important things to spend=20
<EM>our</EM> money on than silly comics!"" =20
Ackkk....!!!! Mind you=20
she</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT><FONT size=3D2><FONT face=3DArial><FONT =
lang=3D0=20
FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF"><SPAN class=3D000101500-15012003> prob still =
hasn't forgiven=20
me for telling her to wash her hands before handling my Signed Groo PC =
#1...... or.. it could be because I am actually serious about =
wanting '=20
Tiberius' if its a boy.... <sigh>... must be =
the=20
hormones.</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D000101500-15012003>M.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2><FONT face=3DArial><FONT lang=3D0 =
FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF"><SPAN=20
class=3D000101500-15012003></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2><FONT face=3DArial><FONT lang=3D0 =
FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF"><SPAN=20
class=3D000101500-15012003></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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<DIV> </DIV>
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