Q & A With Writer Jill Sherwin

1. Being that it was your first trip to England, what did you think of the people and places?

I've been in love with England from afar it seems all of my life, so going there was a dream come true. Once I figured out (with a lot of help from my friends) how to get around London, it was a lot of fun. I did as many tourist things as possible (Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral, Tower of London, Harrod's, etc.), but in the end, London didn't seem that different from any other big city once I got used to the traffic being on the wrong side of the road! But the time I got to spend out in the country, seeing Bath, Stratford, Oxford, etc., was really where my heart leaped out of my chest, it was the England I'd always wanted to see. I want to go back ASAP and spend much more time out in the countryside. As for the people, they were cordial and kind and welcoming, especially the people I met at the Galileo IV Convention.

2. What aspects, if any, are different about sci-fi conventions in Great Britain from those held in here in America?

Well, I hate to be stereotypical, but the fans were extremely polite and rather quiet. Not that American fans aren't polite, but we sure as heck aren't quiet! :) They tended to sit and listen, rather than ask a lot of questions. They were very reticent to approach myself or Walter Koenig (the guest of honor at the con) in the hallways, though I tried to make myself available to answer questions as often as possible, not just in my panels or signings. The convention itself wasn't any different than those I'd been to in the States: panels, signings, auctions, dealers' room, video presentations, dances, etc. Though again, a lot of the fans seemed mellower. For example, one evening activity was to show Rocky Horror. Well, other than myself only four of the forty or so people in the room got up to Time Warp or shouted out the responses to the movie. It was really bizarre to be at a con and still be in a roomful of Rocky virgins! I was assured by the more raucous group that I Time Warped with, that British cons are usually more rowdy than the one I attended, but heck, I had a lot of fun, so I'm not complaining!

3. What part of the convention that you attended in England did you enjoy the most?

Two parts. First of all, the first night I was there, I was introduced to the tech crew and spent much of my spare time with them thereafter. I'm in this odd place of being a guest, but still feeling like a fan and not being used to NOT WORKING at a convention. So for comfort's sake, I hung out with the same people I would have hung out with at any other con -- the people helping run it! And they made me feel so welcome that I didn't have any time to feel homesick, because I felt so at home with them. Not only are fans alike all over, but so are the people who run the cons! Second of all, the other wonderful part of the convention was the whole experience of being a guest. I've been on panels at Gallifrey before, but here I was in another country standing alone on stage talking for an hour at a time. I actually have always had pretty bad stage fright, so getting up there in front of so many people and doing my panels successfully made me very proud that I had conquered that fear. It was also wild sitting next to Walter Koenig at our signings. Walter was the guest of honor at the second Trek convention I ever went to, and it was amazing to have the privilege to be on the other side of that signing table next to him as I signed copies of my first book, "Quotable Star Trek".

4. What science fiction shows of ours in America did the British fans seem to like the most?

This was strictly a Trek convention, so the focus was obviously there. However, for the masquerade, there were some amazing Star Wars costumes in evidence (an awesome Storm Trooper and a fabulous Darth Maul) and there was plenty of B5 and Buffy the Vampire Slayer merchandise in the dealers room (along with Trek stuff and Doctor Who stuff).

5. Did you get to do a panel or speak about your book, "Quotable Star Trek", and what was the fan's reaction?

The fans were terrific at both panels I did. The first panel was really a 'getting to know you' panel as I introduced myself and talked about my background in Trek. The second panel they were less shy and asked more questions. I think that no matter where you go in the world, if you're at a convention you've always got a common language, history and an extended family.

Many of the attendees, by the way, did have copies of my book and seemed to enjoy it which was cool, because I wrote it as a fan, for the fans.

6. Did you get to spend time with some of the Dr. Who writers, and what mischief did you all get into?

I spent several days with Paul Cornell and several days with Andrew Cartmel, both of whom I'd become friends with through Gallifrey. They were my patient tour guides through the city and the countryside. One fun event that Paul Cornell brought me to was the Doctor Who writers' night at a London tavern where all the Who novelists gather once a month. I got to put more faces to names I'd seen on the covers of their books which was neat! I talked with Andrew Cartmel about the newest novel he's working on and he gave me a copy of his last novel, "The Wise", which I've since read and quite enjoyed.

7. While on your England trip, what memories did you take home with you that meant the most?

Two things affected me most. First, seeing the Poets' Corner at Westminster Abbey with tributes there to some of the greatest writers in history was an extremely emotional experience. Second, I'd wanted to see a lot of the 'pre-historic' sites out in the country and the sense of age at those places was amazing. Seeing Longbarrow, Silbury Hill and the Roman Baths at Bath were incredible. Stonehenge was glorious if frustrating because it's roped off so you can't touch the stones. At Avebury, which is a village surrounded by an immense stone circle, you can actually touch the stones, and being there was very inspiring. Also, climbing up to Glastonbury Tor, then down to the Chalice Well with its iron-filled healing waters that you can actually drink and seeing the tree that supposedly rose from the staff of Joseph of Arimathea provided this wondrous sense of history that we don't have nearly to the same degree here in the States. All in all, an amazing trip, but not nearly long enough and I can't wait to go back again.

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Last update: Thursday, September 28, 2000