Kaffeeklatsches

Juliana

Juliana

95% tea
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Connecticut, USA
Question for the convention savvy: what exactly goes on in one of these? I'm going to a convention in February and am hoping to get a spot in a couple of them (Scott Lynch is doing one with Elizabeth Bear, and so is Myke Cole, whose work I love). But I'd like to know what to prepare for...

Can anyone shed some light?
 
I can answer your question, I think. In the lyrics to REM's song "Beachball" (which, bizarrely, was playing not two minutes ago on my random playlist) is the line "Her kaffeklatsch career, she smiles at strangers".

So I guess that's what goes on. Smiling at strangers.
 
They had biscuits too. The one I went to was great -- lots of chatting by the authors, who had a sort of double act going on, and then some discussion with the group about what stage they were at and what challenges they were encountering with their writing. The authors offered some of us the chance to catch up in the bar and discuss plotting etc. but I was too cowardly to follow up on it :s
 
I went to one with Joe Abercrombie last year. Basically it was a private room with about 15 people seated around a large table with Joe and his editor, and you just ask questions and chat. Oh, and coffee and biscuits. :)
 
Not quite managed to get to one of these - usually spent up by the time kaffeeklatsche offerings are released. I hope you enjoy, Juliana.
 
I already wondered about that as well when I read this on English convention webpages. It is basically a German word, meaning "chat along coffee" and nothing especially for conventions. It also has another meaning, referring to something that is quite not important to talk about.
 
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