Toronto Trek 16:
A Beauty Way to Go!

Now comes, for me, the con I've watch grow from something cool to something big to the SciFi Media event of the summer: Toronto Trek 16.

When I first approached Toronto Trek 16 earlier in the year, the only media guests signed on were Amber Benson (Tara from Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Tanja Rechert (Karen from Relic Hunter), and author Julie Czerneda (whom I didn't know then, but would be the Guest of Honor at Madicon 11) and David Annandale. "A chance to go to Toronto!" I thought. "This would be a nice little con to attend."

Yeah, that's that I thought...until my partner, Lisa, told me "Looks like you're meeting a friend in Toronto!" I didn't understand the comment until I returned to their website.

When I got there, my jaw hit the keyboard...

From Virginia to Virginia!

All bets were off as the guest list now included Farscape's Virginia Hey.

So what? She's just another guest! You're not some autograph hound or something are you, Tee?

Well, no, not really. The last time I got an autograph from someone famous, it was James Doohan...and I ambushed him just as his dinner arrived. Okay, so I was in high school at the time, but even as gracious as he was in his good-nature and giving me his signature, I felt like a total heel. Since then, I've been leery in asking for autographs from ANYBODY.

No, there is something different concerning actress Virginia Hey. Warrior chick from The Road Warrior. Farscape's Zhaan. Yeah...there was a backstory involved.

Virginia Hey was savvy enough to know that a great way to get your name and face known was to go online and so she did with one sharp little website. You see in the early days of Farscape, when the show was carving a niche for itself on the Sci-Fi Channel, her website was the best-kept secret. I stumbled on it, gave her a hello, and was stunned when Virginia Hey wrote back. So began a little correspondence between us. She was gracious, caring, and just down-to-earth as they came. She was also patient in listening to me ramble and rant. Something I do well. Between our three e-mails, we talked about theatre, cats, and how busy we both were.

Then, suddenly, she disappeared. I knew from her last e-mail she was swamped with her adventures in the "Uncharted Territories" so I thought that was what happened. It was fun while it lasted. Oh, I missed swapping the e-mail's, but if success were to sweep anyone up, up, and away, it couldn't have happened to anyone nicer.

Imagine my shock when my wife, who insisted on getting something autographed for me while I was working the con, told me this story:

Nat: "Would you please make this out to my husband. Tee Morris."

Virginia: "Oh, Tee! I've not met him yet. How's he doing? We were pen pals..."

I finally met her and she was just as sweet in person as she was in her e-mail. She received from me a copy of my book (autographed, of course) along with my card with my e-mail. Now I know she's a busy lady with promotions, appearances, and auditions...

...but then again, you never know.

Tough Talk in Toronto: Panel Discussions Galore!

With two cons behind me and being an actor, you would think I would have this whole panel thing down to a science. I still get goosebumps and knots in my stomach before each con, along with a nervous burst of energy as that great unknown element is thrown into things. To add to that great unknown, Toronto Trek was my first media con. Unlike Balticon which focused on writing, Toronto Trek was geared to all forms of media: books, television, and film.

This mean a wide variety of panels on a wide variety of subjects.

While I did appear on panels dedicated to writing, I also managed to find myself chiming in on panels for Farscape. There was even a panel I had a ball participating in that devoted itself to the new Spider-Man motion picture. That particular panel was kicked off by the playing of an interview between me and a Spider-Man expert...my six year old nephew Robert. (One panelist said "I was really hoping it was Stan Lee...") What was really interesting about the panels at Toronto Trek was how diverse these panels were, and some were not even discussing science fiction or fantasy. One panel was dedicated to electing Jeb Bartlett (of NBC's The West Wing) for president...

And this is a science fiction convention in CANADA!

Out of all the panels I participated on, I think my favorite of the con was the one pictured above: TV Series Turned Into Books. With author Edo Van Balkom as moderator, I sat alongside Julie Czerneda and met authors Josepha Sherman and Alison Baird.

Now why exactly did this panel stand out? Well, it was mainly due to Josepha who was bringing to the table her numerous tie-in novel experiences with Highlander, Star Trek, and other popular shows. It was also Josepha and myself firing off the wise-cracks with Julie in the middle, who eventually caved in and started causing trouble at the panel. There were times I thought Edo was going to pick up a chair and hurt someone. I was reminded of the fun at "the kid's table" during Thanksgiving dinners. Josepha was an absolute hoot, and also emparted some terrific know-how and background knowledge on rising to the challenge of writing a tie-in...

There was also getting a panel with Julie Czerneda...and what a segue into the next section of this page...

A Lady Named Julie...

Allright, I'm going to try not to gush.

Well, okay...maybe I'm going to do it anyway, but let me tell you about this lady named Julie E. Czerneda.

Julie Czerneda, Philip K. Dick nominee and DAW author, whom I literally bumped into on my arrival to Madicon 11. And how did I make a first impression on her? By asking a stupid question:

Mike (the Con Chair): "Ah, Tee, this is Julie Czerneda, our Author Guest of Honor. Julie, this is Tee Morris."

Julie: "Oh, yes. So nice to finally meet you. I visited your book's website."

Tee: "You did?"

Yeah, I was a little surprised. Why would an accomplished science fiction writer visit my website? (Heck, the book still wasn't done when we met...) And why would this accomplished science fiction writer invite me to sit in (and even help out) on her Writer's Workshop? I wasn't suspicious...just surpised. Maybe Julie could see just how scared and wide-eyed I was (and Madicon was an "intimate" con...) as this was my first con, my first reading, and my first book.

I don't know if Julie really knew just how helpful she was in those final stages with MOREVI. I don't know if Julie knew how much I learned from her at Madicon 11 and in our correspondence. I don't know if Julie knew how much I looked up to her...

Well, now she does...

My intent is not to embarass her nor is it my intent to place Julie on a pedestal, but I have to give credit where credit was due. She didn't have to give me the advice or even reply to the numerous e-mails I sent to her between Madicon and Toronto Trek. Not only did she reply, but when time allowed, she replied in detail with the best lesson a writer could pass on to a rookie -- take a positive approach. She didn't set out to do so, but she became my role model. And as it would go at cons, it came out of the "TV Series Turned Into Books" panel where I dubbed her with the nickname "Obi-Czerneda"...

...and in turn, she refers to me as her "Young Padawan."

Another lesson Obi-Czerneda passed to me, the Young Padawan, at TT16 was the importance of a Newsgroup. This well-read, sharp-witted, and Julie-enthusiastic bunch made their presence known! It was a thrill to go to a reading where it was standing room only! Making its debut at Julie's reading was the Newsgroup's tee-shirt with the quote "And what, exactly, is wrong with being eaten in one of Julie's books?", spoken by DAW associate Sean Fodera.

It was a real joy hanging out with Julie, getting to know Roger Czerneda (who remained in stealth mode at Madicon 11), and being part of good things happening to a really nice person...

...and she is as talented as she is nice, so that is saying something!

Oh, and it is also nice for the student to pass something along to the master. As we were enjoying some downtime together, I mentioned how excited I was to hear that a copy of MOREVI reached Virginia Hey. Fellow 'Scaper (the nickname given to FARSCAPE fans) Julie turned to me, intrigued...

Julie: "You got a copy of your book to Virginia Hey?"

Tee: "Yeah, I asked how was the best way to do that, they got me in touch with the guest liaison. When I saw her later, she thanked me for the book."

Julie: (staring off, thoughtfully) "I never thought about doing that."

The next day, I happened to bump into Ms. Hey's liaison who was on her way to another con event. She had a book to get to her. An autographed copy of A Thousand Words for Stranger by Julie E. Czerneda.

And What a Masquerade!

With Toronto Trek being as big as it was, you can guess that it was the minority who were not in costume. A part of me thought "Maybe I should have brought my Rafe Rafton outfit...", but the costumes wandering the con corridors were merely the warm-up's for the Toronto Trek Masquerade Ball. My first. My wife's first. And we were loving it. Now you've got the costumers who just get dressed up because it's a chance to dress up, but many of the Masquerade participants wait...and prepare! It was an evening of sketches, lip sync routines, and a chance for the ambitious to perform for a full house (and an enthusiastic overflow room).

The ball was the end to an eventful day and the beginning of the con's close, and that meant I needed to walk around for a bit. You know, ride the glass elevator a few times, take in a couple of deep breaths, and just take it all in...

The Stars of Toronto Trek 16
(and some famous people in their company)

Now who you see here were just some of the guests of Toronto Trek 16. I was fortunate enough to meet them all except for Dominic Keating (on the far right...he did get a copy of MOREVI though...). As you already know about my encounter with Virginia, let it also be known everyone pictured here were terrific, gracious, and just plain fun to meet! Peter Woodward, one smart cookie and swamped in books for his next archeological dig! Chris Demetral, handling the "child actor" scene like a pro and just a good guy. Anthony Daniels...what can I say? *WOW* Gracious enough to autograph the SW poster Lisa and I donated to the TT16 Charity Auction and kind enough to chat with me on the spot. And Amber Benson -- loves to shop, very sweet, sense of humor...and she also got a copy of MOREVI.

My only regret of TT16 is that I didn't get any pictures of or with the real stars of TT16. People like Karenza Sutton, Patti Vickers, Monique Koevoets, Andrew Gurudata, and Kristopher Webb. No, you may not recognize these names, but I do. These were the organizers and staff of Toronto Trek 16. These were fans who didn't get a chance to enjoy the con as they were focused on running it. If there was a problem, they had a solution. If someone had a question, they had an answer. And if they didn't have a solution or an answer, they found someone who did. With Borg-esque efficiency, guest liaisons and security remained in touch via headsets and radio bands. With Stephen "Merlin" Barrett keeping watch over the weekend, and Patti and Karenza kept in the loop by Katherine Cheng, Toronto Trek never missed a beat.

So yes, I was starstruck...but not by the celebrities.

I was a new guy. A newly-published author with MOREVI make its Canadian debut at Toronto Trek. I expected to be just another face, just another guest. I expected to play second fiddle to the stars like Benson and Daniels and even the literary heavyweights like Czerneda and Sherman. Instead, the staff went out of their way to make me feel welcome. From hanging out in a hotel hallway heralding bellhops with "The Imperial March" to enjoying a drink (of some dangerous blue liquid) in Security's "Pit", TT16 went above and beyond in so many ways.

To sum up it the wonderful people in one moment: I was saying goodbye's and got a chance to thank Virginia Hey's liaison, Kerri, for being patient with me when I swiped some chat time with Miss Hey at the dinner. When I gave her a goodbye hug, she unexpectedly gave me a peck on the cheek and said in my ear, "Good luck on the book, eh?" I don't know what prompted her to say that, but it came from the heart.

That, in a nutshell, was what Toronto Trek 16 was all about.