Because of these several impediments, as well as other technical difficulties, you will find typos and occasional replication of text. In our humble opinion, typos show that the logs are of *live* chats, not canned interviews, and minimal editing of these logs has taken place.

[Cybling] Folks, welcome Darrell Schweitzer to chat.
[Cybling] Darrell will be our last guest today from Chicon!
[Cybling] Welcome Darrell!
[Baryon] Darrell, long time no see
[Cybling] Darrell, you're the Editor of Weird Tales, World Fantasy Award Winner of '92).
[Cybling] How long have you held that position?
[Darrell_Schweitzer] Since George Scithers, John Betancourt and I appointed ourselves in 1987.
[Cybling] Thats a good way to do it. Darrell...you've pubulished in the genres for several years as well...
[Cybling] are you still writing as well as editing, or does that job take all of your time reading?
[DavE] How does this Worldcon compare with others?
[Darrell_Schweitzer] Editing isn't really a job, in the sense of making a living at it. It's more of a vocation. I don't have a single "job" as such, but, I suppose, a series of sidelines: editor, writer, agent, bookseller, t-shirt mogul . . . and my wife has a full-time job. So I am what we used to call an 'educated bum," save that I make enough to pay taxes on it . . .
[DavE] There are worse things to be than an educated bum.
[Baryon] Darrell, a lot of the books of your fantasy are published in England before they are here. Is if because of their love of fantasy or just an easier market to crack?
[Darrell_Schweitzer] Better than some, not as good as others. I overheard Bob Silverberg desribe the Hyatt here as "the ultimate Worldcon horror hotel" or something to that effect, in the sense that it's hard to find anything and you seem to walk forever through an M.C. Escher drawing to arrive anywhere. But to be fair, the people running the con are hardworking and gracious. They have been good hosts. For my own case, i suppose I sort of get lost in the crowd here . . . as most everyone does.
[Darrell_Schweitzer] I've been on some good panels. There was one about the Holy Grail that was funny and erudite, for all we each have to have our own personal mystical vision to find the room . . .
[Darrell_Schweitzer] They didn't let me explain about the Great Pickle Controversy at the Byzantine McDonald's, though. Off-topic, allegedly.
[Darrell_Schweitzer] As you may have gathered, there is some element of surrealism in the experience.
[Darrell_Schweitzer] Worse is being an uneducated bum. They get fewer benefits.
[DavE] And don't get as many of the puns.
[Darrell_Schweitzer] It could well be that the British just have better taste. To be precise, though, ONE book was published in England first, THE MASK OF THE SORCERER, which is now available from the Book Club in the US, but still has no mass-market paperback edition over here.
[Darrell_Schweitzer] It may be that the British market is a bit more intellectual upscale and less generic. You don't have to turn out cookie-cutter trilogies
[Baryon] That would explain why Tanith Lee sells so well over there and not as well over here.
[Darrell_Schweitzer] It may be catty to say this, but MASK is not the sort of book that will appeal to, say, Terry Brooks's readership. And there are more terry brooks readers out there. They vote with their wallets. As the American market is more bestseller-driven and conservative, more gets squeezed out.
[Darrell_Schweitzer] And frequently doesn't get pulblished over here at all.
[Darrell_Schweitzer] But I do my bit. she is one of the chief contributors to WEIRD TALES.
[Cybling] Your work has shown up in several different types of magazines. Where would you put yourself on the SF/Fantasy/Horror spectrum?
[Baryon] Very, very true, but it is extremely sad for that to be the case
[Baryon] I've just gotten MASK from the bookclub. Maybe a review inthe next Baryon will help find a market here
[Darrell_Schweitzer] I would put myself at the fantasy/horror borderline. I have made occasional ventures into SF, often with humor. But i don't expect to be published in ANALOG any time soon. Meanwhile, I have a new story out in ADVENTURES IN SWORD & SORCERY and another in the Ed Kramer/Lisa Schnelling anthology STRNGE ATTRACTIONS. I sold one to CEMETERY DANCE recently.
[DavE] I've been trying to come up with the equivalent of 'sci-fi' for the fantasy genre. Any thoughts?
[Darrell_Schweitzer] Obviously you are a reader of rare perception and taste. I am in your hands.
[Baryon] And a very good story in a very strange anthology
[Darrell_Schweitzer] We used to call them "fur jockstrap books." But the cover art styles have changed. "Generic fantasy" is the common perjorative these days. It's often deserved.
[Cybling] Darrell, I'm sitting here coveting your necklace. Are those little skulls real ivory?
[Baryon] Darrell, you my remember my alter ego--Barry Hunter from the Esterotic Order of Dagon apa a few years ago
[DavE] Hmm... Genfan...
[Darrell_Schweitzer] Each one represents a soul sent to Kali . . .
[Darrell_Schweitzer] I was never actually a member of EOD. Have we perhaps met at a Necronomicon or in the pages of CRYPT OF CTHULHU?
[Baryon] Esoteric Order of Dagon, typos aboud
[Darrell_Schweitzer] Yes, do preafrood.
[Cybling] That's required in chat... Bary.
[Cybling] LOL
[Cybling] Darrell...another question here for the aspiring authors who are in the chat and will be...
[Cybling] reading the log.
[Cybling] Does Weird accept unsolicited manuscripts?
[Darrell_Schweitzer] Yes. All the magazines in our field do, as far as I know. The real basics are this: no e-mail submissions. Use PAPER. Remember that? Double-spaced. Mark it "disposable" if you don't want it back, and still enclose a SASE adequate for a reply.
[Darrell_Schweitzer] Better yet, send for the WT requirements sheet: 123 Crooked Lane, King of Prussia PA 19149-2570. Enclose a #10 envelope with a stamp on it (and your address) for us to send it.
[Cybling] Thanks...we have about 7 more minutes of Darrell's time...
* DavE remembers paper, vagually. Is that the stuff you doodle on?
[Cybling] before the duct tape we have him strapped to the chair gives way...
[Cybling] Any last questions?
[Darrell_Schweitzer] No clay tablets please. They ARE obsolete.
[DavE] Okay, what's the best pun you can relate in a family channel?
[DavE] From this convention
[Darrell_Schweitzer] How about a limerick?
[DavE] Sure
[Darrell_Schweitzer] A cultist, entranced with Cthulhu,
[Darrell_Schweitzer] encountered a slavering ghoul who
[Darrell_Schweitzer] said, "Old Ones don't need me,
[Darrell_Schweitzer] they won't even feed me,
[Darrell_Schweitzer] and so, in a pinch, I guess you'll do."
[Cybling] lol!
[DavE] *heh* Consider it stolen...
[DavE] is it yours?
[Darrell_Schweitzer] No so fast. Eldritch and unspeakable horrors will track you donw. Actually that limerick was published in AMAZING in the '80s. It is in my infamous poetry collection, NON COMPOST MENTIS.
[Cybling] Folks...let's thank Darrell Schweitzer for joining us today in Chicon's last chat.
[Cybling] Thank you so much for joining us!
* Cybling applauds
[DavE] Okay, I'll make the proper cite.
[DavE] Thanks for joining us!
* Baryon applauds Darrell and Cybling for all the hard work