I'm off for Dragon*Con in Atlanta in a few hours--7 am flight. I meant to post more between now and the last leg of the tour, but I've been putting my efforts into the manuscript and I hope you will forgive me for that. But I did manage 2900 words today, which brings the count up to 43,200 total.

I'll try to get photos and updates up when I can wedge them in on my return. No promises, just hopes.

Anyhow if you're in Atlanta, this is my Dragon*Con event schedule. I have no events off site, so I'll be either hanging out in bars, or working (gotta keep up the word count so you can read Book 5!)

Title: Memento Mori: Ghost Stories
Time: Fri 04:00 pm Location: Montreal / Vancouver - Hyatt (Length: 1)
Description: How contemporary writers put a fresh spin on a venerable
supernatural tradition.

Title: Fictional Writing and Skepticism
Time: Fri 07:00 pm Location: 207 / 206 / 205 - Hilton (Length: 1)
Description: A few top authors, who are also Skeptics, discuss what effect
their personal skepticism has on their writings.

Title: City of Dreadful Night
Time: Fri 08:30 pm Location: Montreal / Vancouver - Hyatt (Length: 1)
Description: World-building in dark fantasy.

Title: Dragon*Reading: Kat Richardson
Time: Sat 04:00 pm Location: Williams - Hyatt (Length: 1)

Title: Writing Paranormal Fiction
Time: Sun 11:30 am Location: M109 - Marriott (Length: 1)
Description: Join Bob Blackwood and Gail Martin as they moderate a
discussion with paranormal fiction writers.

Title: Whatdunnit?
Time: Sun 07:00 pm Location: Montreal / Vancouver - Hyatt (Length: 1)
Description: Mixing the supernatural and mystery genres.

Title: Working the Graveyard Shift
Time: Sun 08:30 pm Location: Montreal / Vancouver - Hyatt (Length: 1)
Description: A look at the various jobs available to supernatural
investigators and creatures of the night.

Title: Under Raven's Wings: 200 Years of Poe
Time: Mon 01:00 pm Location: Montreal / Vancouver - Hyatt (Length: 1)
Description: Poe's influence on popular culture - sometimes in unexpected
ways.

Sorry for the long wait...

So Comic Con Saturday dawned and I had only a few things on my agenda: catch up with friends, sign books at Mysterious Galaxy's booth, have lunch with my editor, and do a panel at Borders. Mostly I wandered around like a drooling idiot in between having drinks with various people and trying not to let my eyeballs roll out of my skull from staring at all the cool.

( Read more and see pics! )

In spite of my lack of voice and constant cough, PNWA went really well; the conference crew were great, I met a couple of amazing people, and Team Seattle was fantastic--they made me look so good and all I did was stand around and point at them a lot.

And...

SinceVanished officially launches on Tuesday and Underground is coming out in mass market, I'll be reading (assuming my voice is back in shape, and if not I'll be whispering a la Mark Henry) and signing at the University Bookstore in Seattle at 7 p.m. this Tuesday, August 4. Then more signing at Seattle Mystery Bookshop in Pioneer Square on Saturday, August 8 at Noon. For more info on my appearance schedule, check my Appearances page.

Hope to see you!

I forgot the one photo I did take during the Hyperion party: A group of ladies out for a bachelorette party walked past and got frisky with this Robin and Harley Quinn:

Cute, eh?

Was a bit of a wreck when I finally got up on Thursday so I could go to my panel. I was supposed to meet Jackie Kessler, Caitlin Kittredge, Diana Rowland, and Sean Speakman for an early breakfast before the ladies had their own panel at 10, but I was too draggy and my sister and her boyfriend were a little disorganized, so we didn't get out of the hotel and down to breakfast until nearly 9 a.m. Sadly the heat and delay had started one of my headaches and I gobbled up the last of my Tylenol on the way down to breakfast.

Food was quite good and cheap at the Broken Yolk, just two doors south of the Solamar--and there was no line. In spite of the name, I was able to get chilaquilles with chicken and no egg--have I mentioned that I love this dish? Then we trotted off to the convention center and I went looking for a few people while Beth and Tagh went off to find other interesting things. Eventually I found, my editor and her booth, the Mysterious Galaxy booth next door and a few other things before I had to trot up the stairs and get to my panel. Being me, I went in through the back door.

And back out the front and around and back in... because I was the only one there and I felt a little nervous about sitting down alone. But soon Max Allen Collins arrived and we were seated together at the end of the table. Little did I know what I was in for...

( Read more and see photos... )

So... I flew off on Wednesday morning to San Diego for Comic Con International. It was my first time and I had a lot of fun. Imagine my surprise when I discovered I was on the same plane with Caitlin Kittredge. But she had upgraded to First Class, so we only got to hang out until the flight was boarding. Probably a good thing, since the back of the plane was packed as tight as a corset on a fat lady and even slender Caitlin would have had a hard time finding a place to stand and chat with me, despite my aisle seat.

In spite of my mother's psychic-prompted warnings, the flight was uneventful. I worked and got 1,000 words done during the flight and no one spilled anything on me, nor did any parts of the plane or stewardesses come off. There was nothing that would have made an episode of Fringe. Quite dull all the way to the hotel and up the stairs to my incredibly comfortable room. Kimpton Hotel Solamar rocks! (except for the strange lamp that liked to turn itself on and an alarming lack of of ventilation fan in the bathroom that made the whole room rather humid after a shower.) But otherwise, it was a delightful room which allowed us to spy on the folks from SyFy and their party on Saturday (more about that later.)

So, after a quick bag-drop and freshen, I strolled the 3+ blocks to the Convention Center and stood in line for my Pro badge. Texted with Jackie Kessler and friends about progress and they beat me through the line, even though Jackie was actually behind me somewhere. The computer at my station decided it didn't like me and wasn't going to cooperate with coughing up my badge. It talked the printer into joining the strike and it took about 20 minutes after I arrived at the table to get the badge into my hot little hand. Boo, evil computer devices!

But eventually I had my stuff--including a guest badge for my sister's boyfriend--and found Jackie and her friends outside. The friends proved to be Diana Rowland and Sean Speakman with whom I became ridiculously fast friends at once--they are both delightful people and I was tickled to get to know them. (Caitlin was opting for a quick nap and picked up her badge a little later--probably smart of her as we were standing in the heat while she was napping through it.) You can also take a peek at Jackie's photos on FaceBook for more Comic Con goodness.

We four went off to discover some food and drink while planning our campaign. I discovered I didn't have a proper schedule for some reason and couldn't plan my schedule until Sean gave me his copy. *beam* Needless to say, my best laid plan actually came to naught in the end and I didn't make it to a single panel, but I was trying...

After foodery, I thought I might go stand in another line to get my sister's badge. Which I did and it took about half the time getting my own had, even though there were about eight times as many people in line. It was really full, but we got our stuff, our bags and we're out on the floor in about fifteen minutes. Great work, registration staff!

So, with swag bag and badges in hand, I began to reconnoiter. Even early on, standing at the head of the stairs, things were pretty strange already. A mere taste of what was to come...

Look below the cut for photos from Kat's First Day at Comic Con.( Read more and see photos... )

Just packing to run off to Comic Con in San Diego tomorrow. If any of you are in the SD area this weekend, I hope you'll be able to drop in and say hi. Even if you can't do the convention (they are sold out--I know), I'm going to be doing something at Borders in the Gaslamp district Saturday at 8 p.m.

Originally they said it was just a signing, but it seems that it's become a live installment of Babel Clash, so a whole bunch of us crazy writer types will be yammering up a storm, including Patrick Rothfuss, Rob Thurman, Thomas Sniegoski, Amber Benson, Seanan McGuire, Jeanne Stein, and me. I think there's going to be some coverage at the Borders SF/Babel Clash blog after/during the event so even if you can't come, you can check out the crazy.

Aside from that, I'm also on a panel about Crime: Usual and Unusual on Thursday, 12:30-1:30, then signing in the Autograph Area afterward. Friday is par-tay day with dinner with the Penguin publicists and a couple of the coolest writers afoot: Marjorie Liu, Seanan McGuire, and me (yes, I am cool, when you don't notice the pudge and the gray hair). Then off to party the night away, then signing, signing, signing on Saturday, first at the Penguin booth (#11-17) from 11 to noon and then the Babel Clash Live gig.

In between, I hope to hang out a bit with my sister and the fabulous Caitlin Kittredge, Jackie Kessler, Pat Rothfuss, Victor Gischler, and maybe I can finally meet some of my favorite comics writers (I hear Ed Brubaker will be there and so will Warren Ellis! W00t!)

I'll try to be a good little hermit and take photos, but... you know how bad I am about that...

This is a busy week, which shall be followed by another busy week, and then another busy week, and then... I go on Tour! A few things are hanging fire, so I'll just post what's coming up right away.

Today I'm off to be interviewed by the cool folks at Seattle Geekly, podcast to run on Thursday, I do believe.

Wednesday I'm going to the Washington Talking Book and Braille Library and Evergreen Radio Reading Service in the morning to record another interview, this time with my old comic-reading partner Jeff Cavanaugh for the Science Fiction Hour. In the evening I'll be off to watch my bud, Caitlin Kittredge, read and sign her latest book, Street Magic (which is uberfabulous), at the University Bookstore in Seattle alongside Kevin Radthorne at 7 p.m.

A little farther down on that University Bookstore list, you'll see that Lisa Mantchev will be signing her new YA novel, Eyes Like Stars, at 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 16, and of course I will go to that, too (because the fairies will come for me if I don't.)

Friday Team Seattle is off to Salem OR by way of Portland to join Devon Monk for mass signing at Escape Fiction in Salem [3240 Triangle Dr SE, Salem, OR 97302 (503) 588-5865] from Noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 18th (which is also my sister's birthday: Happy Birthday, my dear--I promise to send something... but I lost the card I bought you.)

When we return, I'll be getting ready for the next stage of the promo: San Diego Comic Con!

There will be a ton of cool folks in attendence both as pros and just hanging out, which of course includes yours truly, Caitlin, Jackie Kessler, and a host of others, including some of my fabulous Penguin crew. Here's where I'll be when I'm not out getting into trouble:

Thursday July 23rd 12:30- 1:30 pm; CRIME: Usual and Unusual, Room 3
Panelists: Max Allan Collins (The Goliath Bone); Jeffrey J. Mariotte (Cold Black Hearts) Alexander Irvine (Buyout); Gregg Hurwitz (Trust No One); Thomas Greanias (The Atlantis Revelation); Kat Richardson (Vanished)

Signing to follow with all panelists


Saturday July 25th 11 am; Signing at Penguin Booth # 11-17


Saturday July 25th 8pm; Penguin offsite signing at Borders Books and Music, Gaslamp district store, 668 6th Avenue San Diego, CA 92101 619-702-4200
Authors attending: Patrick Rothfuss, Rob Thurman, Thomas Sniegoski, Amber Benson, Seanan McGuire, Jeanne Stein, Kat Richardson

And the weekend after that, I'll be at PNWA's Summer Conference. Then Vanished will be released on August 4th and I'm officially "on tour" after that.

For now: back to writing! (and laundry.)

One annoying thing about the current condition of airlines with their endless fees, mated to long trips is that you have to travel light unless you want to add $50-100 in baggage charges to your trip. This means no piles of fabulous costumes for Dragon*Con, which would be mega fun since they are having a Pirate Parade and I think it would be a gas to go as a steampunk pirate. Being something less than skinny, my suitcases have slightly less room in them than they used to and I doubt I can sneak a couple of foofy skirts, petticoats, corsets, and pirate coats in without bursting the seams. And where would I put my hat? Alas! I'll just have to be me.

Poo.

This weekend was my first official promo event of the year and I have come to realize my promo muscles are severely out of shape. See, Norwescon, the Seattle-area SF convention, started Thursday and I had a panel at 4 with Richelle Mead and Loree Parker about Vampire novels, but knowing the way things go at the start of a con, I figured the wise thing to do was show up early. So I left my husband to medicate Taz the ferret and headed down to the SeaTac Doubletree Hotel by the airport. Remarkably, I was not only early, but I managed to get a decent parking space and trot into the hotel with no problems or delays (other than idiots on the freeway doing the usual idiot things.)

Hung out in the bar and discovered a bunch of lovely folk, including Lisa Mantchev and Jenna Waterford and their minion. They graciously let me join their table and soon we were joined by several other early-comers, including the always-delightful Jeremy Lassen of Nightshade Books who had a somewhat disturbing tale about airplanes and white suits and how they don't mix with queasy seat mates and storms over Denver. While we were being horrible, Richelle arrived with her usual fabulousity and we had drinks (well, Richelle had drinks; I had iced tea because I was already tired and didn't want to do a face plant on the panel) before we trundled off to be good panelists and talk about whether Vampire novels had "jumped the shark." Panel consensus: some have; some haven't; and no, they aren't going away anytime soon; and you can't trick or goad us into verbally flaying Famous Vampire Novelists or their books.

Then back to the bar to hook up with Tiffany Trent and others and get a start on the evening with dinner and more drinking followed by a trip to the Small Press party, which was fun and included lots of chattering with friends not seen in a year or so (like Alma Alexander, Kevin Radthorne, and Patrick Swenson) and some seen recently (like Jen and Ken Scholes and the Janna Silverstein) but never often enough.

Trotted home about eleven went to bed no long afterward.

After that it's all kind of the same: got up earlier than I usually do, did errands on the way to the con (like dropping by Janna's place to fetch something for her and pet the cat): discover something new (like the audio version of Mean Streets in my mail box); cruise for a parking space after hoodwinking the parking attendents who really didn't want you to get in; trot into the hotel, meet more people, do more panels, drink more stuff, eat bland food, and forget what time it is and where you are supposed to be.

Writerly Friendship panel went off all right with Jeremy Lassen coming to heckle us and ask if we were all spouse swapping like the Great SF Old Guard of the fifties and sixties reportedly did. It went pretty well (though, I'd somewhat forgotten that when you have Donna Barr on a panel, you have to keep reminding her the topic is not the superiority of self-publishing over the big-publisher model, but that wasn't my job: it was Richelle's and she did pretty well without being bitchy about it.)

I got to retain my seat for the next panel, "You're Done, Now Make It Better" about revision and editing, which was a bit scary initially due to the absence of our moderator, Leah Cutter, who was out sick--and many blessings upon her for deciding the better part of valor is to stay home when you think you might be Con Crud Patient Zero. I like Leah, so while I was disappointed to have no opportunity to see her, I'm glad she got some rest instead.

But I digress. The panel went all right by self-direction. Ted Butler and Lizzy Shannon are both delightful and between the lot of us, and Ted's worksheet on On How to Write A Novel, we muddled through all right and I hope gave some useful info to the audience-which was gratifyingly large.

Afterward, more drinks and food in the bar, more chatting and hanging out with what swiftly became The Con Crowd of Mantchev, Trent, Mead, Henry, Lassen, and minions. (Alas, my own Thing One minion, Thea Maia, was out sick too. As usual, the Spring Crud had laid a lot of people low.)

Then off to Mark Henry's reading, which was evil and disgusting as always (and he blamed me for it--win!)

I did manage to literally stumble over Joshua Palmatier twice, once over Warren Hammond, and leave a restaurant just as Micheal Ehart and Rose were coming in, so the usual almost-missed, not-quite-made connections weren't quite as bad as usual, but still there.

Saturday was reading and signing day for me and that felt kind of rushed and annoying, since the parking nazis were being particularly annoying and I had to leave after a lovely, but too-short lunch with Jen West-Scholes to fetch my hubby down to the con and then cruise for parking.

In between I bought myself a ring from Angelwear so my missing wedding ring didn't feel so obvious. The ring is really pretty and will definitely be hanging out (though it might need sizing, since my hands were swollen at the time) now that I've re-discovered the wedding band under a pile of computer logic boards. I also dropped by Book Universe in the dealers room to see AmyCat (whom I forgot to return to later and sign stock for--bad Kat!)

Because I've recently packed my books and archives up for shipment to a better storage location, I couldn't find my copy of Mean Streets, from which I was supposed to read, so I grabbed the proof of Vanished and sat in the bar with Mr. Kat while he scarfed a burger and I tried to find a part to read. I settled on two sections depending on how many people had read the previous book and then we trotted up to the reading room where the crowd was unexpectedly large. I read the part with the fewest spoilers, then we had a drawing for the proof.

I tend to forget that fans think this stuff is cool: to me it's paperwork. But they were quite excited about the possibility of getting the proof for their very own (even though some of the pages are copies since the original marked pages have to go to the publisher.) But they put their names into a gorgeous top hat lent for the occasion from a fan in Steampunk regalia and I'll be mailing that massive sucker out as soon Anne the changes are accepted. (Maybe I should make this a habit....)

Then I totally forgot to sign stock for AmyCat (I'm sorry!) while having fantastic silly conversation with the real Christelle (who appears as a ghost in Vanished), her hubby Jesse, Mr. Kat, and Nicki down in the bar. Eventually we all went off to see what else was happening and got swamped in the start of the Masquerade while waiting to see if the Impala cruise with Caitlin, Cherie and Tiffany would happen. Alas, it didn't. Or we didn't hear of it, so we headed off.

Mr. Kat and I were a lot more tired than we'd expected to be and so we went home by way of the video store and spent the evening watching Shoot 'Em Up and episodes of Sharp's Revenge. Today, Mr. Kat is feeling sick and staying in bed and I am getting back to work as rain patters on the deck, making sounds like a million tiny bird feet dancing above.

Over all, not a bad Norwescon, but I am definitely out of con-practice. I'll have to bone up on my social butterflying and public relations stuff before the next one. Meanwhile, I have a dark chocolate bunny to annihilate....

Having difficulty updating the main site, so here's the info for this weekend (April 9-12) at Norwecon at the SeaTac Doubletree Hotel. This is where I'll be for sure during Norwescon. If you can't find me, check the bar/coffee stall:

Thursday

Have Vampire Novels Jumped the Shark? 4:00 PM Cascade 7
Are there any cross-over vampire stories that haven’t been written?
Kat Richardson, Richelle Mead, Loree Parker

Friday

Writerly Friendship Noon Evergreen 3
What's it like to start and maintain a friendship with another writer? How about rivalry? Collaboration? What part is played by professional admiration? How about by alcohol? Can only another ink-stained wretch really understand?
Richelle Mead, Donna Barr, Brenda Cooper, Kat Richardson, Mark Henry

You’ve finished. Now make it better! 1:00 PM Evergreen 3
The pains and pleasures, whys, wherefores, and (occasional) rewards of re-writes. Gosh, this is starting to sound like work!
Leah Cutter, Ted Butler, Kat Richardson, Lizzie Shannon

Saturday

Autograph Session 1 11:00 AM Evergreen 1 & 2
Grab your books! Our Guests of Honor and many of our pros will be available for autographs.
R.A. Salvatore, Geno Salvatore, Todd Lockwood, Richard Baker, John P. Alexander, MH (“Maggie”) Bonham, L.J. Bothell, Ted Butler, Jeff Carlson, Greg Cox, Darrin Drader, Michael Ehart, Elton Elliott, Spencer Ellsworth, Roberta Gregory, Jeff Grubb, Warren Hammond, Paul Melko, G.David Nordley, Sean Reynolds, Kat Richardson, Ken Scholes, Jeff Sturgeon, Tiffany Trent

Reading: Kat Richardson 4:00 PM Cascade 3
Third Death of the Little Clay Dog – Harper Blaine Urban Fantasy Novella - Rated PG (well... maybe... I might be persuaded to read some of the new novel I'm currently proofing.... if you ask nice.)
Kat Richardson

I'm not entirely sure which parties I'll be at, since I may need to head home and take care of the ferret, but I'll try to show up to some.

I'm very annoyed and not just a bit upset to have to say WorldCon 2011 will not be in Seattle! Crap!

The only remaining bid is for Reno. I really have no interest in Reno. I don't like the heat (in August!) and I don't care for the primary industry of the town. I don't find it a place that offers any entertainment notions I'm particularly interested in (Golf? Swimming pool that's 90F? Tennis? Shopping? so very not me every one). I suppose I'll end up skipping it, since 100+ outside and 65 inside is not my idea of pleasant.

On top of that, the theme was all steampunky and I was really looking forward to that. Now what? Phooey! And on top of that, I had to find out through a bottom-of-the-page notice on an SFWA email. No one contacted me and I already gave money to the bid at more than the minimum "friend" rate, so... I'm wondering what's going to happen to that, too.

*sigh* And I was so looking forward to commuting to WorldCon....

OK, so... today and tomorrow are the last days for the MEAN STREETS favorite character contest at the Greywalker forum.

And I have received and returned my official invite and contract for Dragon*Con! So I'll be in Atlanta Labor Day weekend! Yay!

Yeah... I'm slow.

So here at last is the LOOOOONG blog about Bouchercon (World Mystery Convention) in Baltimore earlier this month.

( More nifty comments and lots of photos... )

And now I am home and it was fabulous, but I am tired and I have a proof due on Wednesday, so I shall post more later.

The fabulous Richelle Mead's latest succubus novel is out!



OMG! More Georgina Kincaid? Oh yes! Grab it while the grabbing's good, or it's gonna be sold out! Good stuff, Maynard.

And soon, my pretties, very soon--if not already--my own little contribution to Werewolfery and EEeeevil Christmas stories ("The Werewolf Before Christmas") will be available:



Starting Wednesday night I'll be at Bouchercon in Baltimore and about half the authors will be at a signing at the Power Plant B&N on Thursday evening and on a panel on Friday. There may be prezzies for people who turn up at the Bouchercon panel....

So... On Tuesday last I had my first offical signing of Underground at University Bookstore, which went quite nicely thank you--I think Richelle is much funnier than I and she actually remembered to invite people, which I didn't. But I have an excuse: I had to leave the next morning and I had things like... packing on my mind.

And at 6 am, off I went, care of our favorite Airport Service driver, Mosen. Flappity, flappity, I'm off to Denver.

When I arrive, my already funky 6-year-old cell phone finally gives up the ghost for good and leaves me with a very annoying instrument I can only hear in speaker mode. Bleh! But I don't have time to fix it, so I make do. And am picked up from the airport by Mario Acevedo, who then dines me and drops me at my hotel. Where, as I am signing in, I discover an old friend, Richard Foss, registering next to me. Very cool!

The clerk warns me that the only room of my type that they have at the moment is on the 24th floor and there is construction going on on the 25th--but only 9-5 M-F. I can wait a few hours for another room to be prepared or I can take this one.... I think the 24th floor will be fine, since I have little chance of sleeping past 9 on Thursday or Friday due to my weird Con schedule. I say "OK." Oh... what a silly woman am I.... But I take my bag to my room, shift a few things around, and head for the Colorado Convention Center. Now, the fun starts.

Con registration is very hard to find, hidden as it is in plain sight... at the back of the convention center. This requires a looooong, undirected and un-signaged ramble past a John Deere convention and a Statistical Analysts convention (or something like that), to the tables where I am eventually rewarded with my badge and bag o' stuff. I even double-check to make sure the other membership I had to sell off is properly transferred to its new owner and I'm now free to get in trouble--assuming I can stay awake. But there is always coffee...

Ramble around, get in trouble, find Mario, get in more trouble which involves drinking and almost being late for dinner with two local friends of mine from teh Intarwebs. Molli and Wes wait patiently while I extract myself from a vodka-and-soda and we take off for dinner, accompanied by Harper, herself. Or at least a very good facsimile:



One may notice Molli is wearing a Harry Dresden Classified Ad T-shirt, because she has a ton and a half of good taste.

We have a really great dinner and I am totally stuffed silly by the time Molli and Wes head for home. OMG--my tummy is so full I may never eat again! I go back to my hotel, drop off the leftovers, discover a phone call on my fucked up cell phone and listen to the message which is from Mario asking if I'm done dining and would I like to come out for a drink? So, I say, yeah and head to the Sheraton.

It starts raining. It's not very hard, but it's persistent and I'm a bit wet by the time I get to the Sheraton and very turned around by the time I find the ASFFA party. Which Mario and John Picacio have already vacated. Oh look: there's another message on my barely-functional phone. Mario and John have abandoned the very dead party for the Hyatt hotel bar, which name of same I mis-hear. I'm staying at the Hyatt, too!

The other Hyatt.

So I go out and walk to the Convention Center Hyatt. I begins to rain a lot harder. I can't find the "Samba Room" but eventually am spotted wandering in the rain by Mario, who waves me into the STRATUS Room. I have a drink or three... which do not seem to have the effect on me that most people experience in Denver. No, strangely, the alcohol hits me not at all. Until Drink #4 when I become instantly exhausted.

Luckily, before that happens, I meet Charles Stross--who in spite of my fears turns out to be very nice and incredibly sweet. We have far too silly a conversation at the bar until Charlie nearly falls asleep in his beer and cleverly bids us all good night before he becomes the same sort of zombie I should be--but amn't.

Meanwhile I hook up to a conversation with Alan Beatts, of Borderlands Books. We end up closing down the bar and Alan kindly walks me back up to my hotel. It has stopped raining and we sit on a bench outside and talk until 3 am. Poor Alan. I stumble to bed and finally get into it just before 4 am.

Remarkably, I do not have a hangover--which is really good since I am awakened by a strange tapping sound on the walls at 8:17 am. Followed by the sound of someone removing said wall with a sledgehammer. I do not see the sledgehammer, but I'd like to: so I can use it on the clerk who said the room would be quiet until 9. I heave myself out of bed, shower (without having to pack a bag and walk 4 blocks with my soap and towel first), dress and trot off for my first full day of connage. I can't remember what I'm doing, but I do it anyhow.

Later I have lunch with the fabulous Mario, Jeanne Stien, Warren Hammond, and a fellow named Matt whose last name continues to escape me, even though I try very hard to catch it. Lovely. Warren Hammond is especially cool.



More wandering about, more food, more drinks, banging into people I know or have wanted to meet all over the place--this is the way the whole con continues through Sunday. Except for my own panels, I never seen a single piece of programming.

On the other hand, my own panels go great and on the Urban Fantasy Panel on Friday, I'm really pleased to see that more than half the audience is male. They think UF is all girly stuff except for Jim Butcher and Simon Green and I'm tickled pink for the opportunity to turn these guys on to the other stuff in the niche (and pimp Warren and Caitlin and Mark and a bunch of other cool people.) Patricia Bray, Sarah Hoyt, Darlene Marshall, and Lucienne Diver make it all tons of fun and very informative. (I'm in love with Patricia Bray.)

I run into more fab folks outside--including Joshua Palmatier who reminds me I promised to write something for him. Oops...

But that's OK, we're both swamped, so it'll be OK. I have lunch with my agent and get lost in the convention dealer's room until I return to my hotel to leave my laptop--which I've foolishly been carrying with me all this time. I do not take a nap, due to the sound of tap-dancing squirrels resounding in the walls, but deal with my email for a while, losing all track of time... Until I get a barely-understood phone call from Mario, asking if I'm still coming to dinner....

I trot off for dinner and then my signing at the Tattered Cover with the able assistance of Mario and the Denver Mobsters. Arriving at TC, we discover Jen Scholes lying in wait and looking adorable--as always. And Charlie



and Joe Haldeman



already waiting for my laggard butt. Things go well, except that Joe and Charlie are so much better at this Author Thing that I figure my biggest asset is in my bra. It's really not that bad, but... wow... these guys are So Good! damn it. They sign a lot more books than I do, but... they are bigger names and they are gracious and charming the whole damn time! Poop!

Denver Mob and I hook up with Charlie to return to the convention hotel and go looking for parties. We find few and end up in the Hyatt bar again. (See a pattern?)

Friday dawns to the sound of hammers and a concerto for power drill. At 8:20 am. Unlike the real, hardcore fans, I cannot sleep wherever I happen to find a couch.



But I still have a lot of fun and another old friend turns up: Marc "Animal" McYoung whom I haven't seen for literally two decades. He and Jeanne Stein become best friends as we all wander around looking for beer, then dinner, then various parties.... I can't remember most of it, but I do remember meeting John Scalzi. Who turns out to be from my home town! W00t! This con is made of Win! I have too much fun. Jeremy Lassen has the best suits ever. And there is a lot of drinking. Once again, thrown out of the bar at closing time... This time in the company of Richard Foss--who's been shut out of nicer bars than this one.

Once again, no hangover and it being now Saturday and all my stuff is done, I think I shall sleep in... but the Giant Electric Rat Gnawing On My Wall At 8:20 am (also known as a "Sawzall") has different ideas. Oi.. vey. Good thing that tool's on the next floor up or I'd find him and shove that appliance up his charging socket! Thanks... you rat.

I try to have breakfast with Mr. Foss, but he has an appointment and has to run off, so I kill time until I can go have a coffee with my stand-in editor (Jessica Wade, since Anne Sowards couldn't come.) I go looking for coffee and find... John Hemry having coffee with Jessica Wade! I join them and end up wearing my coffee from tits to knees. Whoops... Luckily, the pants are coffee-colored--which is odd, since I'd have sworn they were olive green. The shirt is largely OK, but I do smell interesting enough to attract engineers. I survive and neither John nor Jessica thinks I'm a total numb-nuts. They do have some question about my ability to drink, however....

And I finally throw in the towel and buy a new cell phone. Which I take back to the hotel and plug into the charger while I check email--and it's a good thing, since I find a bunch I need to deal with. When I check the phone it's not charged... because I forgot to put in the battery. I rectify that and spend another hour trying to program the phone once it's charged.

And Mario again has to remind me to come to dinner. On the new phone! It works! yay! I



trot off and meet a large crowd of Denver Mob and Associates and head off to dinner at the Wynkoop Brewery. Another lovely time is had and we head off for the Post-Hugo insanity. Which begins with a parade of winners through the lobby of the Hyatt and onward to the Sheraton. We follow them to the Ace/Roc after party, where I again encounter... John Scalzi--who has the most lovely date in the room.



And a Hugo (very pointy...):



Isn't that cute? Now he just needs to get that Best Novel one and he's good to go! (But how can you complain about being beaten by Michael Chabon? I mean... really?)

And the evening is very silly at the Ace/Roc sponsored party. Ginjer is surprised when I leap out from behind a chair to take her photo--because is that not the best T-shirt EVER?! I want one... (so does everyone else.)



And I discover that, yes... everyone is shorter than Duane Wilkins (especially the petite and charming Jessica Wade.)



Finally we all trundle off, head for bed, and generally fall away. I stop to complain to the front desk about the Rodents of Unusual Size living in my walls and am awarded... a pair of earplugs.

The Rodents hold off until 9:30 on Sunday. I "sleep in" then wander off to see the end of the con, where I... discover my new phone doesn't work!

I trot back to Radio Shack and with the assistance of the Fosses, get it fixed. It never works quite right ever, but to this moment I have not had a chance to go back to the local RS and rectify that....

After fixing the phone at least to a degree, I return to the Hyatt to hang with the late stayers, and have dinner with the SFWA Musketeers--which includes John Hemry, Elizabeth Moon, and Lee Martindale. A truly incredible dinner with fascinating people ensues and no one throws me out for saying very weird things.

Somewhere along the line, I lose the opportunity to have John sign some books for my husband, but that's OK. I have a lovely walk and chat with Lee to our hotel, then double back to the "other" Hyatt for "dead dog" drinks with the last of the hardcores--which includes Jim Minz of Baen who gives great conversation and is really fun to chat with. Alan Beatts hatches a plot to storm the amusement park in Montreal next year, and I finally give up... and head to my hotel for the last time.

The two-legged rats do not awaken me until 9. Fucking rats. Breakfast is coffee and a scone at the Corner Bakery and a quick, final trot around Denver, where I rediscover Catilin's building, and sign books at B&N before I'm picked up by Mario for lunch and a trip to the airport.



We stop at the Buckhorn Exchange--Denver's oldest restaurant--and have this view during lunch of all the critters who have ever been on the menu:



Someone has apparently eaten the last unicorn...


and we missed it. Mmmm... unicorn on toast....

And home to Seattle, on route to which I benefit from being seated in the same row as a man so tall he needs two seats just to insure he has sufficient room, so... there was a half-empty seat between us. Score! needless to say, I don't sleep... I read Nymphos of Rocky Flats all the way to Seattle.

Next year... Montreal! (BYOU--Bring Your Own Unicorn.)

World Building 101--as the program called it--went smashingly! The crowd (about 24 which is great for a last-minute class) plus some observers and a few people who had to dive out for appointments with agents and editors, was enthusiastic, once we got them warmed up and they seemed to have a great time making up their worlds on the spot. Some really ingenious ideas came out and everyone seemed to walk away pleased that they came. We did!

And here we are, Team Seattle, in our little workshop room (photo care of MWA Northwest Newsletter editor Dave Bara):

From Left to Right: Richelle Mead, Caitlin Kittredge, Cherie Priest, me, and Mark Henry, who was our "Vanna White" and wrote down the strategy and development prompts as we went.

Loads of fun were had (except for the fish dinner afterward, but that's another story.) And the MWA table did very well with collecting names and new members and giving away nifty lanyards and books. We must do it again!

Score for me: I met the fabulously funny Heather Osborn from Tor afterward--she's a gas! So a great pay off for the stress of last week. Yay!


Oh yeah: Dave pointed out that the ladies of Team Seattle have great taste in shoes (well... except for me, cause Mark and I were both wearing sneakers.) Caitlin has the coolest Pink pumps ever!

No MWA table until Friday, so I won't be there.  ~sigh~  Hunt me down in the halls on Saturday.

Something went pear-shaped at the last minute at PNWA and as a result, Team Seattle will be running a World Building for Urban Fantasy workshop at the conference this Saturday! OMG! We're scrambling to put our paperwork together, but the magic team of Richelle, Cherie, Caitlin, Mark Henry, and me will be doing a prompted exercise in small groups with an overview and Q&A. So... if you're going, look for us doing our thing to give aspiring Urban Fantasists a hand up on Saturday afternoon!

If you're going to be at PNWA, please drop in and say "hi," and hang out for the workshop. Saturday 4-5:30, I think...  And I'll be at the MWA table off and on starting Thursday. 

We're also setting up a discussion, sponsored by MWA, on Integrating Horror and Fantasy in Mystery at Hugo House for mid-October.

And all this finalizing--and initializing--fell onto my virtual desk last night. Busy busy....