Until Midnight (& Sometimes Later)

. . . and it’s going to be a busy one. Hip deep here in prep for Thanksgiving with the family, pick-up of the houseguest, and packing for Darkovercon.

If you’ll be in Timonium, here is where you can find me:

FRIDAY
3pm Main Programming
The Price of Magic
[Panelists: J-F Bibeau, Katherine Kurtz, Diana Paxson, Tamora Pierce, Delia Sherman, Elektra Hammond (mod)]
You can’t get something out of nothing. What kind of price does magic demand, and why, in your universe?

5pm Steampunk Programming
Decorate or Make Your Own Hat or Fascinator
workshop – [steampunk staff]
Bring a hat or buy a fascinator “blank” and decorate it with the help of our steampunk experts.

SATURDAY
Noon Alternate Programming
Independent Publishers
[Panelists: Elektra Hammond, Mike McPhail & Katie Hartlove]
In the past, if you wanted your book to be published you had a small number of big name publishers to choose from. With today’s technology, the publishing field is exploding. Learn about the independent publishers.

2pm Main Programming
SF seems to have two poles
[Panelists: Margaret Carter, Elektra Hammond, Debra Killeen, Tim Liebe, Don Sakers, Melissa Scott, Carl Cipra (mod)]
SF seems to have two poles: Frankenstein and Pygmalion, and the field shambles from one to the other over time. Where are we now?

4pm Alternate Programming
The many faces of art
[Panelists: Tristan Alexander, Shoshana Epsilon, Hannah Shapero, Elektra Hammond (mod)]
What is art & what makes a medium art versus a craft. Painting a picture with oil is considered art, while painting with thread (embroidery) is considered a craft. How does modern technology impact this?

5pm Steampunk Programming
Steampunk Literature
[Panelists: Mark P. Donnelly, Steve Southard, Kevin M. Houghton, Elektra Hammond (mod)]
A discussion of steampunk literature, past and current.

SUNDAY
11am Alternate Programming
Promoting 101
[Panelists: Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Elektra Hammond, Kelly Harmon]
Workshop/panel discussion. Learn about when and how to promote for little to no expense. Covers creative marketing, reviews, press releases, author interviews, and more.

Noon Main Programming
Lord Byron said . . .
[Panelists: C. S. Friedman, Esther Friesner, Elektra Hammond, Scott MacMillan, Vonnie Winslow-Crist, Leona Wisoker, Carl Cipra (mod)]
Lord Byron said “life is a tragedy to the person who feels and a comedy to the person who thinks.” But you have to do both—think and feel. Which is more important, and why?

I will also be at the Steampunk Promenade Saturday evening (Pirate!), the Clam Chowder Concert/Fundraiser for Children’s Hospital Saturday Night, and Igor’s wealth-redistribution session following the Hallelujah chorus even later Saturday night. And I’ll be hanging around the Dark Quest Books table in the Huckster’s Room.

Philcon rocked.

I got in Friday a little after things got started (Mike had to work and I waited for him so we could travel in one car instead of two), and the weekend was filled was fun, friends, and surprises. Friday included the PSFS (Philadelphia Science Fiction Society) meeting, attending a panel on the 75-year history of Philcon, including reminiscences of the early days by Robert A. Madle, an attendee of the very first Philcon. I rounded out the evening by attending the concert given by the featured filk guest, S.J. [Sooj] Tucker. To my very great surprise, Sooj was accompanied by Betsy Tinney on cello, a fellow maine coon breeder I’ve known forever.

After the concert (and a quick hello to Betsy), we headed off to Chez McPhail, where we were able to spend our weekend in comfortable accommodations (including yummy dinners).

Saturday I wasn’t committed to any panels until 3pm, so in and around my commitments I attended panels on Space Art (an intriguing look into the process of very different artistic minds), Costume Philosophy 101 (why create a particular costume?), the infamous Pirate Ninja, Alien, Big Damn Space Hero discussion? battle?, Psychic Detectives to Paranormal Investigators, and Cory Doctorow’s GOH Speech. I spent some time in the Huckster’s Room, and committed Mike and I to working in the Green Room for the Masquerade at Chicon 7 in September.

I moderated a lively panel on Costume Embellishment (I dragged out a few bits of show & tell, but mostly tried to just moderate–the last con where I did costuming panels I was the only one without show & tell, this time I was the only one who brought some . . . ). Later, at 7pm, was the Song of Ice and Fire panel–one of the highlights of the convention. We had a full room of fans, and a fun hour discussing George R.R. Martin’s wonderful epic. Afterwards, I headed downstairs with Mike to watch the masquerade and the halftime show (Sooj & Betsy joined by Heather Dale & Ben Deschamps) before calling it a night.

Sunday was super busy–panels at 10am, noon and 2pm. The first panel was on what makes a story Steampunk. Panelists included G.D. Falksen, Gil Cnaan, Jonah Knight, Richard Stout and me. Noon was a Steampunk costuming panel, after which I went to Jonah Knight’s 1pm Supernatural Steampunk concert. At 2pm, I moderated a Found Materials Costuming panel, then took a final turn through the Huckster’s Room.

Sometime during the weekend Mike and I managed to buy a small mountain of books, and I picked up a gorgeous skull-and-crossbones cameo (that glows in the dark!) from Robert Quill. Not to mention drooling over a bunch of great stuff–I want a Bat’leth for Christmas!

I got fun news this morning. I won the easter egg contest Justin Gustainis was running on his website, and the prize was tuckerization in his next Morris & Chastain novel–look for me there, doing cthulhu only knows what . . . .

. . . and it did. Night before last. 1am. The mysterious wet spot on the bed. Cautious sniff. Sigh of relief–NOT cat pee. So I got out of bed, turned on a light and peeled back the sheets. Two minutes examination revealed that we had, in fact, sprung a leak.

July 2009, when we left upstate New York for Delaware (the First State!), one of the things we left behind was a very, very patched waterbed mattress (witness to dozens of litters of kittens growing up in the bedroom). One of the things we furnished the new house in Delaware with was a new waterbed, complete with a new mattress, heater, etc.

And now it has its first leak. Why can’t I ever discover these things during daylight? So I got out the patch kit (from the night table drawer–I’ve got this down to a science) and ceremoniously glued a patch over the leak. Once it was dry, the bed could be remade and sleep could resume. Disaster averted–until the next time.

At least it wasn’t cat pee.

For those who will be in Cherry Hill, New Jersey at Philcon this coming weekend (18-20 November 2011), here is where to find me at the con. Otherwise, I’ll probably be hanging around the Dark Quest table in the Huckster’s Room:

SATURDAY
3:00pm in Plaza V (five)
Costume & Garment Embellishment–When do you Stop?
[Panelists: Elektra Hammond (mod), Lisa Ashton, Kat Grossberg, Kris Twesme, Patricia Wake, Nikki Cohen]

Our panel discusses the “fun” part of building your costume—embellishment—sometimes sparkly and glitzy, or not always. Everyone thinks this part is easy, but it is not always evident how to do it well. What is appropriate, how much, horizontal, vertical,
or diagonal or curved? Monochrome or contrast? Shiny or not, what if
you can’t find the right color? All these questions will be addressed.

7:00pm in Crystal Ballroom Three
George R.R. Martin’s “The Song of Ice and Fire”
[Panelists: David M. Axler (mod), Myke Cole, Andrew C. Murphy, Shira Lipkin, Elektra Hammond]

This series, now up to five books, has also spawned a hit HBO series. What is so special about Martin’s work? Is it the “new Dune”?

SUNDAY
10:00am in Plaza IV (four)
Steam: Ironing Out The Details
[Panelists: Richard Stout (mod), Gil Cnaan, Elektra Hammond, Jonah
Knight, G.D. Falksen]

What exactly makes a story “Steampunk”? Is it just a matter of slapping a few weird-science inventions on a Victorian setting, or is there more to it?

12 noon in Plaza II (two)
Starting in Steampunk: What are the Costume Basics?
[Panelists: Thomas Willeford (mod), Elektra Hammond, Gil Cnaan, Matt Black]

Steampunk has experienced overwhelming popularity in the recent past. How can you develop a steampunk costume or persona that is believable? What are the basic pieces for men or women? How about
accessories, shoes, hats, weapons, survival gear . . . ?

2:00pm in Plaza V (five)
Using Found Materials: Thrift Stores, Yard Sales & Grandma’s Attic
[Panelists: Elektra Hammond (mod), Thomas Willeford, Kris Twesme,
Stephanie Burke, Mike McPhail, Richard Stout]

Most of us don’t have unlimited funds to spend on building costumes.
The fun is trying to make serendipitous finds fit the need. Making over a thrift store dress, spraying an old crocheted sweater silver
as “mail”, perhaps finding a vintage hat in the attic—how do these spark your imagination?

I hope I see you’all there!

Cat in an Ultramarine Scheme: A Midnight Louie Mystery
by Carole Nelson Douglas

Hardcover August 2010 Mass Market Paperback October 2011 A Forge Book ISBN: 978-0-7653-1863-3 Rating: 5 paws (out of 5)

Cat in an Ultramarine Scheme is the latest entry in the long-running Midnight Louie series of mysteries. Temple Barr, a petite redhead working as a Public Relations specialist in Las Vegas, seems to fall over dead bodies at the drop of a hat. In this installment, two separate bodies show up (or the pieces thereof) and everyone is struggling to figure out who they are, who killed them and why.

Mingled with the mystery is the ever-more-complicated romantic relationship in Temple’s life, the trials and travails of Mystifying Max, her amnesiac ex-lover currently seeking his memories while traveling in Europe and the comic relief of trying to be the next big time in Vegas, from a PR angle.

The charm of this series from the very beginning lies in the unique points-of-view. The chapters alternate between various viewpoint characters, two of which have remained consistent throughout the series: Temple Barr and Midnight Louie. Louie is a Vegas native (unlike Temple) and helped show her the ropes when she relocated there. He is also something of a sleuth and utterly fearful. And he is solid black, sleek, and about sixteen pounds of domestic shorthaired cat. His chapters are among the most fun to read.

For those who haven’t been following the series, there is a review of The Show So Far, ably explained by Louie, including the current cast of characters and a list of the prior books in the series, as a prologue to the story. So, if you like, you can dive right in.

My recommendation: start at the beginning. It’s worth it. This series starts out fun, featuring a visit from two scottish folds and keeps getting better. Pampered persians, sneaky siamese, a mysterious birman, and a gang of street cats (mostly solid black) all have reoccuring roles through the series, along with a few dogs.

It’s even easy to keep track of. The first book is Catnap, followed by Pussyfoot. With the third book, Cat on a Blue Monday, a pattern emerges. The subsequent book titles are of the form: Cat in a Color Something, where color is the next letter in the alphabet (B for Blue, C for Crimson, etc).

If you’re a cat lover, you’ll enjoy these books. If you don’t believe me, just ask Louie.

The Cat’s Job Special Edition
by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller

Chapbook 2010 SRM Publisher Ltd. ISBN: 1-935224-07-7 available at http://www.pinbeambooks.com Rating: 5 paws (out of 5)

The Cat’s Job is an engaging smorgasbord of short features starring various and sundry fantastic felines. Some of them are true tales about real cats, spun by master storytellers. Others are pure fantasy. All are fun to read and will touch your heart.

Within you’ll find out about the interesting assortment of felines who have shared the lives of the authors through the years, about the cat who saves the world (on a regular basis), and who the King of the Cats really is. You’ll read about cat behaviors that might seem odd, but are perfectly believable to anyone who lives with cats.

You’ll giggle and sometimes you’ll cry, and you’ll enjoy every single word. This is a beautifully put together collection, chock full of entertaining tales. Recommended for anyone who loves cats, and suitable for all ages.

Naughty No More
by Marilyn Krieger

Trade Paperback 2010 Bow Tie Press ISBN: 978-1-193395893-7 Rating: 4 paws (out of 5)

On the surface, Naughty No More is a book about the problems you can run into when you own a cat, and how to correct them. And it’s a manual on clicker training, and how to use it not only to correct problems but to teach your cat to perform tricks. More than any of these, though, it’s a book about how to bond with your cat, whether you’ve just acquired your first kitten, or added a new adult to a multi-cat household.

What I especially like about Naughty No More is that the emphasis is put on understanding why your cat is behaving in a particular way. Different cats will exhibit the same behavior for wildly divergent reasons, and the first step to changing that behavior is recognizing their motivations. A careful reading will also give you valuable insight into why cats act the way they do.

The book groups problem behaviors by chapter (improper elimination, introducing a new cat into the household, etc.), and breaks each issue down into multiple variations. Each possibility is then subjected to a thorough analysis of cause and effect, followed by multiple suggestions and examples of how to correct the problem.

The prose is very clear and easy to understand, and the layout includes lots of explanatory pictures. Everything is broken up into easy to digest pieces, and the instructions are very encouraging for the novice. Someone already frustrated with a misbehaving cat would be able to find answers here, and the recipe for success always includes directions for how to take a step back (if the cat isn’t responding well) and move ahead more slowly. More difficult concepts and training goals build on simpler ones explained earlier in the text.

By the end of the book you can be teaching your cat to jump through hoops!

This review was published in the TICA Trend, as well as Bengals Illustrated magazine and Savannahs Illustrated magazine

It’s day three of NaNo and I’m already behind. Of course. I’m trying to keep up with all the editing I’m committed to as well (income is a good thing), and November is always busy around here. Keestone Katz! Philcon! Darkovercon! But I’m doing it anyway.

But things are looking up. I had the first of a series of weekly write-ins at my local library yesterday, and I was joined by a fellow quester, Deb. Everything is better with company!

And last night my laptop (my main computer system), returned to me after its visit back to its homeland, good as new. Apparently the cable to the display was bad. Fixed now. I am very much a creature of habit.

So, see you on the other side of November, hopefully 50,000 words later.