Until Midnight (& Sometimes Later)

While I was visiting with C.J. at Zenkaikon, a talented young man named John Salvino came by and did a quick pencil sketch, showing off C.J.’s iconic black hat. You can find more of John’s art on his blog–go check it out.

I spent the last weekend in September at the always fun Baltimore Book Festival, helping sell Danielle Ackley-MdPhail books at the SFWA (Science Fiction Writers of America) tent. Much fun was had by all in attendance.

I did panels with amazing, intelligent folks I am proud to have met: Sarah Pinsker, Kate Milford, Harry Heckel, Philippa Ballantine, Tee Morris, Tiffany Trent, Ellen Datlow, and Richard White–moderated by the awesome Catherine Asaro. I also got to meet and/or generally hang out with Cat Rambo, Rahul Kanakia, Laura Anne Gilman, Brenda Clough, Brandie Tarvin, Walter Greatshell, Don Sakers, Jack McDevitt, Bud Sparhawk, Tom Doyle, Sarah Beth Durst, Alethea Kontis, and Andrew Fox. My dh Mike even came out for the Saturday night meet and greet.

There was fun festival food, delicious low-fat smoothies from Maui Wowi, a lovely lunch out with writer Anatoly Belilovsky, and best of all, lots of visiting time with my host in Baltimore, eluki bes shahar, amazing mentor and incredible writer.

Looking forward to next year.

This weekend is the 17th Annual Baltimore Book Festival, a three-day extravaganza of book-related fun spread over several blocks of downtown Baltimore. Readings, panels, demos, and signings will be taking place, as well as all manner of books, new and used, for sale. Dark Quest Books is handling the book sales for SFWA (Science Fiction Writers of America), who is a program partner for the event this year. I’ll be helping out with the book sales.

I’m also scheduled for two panels, both on Saturday, 29 September at the SFWA tent:

12 noon The Electronic Age
It’s here and it’s booming. A plethora of bonuses come with reading in the electro-optic age, including: eBooks, animation, audio books, and who knows what in the near future. Come hear what’s up in one of biggest developments in publishing.
Panelists include: Kate Milford, Sarah Pinsker, Harry Heckel, Elektra Hammond, Philippa Ballantine

1pm Steampunk and Gaslight: It’s Hot and on Top
Come talk with steampunk and gaslight authors about this immensely popular new genre.
Panelists include: Tee Morris, Tiffany Trent, Ellen Datlow, Richard White, Elektra Hammond

If you’re at the festival, stop by and say “hi.”

I haven’t said a lot about Chicon–probably because, well, 5 days in Chicago, not quite 3 days home, then 2 days judging a cat show in White Rock, British Columbia. I’m still catching up. There were quite a few high points: going to the bar for a nibble that first night and meeting George R.R. Martin, meeting Jim C. Hines just moments after purchasing Libriomancer and getting it signed, meeting Ferrett Steinmetz and having dinner with him, his lovely wife Gini Judd, and Amy Sundberg (and my dh Mike). I did my first ever worldcon panels, and committed to Lonestarcon (Worldcon 2013) next year and supported the Phoenix in 2014 bid for NasFic (and got an awesome Magnus and Loki t-shirt).

And, best of all, thanks to Larry Smith, Bookseller, my latest publishing effort, Galactic Creatures, was on sale in the Worldcon hucksters’ room. I have proof.

Over at buzzymag, there’s a new review of Galactic Creatures, the first anthology published under the Sparkito Press imprint of Dark Quest Books. Kudos to C.J. Henderson, Alex Shvartsman, John French, and Bernie Mojzes, whose stories were specifically praised.

Cover of Galactic Creatures~art by Pyracantha

I’ve gotten my final Confluence schedule–they’ve added another panel on Sunday. I still don’t know what some of these panels are about. And there are no moderators specified as yet–I suppose we’ll end up using some of the time-honored methods for choosing such: last arrival at the panel, person sitting in the center, etc. Should be fun.

SATURDAY
1:00pm in Oak
Keeping Within the Constraints
[Panelists: Cat Faber, Seanan McGuire, James Daniel Ross, Elektra Hammond]
Comment: Oh boy–a panel with GOH Seanan McGuire. And I’ll get to see Dan (who is in both my anthologies, In an Iron Cage: The Magic of Steampunk & Galactic Creatures. I haven’t met Cat yet, but I know she’s a filker, and I look forward to meeting her, also.

10:00pm in Oak
Sins Are Refreshed : Frank Discussions, Erotic Readings and Naughty Jokes
[Panelists: KT Pinto, Elektra Hammond, Kevin M Hayes]
Comment: I’ll be reading something written by Bernie Mojzes, caterpillar erotica from an Alice in Wonderland-themed collection. Find out why caterpillars are the new cephalopods. Thank you Bernie!! I’ll also be setting the mood with some single malt–come by and have a drink with us.

SUNDAY
noon in Oak
Thank Heaven for Little Subs
[Panelists: Danielle Ackely-McPhail, Larry Ivkovich, Elektra Hammond, Jeff Young]
Comment: I’m not sure if this panel is on sub-genres or small press–everyone on the panel has published with small press at one point or another. Hopefully we’ll find out before the panel starts . . . .

1:00pm in Oak
Geek Culture versus Geek Generation
[Panelists: Paul Melko, David Barr Kirtley, Christopher Pisano, Elektra Hammond]
Comment: This is the panel that was just added. Sounds interesting!

Hope I see a bunch of folks at Confluence–it’s always a fun convention!

The last weekend of July will find me once again at one of my favorite conventions, Confluence, with some of my favorite folks–the members of Parsec, the Pittsburgh-area Science Fiction club. I’ve just gotten my preliminary schedule, I’m looking forward to more information on what some of these panels are:

SATURDAY
1:00pm in Oak
Keeping Within the Constraints
[Panelists: Cat Faber (F), Seanan McGuire, James Daniel Ross, Elektra Hammond]

10:00pm in Oak
Sex Panel: Erotic Readings and Naughty Jokes
[Panelists: KT Pinto, Elektra Hammond, Kevin M Hayes]
I’ll be reading something written by Bernie Mojzes, probably caterpillar erotica, from an Alice in Wonderland-themed collection. Thank you Bernie!!

SUNDAY
noon in Oak
Thank Heaven for Little Subs
[Panelists: Danielle Ackely-McPhail, Larry Ivkovich, Elektra Hammond, Jeff Young]

I am pleased and proud to announce Galactic Creatures, a new science fiction anthology to be published by Sparkito Press, featuring a gorgeous cover by Pyracantha.

Cover of Galactic Creatures~art by Pyracantha

There will be a book launch event at Balticon, Memorial Day weekend, on Sunday the 27th from 7pm to 9pm, in the Garden Room, along with several other Dark Quest titles. Many of the contributors will be present, as will the cover artist and the collection editor (me).

Here is the table of contents. Start anticipating how much you’ll enjoy reading these terrific stories!

Dragon Child	by Leona Wisoker
Lawn Care	by C.J. Henderson
Slow and Steady	by John L. French
The Dragon Ships of Tycho	by Alex Shvartsman
The Scrapper and the Saint Bernard	by Scott W. Baker
The Geas Ingenerate	by Don Sakers
The Sky Above the Sky	by Brian Koscienski & Chris Pisano
Heart of a Lion	by James Daniel Ross
Kudzu: A Prologue	by Bernie Mojzes
Broken in the Place of Dragons	by Rosemary Edghill
Crossing Roads	by Patrick Thomas

There is a very nice review of In an Iron Cage: The Magic of Steampunk over at SF Reader.

They take the time to say something nice about each and every story, and they really “got” what we were trying to do with the anthology.

I’ve been working under deadline to finish up a project (which has now gone to press), so I have a lot of news to share. Watch the skies!

Sunday saw us all gathered around the table for a pseudo-traditional Thanksgiving dinner. A good friend, Danielle, missed Thanksgiving this year so we decided to reschedule when she was available. We ended up being six: Mike and I, Danielle and her husband Mike, and Neal and Tina Levin.

Dinner included the traditional turkey and stuffing, mashed potatoes and mashed sweet potatoes, steamed asparagus, sauteed mushrooms, caprese salad and fresh bread (courtesy of the infamous bread machine). Dessert was apple pie and pumpkin pie with homemade ginger ice cream, accompanied by assorted adult beverages.

A lot of fun conversation was had throughout the afternoon–it was really a fun day.

Thanks to Danielle and Mike for the cookbook and the the bottle of Bailey’s, and to Neal and Tina for the wonderful chocolate!