Last weekend I attended ReaderCon in Burlington, MA. It was probably my best ReaderCon ever for so many reasons, and I will hit you with the highlights and some photos.

Here to make friends

This was my guiding principle for the con. I didn’t see as many panels as I have previously, but I did my dangdest to meet as many people as possible and hand out lots of business cards. I had my first kaffeeklatsch, which 4 people attended! I met old fans and some new fans, and discovered mutual connections with authors like Cecilia Tan. I even went to the Meet the Pros(e) party, an event late Friday night that introduces con attendees and participants in a sort of group speed-dating setup.

“Did this lead to sales?” I hear someone asking. That’s not the (only) point. A con is much more fun if you know people. You wave to them. You commiserate about favorite books and panels.

And yes, it did lead to some sales.

I also enjoyed meeting up with old friends, like Charlie Allison (we did our first panel together!) and Christine Neulieb, my editor at Lanternfish.

If I haven’t “arrived”, I’m getting closer

My reading this year drew 6 people, only one of whom I knew from before the con. This individual told me I was the most enthusiastic reader he’d seen. Thank you! I try.

Two of my panels drew the attention of The Driveby Calligrapher. This person goes to cons and signings and when a phrase catches her ear, calligraphs it on the spot. I knew this from social media. What I did not realize is that she gives the slips of paper to the speaker. I was fortunate to have collected four of them. Here’s one:

This was incredibly cool.

No, I did not win the Shirley Jackson Award

I am bummed about that, I cannot lie. But the odds and the bibliomancy I did with the paper program told me I wouldn’t be the winner. So I concentrated on being fully present and intentionally savoring the moment when my name was read with the other nominees.

Then the presenter mispronounced my name. The organization had asked for a pronunciation guide, I submitted one, but something didn’t connect. I’m a little cheesed about it. At least Adele Dazeem and I have something in common.

(Tangentially, I fear my loss means [CELEBRITY CRUSH NAME REDACTED] will never notice me. Sigh.)

But there was a pleasant surprise, borne of my own mistaken understanding. I believed that the winners of the award received engraved rocks. (Shirley Jackson, man, if you know you know.) This was incorrect. The winners get little gold-tone sundials. Very pretty.

But all the nominees get rocks. This one is mine.

I was so happy to receive that rock Saturday morning, I carried it with me for the rest of the con. May it be the first of, I dunno, at least two.

Congratulations to all the nominees and the winners!

In other news

My latest story, “Ring of Wax, Armor of Bone,” appears in Flame Tree Press’s Of Swords and Roses. This was supposed to be released today (and before that, last month) but now their website says August 18th. Sigh. The vicissitudes of publishing, what can I say? More to look forward to. August is such a dull month, anyway.

That’s all for me this month. Stay cool and hydrated, stay curious and friendly, call your reps about book banning bills, and enjoy the back half of summer!