I went to Craftonomicon/Continuum8/Natcon in Melbourne! I survived! Daleks were drawn on people!

Lady Churchill's Dalek Wristlet

This counts as a version of the Dalek Game as it is for Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet, and Kelly Link was one of the guests of honour, so there are connections (also chocolate-and-book-fests) all over the place.

Drawings of small witches / small drawings of witches were delivered to Jonathan Strahan!

Here is one:
Cast

Here is the other:
Winter Warfare

Light Touch Paper, Stand Clear was launched, with many wonderful stories. My story, “Kindling”, about a delivery boy and a waitress named Minke and the trouble with detailed maps, is also in it. ASIM 56 was also launched, which has an emergency Llama illustration in it, but the website has not yet been updated with it (it’s that new). There was cake.

Here are some people working at Brisbane airport:

Not many pictures were drawn because there was a box of free yarn, and Emma lent me a crochet hook (which I broke), so I made many octopi. Please to note the state of the crochet hook:

Several were worn as fascinators at the Maskobalo, and all have found good homes. I attempted to write the pattern down, but it is awaiting translation into contemporary notation.

Maskobalo!

And more people:

I have so much chocolate in my system right now. ANYWAY, moving right along, that is Kirstyn McDermott at the bottom left, looking so much like an evil queen that it was very disconcerting when she smiled. As she eventually did when it turned out the stand-ins for the delayed Ditmar trophies squeaked! There was a chorus of squeaking rubber octopi all evening long. Congratulations to all winners!

Mine were blue (she said immodestly, thereby implying she received more than one - thank you for the votes, and congratulations to all the nominees!).

Mostly I spent the weekend talking to all the wonderful people, forgetting where they live (as far as I know their natural habitat is hotel bars), drinking coffee and chocolate, planning Lovecraft readings and receiving many many books. I bought two, gave one away and came home with 20, so it is good I packed light, although light enough to bring all those back in onboard luggage is also light enough to have packed nothing suitable to wear to the awards, so packing needs finessing before I got to Toronto.

I had a book cover due this weekend and have just sent it off which is why I’m a little excited. Plus, residual convention high and two squeaky blue Ditmar octopi sitting on the bookcase staring down at me, and the trailing glory of long conversations and plans.

Calmer tomorrow!

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