Back from the first evening of Readercon, which was really excellent.

I heard Jennifer Pelland read an amazing story, which will be in the Dark Faith Anthology in 2010. It was a September 11th ghost story, and I have to admit I was skeptical when she announced that was the theme (which she did so people could opt out up front in case the very idea was too upsetting), but it was really brilliant. When she finished I had to leave the room right away because I didn't think I was capable of speaking without a) gibbering, or b) crying. I'd buy the anthology just for that story.

I also attended a panel entitled The Origin of Character in Breakthrough of the Mind, which was interesting (and which I took notes during, but they'll have to wait until I've slept).

And then, the evening's programming being over, Moss and I went to the Goblin Fruit Summer issue launch party, where, as Moss pointed out, everyone really looked like they were at a Goblin Fruit party. There was homemade mead, delicious food, beautiful music, and scads of general merriment. Alas, there was also a lot of heat in that tiny hotel room, so I had to beg off at a quarter past eleven to get some fresh air. My guess is that they're still going strong.

I'll close with a picture of Caitlyn Paxson (who had a truly delightful poem in the Winter 2008 issue of Goblin Fruit) playing the harp. It should give you some small sense of the evening.


Click on the image for the larger version if you so desire.