Inter con

Just time for a breather between getting back from When Words Collide and heading off to WorldCon. I had a great time at WWC in Calgary, meeting many people for the first time and also getting to know people I had technically "met" online in various contexts. All my panels were terrific and everyone was tremendously welcoming.

Two pieces of good news also came my way while I was there. First, I got my first look at the latest edition of The Year's Best Science Fiction and found that both "The Afflicted" and "The Last Islander" had gotten Honorable Mentions. Second, I learned that my story "Closing Time" will be included in a collection commemorating the 25th anniversary of On Spec. It's one of my favourite stories as well being the first story I ever sold there and, in fact, the first story I sold anywhere, so I'm particularly plased that it made the cut.

Edited to add: Actually three pieces of good news -- I had totally missed the fact that "Long Pig" was included in the collection Not Just Rockets and Robots: Daily Science Fiction Year One. I'm not sure they would have let me back on the plane with that huge book in my luggage, but it was cool to see it in the dealer's room.

Next up is LoneStarCon, just over a week away. Here's my schedule:


Meet the New Doctor: Helen Mirren
Friday 13:00 - 14:00
0018B (Convention Center)

How much longer do we have to wait for gender parity in the Whoverse? What will happen if the regenerated Doctor is female, and who should play the role?

Julia Rios, Lynne M. Thomas, Matthew Johnson, Juliet Bruce 

Autographing: with Gregory Benford, Ben Bova, Cathy Clamp
Friday 17:00 - 18:00 
Autographing (Convention Center)

SFWA Meeting
Saturday 10:00 - 12:00 
008B (Convention Center)

008B Convention Center

008B Convention Center

Use of Language in Fantasy
Saturday 14:00 - 15:00
006A (Convention Center)

How do you determine the stye of language to use in fantasy? Do you use archaic language, modern language or poetic language - which works best and in what circumstances?

Mary Robinette Kowal, Jaime Moyer, Susan Krinard, Matthew Johnson, Carol Berg 

Who's Working on Gay Issues and Themes in SF/F?
Sunday 16:00 - 17:00
007CD (Convention Center)

Lee Martindale, Scott Bobo, Matthew Johnson, Julia Rios, Paige E. Ewing

SFWA Table Autographing
Monday 11:00-12:00 Dealer's room

I'll also be staffing the SFWA table in the dealer's room from 2-3 on Friday and 12-1 on Sunday. If you don't see me anywhere else stop by and say hi!