That’s right. After a hiatus of nearly 3 years I am biting the bullet and attending an in-person convention – and at this point it HAS to be something big, like a Worldcon. This one happens over the Labor Day weekend in Chicago – ChiCon8 – and it will be Worldcon #7 for me… and the first con, either big or small, which I will be attenting without at least the vicarious companionship of Deck – he was either with me in tow handing bookmarks to all and sundry or he was holding the fort at home while I frolicked at the con by myself. This time he is gone, well and truly gone, and I even had to put together a new bookmark for the con without him (this was always his job…)

Should you be reading this and plannning on attenting ChiCon, do come and find me to say hello. I will be on several panels, Friday and Saturday, including a panel on the biology of fantasy creatures and hey, remember my Werecreature genetics…? And there are also more social events like a reading (oh PLEASE come to the reading there is nothing worse than a writer sitting there in an empty room with just empty chairs as an audience and I’ve seen it happen, especially at Worldcons, all too often), an autograph session, a Kaffeklatsch (they call them Table Talks) and I will even be doing a Stroll with the Stars walk on Friday for those who just want to chat.

I’m at once stressed out by all this and looking forward to it like I haven’t looked forward to anything for a long time. I haven’t…actually… travelled for a while. I remember it as something I used to do, almost without thinking twice about it. Now all of a sudden it’s a THING. A thing that is freaking me out a little.

Seriously. if you are there, come say hello. Provide company. Remind me that I exist in the world. It’s a Worldcon. Let’s play.