The latest edition of ReaderCon is coming! Like, this week. Like, my wife and I will be flying out on Thursday to Boston. I’ve hit the ‘check in’ button for our badges, so they should be in the print queue. Now to just focus on the next few days and not on worries about the flight, the rental car, the hotel room, or the really nice dinner we’ve booked because we’ve got a rental car this year.
This year’s Guests of Honor are Cecilia Tan and P. Djèlí Clark – both authors whose work I admire. But, to be honest, Cecilia Tan is my big draw this time around. Once upon a time, before a move, I had some of her very early collections. I remember the one in particular was an extremely 90’s small press book, with a black & white drawing in one corner and a vivid purple. A.J. Harris, my alter egotist, wouldn’t exist without her saying, “yes, you can do it” just by being in print.
P. Djèlí Clark needs to get more attention. Have you read Ring Shout? You need to read Ring Shout. Especially if you liked Sinners. But, he also writes such a broad range of fantastical works. The Dead Cat Tail Assassins is a way different story than Ring Shout, but the difference just spotlights the immense work and talent Clark puts into his tales.
And the memorial guest? Charles R. Saunders – If you’ve ever heard of the phrase “Sword & Soul” – you have this man to thank. I had battered copes of Imaro and The Quest for Kush following me around for a few years before they were donated to the Friends of the Montgomery County Library. They were the Daw editions with the 80’s Vallejo-style covers. But the message was important – Anyone can reach into their history and tell tales. The more histories we can explore, the more worlds we can see, and the better we become for the travels.
This ReaderCon comes at an opportune moment. I’ve finished a lot of my short story related goals. Now, I’m on submission and back to work on editing the novel. But I’m looking ahead and thinking – what next? What road should I take? I think this will help.
Now, that’s said and down. Enjoy a classic meme!
Biomechanoid Blues 