I’m getting this post out quite a bit later than usual, all due to recovering from my semi-big C2E2 weekend. I know I say this every year and have yet to do it, but next year, I definitely have to get a booth. I had a really great time, even though I guess my cosplays (Amaya Blackstone and “Lawyer” Morty) were a bit too obscure for much notice, but they served the purpose of making the three people who recognized them pretty stoked. I had a great time, spent way too much money, attended some really cool panels including a really sweet interview with Evanna Lynch, and I can’t wait to do it again next year! …well, okay, I can definitely wait, because I’m tired as heck and the apartment is a disaster from all the prep, but, still, it was a good time. I’m eager to spend today recovering and getting things back to normal.
Even with everything, I got up earlier than my usual time to do a little catch-up on some writing and reading, because my morning reading and writing time is the best time, and I’m keeping my eyes on my goals. So here we go with a little look at last week and the week ahead.
Reading: I’m setting out to finish at least one book per week because I’m way far behind, and I managed to kill Ray Bradbury’s Something Wicked this Way Comes, which I was honestly a little disappointed in. There was a lot of great bits and pieces in there, but it just didn’t come together for me. And today I also started to tackle Piers Anthony’s Firefly, which should be…um…interesting. It’s a very controversial, disturbing sort of book that came into my radar when I was reading about how poorly Anthony’s Xanth series (which had always been a favorite of my father’s that makes me feel kind of uncomfortable now) has aged. I’m intrigued by the challenge and I’ve read some pretty disturbing stuff before, (Edguardo Vega Yunque, I’m looking at you…) so, uh….I guess we’ll see…
Writing: I got little bits and pieces done here and there, but I was pretty distracted with the build-up to C2E2. A couple of rejections, no new acceptances or publication, although the author list for the new edition of Pulp Modern, which comes out in May and includes my story “The Lady of the Masks”, was released. I was particularly pleased to see Calvin Demmer and Nick Manzilillo on the list, too! Calvin was in Phantaxis Issue 2 with me and Nick has a story in World Unknown Review Volume III! It’s always a thrill to share space with familiar faces. I can’t wait to dig into their stories.
‘Rithmatic: Nothing too much to report here. The cosplays are done, time to focus on a wedding coming up, when to schedule a Ren Faire trip, decide whether or not to go to ACen, and to start figuring out next year’s coplays and the potential of having a booth. And playing Breath of the Wild again. I barely touched it all weekend. I’ve missed it so.
Oh, and getting back to work. Boo hiss! The weekend off has been nice as hell.
How has everyone else’s weekends been? Are you much a convention goer? Any ones you’d like to recommend? Were you even at C2E2? That’d be pretty sweet!
Anyway, happy reading, everyone!
L.S. Engler 