Recent Activities.

Continuum X has been and gone. I can barely believe two weeks has since passed. I didn't write about it last week for two reasons. Firstly, I'd just written about Gitte Christensen, and I wanted to leave that on top for a few more days. Secondly, because I wasn't sure what to make of Continuum.

Jim C. Hines and Ambelin Kwaymullina were wonderful guests, and their speeches were challenging and inspiring. Certainly brilliant follow-ups to last year's guest, N.K. Jemisen. I returned home with new ideas and understandings of issues within SF. And a whole lot more questions about gender, race, culture and diversity. And that will, of course, bleed through to my writing.

I also had the opportunity to converse with Jim C. Hines. It was an important conversation for me, and he helped me out a whole lot more than he realises. Thank you Jim for your time and words.

It was an odd convention for reasons I can't quite put my finger on. I didn't feel spoiled for panel choice as I usually am, and that may have been part of it. The venue was different and the rooms were more spread out. That too may have been part of it. The bar prices were insanely high, which meant a lot of people didn't gather or linger, which I certainly felt played its part. My con-going buddy was missing this time, which may have played its part. Or maybe it was just me. Or, of course, all of the above in varying degrees of culpability.

And then there were a couple of situations/conversations at the convention which got me down. I'm not going to go into details, but I just can't believe these things are happening.

Overall? I enjoyed myself, and I look forward to next year's Continuum.

Since then I've been busy at work finishing up assessment and writing reports - every teacher's favourite task. I had a personal rejection for a story for which I'd had high hopes. (It's not you, it's us) Sigh. But I have a couple of other stories out which I think will probably sell. (Of course with my recent history in predicting these sales...... ) At least I've managed to get some words down this week, so I feel productive there. Which is (hopefully) good, as I have two deadlines at the end of the month.

But enough about me. It's back to work.