BRISTOLCON

Just back from Bristolcon, in the early hours of the morning. The friendliest con in the world. Da committee wuz wunderful: huge thanks to MEG, Jo Hall and Cheryl Morgan for putting on such a great event.

It was great to meet Mark Robinson (who gave me an idea for something I should put up on the website), fellow writers Michaela, Gareth D. Jones, Mike Powell, and listen to the talented singing of Talis Kimberley. We caught up with a bunch of old friends, including Alastair Reynolds, Jon Weir, Joe Abercrombie, Vince Doherty, Simon S, Andy Biglow, said quick hellos to Colin Harvey and Eugene Byrne, and loads more.

Juliet McKenna and I did a fight demo thing, with poor Joe (GoH-cum-crash test dummy) Abercrombie manfully holding the impact pad for me to whack kicks into, and to be Juliet's bendy toy, which was a far more painful experience. Joe is my hero. Juliet could whup Stephen Seagal's bottom. And thanks to Kevin (also a 2nd dan black belt) for being the 'randomly chosen' audience member who just happened to be able to whip powerful roundhouse kicks into the pad at any height.

Also, a fantastic way to finish my seventh year of blogging. This means I'm no longer made of the same atoms that were me during that first post. Is that cool, or what?