ILLUSTRIOUS

Much fun was had at Eastercon. The martial arts demo went down a storm - the con chair, Nik, described it as the most inspiring con event she'd ever seen. Blimey. Thanks to the redoubtable author/aikidoka Juliet McKenna and the awesome Al Davison, who showed that being in a wheelchair is no barrier to being a warrior.

Then there was the greatest British martial artist ever, not part of the con but there in the lobby - Steve Morris, present because Tricia Sullivan is his other half. (And you wouldn't want to meet her in a dark alley, either.) Electrifying.

Lauren Beukes charmed everyone, but don't tell her I said so. I hung with Andy Remic, Dan Abnett, Mike Cobley, Ian Whates, Ian Watson (and Kris, Jess and Cristina), the lovely publishers from Angry Robot, the gorgeous publishers from Gollancz, Charlie Stross, Feòrag, Kari and Phil, and loadsa old friends from fandom: Rog Peyton, Steve Lawson, Alice Lawson, Sparks, Dave Clements, Amanda, MEG, Nige, Sabine... Blimey, they were all there.

I spent the entire con talking and laughing, seems like. I am, as we say where I come from, totally cream-crackered. Not enough to stop me finishing the revisions on Transmission, though.