Good Times

Sorry for the blog silence the last couple weeks.  It’s been busy around the old Monkstead.  As is our custom, we threw a big family/friend 4th of July barbecue, fireworks, and birthday celebration at our house.

Right after that, I headed up to GEAR Con in Portland.  This is a steampunk convention that started out three years ago and is going strong.  I first attended GEAR Con their first year, and am amazed at how much it’s grown.  I met (or reacquainted with) some great writers there including Alex Scully, B.E. Scully, C. Morgan Kennedy, Andrew Mayer,  Andrew Fuller, Meilin Miranda, Sara Mueller, Jordan Startford, Sandra Odell. Note: writers, if if missed mentioning you, please forgive. It was a busy couple of days and the details are a bit of a blur. I also met some great readers, did a few panels, and shared in the joy of all things steampunk.

To my great delight I also met Roger Brown of STEAMPUNKED OUT.  If you haven’t checked out his work, you’re missing out on some fantastic things. He is also the proprietor of TINKERTON SCIENTIFIC, a devising shop that makes items right out of my Age of Steam steampunk books!  Things like this amazing Strange Detector:

and this fantastic Deviser’s Wand:

I found a lovely bracer with a compass rose on it and had it signed by the artist himself! Thank you, Mr. Brown. I love it.

By the time Thursday rolled around I was off to Powell’s in Beaverton to do a signing, reading, and chat.  As always, it was a wonderful event because of the wonderful people who put it together (thank you Peter!) and the fabulous people who attended.  Thank you everyone for spending part of your evening with me.

Big extra thank yous to Jenna Miller for the amazing Chai Tea Sugar Cookies you baked! They are scrumptious and nearly gone already.

Big second thank you goes to John, who made a special trip to give me this:

Look at that! Ale with a gargoyle on it named Stone! Yay!  I am so saving that for a special occasion.