This will be my third time attending FantaSci in Raleigh, NC. It was the first con I attended as a professional author, the first con I got to sit on panels (shout out to Marisa Wolf and Ian Malone, my very first panel buddies who have since become amazing friends!!), and the first con where I was invited to write a story for an anthology instead of submitting to an open call. Sometimes I just sit back and marvel at how freaking amazing all of this is. Three years of going to FantaSci, and so much has changed. That anthology invite was to the Salvage Title Universe, and the second novel in my Salvage Bunny trilogy comes out next week. I mean, just LOOK at this cover!!
(Pause for excited squealing!!)
Speaking of that first FantaSci, I still remember Nick Steverson giving me crap about only having short stories. He said, and I quote, "Where's the novel?" Keep in mind, this was the first time I'd ever met this dude and he was already giving me crap. As it turns out, giving each other crap became the literal basis of our friendship. Anyway, I kept that little jab in my back pocket and bided my time. He'd offered to read my draft for Sunrise Over Shippo (because he really is an awesome friend), so when it was ready, I texted him and said, "Ask me again. Ask me where the novel is again, jerk-face." He laughed and asked, and I got to say, "BOOM. In your inbox! Ha!" Because we're mature like that. Speaking of mature, if you're expecting maturity from our space hyenas trilogy, well. . .it's pretty fair to say that Nick and I have the collective maturity of a twelve-year-old when we work together LOL.
That's not to say that everything we have planned will be this silly. We've got some pretty epic ideas - dark, gritty, angsty, emotional, EPIC ideas. Our space hyenas trilogy is only the beginning of our world conquering plans. . .uh, I mean book writing plans, obvs. I couldn't have found a better coauthor, and he is only ON LOAN to Jason Cordova and Kevin Ikenberry - you hear me boys? You will return him in the same immature, neanderthal condition that you borrowed him in LOL.
Seriously, I can't wait to see what he does with those projects. It's going to be awesome, no doubt. Probably with high body counts with Jason and Ike involved! Anyway, I've got a lot of panicking, I mean, packing to do for FantaSci. Also, while we're on the subject, a HUGE thank you to my amazing husband. He worked some serious scheduling magic this month, which is the only reason I'm able to go. As always, our kids come first, because it turns out you can't board them like we can our dogs. So strange.