elektra

I spent the last weekend in September at the always fun Baltimore Book Festival, helping sell Danielle Ackley-MdPhail books at the SFWA (Science Fiction Writers of America) tent. Much fun was had by all in attendance.

I did panels with amazing, intelligent folks I am proud to have met: Sarah Pinsker, Kate Milford, Harry Heckel, Philippa Ballantine, Tee Morris, Tiffany Trent, Ellen Datlow, and Richard White–moderated by the awesome Catherine Asaro. I also got to meet and/or generally hang out with Cat Rambo, Rahul Kanakia, Laura Anne Gilman, Brenda Clough, Brandie Tarvin, Walter Greatshell, Don Sakers, Jack McDevitt, Bud Sparhawk, Tom Doyle, Sarah Beth Durst, Alethea Kontis, and Andrew Fox. My dh Mike even came out for the Saturday night meet and greet.

There was fun festival food, delicious low-fat smoothies from Maui Wowi, a lovely lunch out with writer Anatoly Belilovsky, and best of all, lots of visiting time with my host in Baltimore, eluki bes shahar, amazing mentor and incredible writer.

Looking forward to next year.

Mirrored from Until Midnight and Occasionally Later.

I haven’t said a lot about Chicon–probably because, well, 5 days in Chicago, not quite 3 days home, then 2 days judging a cat show in White Rock, British Columbia. I’m still catching up. There were quite a few high points: going to the bar for a nibble that first night and meeting George R.R. Martin, meeting Jim C. Hines just moments after purchasing Libriomancer and getting it signed, meeting Ferrett Steinmetz and having dinner with him, his lovely wife Gini Judd, and Amy Sundberg (and my dh Mike). I did my first ever worldcon panels, and committed to Lonestarcon (Worldcon 2013) next year and supported the Phoenix in 2014 bid for NasFic (and got an awesome Magnus and Loki t-shirt).

And, best of all, thanks to Larry Smith, Bookseller, my latest publishing effort, Galactic Creatures, was on sale in the Worldcon hucksters’ room. I have proof.

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The last weekend of July will find me once again at one of my favorite conventions, Confluence, with some of my favorite folks–the members of Parsec, the Pittsburgh-area Science Fiction club. I’ve just gotten my preliminary schedule, I’m looking forward to more information on what some of these panels are:

SATURDAY
1:00pm in Oak
Keeping Within the Constraints
[Panelists: Cat Faber (F), Seanan McGuire, James Daniel Ross, Elektra Hammond]

10:00pm in Oak
Sex Panel: Erotic Readings and Naughty Jokes
[Panelists: KT Pinto, Elektra Hammond, Kevin M Hayes]
I’ll be reading something written by Bernie Mojzes, probably caterpillar erotica, from an Alice in Wonderland-themed collection. Thank you Bernie!!

SUNDAY
noon in Oak
Thank Heaven for Little Subs
[Panelists: Danielle Ackely-McPhail, Larry Ivkovich, Elektra Hammond, Jeff Young]

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There is a very nice review of In an Iron Cage: The Magic of Steampunk over at SF Reader.

They take the time to say something nice about each and every story, and they really “got” what we were trying to do with the anthology.

I’ve been working under deadline to finish up a project (which has now gone to press), so I have a lot of news to share. Watch the skies!

Mirrored from Until Midnight and Occasionally Later.

The first Saturday in December is Christmas in Odessa. This year, as part of the celebration, I’ll be at the Corbit-Calloway Memorial Library (115 High Street, Odessa, DE) starting at 12:30pm, talking about steampunk and signing copies of In An Iron Cage: The Magic of Steampunk. I’ll be there in my Christmas-y Steampunk finest.

If you’re in the neighborhood, stop in and say “hi.”

Mirrored from Until Midnight and Occasionally Later.

For those who will be in Cherry Hill, New Jersey at Philcon this coming weekend (18-20 November 2011), here is where to find me at the con. Otherwise, I’ll probably be hanging around the Dark Quest table in the Huckster’s Room:

SATURDAY
3:00pm in Plaza V (five)
Costume & Garment Embellishment–When do you Stop?
[Panelists: Elektra Hammond (mod), Lisa Ashton, Kat Grossberg, Kris Twesme, Patricia Wake, Nikki Cohen]

Our panel discusses the “fun” part of building your costume—embellishment—sometimes sparkly and glitzy, or not always. Everyone thinks this part is easy, but it is not always evident how to do it well. What is appropriate, how much, horizontal, vertical,
or diagonal or curved? Monochrome or contrast? Shiny or not, what if
you can’t find the right color? All these questions will be addressed.

7:00pm in Crystal Ballroom Three
George R.R. Martin’s “The Song of Ice and Fire”
[Panelists: David M. Axler (mod), Myke Cole, Andrew C. Murphy, Shira Lipkin, Elektra Hammond]

This series, now up to five books, has also spawned a hit HBO series. What is so special about Martin’s work? Is it the “new Dune”?

SUNDAY
10:00am in Plaza IV (four)
Steam: Ironing Out The Details
[Panelists: Richard Stout (mod), Gil Cnaan, Elektra Hammond, Jonah
Knight, G.D. Falksen]

What exactly makes a story “Steampunk”? Is it just a matter of slapping a few weird-science inventions on a Victorian setting, or is there more to it?

12 noon in Plaza II (two)
Starting in Steampunk: What are the Costume Basics?
[Panelists: Thomas Willeford (mod), Elektra Hammond, Gil Cnaan, Matt Black]

Steampunk has experienced overwhelming popularity in the recent past. How can you develop a steampunk costume or persona that is believable? What are the basic pieces for men or women? How about
accessories, shoes, hats, weapons, survival gear . . . ?

2:00pm in Plaza V (five)
Using Found Materials: Thrift Stores, Yard Sales & Grandma’s Attic
[Panelists: Elektra Hammond (mod), Thomas Willeford, Kris Twesme,
Stephanie Burke, Mike McPhail, Richard Stout]

Most of us don’t have unlimited funds to spend on building costumes.
The fun is trying to make serendipitous finds fit the need. Making over a thrift store dress, spraying an old crocheted sweater silver
as “mail”, perhaps finding a vintage hat in the attic—how do these spark your imagination?

I hope I see you’all there!

Mirrored from Until Midnight and Occasionally Later.

Thanks to the efforts of Mike McPhail, Sparkito Press [an imprint of Dark Press Books] now has a steampunky logo of its very own. Let’s publish some books!

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In an Iron Cage: The Magic of Steampunk edited by Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Elektra Hammond and Neal Levin is now available in print on amazon.com.

In an Iron Cage contains the following stories: The Winter Court by Bernie Mojzes House of Automatons by James Chambers Drinking Down Death by Jeff Young Speaker For The Mayans by Brenda Cooper To Love And Hope by C.J. Henderson Little Girl With Pink Ribbons by Stuart Jaffe Scoundrel’s Magic by James Daniel Ross On The Wings Of An Angel by Danielle Ackley-McPhail The Trans-Siberian by A.C. Wise The First Flight of the Valhalla by Darren W. Pearce The Case of the Duchess’s Dog by Elektra Hammond That Voo Doo That You Do by Patrick Thomas Iron and Brass, Blood and Bone by Alma Alexander Greater Crater Gremlins by David Sherman

Also available for the kindle. Order early and often!

Mirrored from Until Midnight and Occasionally Later.

Despite the fact that In An Iron Cage: The Magic of Steampunk is delayed until sometime later in June, I got a call a few days before the June 4th Dorian’s Parlor that we were still on. Although we couldn’t “launch” the book, Dark Quest was going to hand out promotional materials, take preorders and do some giveaways to help build up buzz for the books.

Mike and I had been meaning to get to Dorian’s (a salon-style steampunk event) for some time, but things kept getting in the way. This time we finally made it! It was great meeting people and handing out postcards for the book. It was a bit loud, but a ton of fun. We’ll be back at Dorian’s in September, launching the book for real, with readings and books for sale. Should be a ton of fun!

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I returned to Lunacon this year after a very long absence^*. I was only able to attend for Saturday (I zipped to Reading, PA Saturday night and judged a cat show all day Sunday), but I tried to squeeze in as much con-going experience as I could into the day.

I went to a few nice panels, said a brief hello to Laura Anne (and got my books signed!), spent a little time at the Dark Quest table in the Dealer’s Room, had a very productive meeting with Neal about Sparkito Press (an Imprint of Dark Quest Books), talked with a few friends, and chatted with the folks at the fan tables about how to do a better job of promoting Darkovercon. I also went to the book launch for Buffalo Contingency and ended the day with a nice deli sandwich with the Dark Quest folks before heading off into the night. And I signed a contract for my first fiction sale, a short story going into the anthology In an Iron Cage http://www.darkquestbooks.com/store/product-info.php?pid91.html.

I wished I could have stayed for the whole weekend.

^*The last Lunacon we were at, the GOH was Roger Zelazny. The Program Book tells me that was 1989. I need to get out more.

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