Conflux Was Awesome

Okay, so here’s my official con report for Conflux 9: AWESOME.

Perhaps I should elaborate with some highlights. In a bulleted list.

20,000 brilliant conversations
1 or 2 awkward ones (don’t ask) but these become future anecdotes, so WIN.
the chance to hang out with my many brilliant writer/publisher/editor peeps. Usually they are mere electrons on the interwebz, but for one four day stretch they were molecular and great.
Several pitches to agents and publishers. Terrifying but a great feeling of accomplishment for getting through what turned out to be fine.
Getting on panels with people I admire, and chatting to folks about all sorts of stuff. I was on the “Zombies are Hungry” panel, the “Geeks are Cool” panel, and the “Australian Landscapes” panel.
Being in the audience at the Star Wars panel, and hijacking it to set up an elaborate pun. For what it’s worth, “ENDOR’S GAME” will happen, and it must happen.
Random bar and cafe of doom.
Ditmar Awards. Many worthy recipients, but I took special pleasure this year in seeing my mentee David McDonald pick up the Best New Talent award. Kudos dude, for your star is ascendant!
Book Launches GALORE. As Cat Sparks said “there is a launch approximately ever 4.5 minutes”. Many of these launched books then proceeded to sell out of all copies, which is all things good.
Speaking of book launches – I officially launched my zombie novel “Quiver”. Was great to meet a bunch of new readers, sign copies for my mates, and blushed in the background while Cat Sparks said a bunch of nice things about me into a microphone. The posters were a hit (thanks to Baden Kirgan at Black House) and by Sunday all copies of the book had been sold.

So here, have some photos of the “Quiver” launch (nicked from Cat’s Flickr feed). To summarise, it was a great convention. When it was all over I shuffled into the airport, tired, suitcase full of books, and very, very happy.