Context 24 has ended. I am home. Not quite recovered. And am now processing all that happened over the weekend.

On a whole, the convention was a successful one for me and the bizness (Apex). Sold some books. Promoted the press. Sat on four panels and shared my kernels of editing/publishing wisdom. Made a handful of awesome new friends. Met some important people. Networked.

Highlights:
* I finally got to meet Seanan McGuire after writing her many checks for her stories and poetry (Seanan is at least 2.5 times as lovely and charming as you might imagine).

* I finally got to meet David Hartwell. He’s an even more successful and famous editor than me (*cough*)! What a nice gentleman. And patient, as I climbed over him at least 25 times during the weekend (the dealer room folks thought it wise to not give the Apex table an entry/exit point… so the only way was through David and filk legend Tom Smith).

* Hanging out with my crew: Maurice Broaddus, Jerry Gordon, Jenn Stark and that guy who follows her around, Janet Harriet (please, only one T), Elaine Blose (next year the hotel won’t screw me over… you know what I’m talking about), Lawrence Connolly and his mug of happiness, Professor Tim Waggoner, Stephen Zimmer, Daniel and Trista Robichaud (one of whom took off their shirt for the Apex/IHW party), that one dude whose name I don’t know but who always stands in the corner and stares at me all night long with surreptitious sidelong glances.

* A hearty welcome to new members of my crew: Awesome Dawn (you don’t know what a hug truly is until Dawn gives you one), Lesley Conner (only when drunk or when buying Apex books), Nora, and Seanan “Komodo Dragon” McGuire. Sorry, the choice to join is not given, it is chosen for you.

* Nick Winks and his drive-by jibes and insults.

* After six years, I’m finally comfortable doing panels.

* Michael West doing a random break dance head spin while holding copies of his books in his hands—for a crowd of young ladies