Wow, what an amazing day January 1st was!

I was at the last day of FutureCon, premiering my Triptych Book Trailer, and speaking at two panels – Ask a Dalek, and the Future of Masquerades.

First off, I want to thank the Convention Committee for their amazing hard work in pulling together this con in just four months, Liana K for being an excellent hostess, and all of the people in attendence for being clever, genial, open, kind, thoughtful, and supportive. A wonderful time was had by all.

The poster that Steven J. Kerzner wizarded up.

So – first thing in the morning, I get to the hotel, slightly sleepy, and see this:

by Tina Olah

Why YES, that IS a room full of people wearing craft foam ears that look like my main character’s! They were created by Liana K – thank you, Liana! – and she calls the position they’re in “an alien version of a happy face”, which will make total sense when you read the book.

by Tina Olah by Steven J. Kerzner

I was there to interrupted everyone’s Shroedingers Dog brunch to premiere  the book trailer – to wild applause! – and to do my first official reading from the book. Despite the waiters arguing at the bar behind me, I think it went very well and everyone seemed very intrigued. I feared that the section I had chosen had gone on to long, but I was assured by many listeners that it was in fact too short and that they wanted MORE NOW PLEASE. (Always a lovely thing to hear).

by Tina Olah

We next gave away a copy of an ARC – the winner had to correctly answer a question based on the section I had just read. I won’t tell you what the question is, because we might choose to recycle it at another reading! The rejected question was “What does J.M. stand for?” but then we feared it wouldn’t be fair to people who didn’t know me personally, and would invite lots of jokes about not being able to find a chair. Har har.

After that, being too nervous about the launch to eat much, I went to the Con Suite to catch up with folks I know, and then it was on to the “Ask A Dalek” panel, where four of us Doctor Who enthusiasts dressed up as the various characters (I was the TARDIS. Aw yeah!) to answer audience questions in a humerous and silly way.

I didn't catch who took this pic. Sorry!

Then Emily Schooley and I did a panel on how to create a great Masquerade Skit, using my various collected clips of awesome skits. At one point, I was showing a Doctor Holocaust skit, and the Savage Bandito, who was in the room, called the Doc to let him know that I was gossiping about him. Technical difficulties kept anyone from hearing what the Doc was saying, but I bet it was nefarious.

After that it was time to try to track down anything to eat – I was starving! – but the hotel cafe was shut and it was New Years Day, so everything else was closed or either out in the pissing rain, so I wrestled with an ATM and scored a homemade fresh funnelcake from the ConSuite. Yay!

After that I decided to just… hang out. And was very glad I did. I don’t get a lot of time to spend with the con folks I know, because I’m generally running from one event/speaking engagement/panel to another, so it was nice to just hang out and chill. I ended up staying until midnight and participating in the Burger King Run, adn the final toast. It was lovely and I had a wonderful time talking to everyone, so thanks to all the people there!

Of course, and then Chris and Phil decided to act our part of my book:

by Tina Olah

Oh my! :S For people who have never read it, it’s pretty accurate, even down to the clutched cup of coffee.

And of course, Liana K was so involved and overworked, that this is what she looked like at the end of the weekend:

by Phil Gotfried

I know how you feel, Liana! I felt pretty bagged myself, but all in all it was a lovely experience and I heartily reccomend people attend next year. (And bring your bathing suits – I hear the Hot Tub Time Machine Party was a hoot!)