Thanksgiving, Philcon, and Fire!

Yes, next week is Thanksgiving. I have SO MUCH to be thankful for this year: a new job that actually pays like a professional (which helped us get another car so that we have two working vehicles!), an AGENT, who I am so excited to be working with. My son comes home last week with a Student of the Month award, this week report cards and HONOR ROLL. Things are coming up roses.

And my gift to myself for signing with an agent came today - a shiny new Kindle Fire. I am not usually a new adopter, but in this case I had been waiting for a tablet ereader. This is like a mini iPad. I am in serious love. All the books I bought for my old Kindle are there, plus I can check email, facebook, surf the web, watch Netflix (yes I can!). Now it's not 3G, so I have to be connected to a wi-fi hotspot (which my phone happens to have, if I'm really desperate for wi-fi), which would have jacked up the price to an iPad level, but this thing is AWESOME. My old Kindle will live a respectful retirement in my son's care. After the week he's having, I think he deserves it.

Finally, this weekend is Philcon. The annual SF/F convention of Philadelphia, which is actually held in Cherry Hill, NJ. I am on the guest list, and here is my schedule.

Sat 10:00 AM in Plaza III (Three) (1 hour)
THE EVOLUTION OF YOUNG ADULT FICTION (842)

   [Panelists: Annette Curtis Klause (mod), Jonathan Maberry, Christine
   Norris, Cory Doctorow]

   What is now allowed in YA fiction that wasn't allowed in the past?
   What elements have remained the same


Sat 9:00 PM in Plaza III (Three) (1 hour)
HAMMERING DOWN THE EXPOSITORY LUMP. (823)

   [Panelists: Michael F. Flynn (mod), Christine Norris, Peter
   Prellwitz, Alison Campbell-Wise]

   It is a characteristic of bad science fiction that, after some brief
   attempt to hook the reader's attention, the author steps in for "And
   now a history of the world up to this point," stops the story cold,
   and lectures for several pages. It IS sometimes necessary to fill in
   more background in a science fiction story than in a mainstream one,
   but how do you do it with a little more flair (and readability) than
   by mere lecture


Sun 11:00 AM in Crystal Ballroom Two (1 hour)
HARRY POTTER: THE BOY WHO KEEPS ON LIVING... (837)

   [Panelists: Christine Norris (mod), Gail Z. Martin, Marvin Kaye,
   Michael A. Ventrella, Susan Toker]

   The Battle of Hogwarts has been fought, the Dark Lord defeated, and
   the books, movies, web pages, etc. are still going strong.  Discuss
   the future of the HP universe, and your favorite memories of it


Extremely light,I know. And now that they've changed the time of my son's playoff football game, I will not be at the exposition panel. But I'll be around the con, in the dealer's room signing books and crashing other people's panels and causing general mayhem. Come by if you're in the neighborhood - it's a nice, relaxing con and we have fun.


Happy Turkey Day!