(con) RavenCon redux

Wow. What a con.

Seriously, this is the most fun I've had a con in a while. I drove down on Thursday with camilla_anna and aishabintjamil from NH to Richmond - long drive, but we got a lovely little HHR from National Rentals to drive, so it wasn't too bad. Also, we didn't hit a lot of traffic.

RavenCon was at a new hotel again this year - the breakfasts were great, everything else kind of sucked in terms of food. We had dinner in the restaurant Saturday night (or tried to, anyways - I think Anna, Aisha and Stuart ate there, but I had to run and eat mine later, because an HOUR after getting seated, we still didn't have our meals...) and well, yeah, not doing that again.

We saw a bunch of good friends, and had a great launch - Gwen sent down 75 copies of Rum and Runestones and I came home with two - my contributor's copy and fencerm2's contributor's copy. All the others were sold or taken by authors to sell. 75 copies. And this is just the first launch!!!

I sent daveybeauchamp home with stuff for the ConCarolinas launch (including contributor copies for madkestrel and fireheart1974), and I have to start planning the BaltiCon launch. Whew!

Best part of the con? Meeting GOH rachelcaine in person, and getting a chance to hand her a signed copy of Rum and Runestones. Squee! That was very cool. (Was also very funny to hear that she'd heard the story about me, Davey and the drinking contest from 2 years ago.)

Worst part? Meeting Bill Sunday morning as he was looking for Little Bruce. :( Hopefully the little dodo was recovered.

Also got to have a great koffeeklatch with eldritchhobbit, and even made a panel I wasn't on! (I usually manage 1.)

Made a start to the steampunk costume I want to make - got the hat and a lovely cameo (a skull and crossbones one!), as well as a beautiful choker and earrings. Also got some cool teeshirts - one has bloody handprints all over it and says, "Relax, none of this blood is mine." (Totally a Shanna/Hobbes teeshirt) The other teeshirt is Jack Skellington as Captain Jack Sparrow. And, of course, I got a RavenCon teeshirt. I also got the Pumpkin a teeshirt that says, in pink sparkling letters, "This princess can save herself." (I got her mono too. It's adorable. Purple, with big eyes and long eyelashes.)

I know there's more, but I can't think right now. I'm back at work (sigh) and getting back into my routine. Sadly, cons don't last forever!!!