Convention Introduction

Explanation. A) I need a place to put this so I could link to it & B) Never let perfectly good text go to waste.

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Photo by Ginni Bush [No Stirrup November, In Which I Complicate An Introduction]

Hello! The program asked for, “either a bio or a link to a website with information about you.” Here ya go.

Me

I am a semi-retired freelance writer, currently living in the Southern US. 60 years old, white, cis female, married, no kids. Husband & I live on a farmette with horses, cats, & dogs. Pronouns, she/her/hey you. At this point, mox nix. The incidence of being called Sir or Mr. has gone way up even since I wrote a post about it last October. [Hello Sir]

My paid writing was mainly back in Ye Olde Print Days. Most of it missed the Internet. [My Professional Presence Online]

I have a daily blog. Makes Vanna White gesture. The main topic is horses. Over the years, I have managed to wedge in all manner of other subjects, such as science fiction conventions, see below. I’ve been blogging for 11 years. There is always a post about it. [Blog Milestone]

When we meet, I am likely to be excited. I don’t get out much. On the level of, ‘If a global pandemic doesn’t change your lifestyle, maybe you should get out more.’ Therefore, I might suffer from a super-abundance of interaction and go hide in my hotel room. Or I might bounce off the walls bonding with my new best friends. It could go either way.

I used to have people skills.

Really.

They are around here somewhere.

“Whether I talk a lot or too much depends on how amusing you find me.” [Learning My Lessons, Or Not]

You

Tell me about yourself. Seriously. One of my strengths as a journalist is to be completely fascinated by the topic at hand. I spent seven years calling up people and asking them about their jobs. [Clips: USDF Connection]

Random interest? Weird hobby? I wanna hear it.

Will I do a blog post about the convention? Mostly likely. Will I use your name? No. I will not use your name nor mention anything we discuss without your express permission. I am phobic about other people’s privacy. [The Song of Me]

Us

I came here via the History of Science Fiction class, taught by Jo Walton & Ada Palmer via UChicago Graham School. Intro video, UCGS: The History of Science Fiction, A Conversation with Ada Palmer and Jo Walton. [Winter Protocols, Blanket Adjustment]

I look forward to basking in the ambiance of being with like-minded folks. I live in the polar opposite of an echo chamber. [Life in Alabama, Being a Bad Blue Dot In A Really Red State]

Although I have lived in the Deep South for more years than I care to count, I have never successfully repotted. I always got more work nationally & internationally than I ever did locally. Smart ass Yankee does not play well around these parts.

With luck, my scintillating wit will play better at a science fiction convention.

Them

Convention Posts

Alabama Phoenix Festival
2012
[Foto Friday: Push-button Horse]
[Ghost Who Walks. Horse Who Racks.]
[New Yeller]

2013
[The Horse in Comics I, II, III, IV]
[Balloon Art]
[Spotted Who?]
[My Confidence Has Increased] Title, blame Alabama Phoenix Festival.

2014
[Foto Friday: Rodney Is Awesome!]
[Off Topic: The Upside of Negativity]
[Text Art: LEGO Business Card]

DragonCon
2012 [Monster Alphabet Book] & [A Plea for Hobby Tolerance]
2014 [T-Shirts for the Barn]
2016 [Guest Dragon Art]
2021 [Flying Low, Walk Report, DragonCon Virtual 5K]
2022 [Slow Flight Around The Park, Dragon Con Hustle Virtual 5K 2022]

We

Posts & links that might amuse this crowd

Season 12 scarf [My Doctor Whooves Scarf, The Origin Story, Guest Post]

“Science fiction and fantasy get it in the neck for being shallow. Critics have it the wrong way round. The lack of depth is not a bug, it’s a feature.” [You Say Escapism Like It’s A Bad Thing]

My beta reader (waves hi!) said I should include this. While it is not science fiction, it is the only fiction I’ve had published. Bending Genres: You Had Me At Blue Hair. The rest of my fiction – mainly bit & pieces – has been posted on this blog. [Fiction archives], [Moon Rats]

Oh, and I wrote a book. Sorta. [Writing Life]

Favorite work by Jo Walton, Visiting Friends, Or, What I Did On My Summer Vacation, Green Iguana 2020. Day One on JW Patreon.

Favorite work by Ada Palmer, YouTube: “Recovering a Lost Classic in the Renaissance” – Paideia Institute Public Lectures. Book history with examples.

Most eye-opening work, “Think you know about censorship? You probably don’t. The inquisition wasn’t a single organization, Orwell mostly got it wrong, and the most important change in modern times mostly went unnoticed. YouTube video, stay for the Q&A. Tracing Censorship of Radical Ideas Across Centuries: Historian Ada Palmer, U Chicago, Jun 29, 2021. The more I ponder this & watch the news, the more I think everyone should see this video to better understand how censorship functions in the world.” [Changing the Blanketing Protocol]

Onwards!
Katherine