So April is over, and the cons are done with, and I can finally rest – and do some writing again, which is just as well, because the substantive edit for The Shadow’s Heart is due back this month.

Three cons. Two Supanovas, and a Conflux/Natcon to follow. How do I sum it all up? To be honest, by the end of these things you start losing track of how many people you’ve talked to, how many books you’ve signed, and what day of the week it is. In between my con-going this month I also had my day job to go to, plus my new home was under construction and half the time I wasn’t there to keep an eye on things, which was a tad on the stressful side, but as always, we got through.

And now that things have quietened down, I’m left wondering what I can say about the cons themselves. Should I write a poetic blog about how much fun I had, with some self-congratulatory blather about all the famous people I chatted to (for the record: quite a few, and all of them were lovely)?

In the end, I decided not to. Instead, I shall (for once) put my ego aside and recommend two books I read this month, both of whose authors I met and signed alongside. The first one was The Landing by Colin Taber (see below for some accidental product placement for that one), and Bloody Waters by Jason Franks. Both excellent books written by very nice guys. I highly recommend them.

I’d also like to give a shout-out to Tad Williams, who I signed next to at the Gold Coast. He’s a very wise, kind man, and I enjoyed talking to him. I also enjoyed the company of my friend and fellow Voyager author Kylie Chan, Hugh Howey, and Marianne De Pierres (I hope I spelled that right!), who shares an agent with me. It was so wonderful hanging out with fellow authors again. I look forward to doing it again.

Advertising? What advertising?

And finally… this month everyone has been asking me about my currently-under-construction home. Well, it’s finished. At least, the outside is – the inside still has to be fitted out. But the outside is lovely and here, as promised, is the proof.

Yurt Sweet Yurt

And finally… I was in Melbourne when I heard the news that my yurt was ready to go up. I therefore decided that I’d only buy useful, household items at the con. So I picked up a set of Portal 2 coasters. And there was much rejoicing.

~KJT, who suspects she may have fallen in love with her beautiful new yurt.