Silvergold bright and edgechill

My favourite season has always been autumn. On a bright September or October morning, I love the balance between sun warmth and air chill, an excuse to pull on a jumper and enjoy the caress of wool. And I love the clarity of the light, not slow and honeyed like a summer morning, but gimlet sharp, super HD. Most of all I love the invigoration it brings to my thinking.

I’m sitting in bed with a mug of tea and the window open and thinking back a week to Fantasycon. All in all it was a wonderful weekend. I found a great (clean, comfy, quiet, close by) B&B, had some excellent meals out, engaged in wonderful chats with both old friends and new ones (who will be old friends next time around, because that’s how these things go), and generally enjoyed being surrounded by books and people who love books. My panel moderating (Have We Caught Up With Science Fiction) couldn’t have gone better – the guests were smart and insightful, and the audience appeared highly engaged in the subject. And, best of all, the BFS awards were proper awards this year. For my money the jury did a superb job, with many of the selections perhaps even surprising. Well done to the jurors, and to the members of the society who took the whole thing by the scruff and forced through the changes. I was genuinely proud to be in that room this year.

So, I’m sitting: in bed, with hot tea and cool autumn air. And I’m (only now, at last, it’s been a week full of stuff, believe me!) taking time to enjoy the post con-glow and feeling that foursquare kick in the pants that talking to other writers gives you.  That autumnal invigoration.

I’ve got book stuff to be piling on with today, but perhaps a wee short short, from scratch, before lunch. What do you say?