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Originally published at Now Is A Long Time Too. You can comment here or there.
I've been trying to think of ways to write about P-Con that won't seem horribly name-dropping-ish, and I'm going to have to settle for explaining that Irish cons are really small, most people are there to see friends, and with an author to attendee ratio of about 1:10, it's very possible to get more face time than at larger cons.
So, P-Con was really excellent. My criteria for a science fiction convention go like this. I have to enjoy it. Check. I have to come home with books. Check. I have to have discovered a new author (or works by one I know that were previously unknown to me). Check, check. I have to have lost track of time at some point. Check. And I have to have had my mind blown at some point. Check.
On the Saturday, I had some extensive and excellent conversations with about Starbound and writing/world-building in general, which helped clarify a lot of what I was thinking, and attended a couple of useful and interesting panels, including one where Peter Morwood had a go at hacking his fingers off with a sharp sword. The Nike Swoosh he has acquired on his right temple has nothing to do with this. After the panel end of things was over, we meandered down to the pub, quizzed Diane (Duane) about the progress of the Big Meow (to which self-publishers all over the world are paying attention) and learned about the use of Hermes scarves as a weapon of the mind.
And then we wandered off to dinner, and I found myself discussing gadgetry, cats, and the food of the Indian subcontinent with Peter, Charles Stross, and, rather stunningly, Patrick Nielsen Hayden. It took me half the meal to work out who Patrick was, which was probably better than finding out at the beginning, and sitting gobsmacked for hours. Back to the con hotel bar, and eventually home (actually at a reasonable enough hour).
Sunday was quieter, but included a panel with James Hogan, in which he expounded on alternate solar system formation theories, and left me sitting going “Woahhhh….” in a way that hasn't happened in a long time.
Overall: Most excellent convention. Very pleased.