Self-promoting like a self-promoter.

Hello. My name is Rachel Swirsky, and for better or worse, I'm a short fiction writer. This is relevant to today's post — and indeed, to my entire last week — because for me, fantasy and science fiction has turned out not to be just a fun occupation, but also a disease vector.

Last week, my husband and I headed over to San Jose for the World Fantasy Convention, where — among many other entertaining things — I was able to meet our fair hosts, the VanderMeers. Unfortunately, my husband and I...