Conswag

You like that word? That’s a new word I made up. It means “stuff you get at conventions that makes you happy.”

Here is some free conswag I got at Context this past weekend.

The book by Murv Sellars and one of the F&SFs came in my swag bag that everybody got just for being there.

The other magazines were from a fellow who was disposing of his duplicates by putting them out for other people, rather than by selling them. One, you can see, has a Christmas novella by Connie Willis, one of my favorite writers of all time. Another features the fabulous Harlan Ellison. The other one has a story by Alan Arkin. Yes, THE Alan Arkin. Did you know he wrote spec fic? I didn’t.

I won R. J. Sullivan’s HAUNTING OBSESSION, which I’ve been jonesing for ever since I saw it last year. If there’s one thing I like more than getting something I want, it’s getting something I want for free.

Here are some things I bought, with one exception:Lyndi Alexander very generously GAVE me the mug promoting her Clan Elves of the Bitterroot series. Innit beautiful?

I bought Addie J. King’s THE GRIMM LEGACY, the first book of her fairy tale comedy series, featuring a talking frog who loves beer. I know, right? And how could I resist Brad Carter’s (dis)COMFORT FOOD, with the picture of the casserole with skulls peeking through the cheese, featuring a connection between cooking and magic?

I tried to resist the Furrybones, I really really did, but I couldn’t. I had to get a unicorn one and, in honor of Bossy, a black-and-white cow. Aren’t they strange? And cute? And, at the same time, very much NOT cute? So perfect.

A WRITING PROMPT FOR YOU: Write something including a ghost, a frog, and something bitter.

MA