So THIS Happened

Yesterday was exhausting. I’ve been up working on new projects while trying to be fresh for meeting readers at the con, and even getting back and forth in London is tiring and time-consuming.

The con was great, but hot and pretty loud—I am across from the open lecture room and booming music and announcements played all day, making it hard to hear.

In the evening, they were having an awards ceremony, the first ever True Believer Comics Awards, which used to be called the Eagle Awards, a very prestigious UK award program, something like the Eisners in the US. It’s now approved by Stan Lee, so he was at the event.

We were asked to be there at 7:30, and I was nominated for the first ever “Roll Of Honour” award for people whose body of work had made an impact in the industry.  My feelings on awards are mixed at best, but I do like the ones that are voted on by readers best.

Since I was up against people like Walt Simonson and Moebius, I knew I wasn’t going to win and didn’t give it much thought.

They asked us to be at the event at 7:30. It was hosted by actor Anthony Head, who was charming and funny. The line for the hall was HUGE.

We had a brief moment to go grab a bite, the food took forever and we literally only could have two bites before we had to leave.

They brought Stan up right at the start, and presented the award I was up for first. We knew I wasn’t going to win, but it was fun, as always, to see Stan talk.

He unexpectedly went right into the announcement.

So it turns out I am the first ever recipient of the first ever True Believer Award, as given to me by Stan Goddamn Lee himself.

I have had a lot of wonderful, surprising moments in this career. But I never expected to have Stan Lee hand me an award.

Ten years ago, I was a hairdresser who dreamed of being a writer, but was certain that dream would never come true.

Everything good that has happened was because of the support of readers.

Thank you forever.

And dreams are GOOD things, don’t ever doubt it.