I had a little more time for the Dealers' Den on Sunday. I am not a big spender at cons, but I did buy this print (SFW) from one of my favourite artists,
pan_h_shiroi, along with assorted badges, magnets and stickers. I also met some of the (real!) rabbits brought along by this year's chosen charity, Fat Fluffs Rabbit Rescue. One of the highlights of the con was
agrajag_fur's talk on hatmaking. It is lovely to know that the ancient art of millinery, complete with hand-carved wooden blocks and dangerous chemicals, is alive and well; do visit Aggy's website to admire the fabulous hats.This was followed by
jm_horse with 'Exploring the Furry Fandom through Data', on behalf of [adjective]:[species]. Based on data collected through surveys, the talk was filled with fascinating nuggets on what makes us tick, and ways in which we follow or subvert popular stereotypes. At 10PM, Kandrel and I assembled in our pyjamas (or Umbreon kigurumi, in his case) for 'Bedtime Stories', in which we each read aloud an exclusive preview of our upcoming work.
I like reading out loud, and I've been told I have a nice speaking voice. I was nervous nonetheless, especially as my material was intended to be funny and it would be a long half hour if nobody laughed. But laugh they did, to my relief and delight. It was wonderful to get live feedback on my jokes, and I was walking a little taller as I headed to the bar for a well-earned drink in excellent company.
