Hey there!

It has been A Week, y'all.

More accurately, it's been a couple of weeks, with no break between them to unwind.

I spent a long weekend at Norwescon, the Pacific Northwest's biggest sci-fi convention—and it was a total blast. I always love this con, because it's got a bit of something for everyone.

If you're a writer, you can find tons of programming about storytelling and the business of publishing. If you're a fan, you can meet local and big-name authors, and attend panels on everything from costuming to hard science. And if you're an introvert like me, you're sure to be exhausted and happy by the end.

The whole thing sprawls through the Doubletree Hotel in SeaTac, and if you wander through the hotel you'll come across nooks and crannies where people are playing board games and RPGs and nerd-themed pinball. You'll find costume parties and tea parties and dance parties. You'll find medieval musicians and storm troopers.

In short, it's a nerd's paradise.

This year, I was floored when the organizers asked me to interview the guest of honor, Catherynne M. Valente. I've loved her work since college—her Orphan's Tales duology were among my favorite books when they came out, and I've enjoyed her lush prose ever since.

So it was surreal to find myself on the big stage, asking her questions about how travel has informed her writing, how she develops her ideas, and whether she owns any cursed objects.

I know it was recorded, but I'm not sure if it will be made publicly available. If it is, I'll be sure to share the link!

I'm still trying to track down photos of the interview itself, but I was aware enough to ask a friend to snap this photo after the interview was over.

After the convention, I went up to Seattle to spend the day with my friend Nalisha, a tattoo artist, and get some new ink. (Photos of that are over at my Instagram: @kwakjessie.) Then, I drove to Roslyn, WA to watch my niece play softball (she made a double play!) and to do some research for my Danica Burns thriller series.

Roslyn is an odd little town I've been wanting to get to for a while. It's an old mining town that retains its Old West charm, and it's tucked right up against the foothills of the Eastern Cascades. Which makes it the perfect jumping off point for tons of hiking and mountain biking trails and cult-mystery-shenanigans.

I'll be sharing more Roslyn history soon, since I'm scheduled to go back for a more in-depth trip. But while I was there the first time I managed to run into a local legend: Charlie.

I'd been seeing posters about Charlie throughout town all day. At first I assumed they were "missing cat" posters, but when I looked closer I realized they were actually introduction posters.

They had a photo of this adorable kitty, and read:

"Hello, my name is Charlie and I am the town CAT. I live here locally and am 15 years old, and I've always lived in Roslyn. I love visiting all my friends at local businesses downtown! PLEASE DO NOT PICK ME UP or TAKE ME! Im well loved and have a home!!!!!"

Charlie was a sweetheart and enjoyed belly rubs, and I'm looking forward to seeing him again when I go back to Roslyn and exploring the town more fully.

That's all for now—but bonus points if you know which famous 90s TV show was filmed in Roslyn. Head here to check your guess. ;)

For Your TBR

Outsiders Kickstarter

Don't forget—the Outsider Kickstarter is still going strong. I just finished working on the postcard art, and I'm extremely delighted by it. With the Bulari Saga Travel Guide and After the Tide, I had built-in cities that I could send readers postcards from. But with Outsiders, I wasn't sure what to do.

I tried a bunch of different options before finally settling on a well-known Portland bridge—with a twist. ;) Can you guess the bridge? Head here to see the art, and pick up your copy of the collection.

Nanshe Chronicles books 1-3 at a HUGE discount!

A few weeks ago, I mentioned I was going to be running a BookBub Featured Deal on the boxed set of the Nanshe Chronicles. Thanks to everyone who went and left reviews—I cannot tell you how much that helped!

(There's still time, if you meant to leave one.)

Well, the deal is on. For the next few days, you can pick up Nanshe Chronicles books 1-3 for only $2.99. If you've been meaning to grab those, now's your chance!

Happy reading,

Jessie