Nine Worlds Geekfest 2013

So, last weekend saw me attending the first ever Nine Worlds Geekfest in Heathrow, London. One of the organisers of this epic event was Jenni Hill, formerly one of my editors at Abaddon Books and now Commissioning Editor at Orbit Books, so it was strangely appropriate that the first familiar face I saw should happen to be hers. Jenni was running the books strand of the con, which was just round the corner (literally) from the Windsor Suite where the Steampunks were based and which was where I remained for most of the weekend.

It was great to catch up with old friends Kit Cox (a.k.a Major Jack Union), Jema Hewitt (Miss Emilly Ladybird), Claire Peacey of Empire Edibles, Ian Crichton (a.k.a. Herr Doktor), Jenny, Arkwright, Rob/Dave, Robert Rankin, Lady Raygun, Tinker, Lady Elsie, Jim Swallow, Gav Thorpe, Paco Jaen et al, as well as to make new ones. It was also a pleasant surprise to have Simon Singh and Kiruna Stamell drop by my stand during the course of the weekend.

It was a very packed weekend but some of the highlights for me were the panels (and not just the ones I was on with fellow Steampunk authors Toby Frost and Raven Dane) such as 'Steampunk 101' and 'Steampunk in the Media'. On the Sunday I even had a signing slot at the Forbidden Planet table with Stephanie Saulter, which was nice, and thanks to David Tallerman, Jobeda Ali, Graeme Flory, Jon Oliver and Ian Whates for all dropping by to show their support.

One of the best comments of the whole weekend came from Ben Smith, Publishing Manager at Abaddon/Solaris/Rebellion, who, upon arriving, thought there was a group cosplaying as air hostesses until he remembered the hotel was behind Heathrow airport. He was more than a little suspicious when a coach load of people cosplaying as OAPs turned up next.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by and said hello, or who bought a book, or had a go on the tombola, and thanks to the organisers for putting together such a successful first con.

5 things I now know that I didn't know before attending Nine Worlds Geekfest 2013

1) Steampunk is sometimes referred to as Goths in Brown, or Downton Abbey with Meccano.
2) Steampunk in Germany is called Daft Punk.
3) You can buy an ebook on Amazon called Pax Britannia: The Secret War. This has nothing to do with me, Pax Britannia or Abaddon Books, and moves are being made to have it removed.
4) There is a net 10% drop in crime when Weekend at the Asylum occurs in the city of Lincoln.
5) Archimedes the Steampunk Parrot now has a rival.

You can see more photos from the event here, here and even here.