It's Been Quiet...

Too quiet. No, I'm not up to something, just trying to get over a willful and persistent cough, make a start on book edits for my publisher, and wrestle the garden under control between times. Meanwhile, a visit to our local library turned up this classic...

...which is a go-to reference for all things related to the Great War and its causes, and Margaret MacMillan's Paris 1919 about its aftermath.

I'm on something of an early 20th Century kick at the moment, doing research for a murder-mystery set in 1923. The books listed above are great references for the war and the Back o' Beyond campaigns that spluttered on around the world, particularly in Asia and the Middle East.

Gaming-wise, sometime in the next couple of weeks I hope to play out an encounter between the Barsetshire Regiment and a nefarious band of slavers, and perhaps (who knows?) even play the last game of my VBCW Thetford-Bury St. Edmunds campaign. Watch this space.

Marcon 2016

My wife and I are back from spending the weekend at Marcon, one of the Midwest's premier SF/Fantasy/Fandom conventions. We enjoyed it, in spite of my persistent cough which rendered my voice hoarse, a real problem when trying to speak at panels! Guests included Sandra Garrity, who some of you will know as a first-rate figure sculptor. She demonstrated techniques in sculpting and painting which will be highly useful to me.

The Masquerade took place on Saturday evening, when we came across these stalwart defenders of Queen and Empire...

Portraying Her Majesty's Colonial Marines, the Fiberdyne cosplay group put on a fine display of martial might. Those dashed alien chappies quake in their boots - or equivalent - when the Marines hove into view! For those of you with Facebook, their page may be found here.

It gives rather a good sense of what these fellows would look like in Victorian SF/Steampunk model form. Another project to contemplate, perhaps.