Gallifrey & Whedonistas Launch

I’ve never been on a con panel before. I don’t consider myself an expert about anything except my own life — and even that assertion is a little shaky most days. But when editors Lynne Thomas and Deborah Stanish asked me to come to Gallifrey One for the Whedonistas launch, I couldn’t refuse. (Don’t get me wrong — I tried to refuse, I just couldn’t.)

So I went, and despite my reservations about the whole panel thing, I had an amazing time. The other women involved in Whedonistas were as inspiring as they were different from each other. We spent the panel together, then followed it up with a signing (my first signing!) and a dinner that lasted hours. I don’t think I’ve talked about a wider range of topics in such a short space of time ever: Peter Wingfield (Methos!), WordGirl and animation, writing media tie-ins, huge life changes and decisions, kitbashing for women, writing neuroses, and identity, to name a few.

Also? Doctor Who fans ROCK. I have rarely been around so many intensely talented, passionate, and downright nice people. The costumes and creative expressions of Who love astounded me. I saw two full-sized daleks and a K-9! Also, not a single person in the signing line treated me like anything less than a pro, even though none of them had ever heard of me. Truly, it was a gift.

Here’s a picture of our happy launch panel, courtesy of Teresa Jusino (of The Teresa Jusino Experience):

Top row: Nancy Holder, me, Katy Shuttleworth, Kelly Hale, Racheline Maltese
Bottom row: Jane Espenson, Lynne Thomas, Deborah Stanish, Teresa Jusino
Not on the panel: Michael Thomas, Lars Pearson, Christa Dickson