smol chaios updates: weddings, worldcon, wild events
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It has been an absolutely wild month to say the least— There's been quite a lot of rushing about with the wedding ceremonies that took place on July 25th and 29th which consisted of me switching into five different outfits over the course of twelve hours and my spouse dying in his attempt to carry me over 200m instead opting for the walking while holding hands option (which I thought he chose but supposedly he felt adventurous on the day of and so...)—pictures here, here, and here, for those who want a peek, which also includes my vow! We managed to take a two day trip to Xiamen and Quanzhou before my spouse had to return to Canada to start his masters and work. Photos to come, but for now, a sneak peak... After that, I ended up hustling a few days later to WorldCon in Glasgow where I met a whole bunch of frens both familiar and new, along with my publisher Titan Books and the team (who I later went to visit again at their office in London—and stole 37 books—and I also caught Spirited Away on stage at the London Coliseum). One take away I left with at the conclusion of WorldCon, sitting in the ceremony as a first-time finalist is: Do not forget why you want to write—how we are not here to chase external glories but internal ones instead. I have come to a point in my writing journey where unexpected bonuses appear like guest invitations and mentorships, but with that also the unexpected admin work. There is a desire to want to give back to the community but also needing to figure out how to manage our own time and career in the process. Another thing I did want to share are the speeches I'd prepared for both I AM AI and Astounding because I think it is something that perhaps many need to hear. For I AM AI — finalist for the Hugo Award for Best Novelette: What a time it is to be named Ai and what a time it is to be living in a world where, Tomorrow, you become Yesterday as soon as your desperate seconds in the limelight wanes. I had been thinking about writing this novelette about a time when I lost sight of my direction in life, and I am fortunate that I have found it once again. This is for those who lost their way placing their work above all else, for those who believe they are not enough, for those who fall victim to society’s whispers saying to not be productive means failure, for those convinced they are worth less than they really are. You are all more than enough. Thank you for supporting me, for allowing me to stand here, and for not letting me be Yesterday, nor Tomorrow, but for moment, be Today, and I hope this novelette rekindles your faith in yourself and your love for those around you the same way it has for me. And for Astounding Award for Best New Writer (finalist): I would not be standing here if not for all the writers who came before me, paving the way for newcomers like me. I hope I can give back the same generosity that has been shown to me and become someone who can help pave the way for those who come after me and also those who walk beside me. ___________________________________________ What's coming up? LitLive Hamilton — October 6 SuperCrawl Hamilton — Septermber 15 JoCo Cruise — March 2-9, 2025 |