Hey, you like announcements.

1. Posting may be light through the 26th or so, because I am doing what is technically called “a metric buttload” of travel, basically traveling the width and breadth of this great continent of ours, doing whatever it is that I do when you guys aren’t looking (and what do I do when you’re not looking? Oh, my, friends. I do so very many things). So for part of that time I will be away, and when I’m not away, I’m likely to be home sleeping, since travel takes it out of me these days. All of which suggests that posting here might be lighter than usual. But, hey. Who knows. Maybe travel madness will strike and I’ll post every fifteen minutes. You never know. Especially now that I have my netbook and smartphone.

2. Where am I going and what will I be doing? Well, you’ll likely find out sooner or later. On the other hand you know for sure I’m going to be in San Francisco on January 16th, on account that I’m doing a reading with Mary Robinette Kowal that evening at 7pm, at Borderlands Books. If you’re in the Bay Area and would like to see me, that would be a lovely place and time, hint, hint.

3. Also, those of you attending this year’s ConFusion convention may also see me, since I’ll be there. I should note, however, that I’m not doing any programming this year; I’m going strictly as a civilian. Why, you ask? Well, one, because I’ll have just done a metric buttload of travel, doing all the things I do when you people aren’t looking, and I’m likely to be fairly burnt, and just looking to relax rather than hopping from panel to panel. And two, you know what, I’ve never actually been to a convention where I wasn’t working, and I thought it might be nice to see how it might be to try a convention from the other side. Anyway, rumor is I have a Hugo for being a fan. Maybe I should try being one, for once. And since ConFusion’s guests this year include Cat Rambo, Cory Doctorow, Kelly Armstrong, and other big name writers whose names start with a “k” sound, it’s a good year for me to try that (that said, yes, I’ll be happy to sign books and etc). In any event, if you’re looking for me at ConFusion, the bar’s a smart place to look. Come say hello.

4. There’s a lovely review of Agent to the Stars from the Sunday St. Louis Post-Dispatch, which gives the book points for being funny but also notes that “between the comic moments, there is a well-conceived, first-rate novel about expectations and the power of perception.” Well, shucks. I do try.

5. Finally, yes, everyone, I’ve seen the “Bacon Explosion.” Y’all can stop sending it now. Also, a reminder: Your passionate need to tell me about every single bacon-related thing on the Internet is why I created the Canonical Bacon Page. Use it! Love it! Live it.

Last year I taught at Viable Paradise, the one-week speculative fiction writing workshop in scenic Martha’s Vineyard, and I had such a good time that I thought a second helping would be groovy. And even better, the folks running the joint invited me back. So, I’ll be teaching at Viable Paradise again this year, from October 4th through the 10th. Indeed, the entire teaching line-up from last year is repeating: Me, Elizabeth Bear, Jim Macdonald and Debra Doyle, Laura Mixon and Steven Gould, and Patrick and Teresa Nielsen Hayden. That’s quite a lot of quality speculative fiction knowledge for you, all under one New England roof.

I mention this to you now because, as it happens, the application season for Viable Paradise 2009 has newly opened, and if you want to vie for one of the maximum of 28 slots open this year, it’s time to get cracking.  The links above have all the information you need to get your application together. Selection is always competitive, and for good reason (see: teacher line-up above; also see VP alumni sales track record), so send along your best stuff. Good luck!