Do you know about Boskone? I went for the first time last year and just loved this friendly, engaging fan- and reader-centered con. I love my crime fiction world, but as someone with at least a toe in fantasy/speculative fiction (witch cats, anyone?), I am thrilled to be going back to New England’s longest-running science fiction and fantasy convention Feb. 14–16!
One of the nice things the Boskone crew does in the run up to the con is publish these mini-interviews with participants, so we all have an idea of who is going to be there. Here’s mine (along with costumer/illustrator Sarah Morrison and fellow author Steven Popkes).
Oh, ok, here it is:
Clea Simon
The author of more than two dozen mysteries featuring cats, three nonfiction books, and one punk rock urban noir, World Enough (Severn House), Clea Simon likes to keep busy. The Boston Globe best-selling author’s most recent mysteries range from the dystopian black-cat narrated Cross My Path (Severn House) (the third Blackie & Care mystery) and the snarky pet noir Fear on Four Paws (Poisoned Pen) (Pru Marlowe #7) to the cozy A Spell of Murder, the first Witch Cats of Cambridge mystery, which Polis Books will publish in December. Clea lives in Somerville, Massachusetts, with her husband and one (1) cat. She can be reached at http://www.cleasimon.com
Visit Clea on their Twitter or website.
What is it about Boskone that makes this the convention you choose to attend each year?
Or if this is your first Boskone, what attracted you most to Boskone this year?
The level of engagement! Seriously, I go to a lot of cons and what struck memost last year (my first year) was not only how much people had read but how engaged they were in the topics. Serious discussionis rare these days. Serious discussion of the ethics of paranormal cats even more so – and at a con? Just love how committed everyone is, and really want to bring it myself.
Looking back, what was the first piece of work (whether it be from literature, cinema, art, music, video game, toy, or whatever it may be) that first made you love science-fiction and fantasy?
“The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.” I wish I could say something more esoteric, but I lived in Narnia for so many years (I was quite sure the woods between the worlds – from “The Magician’s Nephew” – was the beech forest behind my house). Possibly, Robert Graves’”The Big Green Book” might come close, with those wonderful Sendak illustrations and that big, floppy dog (who never chased rabbits again…)
What will you be working on in 2020? Any new releases or dates that fans should be looking forward to hearing about?
“An Incantation of Cats,” my second Witch Cats of Cambridge, came out in January). Once again, three littermates must help their human, and in this second outing has the magical feline sisters learning to work together. I love my quirky witch cats. I hope readers do too! (I’m going to be setting up events but don’t have anything yet).
If you could bring any object or device into the real world from fiction or film, and it would work perfectly, what would you choose? Why would you choose that item?
I have often thought the elven rope that Galadriel gives Sam would be useful. Especially as I am crap at knots.