Con Or Bust: Helping Fans of Color Attend SFF Cons

Hi all:

This is your six-and-a-half-day reminder that you have until Tuesday, May 24, 2016, at 9:00 p.m. Eastern to offer something in Con or Bust’s annual online auction, to help fans of color/non-white fans attend SFF cons (time zone conversions, countdown).

If you craft, or write, or live someplace with interesting stuff that would make a neat grab bag, or read Tarot over Skype, or consult on wardrobe revamps, or have interesting things that you’ve been looking to dispose of, or things I can’t even think of, would you consider offering something? The auction is Con or Bust’s principal fundraiser for the year, and its success dictates how many fans of color Con or Bust can help attend SFF cons. All you need to do is fill out a web form, no registration or login needed. Find out more at the main auction information page, or go right to the Submit an Auction form.

Thanks for your support, and please: spread the word!

Item Name & Description: a prize pack donated by Tor.com, consisting of:

• The Devil in America, Kai Ashante Wilson (special print edition)


• Wakulla Springs, Andy Duncan and Ellen Klages (special print edition)


• The Ghoul King, Guy Haley (galley)


• Spiderlight, Adrian Tchaikovsky (galley)


• Infomacracy, Malka Older (hardback finished copy)


• Nightshades, Melissa F. Olson (galley)


• Tor.com pint glass


• Tor.com tote Bag

Starting Bid: $30.

Shipping: worldwide.

Bidding opens on Wednesday, May 25, 2016 at 12:01 a.m. Eastern (time zone conversions). It will close on Sunday, June 5, 2016 at 4:00 p.m. (time zone conversions, countdown) unless bids are received in the last ten minutes (learn more).

Item Name & Description: a Firkin of Hesperidean Cider, an in-game item from Fallen London, donated by Failbetter Games.

Hesperidean Cider may just be the secret to immortality, and it’s the most expensive item in Fallen London. Though it’s been in the game from the earliest days, only a handful of players possess it.

This is the chance for one lucky soul to acquire this miraculous drink. Your Fallen London character will acquire a Firkin of Hesperidean Cider. With it in your possession you need never fear Death again — waltz from the Boatman’s clutches and back to Fallen London in a single action! Are your friends suffering from wounds? Then invite them over for a tipple! See their injuries miraculously close!

Be the talk of the Fifth City. Be a Hesperidean.

Starting Bid: $100.

Bidding opens on Wednesday, May 25, 2016 at 12:01 a.m. Eastern (time zone conversions). It will close on Sunday, June 5, 2016 at 4:00 p.m. (time zone conversions, countdown) unless bids are received in the last ten minutes (learn more).

Item Name & Description: a Blemmigan Secretary, an in-game item from Fallen London, donated by Failbetter Games.

The last thing you’d expect about a savage and eyeless anthropophagous mushroom is this: that those tendrils enable wonderful penmanship. The Blemmigan Secretary will be delighted to take dictation.

One of the most loved companions, the Blemmigan Secretary cannot be bought or sold at the Bazaar. They are quite tricky to obtain, as they are very rare, with a 1/1008 chance of drawing one from a Bundle of Curiosities.

Starting Bid: $50.

Bidding opens on Wednesday, May 25, 2016 at 12:01 a.m. Eastern (time zone conversions). It will close on Sunday, June 5, 2016 at 4:00 p.m. (time zone conversions, countdown) unless bids are received in the last ten minutes (learn more).

Item Name & Description: Various Vines Earrings by Wraptillion

These earrings are made from stainless steel hardware that I’ve hand-linked together with titanium, using traditional chainmaille techniques. My jewelry is carried by museum stores such as the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Museum of Flight, the Bellevue Arts Museum, and Ateneum (part of the Finnish National Gallery in Helsinki.)

+ lightweight

+ never need polishing

+ 3 inches long

+ hypoallergenic titanium ear wires (titanium is used in medical implants, as it’s less likely to react to the human body than 24 karat gold.)

Starting Bid: $35

Shipping: I will ship these earrings worldwide with customs paperwork; I’ll pay the cost of shipping them.

Other Notes: Ships when auction ends.

Bidding opens on Wednesday, May 25, 2016 at 12:01 a.m. Eastern (time zone conversions). It will close on Sunday, June 5, 2016 at 4:00 p.m. (time zone conversions, countdown) unless bids are received in the last ten minutes (learn more).

Item Name & Description: Descending Circles Earrings by Wraptillion

These earrings are made from stainless steel hardware that I’ve hand-linked together with titanium, using traditional chainmaille techniques. My jewelry is carried by museum stores such as the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Museum of Flight, the Bellevue Arts Museum, and Ateneum (part of the Finnish National Gallery in Helsinki.)

+ lightweight

+ never need polishing

+ 1.5 inches long

+ hypoallergenic titanium ear wires (titanium is used in medical implants, as it’s less likely to react to the human body than 24 karat gold.)

Starting Bid: $25

Shipping: I will ship these earrings worldwide with customs paperwork; I’ll pay the cost of shipping them.

Other Notes: Ships when auction ends.

Bidding opens on Wednesday, May 25, 2016 at 12:01 a.m. Eastern (time zone conversions). It will close on Sunday, June 5, 2016 at 4:00 p.m. (time zone conversions, countdown) unless bids are received in the last ten minutes (learn more).

Item Name & Description: Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer by Kelly Jones, illustrated by Katie Kath (signed hardcover + worksheet for class)

I’ll sign and personalize a hardcover copy of my novel Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer (a novel in letters about 12-year-old Sophie Brown, who’s learning to care for chickens with superpowers), published by Knopf Books for Young Readers, for ages 8-12. Unusual Chickens is a ALA Notable Book, a Mathical Honor Book, and an Indie Choice Award Nominee for the E. B. White Read-Aloud Award, as well as being on five states’ children’s choice nominees lists. It was also a summer reading pick from the We Need Diverse Books Summer Reading List for 2015.

Also included is the worksheet I use when I talk about how I created the superchickens in the book and then teach my Create Your Own Superpet workshop, with the rights to use it with a class. This worksheet walks students through drawing and taking notes as they create a superpet for their own story, using their five senses. You can use it with a class of your choice, or give it to a teacher or librarian who’d like to use with a class.

Starting Bid: $15

Shipping: I’ll pay to ship this book worldwide.

Other Notes: Will ship after auction ends and winner tells me how they want it personalized!

Bidding opens on Wednesday, May 25, 2016 at 12:01 a.m. Eastern (time zone conversions). It will close on Sunday, June 5, 2016 at 4:00 p.m. (time zone conversions, countdown) unless bids are received in the last ten minutes (learn more).

Item Name & Description: First Five Pages of Your Novel Critique by Author Kelly Jones

I’m the author of the middle grade (ages 8-12) fantasy novel Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer, published by Knopf Books for Young Readers, as well as a forthcoming young adult historical fantasy novel. Before that, I was a librarian and a bookseller. I’m represented by agent Mandy Hubbard of Emerald City Literary Agency.

My main areas of expertise are children’s and young adult novels, all genres, but I’m willing to provide feedback on other types of books.

You’ll send me an electronic copy of the first five pages of your novel and any questions you have for me on them, and I’ll send you my thoughts as a reader and my feedback as a writer.

Starting Bid: $25

Other Notes: I’m available for feedback as soon as the auction ends, or within one year if you’re not ready for feedback yet. Please let me know when you think it will be ready for my eyes.

Bidding opens on Wednesday, May 25, 2016 at 12:01 a.m. Eastern (time zone conversions). It will close on Sunday, June 5, 2016 at 4:00 p.m. (time zone conversions, countdown) unless bids are received in the last ten minutes (learn more).