Dream with Our Eyes Open

The Con or Bust auction closes Sunday, February 24, at 11:59 p.m. (U.S.) Eastern Time.

The auction's goal is to help "people of color/non-white people attend SFF conventions ... under the umbrella of the Carl Brandon Society, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization whose mission is to increase racial and ethnic diversity in the production of and audience for speculative fiction.... its goal is simply to help fans of color go to SFF cons and be their own awesome selves."

IIRC, this effort grew out of the observation that because fen of color often felt uncomfortable at cons (which tended to be more homogeneously white than is the actual readership of speculative fiction), they were reluctant to spend scarce funds to attend cons, and thus they were missing out on the chance to network and to take part in the awesome discussions and cross-pollinations of ideas that are among the most important aspects of SF&F cons. (Read more about the program.)

Anyway, awesome stuff! If you have a fannish friend or relative with an upcoming birthday, this list of lovely swag can solve your gift-buying dilemma! First editions, signed editions, gaming miscellany, great new comics, steampunk stuff, beautiful handcrafted jewelry and knit goods, cookies, and more! (I myself have bid on too many lovelies ... I'm sincerely hoping to get outbid on at least some of it ... .)

Go! Find something cool!