Back from the U.K.

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I’m a bit head-sniffly and doped up on all things Quil at the moment, but wanted to pop in and mention that I just got back from a two-week trip to the U.K. This trip had a lot of work-related elements to it; in addition to WorldCon in Brighton, I had a meeting in London that went really well. (More on that later.) It was our first jaunt over the pond and we both loved every minute of it. One thing in particular that I enjoyed was the sense of time. Hard to get that in the States since this country isn’t very old. That, combined with a lot of fairly recent (and hugely upsetting/sensitive) events comparatively-speaking, like the treatment of Native Americans, the Civil War, etc. Well, it was incredibly mind-blowing to have dinner at a friend’s house that was older than my state and drinks at a pub that survived the Great Fire of London in 1666. I’ve always felt between worlds given my family background, but this trip reinforced that some in a different way.

One of the best sightseeing parts of our trip was the Tower of London for me. I met a raven named “Bran,” after the Celtic goddess Branwen, saw the crown jewels, and Roman ruins. I have pictures, but sadly the Firefly RPG and the rest of my writing takes precedence right now. We previewed the cover and launched a Firefly RPG corebook pre-order while I was overseas. I’ll write up a proper post about that when my head clears.

The worst part? DEFUNCT CURLING IRON OH MY STARS. I had Very Bad HairTM the whole trip. The double-decker buses are righteously scary. How do they stay upright? And massive chains of the same stores over and over again. (Reminded me of the ‘burbs in Chicago.) But other than that, truly no complaints. London is a fantastic city. <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 P.S. Shame on the news for misinterpreting the beauty and light found in so many other countries. Less Fear. More Love. P.P.S. Internet rage is overrated. Angry? Get offline...

    Mood: Head swirling. Look at all the pretty colors…
    Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: I can has all the coffee.
    Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: Snoring
    In My Ears: Electronical buzzings
    Game Last Played: Dragon Age II
    Book Last Read: Research materials for work
    Movie Last Viewed: THOR: A DARK WORLD
    Latest Artistic Project: *Still* *still* *still* need to take pictures… It’s on the list!
    Latest Fiction/Comic Release: Last Man Zombie Standing
    Latest Game Release: Friends in Low Places
    What I’m Working On: Primarily tie-in games work and novels.




Monica Valentinelli is an author, artist, and narrative designer who writes about magic, mystery, and mayhem. Her portfolio includes stories, games, comics, essays, and pop culture books.

In addition to her own worlds, she has worked on a number of different properties including Vampire: the Masquerade, Shadowrun, Hunter: the Vigil, Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn, and Robert E. Howard’s Conan.

Looking for Monica’s books and games that are still in print? Visit Monica Valentinelli on Amazon’s Author Central or a bookstore near you.

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