Welcome Merena to the Kin!

[Ryrin]

[LilyElizabeth]

Hi Merena! I can't wait to get to know you. 

[Arie]

Welcome Merena!

[LadyWordsmith]

Welcome! 

[Merena]

Hello everyone. ? Looking forward to chatting with you all!

[Ryrin]

Would you like to tell us a little about yourself? 

[Merena]

I'm coming back to the Wheel of Time fandom after a long absence. I finally had time to finish the books during maternity leave.

I convinced my husband to name our daughter after a character from Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar books. ?

She is now about 4 months old!

 

I also enjoy reading Sanderson's other works, and recently received my 10th year anniversary edition of The Way of Kings from his kickstarter campaign. They are so cool looking and came with a bunch of swag!

I love searching out cool old hardcovers for my library and other swag.

 

I went to DragonCon for the first time in 2019 and had a blast (bought a Moiraine print from Dan Dos Santos that is hanging up in the library ?). D*Con 2020 was also great (all hail Chad). Does anyone here go?

 

[LadyWordsmith]

Okay, as a huge Mercedes Lackey fan also I'm also now very curious about your daughter's name! There are so many great women in those books. (Four months?! So tiny!) I'm actually in the middle of re-reading Brightly Burning (and waiting for the new novel coming out next month!!!). 

I have always wanted to make it to Dragon Con but distance and funds have so-far prevented it. We are nearly to a point in life where it might be plausible if I could take enough days off to incorporate the drive, and get in on a carpool. I do have many friends who drive there every few years. The biggest challenge is that late August/early Sept is back-to-school, and I teach high school. Taking off then is not necessarily great with work. ? My BFF from high school is an artist and sells at Dragon Con every year though! Also Labor Day weekend almost always overlaps my son's birthday 'and' our wedding anniversary, so really it needs to be a family trip. 

[Merena]

I have the same issue with D*Con and wedding anniversary - we got married on Labor Day, since the venue was cheaper on a Sunday. ?

 

Brightly Burning usually makes me cry, but there are so many great moments in it!

Hint on the character: She has her own stand-alone book, while her Aunt has a trilogy. ?

[LadyWordsmith]

Got it! Awesome name choice! ?

Yes! Ours was Sunday of Labor Day weekend too (on the year that it happened anyway). We did an Early Tudor English wedding. Ours was also outdoors, so it was a good time weather-wise. 

[LilyElizabeth]

Not having read a lot of Mercedes Lackey, I don't get to guess. lol

 

I only am familiar with her work in the Darkover universe. I did really enjoy her writing there.