You might think it’s a bit early to put my towel into retirement, but after a dispiriting experience when I took the blasted thing all the way to Paris (‘Zut alors,’ I thought, planning an incredibly witty picture referencing the French New Wave) and then didn’t even unpack it due to ineptitude, I’ve decided to bench it for now and talk about Hitchcon.
I’ve been at Puffin for almost two years and I don’t think I’ve ever been quite so excited about an event. My ‘work’ involvement has been tangential to the raw organisation of the thing, so I’ve been attending the occasional meeting with the glass-eyed wonder of a child in front of a giant iced bun, and following the adult marketing and PR teams about the corridors like a drooling puppy, sticking my nose in every secret bag and box and finding myself utterly delighted at every turn.
There are some artefacts from DNA’s life that are going to be on show on Sunday that are completely out of this world. I’m sworn to secrecy (and as you might imagine, it’s making me into an insufferable teacher’s pet), but I was lucky enough to catch Chief Hitchhiker Jen going past with sack upon sack of the rarest, most idiosyncratic Hitchhiker memorabilia, none of which has ever been seen in public before.
Not to mention the amazing line-up of Friends of H2G2, including the almighty talent that is Harry Shearer, whose involvement with the seminal cultural touchstones of my life smacks of a coincidence engineered by a higher power (H2G2, Wayne’s World, Spinal Tap, The Simpsons . . .). If I get within three metres of him I think I’ll spontaneously burst into song.
I think my personal highlight is going to be the photocall at 11:30, where the largest gathering of H2G2 fans in the known universe will be kicking off the day in a sea of dressing gowns. I’ve seen the freebies we’ll be giving to the first 150 people and can confidently state that I would eBay my grandmother for them.
If you’re thinking of coming but haven’t booked your ticket yet, have a look here for a 2 for 1 ticket offer, which I think you’ll agree is cheaper than not coming.
So I’ll be there on Sunday (you’ll be able to recognise me; I’ll be the one in the dressing gown). Come on down and celebrate with us; I can guarantee that we’ll surprise you. And a word to the wise – bring your rubber duckie . . .
H4nchan
Born in the British Library and raised in a high street bookshop by wild booksellers, h4nchan is perfectly comfortable talking about herself in the third person. She works for Puffin, Eoin Colfer's natural habitat, where she can most often be found trying to coax people into the Very Hungry Caterpillar costume.
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