World Fantasy 2011

World Fantasy 2010 happened within driving distance--Columbus, Ohio--which meant this year I could go.  Yay!

 

Friday after school, I finished packing and took off, knowing Kala would arrive soon to spend the weekend with the boys.

 

Arrived without incident, checked in at the hotel without seeing my invisible roommates (fellow UWG members Steve and Christian), and popped over to the convention center just in time for the mass autograph signing to start, where I also ran into Anne Harris and Traci Castleberry.  That was nice!  We commandeered a table together, and I realized that single dad brain had struck--I didn't bring any books, book covers, or other authorly paraphenalia.  Ah well.  I still signed a number of books, including FANGS FOR THE MAMMARIES, in which I have a story.

 

I =did= remember the autograph train.  Several years ago, Sarah Zettel and I were sitting next to Connie Willis at a signing at ConFusion, which meant we had nothing to do while Connie's line went out the door.  I had just bought a wooden train for Aran, and Sarah and I were playing with it.  Since we had nothing to sign, we both signed the train.  Then Connie signed it.  And a tradition was born.  I took the train around the room (it has languished of late) and got lots and lots of signatures, and now it's full.  I'm planning to auction it off for the SFWA Emergency Medical Fund at WorldCon in 2011.

 

Also met up with Ye Agente.  Neither of my editors were there, unfortunately, but I did hook up with Esther, which was nice.  And I spent quality time in the bar.  I briefly got to meet Holly Black (The Spiderwick Chronicles), which was kind of neat, and she signed the autograph train in silver.

 

Next day I hit the dealers' room.  It was all books!  That was actually a little disappointing.  I was hoping to shop for some other stuff.  I did buy a few books to add to the enormous stack of freebies.  Traci was supposed to stop me from spending money, but she totally failed, and I blame her.  Traci and I also toured the art show, which was nice. 

 

I met Lucienne for lunch at a buffalo place--nom nom--and we talked about a number of things ranging from sad to hilarious.  That evening, Traci and Esther and I did dinner at an Irish pub, where we had more scintillating conversation, and then it was time for Cheeblemance: Esther's famous fortunetelling with hamsters.  She raised nearly $200 for charity.  I played harp in the background.

 

Then it was the Tor party, where I met with some people I really needed to talk to.

 

Sunday was breakfast with the roommates (who I pretty much only saw at breakfasts), and then I drove home through a number of picturesque small Ohio towns that I liked very much.

Halloween 2011

While I was at Fantasy World Con, Kala took the boys to Fanfare, a local comic book convention. They went in costumes Kala made from Futurama, Kala as Mom, Aran as Fry, and Mackie as Nibbler:



According to Kala, the costumes were a big hit, and lots and lots of people asked them to pose for pictures.

Kala also got to meet Kevin Smith.  Her sister Stephanie is a big fan of his, and Kala told him that Stephanie would be sad she missed him.

"You got her phone number?" he said.  "Let's call her."  And he did, which freaked her out in a good way.

Later that evening it was time for trick or treat--in theory.  Although there must be nearly a thousand children in our neighborhood, we got no trick-or-treaters.  None.  And no one was giving out candy, either.  It was weird.  Kala finally took Aran and Mackie over to a subdivision up the road.

Yet later, Kala went home and it was Samhain with me and the boys.  It was a little less ostentatious than usual--everyone was tired!  :)