What I can't stand is the paperwork.

I've long had mixed feelings when it comes to the idea of sci-fi/fantasy conventions. I enjoy the exuberance and imagination on parade, but I'm not crazy about crowds. I enjoy shaking hands and meeting new people, but self-promotion isn't my cup of tea — more like my spoon of tonic.

MidSouthCon 29 was very much that seesaw of experiences for me, though I'm happy to say it tipped much more toward the enjoyable than the arduous. I was able to see some folks who have become friends, and I had the pleasure of meeting several fellow writers, some whose work I know and others whose work I'm looking forward to discovering. I even had the privilege of meeting more than one person who read my book and, of all things, claimed to have really liked it. Oh, and when M. Keaton commented that as a writer it was much more difficult for him to read for pleasure, I was able to bring the room to a momentary, uncomfortable silence by musing out loud, "I wonder whether porn stars have that same sort of problem."

I'm very grateful to the organizers for thinking enough of me to let me crash their party, and I hope when next year rolls around they still haven't come to their senses. I'm especially grateful to these writers and publishers for tolerating my loitering amongst their ranks for a few days: Stephen Zimmer, Jason Sizemore, Debra Dixon, M. Keaton, Jackie Gamber, and the great Glen Cook.