A Good Night
This week I was in Kansas City for Worldcon (MidAmericon II).
For a writer, the purpose of attending is less to learn or have fun than to attend what we call “bar-con,” meeting and greeting those we do business with or hope to do business with at the bars and parties after the official programming day is done.
So Friday, I get intel that there’s an Asimov’s party at the Science Fiction Writers of America suite, and I head up with some of my Writers of the Future siblings and a friend who works at NASA here in Houston (Hi Dom!), and what do we find?
I didn’t even think about it, but Asimov’s and Analog are both products of Penny press, and they have the current issues of both magazines stacked and displayed all over the suite–up on a display three feet tall, and blazoned across a (very delicious) sheet cake.
This is my first appearance in Analog, a story that in early reviews has been called “Hugo worthy,” and I’m quickly pressed into signing duty. Next thing I know, I’m helping Asimov’s managing editor, Sheila Williams, serve the cake, joking with Analog Managing Editor, Trevor Quatri, and discussing real estate and gardening with the legendary Stan Schmidt.
And as if that weren’t enough, I met Dave Creek (who with 21 sales to Analog, gets cover billing) and we hit it off and popped off with another friend to the Tor party…
And if THAT wasn’t enough, I dropped back by the SFWA suite before turning in at 2AM and was asked by my dream agent to send him a manuscript.
So….a good night, then.
And that’s why we go to WorldCon.
