World Fantasy--it's a wrap

I'm home from the World Fantasy Convention.  As seems to be standard after a convention weekend, I'm tired and achy (and this time, have a sore throat that didn't steal my voice away during the con but that makes me very glad it wasn't one day longer).  There's much work to be done, but I'm so foggy-headed that composing a semi-articulate blog post is a challenge.

The convention was a good one in primarily in its social aspects, seeing old friends, making new ones, etc.  WFC has lots and lots of professionals in attendance, so those who are strictly fans are able to meet and interact with the pros on a more personal, intimate level than at bigger cons, and those of us who are pros can find time to get together with one another.

We got in on Thursday afternoon, checked into the hotel, and saw some friends during that process, then more when we went downstairs to pick up our registration materials for the convention, and looking around the dealer's room.  That night we went to Original Joe's for dinner, which is a place I used to go when I was living in San Jose for college and after.  San Jose has changed a lot--Original Joe's, not at all. After dinner, we ran into Russell Davis and Mike Stackpole in the hotel lobby, and sat and chatted with them for awhile.  Norman Partridge and Tia Travis showed up a little later, and others came and went throughout the evening.

Friday, Maryelizabeth had to attend the convention's business meeting, while I stayed in the room and worked.  That afternoon we visited the San Jose State University campus, and checked out the neighborhood I used to live in way back when.  Later we had drinks with editor and friend Jen Heddle, and then were off to a party for the Orbit publishing imprint, then back to the hotel for the mass autograph session.  I sat at a table with pals William F. Wu, Mike Stackpole, Nathan Long and Bob Vardeman. Peter Straub was across the aisle, Robert Silverberg had the longest lines that I saw, over in the corner.  I swapped some books with the terrific poet and writer Rain Graves, and visited with several other writers, editors and agents, as well as chatting with and signing for various fans.

Saturday I had a solo lunch at the Jack in the Box where I once almost witnessed a gunfight over a nonexistent onion ring (but that's a story for another time) and was interviewed on video (more about that when/if it's posted online), but the day's high points came later, at the launch party for the Hellbound Hearts anthology, where I got to sit next to the extremely talented and charming Sarah Pinborough, and signed lots of books for lots of people. I was the first to leave (which, since I was in the corner and backed against the window, meant going over the table). But I had to put on my tux for the Howard Morhaim Family Dinner, which was held at Paolo's and was wonderful, start to finish.  Lots of friends were in attendance; the ones we spent the most time with were Patricia McKillip and her husband Dave London, Amber Benson and Adam Busch, Alice Henderson, and Kate and Katie from the literary agency.

Sunday was a busy morning--up and breakfast and pack and load the car and check out of the hotel, then to a 10:00 panel as an observer, then to my 11:00 panel as a participant. Everyone on the panel was interesting, but the best part was that I got to sit next to the awesome Jane Lindskold.  From there it was a race to the rental car, then to the airport, a flight to L.A., a flight to Tucson, and the 2+ hour drive home.

Back home, a couple of sub-freezing nights have not killed all the grasshoppers, crickets and their kin, but have done a number on the grass and everything that was blooming before we left.  There's evidence of coyote visits.  The surroundings are as beautiful as ever, and it only takes a few days in a city to make me deeply appreciate the ranch all the more.

So a busy few days. Today I don't think there's enough caffeine on Earth to keep me conscious and productive, but I'm trying. Tomorrow should be back to the routine.

Comments

[Richard]

How did the old nabe look, Jeff? And hey, spot any quarters epoxied to the sidewalk?

[Jeff Mariotte]

Rich,

The Manor house is beautiful!  It has a nice coat of lavender paint with a dark green trim and it looks like it's finally owned by someone who's taking care of it.  The Maybeck mansion looks the same as ever, except that the trees out in front are now so big and thick that you can't really see the facade from the street--I knew it was coming up but it surprised me because I could only see the steps and some of the lower front, below the balcony, from where I was.  Had to stop the car and get out to see the rest.  I didn't see the Paul Masson house at all, but don't know if it's gone or if I just missed it.  A lot of those streets are one-way now, with strange traffic dividers that kind of threw me.

All the stuff that used to be across from campus, around the corner of 4th and San Fernando, like where Jim's Barber Shop was, Bob Sidebottom's comics, and all those, have been replaced by new construction.  Farther south, across from 8th and 9th streets, most of the same buildings are there.  And once you're inside campus, a lot of stuff hasn't changed--the Student Union, the Quad, and many of the old buildings are the same as ever, there's just new construction around them--a huge event center, a big acquatic center, giant dorms dwarfing West Hall, etc.

I didn't think to take a camera along, although I should have.  

[Richard]

Jeff, the two comments supposedly on this page are invisible to me. Is this a site glitch?

[Richard]

Great, the comments are now visible to me. Thank you for the update, Jeff. I still have fond memories of the neighborhood and campus. Gotta say, though, that the concept of giant dorms dwarfing West Hall boggles my imagination....

[Jeff Mariotte]

I'm glad it worked, Richard--hadn't had a chance to check it yet. Something about the way comments are structured on Typepad, although I don't understand why it would make the comments on only one post disappear.