World Fantasy Convention
Spent last weekend in Calgary at my first ever World Fantasy Convention. First time I’d been in Canada since I went skiing in Vancouver with my family in 1973, the time I kicked my sister in the thigh while wearing ski boots.
I wasn’t a particularly pleasant child.
Now, nothing against Canada. I enjoyed the convention and the weather was about as nice as you could want. But I can think of more exotic places in the world to throw a convention in late October.
San Diego. Miami. Cabo San Lucas.
Of course, I guess warm or tropical climates aren’t exactly the best locations to keep your convention attendees at the actual convention. When it’s cold outside, writers tends to stay in the convention hotel, attend panels and readings and book signings, spend a lot of time at the bar, and then make bad relationship choices.
The best part about attending writing conventions is that everyone is on the same wavelength – writers, editors, agents, booksellers. Everyone’s tuned in to the same channel. Sharing the same communal passion. It’s kind of like being at Burning Man before all of the tourists start to show up.
