ConQuest
ConQuest Science Fiction Convention, held in Kansas City on Memorial Weekend for these past 42 years, was particularly good in many ways this year. While the panel schedule turned chaotic, the panels themselves were good and well-attended. My personal favorite was the Vincent Price Birthday celebration, which I conceived and moderated. We had birthday cake with blood red frosting, candles, and a scattering of chocolate flies. Everyone partook and sang a vigorous "Happy Birthday, it being exactly the 100th birthday of Price, who was born on May 27, 1911. Only later did we discover -- dare I say, to our horror? -- the result of so much red food coloring on our teeth. Smile, everybody!
I also enjoyed "SF Gizmos and gadgets for Tomorrow," a panel I shared with Selina Rosen. Two other panelists failed to show, owing to that programming glitch, so we carried on a lively discussion that rapidly turned from persoal jet packs to personal sex toys of the future. No fault of my own, I assure you! Honest!
The dealer's room was suitably large for a 500+ covention. I have not heard how lively sales were, but I signed quite a few books throughout the weekend. I hope the dealers did well, but in these economic times, a lot of folks just aren't spending. In addition to signing books, I also signed several program books, and at least two people told me that they just couldn't afford to buy this year. I'm always happy to sign program books, I assured them. I didn't buy anything in the dealers' room, myslef. Ron bought some tea and a cool diffuser. Diana bought a book or two.
The benefit auction was split this year between AboutSF.com nd Joplin Relief. Con ortanizers allowed contributors to deignate which cause their donations went for. The auction was large (and long) and took in a lot of money. That's about as specific as I can get right now. Parris McBride, my "Crab Sensei," who recently married her longtime burden, I mean, paramour, George R.R. Martin, brought many HBO promotional items from the new GAME OF THRONES HBO series, plus many signed books and tee shirts, etc. Those were wldly popular auction items. At one point, Parris rose to announce that when a particular auction item came up for bid, she and George would match the final winning ammount. I think Parris wound up writing a check for $400 to match that bid!
Several items in the auction caught my eye. Ron wanted a pizza cutter that was shaped like a gleaming silver Star Trek Enterprise. Use your imagination. But the final pric went way beyond what I could afford. A Superman doll also caught my eye, but apparently at the last minute someone sneaked in and jotted a higher bid than mine by one dollar. The doll didn't have enough bids to make it into the auction, so I lost it. There was also a shopping back full of very old paperbacks, each protected in plastic. I wanted it, I did, but damn it, after a long wait it came up for auction while I had to step out for the restroom. It sold for a mere $40 dollars. Diana approached the buyer, John Pershing, on my behalf, and John gave me the one paperback that I had most desired from the collection, which was MAZY OF THE MOON, by long-forgotten writer, Otis Adelbert Kline.
One of the highlights of ConQuest is always Jimmy Hollaman's "Room Con." This is a con-within-a-con always held on Saturday night. It has its own tiny art show, tiny dealer room, and guest line-up. I was honored to be this year's Room Con Guest of Honor. But the real stars of Room Con are always the multi-talented Brad Denton in his "Bland Lemon Denton" persona, with artist David Lee Andeson as his bassist/sideman. Together, they provide outstanding music. And with a "Viva Las Vegas" theme this year, partiers turned out in glittery outfits, show girl outfits, etc. It got wild when a publisher dropped her pants and when two different writers discovered they were wearing the same underwear. But never mind -- what happens in Room Con stays -- well, never mind, no it doesn't.
There were actually a LOT of really great parties, both Friday and Saturday nights. I didn't get into the art show this year. I didn't prepare any art, myself, so just never ventured in. Nor did I venture into the filking areas or the gaming areas. In fact, I came back home for a short time on Saturday early evening just to de-pressurize and feed the cats. But I saw lots of old friends, made a number of new friends, and just enjoyed the heck out of the event. And would very much like to remember the names of these young guys. If anyone knows ....
I also enjoyed "SF Gizmos and gadgets for Tomorrow," a panel I shared with Selina Rosen. Two other panelists failed to show, owing to that programming glitch, so we carried on a lively discussion that rapidly turned from persoal jet packs to personal sex toys of the future. No fault of my own, I assure you! Honest!
The dealer's room was suitably large for a 500+ covention. I have not heard how lively sales were, but I signed quite a few books throughout the weekend. I hope the dealers did well, but in these economic times, a lot of folks just aren't spending. In addition to signing books, I also signed several program books, and at least two people told me that they just couldn't afford to buy this year. I'm always happy to sign program books, I assured them. I didn't buy anything in the dealers' room, myslef. Ron bought some tea and a cool diffuser. Diana bought a book or two.
The benefit auction was split this year between AboutSF.com nd Joplin Relief. Con ortanizers allowed contributors to deignate which cause their donations went for. The auction was large (and long) and took in a lot of money. That's about as specific as I can get right now. Parris McBride, my "Crab Sensei," who recently married her longtime burden, I mean, paramour, George R.R. Martin, brought many HBO promotional items from the new GAME OF THRONES HBO series, plus many signed books and tee shirts, etc. Those were wldly popular auction items. At one point, Parris rose to announce that when a particular auction item came up for bid, she and George would match the final winning ammount. I think Parris wound up writing a check for $400 to match that bid!
Several items in the auction caught my eye. Ron wanted a pizza cutter that was shaped like a gleaming silver Star Trek Enterprise. Use your imagination. But the final pric went way beyond what I could afford. A Superman doll also caught my eye, but apparently at the last minute someone sneaked in and jotted a higher bid than mine by one dollar. The doll didn't have enough bids to make it into the auction, so I lost it. There was also a shopping back full of very old paperbacks, each protected in plastic. I wanted it, I did, but damn it, after a long wait it came up for auction while I had to step out for the restroom. It sold for a mere $40 dollars. Diana approached the buyer, John Pershing, on my behalf, and John gave me the one paperback that I had most desired from the collection, which was MAZY OF THE MOON, by long-forgotten writer, Otis Adelbert Kline.
One of the highlights of ConQuest is always Jimmy Hollaman's "Room Con." This is a con-within-a-con always held on Saturday night. It has its own tiny art show, tiny dealer room, and guest line-up. I was honored to be this year's Room Con Guest of Honor. But the real stars of Room Con are always the multi-talented Brad Denton in his "Bland Lemon Denton" persona, with artist David Lee Andeson as his bassist/sideman. Together, they provide outstanding music. And with a "Viva Las Vegas" theme this year, partiers turned out in glittery outfits, show girl outfits, etc. It got wild when a publisher dropped her pants and when two different writers discovered they were wearing the same underwear. But never mind -- what happens in Room Con stays -- well, never mind, no it doesn't.
There were actually a LOT of really great parties, both Friday and Saturday nights. I didn't get into the art show this year. I didn't prepare any art, myself, so just never ventured in. Nor did I venture into the filking areas or the gaming areas. In fact, I came back home for a short time on Saturday early evening just to de-pressurize and feed the cats. But I saw lots of old friends, made a number of new friends, and just enjoyed the heck out of the event. And would very much like to remember the names of these young guys. If anyone knows ....