ArmadilloCon/Jack Cullers

I spent the past three days in Austin, attending the 33^rd annual ArmadilloCon, the premier literary science fiction convention in the Southwest, as it's known.  And I had a great time visiting with (let me see if I can remember everybody) Bill and Judy Crider, Joe Lansdale, Kasey Lansdale, Scott and Sandi Cupp, Willie Siros, Richard and Becky Moore, Mark Finn, Rick Klaw, Dave Hardy, Bradley Denton, Aaron Allston, A.T. Campbell and . . . Aaargh!  I know I'm forgetting somebody.  My sincere apologies.  I'm not as young as I used to be, and these conventions, not to mention the driving to and from them, wear me out more than they used to.

But I had a fine time, no doubt about that.  Mark Finn's toastmaster speech during the opening ceremonies was a highlight, as was the panel he chaired on Apes in Science Fiction and Fantasy.  The panels I took part in were all good, too, as were the ones I attended as a member of the audience.  Overall, this was one of the best SF conventions I've been to.

Away from the convention but also in Austin, I had the chance to meet and visit with Jack Cullers, one of the Pulpfest organizers, who was in town visiting his son.  Jack is known to just about everybody in pulp fandom, and it was great to meet him and talk about pulps for a little while.  One of these years I'm going to make it to Pulpfest.  That's one of the things I really have to do.

So tiring or not, it was a great weekend and left me with my writing batteries recharged and ready to get back to work!