As promised, here is the second part of my Worldcon report, which will mostly consist of photos along with some commentary.  I hate formatting a bunch of pictures, so I apologize for any sloppiness in the presentation.

This picture shows the exhibit hall. The art show is on the left, the exhibits are on the right, and the dealers’ room is at the back. This was a very open space and well laid out. It was easy to navigate and find things.

 

 

The reception for James Gunn. Gunn is seated at the table in the middle of the picture. I don’t know who everyone is but John Kessel and Sheila Williams (editor of Asimov;s) are in the picture.  Many of the people here had some personal connection to Gunn.

 

 

This picture is from the panel on Texas authors who have passed on, and shows Brad Denton on the left and Howard Waldrop on the right.  Much of the discussion centered around Chad Oliver since he was about the only science fiction writer from Texas for a number of years.  The conversation eventually shifted to Tom Reamy (to whom I have a small personal connection) and Steven Utley.  The conversation never got around to Ardath Mayhar, which is unfortunate.  Each of the authors mentioned were unique, and there was no one quite like them.  If you haven’t read any of them, track down their works.  The NESFA editions of Chad Oliver were being given away for free, and Utley’s two volume collection of Silurian Tales had just been published.

The picture to the left is REHupa editor Bill Cavalier outside “his” room at the Menger Hotel.  The bar in the Menger hotel is where Teddy Roosevelt recruited the Rough Riders.  There are a number of pictures and displays about that.  I’ll write up a post for Dispatches From the Lone Star Front and put the pictures I took of the bar in that one.  Bill has been after me to join REHupa.  I probably will, but I’ve got so much on my plate right now that I want to make sure I can handle the added commitment.  (I said “probably”, Bill.  That’s not a Yes, at least not yet.)

 

 

 

 

Damon Sasser, Rusty Burke, and Harry Turtledove are discussing Robert E. Howard’s horror stories.  Turtledove was channeling L. Sprague de Camp at times.

 

 

This picture is the Robert E. Howard Legacy Circle Dinner that was held Saturday night.  Clockwise starting on the left are Paul Herman, Bill Cavalier, Rusty Burke, Dave Hardy, Damon Sasser, Jeff Shanks, Patrice Louinet, Rob Rhoem, John Bullard, and Ben (whose last name I never caught).  The place were tried to go to told us there would be over an hour wait, so we ended up eating at an Italian restaurant up the street.  It was an interesting the experience.  The food was good, although my lasagna wasn’t very hot.  There was almost no one there, the manager seated us in front of the window and sent over three plates of calamari on the house, and they had just gotten their liquor license renewed and the wine list wasn’t up to date.  I’m guessing there had been a change in management.

Afterwards, most of us ended up at the Buckhorn Bar, which Robert E. Howard visited.  Still with us are Jeff, Bill, Rusty, Paul, Rob, Patrice, Ben, and Damon.  They closed right after we got there (it was only 9:00 on a Saturday night for crying out loud); we moved on to the Menger Bar.

 

The Foundation booth.  Good help is hard to find.  I helped out when needed.  On the table are all of the books from the Foundation that are currently in print.

Finally, two scenes from San Antonio.  First, the most sacred plot of soil in Texas, the Alamo at sunset.

Second a street scene on the way to breakfast Monday morning, some kid doing the perp walk.  I know the people in the background and ended up joining them for breakfast.  They were so intent on the menu that they never saw the cops walk this kid by them.