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Those of you who thought you knew RadCon in Washington's Tri Cities, think again. This weekend just past it had a few people short of 2,000. Harry Turtledove was the writer GoH, and the whole deal was smoothly run by Bob Brown and crew. A good time, and no fire alarms went off in the middle of the night.
Why, you might ask, is RadCon toxic? Because they want to be. They are celebrating the Hanford nuclear reservation and Richland (one of the tri in Tri Cities) --the city with the most PhD's per capita in the nation, and the sheer grit of local fans who are not afraid to hoist a tot of toxic waste in celebration of science fiction. Bring it on. And hey, city folk, suck it up and get in the spirit! You, too, have a chance to win the John Dalmas award, but no sissies, you hear?
The big news in Eastern Washington (aside from the fact that former Tri Cities native Patty Briggs is regularly hitting the NY Times best seller list,) is that a new con is coming to our neck of the woods. SpoCon. That's right, those that have mourned the passing of InCon, take heart! Now there'll be two E. WA sf/f cons.
Patty Briggs and me
Brenda Cooper
Janna Silverstein
Bob Brown and the Secret Squirrel Con-Com
Kay and Alma Alexander at the book signing
Kay's website
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Orycon was in fine form this year, with GOH Robert Charles Wilson, among others. I was there too, and signed a few books and one robot. This yet-to-be-named robot will soon sport hundreds of sf/f fantasy author signatures. It will be auctioned off at a major venue like World Con or the RadCon Toxic Waste Party for the benefit of the Endeavour Award. (Won this weekend by Robin Hobb.)
And speaking of the RadCon room party at Orycon, here are some impressions: What, there are 100 people in here and two chairs? Why is there a toy chicken making the rounds of all the women?
Lea Day presiding over beverage bucket.
Kay and Bob Brown, chairman of RadCon, Feb 16--18, Pasco, WA.
Jay Lake and the yellow chicken.
I made it to what panels I could; you know how it is, too much going on. Patrick Swenson and I shared a roundtable "On What Editors Do" (and I was on this panel why?) but it was fun. The one below was on "Tormenting Heros for Fun and Profit," Since panelist Mark Ferrari had the flu we made him sit 10 feet away, which he took in good stride, politely raising his hand whenever he had a contribution to make. Damon Kaswell made the mistake of admitting this was the first panel he had ever moderated. Let's just say we were delighted to initiate him.
Mark Ferrari, Damon Kaswell, Will Vinton, Me. (Dave Duncan arrived soon thereafter.)
The SF/F Fest at Powell's Beaverton was on Wednesday night. This was a terrific first-time event for the store, and the locals loyally turned out. Thanks to Peter Honigstock for superb organizing and for providing a secret buffet for the authors in the back room. I arrived ravenous from the airport, dragging my suitcase and seriously wondering where the hell Beaverton was.
Dal Perry with copy of "The Gangster Conspiracy," Chris Bunch's last book, finished by Dal Perry and Steve Perry. (Irene Radford beside him.)
Portland mainstays of the SF/F scene, and conference organizers, John Lorentz and Ruth Sachter.
Mary Rosenblum ("Horizons") and me ("Bright of the Sky") along with Eldon Thompson.
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