Albacon

I went to my first con. It was held in Albany, NY, close to where I live and I knew people from my rwa chapter that was going. Oh and I was doing the PR for the con. Albacon its a sci/fi & fantasy con. With the added bonus of romance writers. It started 10/8 with a panel of agents/editors who deal with romance and urban fantasy. Mirian Kriss of the Irene Goodman Literary Agency, Julie Tibbot of Houghton Mifflin and Harcourt, and David Pomerico of Bantam Spectra. It was  interesting and informative. Jackie Kessler moderated and did a wonderful job.

Friday morning there were workshops and panels  Jackie Kessler and Toni Andrews were great. I was on two panels myself . Debi Chowdhury, K.A. Laity, Susan Crowley, Biance D'Arc, Janice Dumas, plus the book signing with Jackie Kessler, Toni Andrews, Stella Price, Cat Johnson, K.A. Laity, C. Margery Kempe amd Rosemary DeCapria. Fanstay authors singing were Melissa Mead and Inanna Arthen, Author of the Vampires of New England Series. That was just Friday morning and afternoon.
Starting at 5:00 pm was the Sci/Fi & fanstay panels like Self Publishing Pros & Cons, The next monster trend, My Favorite Villian, Taking care of Business, Alternatives to Mundane Sexuality and Sex in SF: It doesn't Have to be Bad. I would have liked to have gone to that but I was so tired that I was falling asleep in my seat. I did make it for about 5 minutes to the Vampire Ball.  Music was going and there were a few people there but I had to bow out. I didn't sleep well Thursday night. I think I got about three hours of sleep. I drove back and forth Thursday night and back Friday morning. I was staying at the hotel Friday and Saturady. Friday night also brought on the ice cream social. It was nice. You had ice cream and you could add whatever was available to it. I had sprinkles and whip cream, a cherry and fudge. It was fun. There was also a concert by Igor's Egg. I heard it was pretty grand. Telling a story using music. Which is what music does, doesn't it? They sounded really good. Kudos to Igor's Egg.

Saturday we started at 10:00 AM with SF Films We Love, Favorite Aliens/Fantasy Creatures, Fans Association of Star Trek, Art  Guest of Honor Alan Beck, Hes great. My Favorite Heros, Creating Magic Systems, Nontraditional Fantasy Settings, Paranormal Romance Explosion, There Are No Guns in Fantasy, and more. We had a dinner and Elizabeth Hand was the guest of honor and a very gracious Guest of Honor she was. I enjoyed meeting her. There was a concert by Rebecca Angel which I was told was great. I wasdoing other things. Helping to get a room ready for readings. There was a erotic art demostration by Calkins  and still more. It was a busy Saturday night.
There were dealers selling books and art work, clothes and jewelry. I took out my credit card a few times and so did my husband when he came to meet me for the banquet.
The readings that night were fabulous.

Sunday we had a slew of panels starting at 10:00 am Do You Outline or Not. 1950's:  The Golden Age of SF Films, Twilight: the Mystique, Cover to Cover, Characters vs, Science, Is the Small Press Where It's Now, and a few more. I wish that some of the panels were run twice so I could be at all of the ones I wanted. But It doesn't work that way sometimes. There was a gaming room. a video room, a con room for the guests to go and get a drink and a bit to eat. People had parties in their rooms or went to parties in other peoples room.
I think everyone had a good time. The only negatives that I have are, for me the banquet food was not to my liking and the hotel gave a free breakfast if you were staying at the hotel and I didn't eat anything either morning. I became hungry, let me tell you. But hey, you can't have everything perfect and If the only complaints I have is the food then the con was very good. 

I look forward to my next con. I would love to go to Nationals in July with my cousin. If I have to go by myself I am sure I won't be alone for long. Writers are very friendly people from what I have seen and since I am writing and pretty friendly myself I shouldn't have a problem.  I would also like to go to the different events that the various chapters have that are open to the public. Again I would like to go with someone, split the gas and room cost. I am not rich. I would like to be but I won't be this year. So I have to see who would want to go. Hopefully Debi will want to go to some of them. I will check with her.

Remember this name ALBACAON and make plans to come next year. Oh FYI the date may change to Labor Day. There are so many thngs going on and next year the Jewish High Holidays fall on the dates that Albacon would normally run. So if you have any comments, questions or suggestions for future Albacons than please let me know or write to albacon.org We want to hear from you.