Than back to the con suite, where I enjoyed a great conversation with Flonet Biltgen, Gay Haldeman, Leah Cutler, Rob Alexander, and Stephen Dedman from Australia (wrote Foreign Bodies).

Kim Zrubek continued to supply great food in the con suite. Despite my earlier large meal, I tried her tamales and sopa de elote (sweet corn soup).
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

For dinner I joined Julia, Dave Smeds, Tom Hise and Lillian Stewart Carl. We walked over to Landrys. I didn't think the food was as good as I had at Landrys in San Antonio, but at least it was on a boat, and I enjoyed the company.

I only discovered tonight that Tom is from Iowa (I thought he was from Texas). Turned out that two weeks ago we sat only 5 feet apart at the Single Malt Scotch panel at Icon.

When we returned, it was time for the Mass Autographing. I didn't have a lot of things to be signed, but did get every signature I wanted, except Moorcock and Kenyon. Folks that had been at the WorldCon mass signing said this one went much better.

Latter I posted my previous report and put up a few photos. Then on to the parties. At the first small press publisher’s party I ran into Zane and Jo and their "I'm with Mr. Stokes" buttons. A couple of others (Serena Rooth & ?) joined my entourage. From the first party we moved on to Dave Truesdale's Black Gate party than on to an online publisher’s party.

Along the way, Jo was over-served. The first time that I saw her like that, but she was just funny.

Joe Haldeman showed up in the early morning, about the time that Zane and Jo were leaving. He _said_ that it was his birthday.

We went on until about 3AM being silly and having fun. Chad Childers and a sharp lady from Columbus, Ohio joined into the silliness. We kicked out a couple of friendly drunks, about 2AM.

When that party closed down, the rest of the folks returned to their rooms, but I retraced my steps and found that the first party was still going. I went back and discussed the future of publishing until the wee hours. The drunks from the other part were there, one having done something rude in the sink:-( One of the more interesting people remaining owns a SF bookstore in San Francisco.

But I am getting old and returned to my room at 5AM.

Saturday had a bit slower pace. I was up at 10:30 (less than 5 hours sleep), and started the day doing some web work. About noon, I drifted down to the dealers room, than went to lunch a couple of blocks away at Crawdaddy’s. Crab stuffed jalapenos, fried oysters, fried okra and red beans and rice. The okra was the best part. The oysters had a cornmeal coating (like catfish), not terrible, but I would just as soon not have it again.

On the way back to the hotel, I stopped on the sea wall and read for about an hour. The rest of the afternoon was split between the dealer’s room and con suite. The only programming I attended was the Broad Universe tea. A presentation to launch a group to promote genre women’s writing.

The food in the con suite continued to be awesome: tamales, truffles, large pealed shrimp, wonderful no bean chili with large pieces of tender steak, and seafood gumbo with shrimp, oysters and crab claws.

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