WFC 2014

Crazy week after returning from the World Fantasy Convention in Washington, D.C. It was a terrific con, highlighted by one of the best art shows (if not the best) I've seen at a WFC in the last ten years. Hats off to Mike and Beth Zipser, and the entire art show staff for ringleading it.

To all sf/f conventions who say that paying Art Show artists their sales money upon exit is too hard or impossible to do? Talk to the Zipsers and Elizabeth Klein-Lebbink! They paid all artists immediately upon exit with no hassle whatsoever. Way to go, folks!! :)

To Peggy Rae Sapienza, Michael Walsh, Colleen Cahill and the whole WFC staff -- take a bow. HUGE applause. This was a dynamite WFC, and you all did a tremendous job!

I conducted a rousing hour of Loteria games on Saturday at the con, and it was a huge success, as it has been all year. It brought literary folk and art folk together, and we had an absolute blast. Thank you to all who came out and played! And THANK YOU to all who bought my Loteria posters at the functions across the weekend. Very appreciated.

I've already said on social media how happy I am to see so many of my friends nominated or win World Fantasy Awards this past weekend, but again -- congrats to all!! Thank you, Mary Robinette Kowal, for the kindness of the gathering late Saturday night. Best of times. :) And thank you, Jane and Howard Frank, for the kindness of the visit to your house and collection!

As far as the pictures at the top of this post -- those are tiny detail shots from my iPhone of seven of my favorite things I experienced during WFC weekend, courtesy of an unnamed offsite visit. They belong to a collection of work that I was privileged to see. Out of respect to the owner, and at his/her request, I will not divulge where I saw these, and would prefer those who know to not share that here. Not top-secret, but it's the owner's preference and I'd like to respect that.

Otherwise -- feel free to guess or discuss any or all of the artists responsible for painting these! No problem there. They inspired the heck out of me this weekend, and on that note, it's time to work again. Thank you to all of the friends that shared visits with me at WFC 2014.....it was a great weekend!

Karen Jones

A great person died last week. Her name was Karen Jones and she was my friend.

I heard the news Saturday night when I was heading out to the World Fantasy Convention Art Show Reception. Jennifer Heddle phoned me and let me know. It was a shock, to say the least. She introduced me to Karen at the World Science Fiction Convention in 2002, and they were very good friends for the better part of two decades.

Rather than dwell on Karen's death, I want her to be remembered for the good that she brought. She had an infectious smile and laugh, and for several years, a group of us including Chris Roberson, Allison Baker, Lou Anders, Paul Cornell, Jen Heddle, Alan Beatts, Jude Feldman, and Karen were a rolling 'rat pack' of sorts that banded together at more conventions than I can count (shoutout to Joe McCabe and Jess Nevins, as well). We were all building pro careers in various publishing capacities, whether it be as editors, illustrators, writers, retailers, or publishers -- all of us it seemed, except Karen.

She was a voracious reader and connoisseur of film, TV and video games, and she wasn't chasing a career in publishing. She was simply one of us. She was strong, quietly confident and true to herself. I think it was Chris that once said Karen was the smartest one amongst all of us, and it was true. I don't know what Karen's IQ was, but if one of us was officially 'genius', it was her, without a doubt. She never flaunted. She was unabashedly geek-proud, passionate about the things and people she loved. She brought joy wherever she went, and I'll always remember her for that.

She may not have been chasing a career in the arts or publishing back then, but lo and behold, in recent years, she ended up becoming the art director for Lightspeed Magazine, once again proving how diverse her talents were.

She was funny. She was brilliant. She was luminous.

You will not be forgotten, Karen.

(pictured above: (l to r) Jennifer Heddle, Karen Jones at the 2002 World Fantasy Convention)