World Fantasy, How Do I Love You? Let Me Count the Ways

1. Finishing the draft of Solistalgia the day before I left for DC.
2. I don't live in Illinois, Indiana, or Ohio, I only have to drive through them to get to you.
3. I used to live in Pennsylvania. It is still beautiful, especially this time of year. Hail, Pitt!
4. NPR had a bit on a magicians' library that I listened to on part of my drive. It was fascinating and gave me grist for the next novel.
5. The Educated Goldfish.
6. I don't have to live with DC traffic.
7. There was a biker-veteran convention (Rolling Thunder) at the same time. How cool is that?
8. Lots of books in the book bag. One of which I actually wanted!
9. The World Fantasy Convention passport, which shrunk down what is usually an excessively-oversized program booklet into something literally the size of a passport. Well-played, WFC committee, well-played. 
10. Ghost Stories Without Ghosts panel with Patty Templeton, et al.
11. Patty signed my copy of her book with a ghost!
12. Scribe Agency authors going to dinner after flashing devil signs, a-like so: 
    
13. Many good foods. Indian, Thai, Fillipino, Japanese. Thanks for the weight-gain, WFC.
14. Jeffrey Ford's reading. Wow.
15. Watching the Badgers beat Purdue with Jim Minz. Go Bucky!
16. Having some stranger at the Thai restaurant see my Badgers sweatshirt and say (with a smile) "Your team just got lucky". My response: "Oh, you're a Purdon't fan?" It's all in good fun, but seriously, they let these people into our nation's capital?
17. Author signing, where I sold a few copies of Heraclix and Pomp and learned (directly from the reviewer) about this very, very positive review.
18. Reconnecting with old friends whom I haven't seen for years, such as: Jeffrey Ford, Jeff and Ann VanderMeer, John Picacio, Jim Minz, Paula Guran, John Lawson, and a bevy of others. So many that I'm sure I've missed a dozen of you (for which I profusely apologize).
19. Reconnecting with those I've seen not so long ago: John Klima, John O'Neill, Patty Templeton, Mark Teppo, Darin Bradley, Agent Kris, Jenn Brissett, Becky Johnson, etc.
20. Meeting those with whom I've had virtual relationships, but only now met in person; mostly editors who have published my work but whom I hadn't had the pleasure to meet in person until now: Mike Allen, Matthew Kressel, Sheila Williams, and others.
21. Meeting new-to-me and very talented people like Matt Wuertz, Russ Linton, Jeremy Zerfoss, and so on. Special props to dinner with Matt and regaling each other with old D&D stories, laughing our fool heads off the whole time. The waitresses didn't quite know what to do with us, I don't think.
22. Selling some books.
23. Drooling over more rare books than I will ever be able to afford in my lifetime, viz., everything Arkham House ever published and every hardcover put out by Tartarus Press.
24. Very, very late nights where I was the only sober person within a three mile radius (I don't drink, but people I hang out with drink quite a bit).
25. My sister-in-law and her husband, who let me crash at their place and come in at very odd hours of the morning.
26. Everyone in attendance at WFC, except for that douchebag who thought it was okay to conduct a live interview in the freaking writer's retreat room that was reserved as a quiet space specifically to allow writers to WRITE. Some of us were actually in there to write, not to here your condescending drivel about how badly-behaved con-goers have become. Puke.
27. Notre Dame, for losing their game. Jim and I high-fived each other more for that than for the Badgers' winning. I love WFC: I hate the golden domers. No, seriously, I do.
    
28. Seeing Vincent Villafranca's amazing sculptures in person, along with the other amazing art on display at the art show. Lust, lust, lust.
29. Hearing that Sofia Samatar's outstanding novel, A Stranger in Olondria won the World Fantasy Award.
30. Heard another great story on NPR which will also feed into my next novel, at least thematically. Maybe I should just entitle this one "Thanks, NPR"!
31. Seeing a billboard as I entered Indiana that said "Remember: Always Wear Your Life Vest" and thinking "Right now? While I'm driving?"
32. Speeding, a lot, and not getting caught, which shaved about an hour off my travel time home.
33. Listening to the radio as the Packers dismantled Da Bears.
34. Avoiding Illinois drivers, who were on the other side of the road, coming back from pillaging my beloved Wisconsin one last time before winter sets in.
35. Seeing home all safe and sound.
36. Only one regret: Having missed the Demystifying Crowd Funding panel, because I had overslept that morning.
37. Slowly remembering all the great things that I've forgotten that didn't make this list. Best World Fantasy Convention so far. Well done, WFC committee!

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