We checked in at the registration desk and got our bag-o-goodies. This included a copy of DESOLATE SOULS, the WHC 2008 Souvenir Anthology for which I wrote the tale "Mr. Twitcher's Miracle Baby-Chopping Machine." I believe that a few signed copies of the anthology are set to go up on eBay, so that may be your only shot to get in on the baby-choppin' goodness!
As I spread out my loot on the Sleep Number bed and cackled with glee, I discovered that though my name appeared on the back of the goodie bag as one of the Special Guests, I'd been left out of the program book, though I'm not sure if it was by accident or was an act of vengeance from somebody I'd wronged. This little detail became important in the Opening Ceremonies, because Toastmaster Simon Clark used the program book as his guide to introduce the guests. Most of the guests were no-shows at the beginning thanks to hundreds of cancelled/delayed flights, so there were only four of us on stage. Simon introduced the other guests and moved on to the Q&A...and as immense amounts of flop-sweat began to form, I realized that I was going to suffer through the intensely awkward experience of sitting in front of the audience while Simon politely failed to acknowledge the poor idiot who'd obviously come up on stage despite not having anything to do with the convention.
Fortunately, before it became too excruciating, Mike Myers raised his hand and asked "Who's the guy sitting to your left?" Simon was very embarrassed (even though it wasn't his fault) and it all worked out okay.
I hung out in the dealer's room for a while, saying hi to the Dark Arts crew (John Everson, Bill Breedlove, and Martel Sardina) who published three of my stories in WAITING FOR OCTOBER, which they very sternly told me to promote. And I hung out with the guys from Cutting Block Press (R.J. Cavender and Boyd Harris) along with author Michael Dixon and Bailey Hunter, who reminded me that I owe her a column for Dark Recesses Press in a few days. Cutting Block Press will be publishing my story "The Apocalypse Ain't So Bad" in HORROR LIBRARY, VOLUME 3, which has an incredibly cool cover that I'll share in a few days after I finish this con report, though adventurous blog-readers can probably find it pretty easily elsewhere.
Larry Roberts (who ships all Delirium books through the Horror-Mall, including author copies) brought along an author copy of GLEEFULLY MACABRE TALES, which was the first time I'd seen the actual book. It's always wonderful to hold a new book in your hands for the first time and confirm that it wasn't all an elaborate practical joke. I also got to see several of the legendary Bloodletting Press deluxe lettered edition books live for the first time, including the one where the book is strapped into an electric chair.
Then a dozen of us authors were off to the signing at Sam Weller's books, where F. Paul Wilson was very gracious as fans brought up crates of books for him to sign. I would've been gracious, too, but nobody brought up crates of books for me to sign. I sat next to future Bram Stoker Award winner Sarah Langan, who I found out on Saturday thought that I already knew if she'd won the Best Novel award or not and was just really good at keeping a secret. But I didn't know, which is good because I would've said something like "So how does it feel to be a Stoker winner? Uh, um, I mean possible winner. I mean...d'oh!!!"
Survivor was cancelled that week in favor of basketball, so I wasn't forced to be the kind of pathetic loser who would be at the World Horror Convention yet sit up in his room and watch Survivor.
NEXT: Friday...and the Gross-Out Contest!
