PhilCon 2009

If you were to ask me to pick one thing that I didn’t like about last weekends PhilCon the only complaint that I could come up with is that I wish that it had been longer. From the first hour I spent at the con it was clear to me that the seventy plus years of experience that they have gained in planning events like this had paid off. Checking in was a breeze and there were plenty of program books and signs that made it easy for me to make my way from one panel to another.

Everyone was warm, friendly, and helpful but there were two fellow authors that made this event even more enjoyable for me. On Friday evening I had the pleasure of sitting on the Buck Rogers panel with four other men including author C.J. Henderson. C.J. is the kind of guy that would liven up any party. His contributions on the topic of Buck Rogers were not just informative they were down right funny. My family and I are huge Dr. Who fans. During the Dr. Who panel the question was asked, who was the best doctor? Well even though the panel could not come to a consensus two things were very clear to everyone in the room. 1. The panel’s knowledge on the top was very impressive. 2. This panel well worth attending. From the Dr. Who panel on Friday evening to the last panel on Sunday afternoon I always felt connected in some way to the people around me.

Grouch Free Zone
For me Philcon was not just about participating or attending the panels it was about relaxing and having a weekend of fun. I must admit that my fun mode was put on hold when a seven foot grim reaper totting a rather large scythe crossed my path but all was forgotten minutes later when I found myself sharing an elevator with the New Jersey Ghost Busters in full uniform complete with proton packs. Talk about Déjà Vu. From Storm Troopers to Jedi’s and gypsy’s there seamed to be something for everyone including a mechanical parrot perched on the shoulder its captain.

Earlier I said that there were two fellow authors that made the trip more enjoyable, well the second is the well know Vampire Huntress series author L. A. Banks. My family and I attended two of her panels. Ms. Banks was very warm and friendly. While many authors are guarded when it comes to sharing their keys to success Ms. Banks is willing to share her knowledge and seems happy to encourage new writers to come along for the ride. Her honesty and unvarnished stories of rejection and the obstacles that she had to overcome to become the successful writer that she is today are motivating and inspiring. PhilCon could not have chosen a better special guest.

To the President and committees of Philcon thank you for inviting me, I had a great time. See you next year.

Larry