Chris Garcia, Drink Tank and the Quantum Gunman

My panel on Friday night was called "The Liar's Panel". Given the late hour and subject, it wasn't a very serious panel, but lots of fun, and everyone - panelists included - enjoyed it.

My fellow panelists included Brad Denton - an old acquaintance now by now - Rosemary Clement Moore, Steve Wedel, and moderator Chris Garcia.

I'd never met Chris before - he lives in California - but he seemed like a nice guy, very cheerful, upbeat and friendly. It was afterwards that I made the connection and realized he's the guy who won the Fanzine Hugo this year for "Drink Tank". I told a friend how nice he seemed, and they said "he's still on the high from the Hugo". He also said Chris' Hugo acceptance speech was quite a funny and touching scene.

Now, Saturday evening, as I typed out "The Quantum Gunman" I would lay out each page in succession on the table of the gallery. Some people came along and read it in installments as I banged it out. When it was all laid out, Chris came by and gave it a read. He liked it and asked me what I was planning to do with it.

He is planning a special project for the 300th issue of Drink Tank, called Drink Tank 300, where he will feature 300 different contributors. I told him if he wanted "The Quantum Gunman" for Drink Tank 300, it was all his, and he took it and walked away with a big smile.

I'm happy to help out. Chris said he is planning to get Drink Tank 300 out in October or maybe late November. I'm looking forward to it.

Oh, and while I thought the person who told me about Chris' acceptance speech was exaggerating, Chris confirmed the account himself. I subsequently saw that Cory Doctorow on Boing Boing referred to it as the "greatest Hugo moment in recent history".

"The Quantum Gunman" is the 97th short story I have written.