Praise for WindyCon

I want to put a good word in here for Windycon, the convention in the Chicago area coming up Nov. 9-11. I was a panelist last year and I enjoyed it immensely, despite not feeling very good. The fans who run it are experienced and dedicated. It was my first and only time to attend.

At the start of 2017, I resolved to attend a new convention I had never participated in before. 2017 was a crappy year for me, with health, money and job problems. I was invited to be a panelist at Libertycon in Chattanooga, but had to withdraw because of money problems (I was able to attend this year). I was to be a panelist at DragonCon (I was a finalist for the Dragon Award in Alternate History), but as some of you may recall, on my way there I was trapped in a day-long traffic jam on Interstate 40 in Arkansas. By the time I was able to escape the highway I was sick and late, so I gave up and turned around.

Now Chicago is as far from home for me as Chattanooga and Atlanta - approximately 12 hours. But things lined up and held together and I was able to make it and participate. I had a great schedule, with five panels on Saturday. The panels were very well attended and I met a bunch of people I had never met in person before.

Sunday morning when I woke up I realized I might be getting sick, perhaps because of the stress of the long drive Friday, plus the cold weather exacerbating an incipient cold. I had two panels Sunday but I decided to do the safe thing and leave early. I did, and I made it home by Sunday night.

In less than two months many of the problems that I faced in 2017 were resolved as my wife and I had the opportunity to purchase the paper where i worked. We took over The Clarksville Times on Jan. 1, 2018.

I did not ask to be a panelist at WindyCon again this year. In fact I've cut back going to cons because I am working right now full-time as a newspaper publisher. But Windycon was very enjoyable and the convention staff was very helpful to me, and I would highly recommend it if you can make it!