So . . . How was the con?
In a word, great. Marvelous is another accurate descriptor.
I enjoyed Albacon immensely. Great hotel, decent hotel food, lots of restaurants within walking distance that had truly great food, absolutely gorgeous weather in Albany for the weekend.
The 1632 convention went very well, thanks to the organizers of Albacon and to the fans who came to participate. The room reserved for our use was just about the right size and stayed full. We might even have been able to use a larger one. We covered the scheduled panels, got a lot of really good ideas for future stories and generally spread the happiness around.
Virginia DeMarce’s panels, “Time Passed in the Past” and “What Didn’t Happen” were very well received, as was Gorg Huff’s “Economics in 1632.” “Snerking the Plots” is a perennial favorite, of course, as is “How to Get Published in the Gazette.” Iver Cooper’s dance demonstration went very well and his later discussion on the social aspects of dance was really informative. One of the best panels, however, was “Weird Tech.” Boy oh boy, did we get a lot of ideas!
We were also treated to a filk involving Brillo the Ram, which will someday appear here in the magazine, all going well.
All in all, Albacon was a very informative, productive experience and it’s one that we’re eager to share with more fans.
Which we will be doing. Next year, over the July 4th weekend. (Appropriate, considering the Fourth of July Party, isn’t it?) We’ll be running our 1632 Minicon at Fiestacon/Westercon 62 in Tempe, Arizona. Here’s their website: http://www.fiestacon.org/
It’d be great to see more fans there. Y’all come see us next year.
In Other News . . .
We’re pleased to have given a subscription to the Grantville Gazette to the Liturgy, Hymnody & Pulpit Quarterly Book Review, who have asked for review copies of future 1632 universe books.
Rev. Paul Cain said:
We publish reviews books of interest to our Lutheran readers, particularly ones on worship, preaching, and church music.
We’d like to include books in Baen’s 1632 series because of the setting in Germany, the inclusion of our Lutheran Confessions (Concordia) in some stories, and Lutherans as characters, like Gerhard.
It’s not very often that a science fiction magazine gets this kind of notice, and we’re all very pleased about it. Baen Books was happy to respond affirmatively to “so far the least expected request for a review copy.”
It’s nice to be noticed, folks. Thank you, Rev. Cain.
Paula Goodlett and the Grantville Gazette Editorial Board