On the road again: World Fantasy Con, Columbus, day 3

It's going on four in the morning Friday night, and I've been working for hours when I wish I was enjoying the con. I'd be down, except that I'm listening to Gaslight Anthem on my Etymotic in-ear headphones and the music and the sound are so good that I can't help but smile at the music.

Work dominated today, but I did manage to squeeze in quite a few fun things. I made passes through both the art show and the dealers' room, and I had a good time in each. Omar Rayyan, an artist whose work I love and who is just a great guy, is showing quite a few pieces here, and I spent some time studying them. His sense of childish whimsy and fantasy is unsurpassed and always leaves me happy. I already own several of his paintings and always wish I could afford more.

As I walked the dealers' room, several folks brought me stacks of books to sign, which is always gratifying.

Lunch today was at a small barbecue stand in the fine North Market, a building that houses many local food vendors and that is less than half a mile from the hotel. I once again tried a little Jeni's ice cream, this time splitting an ice cream cookie with friends. Wow, is their stuff great!

As it turns out, there's a White Castle only a mile away, and several friends had never eaten a true White Castle slider, so that was the late-night dinner pilgrimage. Their sliders aren't great, but they are addictive and well worth experiencing. Dessert at the other Jeni's was a natural follow-on.

Dinner was so late because from eight to eleven the con ran the traditional mass author signing in the Grand Ballroom. To my pleasant surprise, people wandered by to chat and to have me sign books for almost the entire time (nearly two hours) that I stayed there.

As I head back to work, enjoy the Gaslight Anthem's "I'da Called You Woody, Joe." I did.