Two years from now, I want to be in New Orleans

and I want you to help make sure I get to go.  Specifically, I hope in late August of 2018 to be flying into New Orleans for that year's World Science Fiction Convention.  You can read more about the bid here.

Running against New Orleans--committees from each city mount bids on which SF fans vote--is a group from San Jose.  Their bid info is here.  These are perfectly fine folks, and San Jose is a perfectly fine place, but it's not New Orleans.  It's not even close.

I've written about this situation before, but now we're coming down to the wire.  If enough people don't buy a membership (supporting or attending) to this year's WorldCon and vote for the 2018 con to be in New Orleans, we could face the specter of another con in San Jose.  I could face that fate, and I'd much, much, much rather be in New Orleans.

Really, who wouldn't?

At next week's WorldCon in Kansas City, I'll spend some time hanging out in the New Orleans party at the convention center.  Please come by, see me, meet the fine folks behind the con, and vote for the Big Easy.

Let's send the WorldCon back to New Orleans in 2018!

Time to bring the World Science Fiction Convention back to New Orleans!

At this year's worldcon in Kansas City, members will get to vote for the location of the 2018 World Science Fiction Convention.  (If you want to vote for the 2018 worldcon's location and aren't a member of this year's, you can become a supporting member of this con.)  The two choices are New Orleans and San Jose.

Think about that for a moment.  New Orleans, a great town with amazing food, parties all the time, and music that never stops, or San Jose, a very nice place in Silicon Valley where you can definitely eat okay and take plenty of naps.

This should be an easy choice.

I mean no offense to the fine group of fans who are putting on the San Jose bid, but they've recently had both a worldcon and a World Fantasy Con, and they are stuck with San Jose as a location.

New Orleans is the clear choice for a great time.  I know the people running the bid, and they love SF and are completely dedicated to putting on a fantastic con for us all.  If you're worried about the heat, relax:  the con's hotel is big enough to hold everything under one roof, so you don't have to go outside if you don't want to.  Though trust me, you will want to.

How committed to New Orleans am I?  In a break from decades of con-going tradition, I aim to help campaign for them at the con.

Vote New Orleans, and let's have a giant SF party there in 2018!

On the road again: CONtraflow, New Orleans, day 4

I'm home, and I'm happy to be here.  I had a great time in New Orleans, but after a flight, a long delay, and another flight, I'm very glad to be in my own house.

Food pickings at the New Orleans airport belie the culinary richness of the the city itself.  At least in the terminal that American and USAirways share, you don't get many choices.  So, lunch was a hot dog and a bottle of water.

CONtraflow V proved to be a lot of fun, thanks primarily to the efforts of its organizers and staff; thank you, all.  I hope they have me back again in the future.

On the road again: CONtraflow, New Orleans, day 3

My first event of the day was the Baen Traveling Road Show, which Publisher Toni conducts and at which she gives previews of upcoming Baen books and their covers--before and after type treatments and cover design.  It's always a fun show, and this one was no exception.  I spoke about my books and in particular about Onward, Drake!, which officially goes on sale Tuesday.

After a brief break--too short for lunch, alas--I served as auctioneer for the art auction.  We were able to boost the bids of all the pieces that went to auction, so both the artist and the con made a little more money.  The winning bidders all seemed happy with their new pieces of art.

I was in the mood for a po' boy, so we headed out to a local place, Harbor Seafood, that had pretty good online reviews.

I was particularly taken with the table's napkin/paper towel holder.

Click an image to see a larger version.

Creepy or cute; you be the judge.

The food was simple but tasty.  I had a cup of the shrimp and corn chowder, the stand-out dish of those I tasted.

Rich, creamy, and full of shrimp, this was a definite winner.

I opted for the shrimp po' boy, and it was both good and entirely too large, overflowing with fried shrimp.

Not a fancy place, but one I'd visit again without hesitation.

My last official event of the convention was to act as moderator for the closing ceremonies, a simple job but a pleasant, albeit bittersweet con.

I hope they have me back again next year.

On the road again: CONtraflow, New Orleans, day 2

The con kept me quite busy today.  I slept as late as I could but still had to get up early (for me) on this CONtraflow Saturday.  After showering and checking on the e-world, I grabbed a bottle of water and scooted to a panel room for my first job:  moderating a discussion on reconciling science and religion.  Neither my four fellow panelists nor I realized until the fifty-minute mark that the con had allocated a double slot for this event, so our discussion ended up running for nearly two hours.  Though opinions were strong and deeply felt, the entire group--three writers, an Episcopalian priest, and me as moderator--stayed civil and respectful of each other's thoughts.  I quite enjoyed the far-ranging conversation, and so, as best I could tell, did the audience.

I had to proceed immediately to a discussion of what the con called the ABC's of SF:  Asimov, Bradbury, and Clarke.  (During the panel, we basically added Heinlein to the list of highly influential early authors.)  We talked about books that we felt held up--and some we thought did not, the challenges one faces when reading works from fifty or so years ago, and how much the age at which you read a work can affect how you feel about it later.

As soon as that panel ended, I zipped across the way to run the charity auction.  I auctioned off 67 different items/groups of items, each of which had a minimum bid of a buck but all of which went for more, most for quite a bit more.

After a break, a group of us headed out to St. Roch Market, a sort of upscale local food court.  We shared a bunch of dishes, including dirty mac and cheese, crab cakes, Korean fried chicken wings, and red beans and rice.  Every single one was delicious.  I would definitely go back.

Tomorrow, more panels, and the con draws to a close.

On the road again: CONtraflow, New Orleans, day 1

I took advantage of the afternoon start of the con to sleep quite late, which was a wonderful treat.  After some email and a little bit of work, I registered for the con, saw some friends, and chatted a little.

I then headed out for a quick and late-afternoon lunch at a nearby joint where I've eaten before, Dot's Diner.  The food there is nothing special, just classic diner fare, but it's always quick and tasty.  Today, I enjoyed a side salad and a grilled cheese with bacon sandwich.

My first event of the day was the Opening Ceremonies, which as Toastmaster I hosted.  I introduced guests, told a few stories, and generally had a fun time.

After a short break I went to my first panel, a discussion of works the panelists recommend.  The audience and panel were both small, so we all sat together in a sort of reading semi-circle as we three panelists took turns talking about works we particularly enjoyed and thought others would also like.

Another hour-long break, and then I had my last panel of the day, a discussion of future war.  This time, we had only two panelists, so we started with future war but ranged into all sorts of related or semi-related topics, including our own works, wealth disparity, and the creation of the other as a way to dehumanize other people.

I headed straight from there to a late dinner at Johnny Sanchez, a Mexican place that John Besh and Aaron Sanchez created.  The food was delicious.  We shared three pairs of soft tacos--shrimp, carne asada, and pork carnitas--and all were excellent.

Click an image to see a larger version.

The shrimp tacos particularly surprised me, because they included lightly pickled vegetables, which I did not expect to like.  Instead, I loved the tastes.

For dessert I had a masa cake, which was also extremely good and a combination of unusual flavors.

I definitely recommend Johnny Sanchez if you live here or are visiting the area.

Tomorrow morning, more panels and an auction!

On the road again: CONtraflow, New Orleans, day 0

As unhappy circumstance would have it, the exit row seats on USAirways flights offer no extra leg room, so my two flights today left me feeling more than a bit cramped.  Still, I reached New Orleans without incident, so I really can't complain much.

My rental car is a Chevy Sonic with nearly 42,000 miles on it.  It's not the worst vehicle I've ever rented--that honor goes to the horrible Fiat I had once in Austin--but it's in the top five.  With no power, weird instrumentation, poor seat adjustment options, a glove compartment so small it can barely hold a rental agreement, and one of the world's loudest turn signals, this car is some kind of special.  When you put on the directional and start to turn, the car sounds like a little child screaming, "Look at me!  Look at me!  I'm turning!"

I had some work to do and thus missed the con's staff meal, for which I am sorry.

I compensated, however, by eating a late dinner at a place I've long wanted to try, Chef John Besh's August.  The dining room was lovely.

Click an image to see a larger version.  

The food was consistently tasty, good but not great, and so I left a bit disappointed, given the restaurant's reputation.

One dish, however, showed the greatness I've heard August was capable of delivering:  the shrimp "Etouffee."  (I put the word in quotes because the menu did.)

With soft dumplings full of perfect bites of shrimp, a delicate squid ink crackling (think one of the best shrimp crackers you've ever tasted, only better), and a sauce that used lemongrass and other ingredients that perfectly evoked Vietnamese food, this bowl was simply amazing.  A blend of traditional New Orleans food and the Vietnamese cuisine that is available everywhere here, this small bowl was so good I will remember it for a very long time.

Tomorrow, the con cranks up in earnest.

On the road again: CONtraflow, New Orleans, day 4

After some morning work and a shower, I headed to the airport. The rental car return area at New Orleans airport is about as inconvenient as anyone could make it and still have it on the airport grounds, but after dropping off the car and walking the block or so back to the terminal, everything went swimmingly.

Flight times meant I had to grab lunch at the airport, but with a chicken po boy easily available, that wasn't the bad meal some airports guarantee.

The first flight departed and landed on schedule, so I had plenty of time in DFW to grab a tasty Red Mango parfait. I even went crazy and substituted the vanilla bean frozen yogurt for the normal "traditional" flavor.

After over an hour of work in the Admirals Club, I made the long walk to my gate and arrived just in time to learn that the flight was going to be an hour and a quarter late.

Back to the Admirals Club, back to work. 

All of that is behind me now, though, and I am happy to be home.  This week promises to be a very busy one, but it will include a visit to the North Carolina State Fair, so I can hardly complain.

At a dinner this weekend, I mentioned to some folks that one of my favorite short movie speeches was the Count's final words into the microphone at the end of The Boat That Rocked. Most had not heard it before, so I will end this trip's report with it.  Enjoy.

On the road again: CONtraflow, New Orleans, day 3

Today, I caught up a little bit on sleep, which is to say that I had no con duties and so passed much of the day alternating long naps with stretches of work. It was delightful. During that time, I didn't eat anything, because I wanted to go into the city to grab dinner.

As evening crept closer, I had to make a tough decision: go for something elegant and upscale, such as John Besh's vaunted August, or opt for a more down-home, funky meal. The latter won tonight. Fortunately, Jude, a local friend, had supplied me with a list of interesting alternatives, so after much thought and Web browsing, I opted for a trip to Boo Koo BBQ.

To eat at Boo Koo, you first have to find Finn McCool's Irish Pub, a neighborhood gathering place that sits on a corner in an otherwise residential district.

Click on an image to see a larger version.

As you can see from this shot of the building's corner, the joint was hopping. 

Once you're there, you enter through the bar's main door, hang a sharp left, and walk until you run out of walkway. The Boo Koo order window awaits you.

We shared an order of the deep-fried truffle mac and cheese, which was absolutely delicious.

For my dinner, I chose the barbecue combo plate, which featured a little each of brisket, pulled pork, and pork ribs, with sides of baked beans and bleu cheese and cilantro slaw. 

Every single bite was tasty, with the brisket the star. Sitting outside on a picnic table, the sun setting, people all around laughing and talking and drinking and eating, I was incredibly glad I'd chosen to come there. I have a lot of trouble feeling like I belong anywhere, but being around so many people who clearly did belong with each other, I felt good, even happy.

As I was leaving, the neighborhood live oaks struck me as stunning reminders of the durability of a place that has lived through more than its share of grief.

This particular tree was magnificent, its trunk more than a yard in diameter.

In a very New Orleans contrast, walking up to the pub I'd noticed a few steps down from that tree these police barriers.

I wish I'd been able to spend more time in New Orleans, but this visit served to increase my desire to come back again.

Having learned about a local ice-cream maker, Creole Creamery, I of course had to sample their creations for dessert. The array of flavors was impressive indeed.

Every one I sampled was yummy.  If I lived here, they'd definitely get more of my business.

Tomorrow, I fly home!

On the road again: CONtraflow, New Orleans, day 2

Saturday is meant for sleeping, but today it was all about the con.

My first activity, which started at the almost sane hour of 11:00 a.m., found me moderating a panel on law-enforcement and SF/F. My fellow panelists--Diana Rowland, Alistair Kimble, and Griffin Barber--all have extensive law-enforcement experience, more than 30 years of it among them. After I'd plugged the panel the night before, I'd asked different interested audience members what they'd most like to hear from such a panel. The overwhelming consensus was that they'd like to learn how aspects of law enforcement really work, not how most books or movies or TV shows portray them. So, we focused on the real-world stuff and saved the SF/F angles for another day. The small room filled and then kept overfilling, and we ran past the fifty-minute stopping point all the way to the full hour we had the room. I asked questions but otherwise stayed out of it and let the experts talk. Everyone seemed to have a good time, and we all learned at least a little.

From there I headed down the hall one room to catch Publisher Toni's always interesting Baen Traveling Roadshow.  I saw a lot of good art, talked a bit about my books, and enjoyed the show.

I had only an hour available for lunch, so the hotel restaurant seemed like the best option. Unfortunately, the folks at the register there said it was closed and redirected us to the bar. By the time my food came, I had just enough time to eat three bites, pay the bill, and head to the charity auction. Given my weight, this wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but it also wasn't what I wanted at the time.

The auction was a benefit for the Friends of the New Orleans Public Library. Over the next ninety minutes, I auctioned off all forty-four lots, some for as little as a couple of bucks and others for nearly a hundred, and we raised money for a worthy cause.

I chatted with a few friends and then worked for a while in my room.

Next up was the costume contest, at which I was the MC. With twelve entries, two young-fan and ten adult, we had a nice selection of costumes. The packed house gave plenty of applause to the deserving contestants, the judges picked winners, we awarded prizes, and everyone had a good time.

After a short break, a group of folks related to Baen headed to a dinner to which Publisher Toni treated us. We spent several fun hours at Restaurant Cypress, which Zagat's had rated highly, enjoying a tasty meal and a lot of laughter.

More work followed for me, of course.

A very full day.

On the road again: CONtraflow, New Orleans, day 1

Most of the daylight hours today went to work, with a stop for a convention panel and then, as the light was waning, the Meet the Guests event, at which I performed my first Toastmaster duties.  I introduced the guests of honor, had the other guests present introduce themselves, and talked a bit to the attendees.

I grabbed lunch at a Sonic that's just a couple of blocks down the street.  Heading up to it, I saw this sign, whose message stunned me.

Click on the image to see a larger version.

I'm sorry, but when the best thing you can think to advertise about your bar is that it offers a "loser friendly atmosphere", it's time to consider another line of work.

Dinner tonight was at a nearby Vietnamese restaurant, Pho Sunrise. The usual online sources gave it pretty good reviews, so even though it sits in a strip mall, I wanted to give it a try. 

I'm glad I did. 

The pho was delicious--and incredibly filling.  I'd definitely eat there again.

I spent some of the rest of the evening working and the rest at the con's cocktail party in the con suite, where I talked to various folks and hung out with a few friends.

Tomorrow morning, a panel!

On the road again: Austin, day 5CONtraflow, New Orleans, day 0

I'm tired of waking up in the sixes, but that's just what I had to do again today.  After a quick shower and email check, I headed for the airport. 

Travel to New Orleans from Austin via DFW went about as smoothly as it could given that I didn't get any upgrades and ended up missing Red Mango in Dallas.  I stayed fairly current on work, the flights ran more or less on time, and I had an exit row seat each leg; hard to complain.

New Orleans and the surrounding area have a culture all their own.  Part of that culture is partying.  From drive-through daiquiri stores to odd grocery-store offerings such as this

Click on an image to see a larger version. 

the evidence was everywhere.  You have to like the value this gadget delivers:  It'll check your alcohol level and also help you search for the keys you dropped as you fumbled to start the car.

Dinner tonight was a low-key gathering at a small local place for the convention committee (concom), other volunteers, and guests.

Yes, Come Back Inn really is the name of the restaurant.  I shared a sausage po boy and a muffuletta, and both sandwiches were great. Check out the half a muffuletta that remained after two of us ate a quarter muff each. 

That was a tasty, tasty sandwich.

The sign out front might cause you to wonder about this place, but I'd eat there again anytime. 

At dinner I had the opportunity to chat with many folks, all of whom were interesting and fun. I had the pleasure of meeting Deb, who comments here frequently, and her husband, Jude, and I chatted for a while with them both.  It's always nice to meet folks who've been commenting on the blog. 

Tomorrow, the convention begins in earnest, and I do my best to earn my keep as Toastmaster!

On the road again: a long trip, day 13CONtraflow, New Orleans, day 5

The morning went to work, though I did get some much-needed sleep before it. After checking out, we headed into New Orleans to a hole in the wall, Hobnobbers, that a con-goer, who was also a concierge, recommended. He said if you wanted real New Orleans food, you had to try it.

Damn, he was right!

It's a small place behind a bar, though you can reach it through a narrow covered alley that runs alongside the bar. Once you're inside, you see old tables, old chairs, metal on the walls, and linoleum floors. The initial vibe is sketchy...or charming, depending on your perspective. You go to a counter, place your order, get hassled by the perpetually annoyed woman taking orders, and pay in cash. No credit cards here.

The food makes it all worthwhile. The roast beef po boy was an amazingly tasty treat, though as folks had warned me, there's no way to eat it without covering your hands in its juices. The red beans and rice were the best I've ever had, and the sausage was damn fine.

I will definitely go back there the next time I'm in the area.

The rest of the day--and well into the next day, despite the timestamp--went to the usual rental car return, airport shuttle, security, waiting, flying, waiting, flying, waiting rituals of travel.

Unfortunately, today's flights were more interesting than usual.

No one wants interesting flights. You want calm flights. Standard flights.

On the first leg, a woman two rows behind me and to my right (I was lucky enough to have an exit-row aisle seat) went off. She was drunk and loud and obnoxious, but she turned truly shrill and annoying when she heard from another passenger that a flight attendant had (correctly) called her obnoxious. She then declaimed loudly for the rest of the flight and well into the terminal about how bad American Airlines was, what a great person she was, and then tons of personal details, from her name and number of children, to her destination, and so on. Wow. Where's the trank gun when you need it?

On the next flight, the one home from DFW, we started out late because of tornadoes to the east of DFW and lightning all around it. (As it turns out, the pilot told us that we were the last flight to the east to leave for quite some time.) The take-off and initial flight time were thus far more interesting than any of us wanted.

Still, I had a first-class upgrade, they brought me plenty to drink and a snack, and I was able to work. My ears still won't clear, but in time they will, so I can't complain.

In the end, I'm home and fine, which is all one can reasonably ask of any day spent traveling.

On the road again: a long trip, day 12CONtraflow, New Orleans, day 4

I can tell I ran myself too far down in part from how long it's taking me to heal--I'm nowhere near healthy yet--and in part from the fact that no matter how much I sleep, I am always exhausted. Still, I will get there.

My con duties began today with the job of moderator on the panel, "Paranormal Skeptics vs. Believers." I began by revealing my bias--strongly on the skeptic/disbeliever side--and then asked the panelists to give their opening positions. As it turned out, David Brin and I held down the skeptic end, while three of the four other panelists took the believer position. (One said he was uninformed and open.) The discussion ran the full hour and was polite but occasionally rather lively. I think the audience had a good time, which is always the most important thing.

After a quick trip out for lunch, I acted as the auctioneer for the art auction, which was a decidedly low-key affair that raised a little money for the artists and a few dollars for Falling Whistles, thanks to some lovely pots the child con attendees had painted and donated.

Work filled all the free time in the day before, around, and after these activities except for a run for take-out Italian dinner and a short time at the dead-dog party.

The folks here love their con, love their town, love SF, and give their all to this event. I was honored to get to serve as their inaugural Toastmaster.

Oh, yeah: I promised to talk about the show.

I was to perform Mr. Poor Choices in the hotel bar/lounge, Rumors, at 11:30 last night. The problem is, the LSU/Alabama football game had ended not too long before that, and the local crowd was still celebrating the overtime LSU victory. The TVs were loud, the people were drunk, and almost no one remembered the comedy show.

For a bit, it looked like the show might not happen, but about 11:45 folks decided I should do it. They turned off the TVs, a very small crowd (maybe 20 folks, some of them not con attendees) gathered, and I took the tiny makeshift stage under the three very hot lights. I did a fifty-five-minute set, people laughed a lot, and everyone seemed happy at the end. It was a bit demoralizing going from over 400 folks at Balticon to fewer than two dozen here, but, hey, that's the gig, and I gave it my best. I received only praise, including from the bartender, who loved it, so I must have gotten at least some of it right. When I have time and bandwidth later, I'll study the video.

For now, I will finish work, pack, and then crash.

Tomorrow, I will work, hope to grab lunch in New Orleans, and do a lot of traveling and working en route to home.

On the road again: a long trip, day 11CONtraflow, New Orleans, day 3

Today, as per the plan, the con kept me rather busy.

I began by emceeing the costume contest, which was a lot of fun. We had several very young fans in costumes, and all were cute and nice and exactly what you'd hope they'd be. The youngest, a twenty-two-month-old Tigger, kept charging the small stage, to the amusement of all.

After a dinner break, I then was the auctioneer for the slave auction, a local tradition. In it, volunteers agreed to be auctioned as "slaves" to others who got to be their "masters" for two hours. I put the words in quotes because all the services involved remained unspecified until after the auction and required the agreement of both parties. In addition to the people, I also had to auction a Kathy Ireland life-size cardboard cut-out and an inflatable love doll. The adults-only crowd was loud and very much into it, and we raised a fair amount of money for the con.

I'm writing this entry in the break between the end of the auction and my spoken-word show, Mr. Poor Choices. I'm performing in the hotel's lounge, Rumors, which has no real stage normally but which will put in a temporary six-inch one for me and illuminate me with three ceiling lamps. Given the state of my voice--rather tired at this point--I am glad I will have a mic.

Tomorrow, I'll report on how the show went.

On the road again: a long trip, day 10CONtraflow, New Orleans, day 2

Today passed in a gumbo of con and work. After a morning work session, Publisher Toni took us into the French Quarter for a delightful lunch at Emeril's. Before you give a Bourdain-inspired jab at Emeril, note that his food has always been good--and was so today. Crucially, however, his banana cream pie recipe remains the best I've ever had. Getting to savor a piece today was a great treat.

After lunch, I worked out some opening ceremonies logistics with the redoubtable Raymond Boudreau, the con's assistant chair and guest liaison.

More work, then the ceremonies themselves, for much of which I was on the mic introducing guests. I started off terribly by, after a confusing set of conversations that I ended up misunderstanding, introducing the wrong person several times before finally giving control to the con chair, Rebecca Smith. My apologies again to Rebecca.

Dinner was a tasty muffuletta from a nearby small place, and then I hit a panel and visited with folks around the con. Work bracketed the con time, of course.

Tomorrow, I have an easy day followed by a very busy evening that will include an hour of stand-up in the hotel's Rumors lounge (yes, that is the real name). Wish me luck!

On the road again: a long trip, day 9Silicon Valley, day 4CONtraflow, New Orleans, day 1

I'm never going to like a morning that starts with me rolling into the shower at four a.m., so today did not have a happy start for me. Two flights with a two-hour layover between them yielded about eight hours of head pain from almost complete ear congestion. Now, though, my ears are nearly back to normal, which is a treat.

DFW did bring the joy of the Red Mango parfait, three hundred delicious calories that brighten any day.

Unfortunately, DFW also treated us to a royal clusterfuck as the airport authority closed the Skytrains for a while. Walking from where we were to where we needed to be was possible but would have meant trudging for several miles--which is exactly what we started to do. We then encountered the aforementioned Red Mango, however, and could not pass it by. By the time we had enjoyed our treats, the trains were up and running.

We hit the rental car here at high rush hour, so the twenty-five-minute drive from the airport took more like a hundred minutes, none of them fun.

Now that I'm at the con hotel, though, all is well. Pre-con dinner with the con team was fun, the hotel is fine, the bandwidth (free) is better than what fancier hotels charge high daily fees to use, and my work is almost done.

Sleep awaits, and I cannot wait to greet it.

Oh, yeah: how great is this?


Insanely great, that's how great.