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Speaking of people whose names Shrews forgot to drop....

Man, it was a blast this year! I learned a lot. Like, Shrews is insanely tall. I'm not a small woman, but he's a tower. And Fran is one of those rare people who is exactly the same sweetheart in real life as she is here on Shocklines. I think our panel on opening lines was maybe the best of the show. Fran, Allen Gilbreath, Sara Harvey and me. (And I? Oops, grammar was another panel. One I skipped.) Fran was actually prepared, whereas I was making shit up on the fly.

And Sizemore smiles! Especially with a glowy necklace wrapped around his head! I spent a lot of the time making faces at Shane Moore, Jon Klement and the Apex crew across the dealer's room, because it was that or throw spitballs at Joe Lansdale and I'm not about to go THERE. That guy does martial arts.

Also, Romulan ale no longer to be served at diplomatic functions. Shane Moore (ex-cop turned author) demonstrated field sobriety tests in the hallway between the Apex and Eridani parties so we who *ahem* usually don't run afoul of the law could see how they do them. I failed. Fortunately, I only had to walk back to my hotel room, and I think that's still legal.

Only downside: we never did get that unofficial reading going. I talked to the programming chair about the 15-minute readings, and he said while authors always want the readings, fans never do. Which is possible, I suppose, though depressing as hell. He said next year there are tentative plans to have some programming on Thursday night, and maybe that's when we'll do a pile o' readings. I suppose I should write something this year that I can read in 15 minutes. As all my editors will tell you, that sure ain't my style.

Best of all, my glowy necklace/candybar sales raised at least another $70 for the American Cancer Society.

To those who didn't go: Hypericon is a friendly, smallish con with a family reunion atmosphere, except this is family you actually like. Highly recommended. Just watch out for the Romulan ale.

ekd