Food, Wine and Books
The 30th Annual World Fantasy Convention

By Regina Allen

Attend an art gallery showing, a book signing and discuss perfect father villains in one weekend at the World Fantasy Convention.

The 30 th Annual World Fantasy Convention took place October 28-31 in Tempe, Arizona at the Tempe Mission Palms Hotel. This year's convention had interesting panels, good food and parties. Maybe it was the atmosphere: Arizona's warm days and cool breezy nights created a relaxed, leisurely pace. Let me state here as my partner and I took the shuttle from the airport to the hotel, I was impressed with the overpasses and highways because they blended with the landscape. Nicely done! I wish we had petroglyphs etched in overpasses out East!

Panels:   Friday, I attended the panel, "The Horror Genre--Women's P.O.V." Maria Alexander moderated the panel. Panelists included Melanie Tem and Nancy Holder. The panelists voiced different views about the lack or scarcity of women in the horror genre. Their discussions ranged from sexists contests to gender culture, how each gender handled rejection, especially for scripts. As you can imagine, this generated a lot of questions from the audience.

Saturday, Mark Ziegfried moderated the panel, "The Fantasy Villain." Panelists included Steve Boyett, David Levine, Patrick Neilsen Hayden and L.E. Modesitt, Jr. This lively discussion about creating believable villains had the audience asking a myriad of questions. The panelists' answers on creating believable villains ranged from villains having their own set of rules to why a villain is a villain to villains being the perfect fathers. The panelists also discussed heroes having flaws because a hero with no flaw is dull, uninteresting hero.

Sunday I attended the "Bad Guy Fan Club." Joel Ross moderated. Panelists included Don Bassingthwaite, Alan Dean Foster and Pat Murphy. As with previous panels I attended at this convention, the audience and panelists interacted very well. Because Joel Ross was a prison psychologist at the New York Correctional Facility, the audience asked about serial killers, criminals who've committed heinous acts and whom he has counseled. At first, the questions seemed disjointed but several audience members asked how a writer could incorporate a serial killer or psychopath into their dark fantasy or horror story.

Receptions and Signings: Friday night, I sat with Joel Ross at the Author Reception held in the hotel's courtyard. We had several people interested in his work and a few asked for autographs. This experience taught me a lot about advertising yourself. At one point, I manned the table alone and talked to several people about Joel's novel and the next book due out later this year. Though nervous at first, I soon realized that the people approaching me were just as nervous and relaxed.

Saturday night I attended an artist reception with a wine and cheese tasting held in the hotel's Abbey and Patio. I enjoyed viewing Janny Wurts (http://home.paravia.com/JannyWurts/Version2/index1.html), Don Maitz (http://home.paravia.com/DonMaitz) and Alan Clark's pictures. I bought an Alan Clark picture to use as encouragement for the current science fiction story I've recently submitted to a workshop.

I wish I had more space to tell you about the parties and food but I can say that the World Fantasy Convention outdid itself with the great food at the Con Suite (Thanks guys for providing sushi, Mexican food and fresh bagels!) and the really great panels and parties thrown by Wildside Press and Tor. I look forward to the 2005 convention scheduled for Madison, Wisconsin. I can't wait!

Regina Allen is a fiction writer who lives in Exeter, Rhode Island with her cat, Isis. She is a member of the Speculative Literature Foundation, www.speculativeliterature.org. Currently, Regina is working on a science fiction novella and collaborating on a medical thriller with suspense author, Joel Ross (www.joelross.net). You can send information on conferences, retreats or workshops with two months' advance notice at regall649@msn.com.