Chattacon 45 Report!

Post Panel Photo (L to R: Gregory Nicoll, Robert R. McCammon, Stephen Antczak, and me)

Last weekend I attended my sixth Chattacon here in Chattanooga, Tennessee! As has become tradition on this blog, I am also giving a Chattacon report!

• For the third time I served as a panelist. Check out my cool panelist bio! Serving as a panelist has been a great way to meet more people and to get more involved in the con community. I suggested two panels: "Does Time Travel Make Any Sense?" and "What Do Creators and Fans Owe Each Other?" I also sat in on two more: one on Arthur C. Clarke's predictions for 2019 and another on real and imagined horrors (the latter with Guest of Honor Robert R. McCammon). My sense was that the panels were slightly better attended than in previous years. They're still not like panels at a larger con where you have to show up early or sit on the floor, but there was at least a small crowd at every panel I attended.
• Chattacon moved to the Double Tree Hotel this year, which everyone (including me) seemed to think was a great idea. It's a good layout for a small con like Chattacon with things close enough to be convenient but rarely cramped. You could generally hear everything in the rooms, unlike last year's hotel where the concurrent panels were separated by curtains.
• The consuite continues to be one of Chattacon's highlights! I say this every year, and it's always just as true: other cons have a lot to learn from Chattacon's consuite, especially the copious beer and Little Debbie snacks! Great job to Lori and everyone who works hard to keep the consuite running so well!
• The Dealer's Room was a little crowded, but not too bad. I picked up a few books to sate my bibliophilia and thought about buying some Funko pops but didn't.
• I've been attending Chattacon long enough that even someone of my social awkwardness has made some friends and acquaintances. For better or for worse (I say better; they may disagree), at Chattacon I've fallen in with a crowd of authors: Greg Nicoll, Steve Antczak, Rob Sommers, and Scott Baker. I've also gotten to know Ella Kliger, who is also a ConNooga attendee and who agreed to serve on the "What Do Creators and Fans Owe Each Other?" panel at the last minute. A small con like Chattacon is like visiting a small town three days a year: you see the same people around who you know by sight if not name. And of course "Orange Mike" Lowrey was there as he has been for every Chattacon since the beginning in 1976. He even attended one of my panels!
• As always, Chattacon is a good example of the importance of fandom as community. It's great to have a place where you can let your geek flag fly proudly. I maybe experienced a little bit of the post con doldrums of having to return to my normal life (which honestly isn't that bad). But at least I have Con Nooga to look forward to in a few weeks, where I will also be a panelist on a wide range of topics. Also, I'm planning on attending GenCon for the first time later this year. So it's not time to retire that geek flag just yet.

Bonus photos below!

"What Do Creators and Fans Owe Each Other?" (L to R: me, Stephen Antczak, Ella Kliger, and Gregory Nicoll)

I ordered a "Yoda-Rita" at the hotel bar, because of course I did.

Yoda-Rita (due to the foam, maybe this is a sleepy/angry Yoda)

"Does Time Travel Make Any Sense?" with Scott W. Baker

Consuite!