I know it’s been a while, but here I am, once again trying to make regular blog posts.

This weekend was FenCon 2022 in Irving, TX. My husband Matthew and I went, and it was our first time at this particular con.

I’m not much of a con person: other than this one, my only experience with that branch of fandom was HonorCon and MantiCon several years ago. But, I really enjoyed FenCon, and not just because Larry Correia was the guest of honor.

The people there were great. Lots of good fans just there to have a good time with people like them. We had a table in the dealer hall for the Write of Center Association. It was that group’s first public appearance, and it was a big success.

We were trying to do a shared author table, where anyone in the group who was also at FenCon could leave their books, and then go and also enjoy the panels and other events, rather than babysitting a table for the entire time. It worked out very well. Declan Finn, Tom Tinney, Roy M. Griffis, Richard Paolinelli, John McNicol, and Sarah Hoyt all had items for sale.

A lot of people stopped by just to find out what WCA was going to be about, so Matthew was able to really talk up what he’s been trying to do with it. It’s supposed to be a real author support group, not just an opportunity for networking, and he’s been working very hard on it for a long time. Check back on the blog for more WCA updates if you are interested. They also have a group on Facebook.

The Munchkin and the Rascal also came to FenCon on Saturday. It was my first time doing a con with two small children, and it was . . . nuts.

They were very cute, however. And the Munchkin managed to get a free book from the Baen Roadshow.

Toni Weisskopf was doing the host, and said that she had free books to give away, so of course, everyone cheered. I was sitting in the front, Munchkin on a chair and holding Rascal, hoping they’d manage to stay calm through the Roadshow, so I could actually hear what was going on instead of just running around after them all day. So, of course, in the moment of silence after the cheering and before Toni went on, Munchkin yells “YAY!” and claps his hands.

Crowd: *laughing*

Me:

Somebody: “That’s good parenting, there!”

Somebody Else: “Yeah, get ’em started young!”

Toni: “I like to reward good behavior. Parent of that child, come and get a free book.”

So that worked out well. She even signed it later for him: To Munchkin. So when he gets to be fourteen or so and can read Monster Hunter Files, it’s officially his.

Steve Diamond was also there, and Matthew and I got a chance to talk to him for a while. He’s a really good guy.

I also got to give Larry a copy of my book. Probably the scariest thing I ever did.

Despite all the drama surrounding FenCon several months ago, with several Wokesters trying to “protest” it because Larry Corriea–the International Lord of Hate, the Toxic War Monkey, the Horrible Gun-Owning, Right-Wing, Crazy Person–was the guest of honor (even though they’d known he’d be there for months beforehand), there was nothing bad going on. Nobody was rude or over-the-top with their opinions–left or right. Everyone there was just a fan. Or Fen, to be perfectly accurate.

It was a good time, and we’ll definitely be going back. Other than some problems with the venue (Sheraton double-booked the convention space–FenCon and an American Airlines training event; and the air conditioning was iffy), it was a great time.