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Take several hundred science fiction fans. Season with pancakes and booze.
And wait.
LibertyCon superseded all of my expectations. I made several (doubtless) lifelong friends, met some incredibly talented people, and collected books and art that are now firmly established in my pantheon of Favorite Things. Unlike Oprah, my faves are affordable, nerdy, and probably will add something to my post-apocalyptic skill set.
Set in lovely Chattanooga, Tennessee, LibertyCon was held at the "Choo-Choo". It's a landmark hotel. You can tell because of the restroom:
That's fancy.
So, had a few hours out in Author Alley. That was great. As it turns out, everyone there likes books the same way I do: like oxygen.
But this event was about artists and writers. Some specific wonders I discovered included: A pirate death coin by Fritz Ling (Pirates? Doom? I accept)
And then my Magnum Opus Find: Martin Powell and his bride Leia Barrett Durham Powell. Lemme tell ya, Martin and I share a LOT in common. 1) Dinosaurs 2) A passion for megafauna 3) The desire to own a Baluchitherium 4) Edgar Rice Burroughs 5) Other stuff For your education, here is a Baluchitherium, not to be confused with a Titanothere or Indricothere, both of which we also appreciate:
Don't act like you aren't impressed. We also share a love of the same book from the 1930s.
His bride, Leia makes incredible stained glass art. She gave me a pteradactyl, and now she calls me Pterry. The Pterrydactyl will now be my Official Vehicle Mascot henceforth.
GET IT? This was another part of the scene. To a nerd, this looks a lot like heaven:
But the event was not without hidden stress. For example, one sadistic individual unleashed these terrifying dolls on the general populace. Not since The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills has the world seen such crimes against nature:
Yeah, I've officially stopped breeding. And sleeping. And walking past places where there might be infants. Or dolls. Or anything wearing a onesie. So that's it for now. I'm still processing just how wonderful everyone was to a first time nobody from Someplace Else. I've already made my reservation for next year. Seriously, with a chandelier like that in the bathroom, don't tell me you wouldn't as well. The new series is out, by the way. Did you get yours?Waffles, Witches, and Wonder. Halfway Dead.
