Monday 29 March 2010

Day after WHC

Sunday morning at World Horror 2010 was hectic (not helped by misplacing the programme book with all my notes!) after breakfast as we packed for 11 am checkout, so I missed the Dennis Etchison hour, and Gary McMahon's reading (sorry, mate, hope it was good..?), but I was able to catch last few minutes of a panel item, about value of awards, moderated by Andrew Hook. Having bought a print (by Bob Eggleton) from the artshow while loitering around during lunch break, I went to support Chris Teague's Pendragon Press event, launching Silversands by Gareth L. Powell.

At 3 o'clock, it was time for 'The Year In Review' panel, where I met Anne Billson (one of my favourite film critics), and talked rubbish about best horrors I watched in 2009. Despite losing David J. Howe, and Joe Jenkins (Monica Kuebler became our replacement moderator), the panel wasn't wrecked by my tired waffling. The closing ceremony was packed, while WHC organisers wisely kept shortlist of thank yous to a minimum, so many people could leave promptly (if only to face havoc on public transport due to strike action).

Overall, then, it was a great convention, and hugely enjoyable gathering of old friends and new faces. I met a few more writers (including Terry Grimwood), bought some new books, sold copies of Premonitions (many thanks to Roy Gray!), and somehow managed not to get too drunk.

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