After the Rockies there were still plenty of treats, a professional massage as a birthday treat - everyone should have those regularly: verrrrrry relaaaaaaxing - food with Holly's friends and then back to Kit and Ariel's so that I could be close to the airport for an early start to my next port of call. I took off from Denver at about 7:30am and flying thru Dallas Fort Worth up and across to Columbus (which meant changing my watch twice in two, er, three hours). But oh me-o, oh-my-o, Columbus Ohio was warm (even at night, see apic above). Heatwave: 80 degress +. I'm obviously a lightning rod for... well, lack of lightning.
This was the professional end of my trip, as a guest at the MarCon event. Fellow guests included Kevin Sorbo (Hercules/Andromeda), acclaimed author Timothy Zahn, actor/writer/bodyguard/record-breaker Rick Faraci. Taking place at the Hyatt, a big sprawling hotel in which you could easily lose yourself, it was a convergence of all sorts of con-goers. The kind of con where costumed attendees mix with less voluminous people of all ages. I was down for events/panels on the Friday and Saturday, so most of my Sunday would be free. Jenni Bohn was my point of contact and she made sure I wasn't TOO near the designated 'party floor' - which was probably a good thing as when I put my head out of the elevator on the Saturday night, the 5th floor looked like the cantina from Star Wars! I was sharing a room with John Bierly, good friend and fellow Impact scribe and thankfully neither of us snored too much.
I got on like a house (or at least a small apartment complex) on fire with Rick Faraci and his wife who instructed me on the finer points of just avoiding potential alcohol posioning and professioanl shopping respectively. I'll never be able to look at a drink called a 'Burt Reynolds' again. Thankfully, with con-duties to perform early each day we didn't get too bad and only painted the town a faint shade of mauve, rather than red. But it was good fun. Kevin Sorbo was also a gentleman and was happy to contribute a specially posed photo for an upcoming PEACE Fund initiative (see photo, below right), the exclusively autographed version of which will be auctioned soon.
The panels were entertaining (I hope): I took part in one discussing how to get published/write (my advice: don't - it's not a good way to earn serious money and I don't need the competition), the state of comics today (how powerful and influential a medium they are becoming) and a discussion on the 'Lost' series (my only flaw: I hadn't seen the series finale yet!).
Lots of people came up after panels and said Hi and it was good to get the perspective of guests and con-goers alike (Big 'Hi' to Brittney - with two Ts - and her mum, sorry I didn't catch up with you later!).
It was hot outside, but nicely air-conditioned inside. The only problems were lack of time to promote/sell Verbatims etc and the lift/elevators which kept breaking down (luckily I had to run DOWN ten floors, not up them!) Big thanks to Jenni and the team and all concerned for inviting me. After Columbus, it was on to my final leg - a whistle-stop trip to New York and New Jersey..!
