Convention Recap: Dragon Con 2023 - Assorted Highlights

Here are a few of my top moments from Dragon Con this year, that don't rate a blog post all of their own:

- Kenneth Hite happened to walk by our booth as I was doing a signing. Unprompted he said I had great covers. I basically melted into the floor.

- I got to gush to Matt Dinniman (author of Dungeon Crawler Carl) in the bar about how much I loved his books.

- I later got introduced to him by John Hartness, to which I said "Oh, I gushed all over him yesterday in the bar."

- Cherie Priest and Patricia Briggs came by and spoke to people who were sitting with me. I kept my mouth shut, but it was surreal to be sitting at a table where folks like that would come chat.

- Steve Saffel hung out with me (and some others) for a few hours. He talked at length about Mothman, which was incredible.

- I got to spend some time actually talking with some folks I had thus far only been able to admire from afar/online, like Patrick Dugan, Darin Kennedy, Sarah Madsen, Chris Jackson, Joelle Reizes, and David B. Coe.

- I started telling folks that if they took more than one of my free stickers, they were morally obliged to stick at least one of them some place where people would not approve. A number of folks laughed and said they would, included a couple of folks who work in pest control who said "Oh man, we GOT you!"

- I got to see so many great Mothman cosplays. I don't know why there were so many, but whatever the reason, I love it.

- This has led to me laying the groundwork to start a Mothman vest once I get about a dozen more patches.

- Seeing how the Fantasy Gather has grown. Cisca has done a great job there.

- In a few small spaces I was able to offer advice to folks who aren't as far down the path as me, ranging from how to panel to next steps on authoring.

- Nerding out about metal concerts we've been to with Tim Madsen.

- Getting to chat with Mike Maydak about vendor life, and pitching him Mork Borg.

- A billion little things my wife did for me! I've been so supported by her this weekend, despite her still recovering, it's truly been a blessing.

- I had several people tell me that they appreciate my transparency posts/statistics. Good to know folks are seeing.

- Had even more folks talk about how they appreciate #bobsbadjokeoftheday.

- In SEC football related news: I got to shit talk Tennessee on a panel, was about to put Jim Nettles on suicide watch after the South Carolina game but retracted it when I saw the Clemson score, and was sad to learn that the otherwise amazing Van Allen Plexico is an Auburn fan.