LibertyCon 32 After Action Report
Holy shit. How
do I even begin to encapsulate this past weekend into an after action
report? A few of you incredibly talented
individuals have been casting everything into the format of a fantasy story. To
be honest, I find this not only delightful, but completely appropriate. LibertyCon IS a fantasy land. It’s a world where legions of amazing
volunteers labor to create a comprehensive program of incredibly high quality content
that is both mind-blowingly educational and side-splittingly entertaining. Where Con Chair (and my dear friend) Brandy
Spraker makes problems and obstacles disappear with the apparent ease of a
master sorceress speaking an incantation. Where a professional and high-quality hotel
staff labors to ensure that the details are covered.
But most of all, it’s a land where you’re surrounded
by family. Even if they’re family you
haven’t met yet. And it’s enchanting,
and fantastic.
Thursday:
Glory of glories, C, my eldest daughter and LibertyCon
companion, is old enough to drive!! We made
the 10 hour trek down from Virginia with no problems and arrived in time to
join the Barbers and the Massas at the Boathouse for dinner on Thursday
night. The food was spectacular, the
company moreso. That day, Griffin Barber
and I had received word that we had a fully executed contract with Blackstone
Publishing for our co-written SF Noir novel, Second Chance Angel. So Griffin and I had an additional reason to
celebrate, as well.
Following our amazing meal, we headed back to the
Chattanooga Marriott, which was the site of the convention for another year. I
thought that the hotel staff overall did a great job facilitating our weekend,
and would recommend the venue, should anyone ask. The rooms were comfortable and clean, the
food at their restaurant and bar delicious, and the staff professional and personable.
Upon returning to the hotel, I found myself caught up
in a whirlwhind of hellos and hugs and joy of seeing beloved friends after a
separation. I caught up with my coauthor
Marisa Wolf and her husband JC, my other coauthor Chris Smith, Speaker and Eeps
and their family members, The Chris Kennedy Publishing Crew, as well as too
many other dear friends to mention for fear of leaving someone out. C and Chris Smith’s daughter M found each
other, and got settled in to the hotel room that they were to share by
themselves without adult supervision. All
our babies all grows up!
I think I went to bed around midnight with my heart
full.
Friday:
Friday morning I woke up and texted Boy Casey to see
if he was still alive. His original plan
to fly out for LibertyCon on Thursday night had been thwarted by airline
delays, and so he’d engaged in a Grand Adventure in order to arrive. I’ll let him tell the full story in his own
AAR, but suffice it to say that he was alive, well, and in need of a ride from
the Chattanooga Greyhound station.
So I got up and drove out there to get him and bring
him back to LibertyCon. Despite the fact
that he hadn’t slept, he was ready to party, and so party we did… after a stop
through the Chick-Fil-A drivethu.
Naturally.
When we returned, Casey and I were joined by Chris
Smith, C and M, my friends T, B, and O, Marisa and JC as we indulged in another
LibertyCon tradition: the pilgrimage to the Hot Chocolatier. I had my usual European
sipping chocolate and a chocolate pot de crème covered with a whiskey cinnamon crème.
It made me cry.
Programming started well in advance of Opening
Ceremonies on Friday. First up for me
was the round table panel for the Four Horseman Universe. Chris Kennedy and Mark Wandrey led the motley
crew of us 4HU authors as we discussed what’s going on in the popular military
SF shared world universe, and what’s on the horizon.
As usual, the panel disintegrated into hilarity multiple
times, but Chris was able to get us back on track as needed. I guess that’s why he’s the Factory
Boss. 
