![[IMAGE: Chattacon 8 Program Book Cover]](hbpg074.gif)
[Excerpted from the Chattacon 7 program book, 1982.]
In January 1976 Irvin Koch gave birth to his infant, Chattacon. (Tola Varnell began referring to Chattacon as Irvin's baby.) In 1971 Irvin ran a convention in Knoxville called Gnomoclave while he was attending UTK. He hoped to create a rotating event similar to DeepSouthCon. The UpperSouthClave lasted three years, but the third con grew into Kubla Khan, an annual Nashville organized con. [See also Concave.]
Pleased with his success in running Gnomoclave and beginning Kubla Khan, Irvin decided to begin a con in Chattanooga, his hometown. Irvin ran the first Chattacon while living in Owensboro, KY. This commuting between his job and Chattanooga started a precedent. Chattacon is in its seventh consecutive year, and for the seventh consecutive year Irvin has lived in another city.
Irvin assured, "There are no problems running a con out of town. I made arrangements through the mail and on weekends."
Chattacon I was what Irvin described as a relaxacon. With his black eyebrows Irvin underlined his words. "There was no programming. No nothing, just a bathtub, huckster room, art show, and films. The con suite was the 'big thing.'" The only real programming was the banquet in a roped-off section of the East Ridge Sheraton dining room. The fan guest of honor was Cliff Amos, a southern SF pusher. Irvin said, "Cliff said a couple of mumbley words for the banquet speech and that was that."
Chattacon I drew 81 guests and Irvin lost $365.00. "That's good because I had planned to lose $500.00. Losing money was all right because if it was a continuing thing, I would get it back."
Chattacon I had humble beginnings, but Chattacon II was a little inauspicious, too. "We had a problem getting a hotel, we were either too big or too small. We finally got the Admiral Benbow Inn. It was perfect except we had to go outside to go from room to room. We had 113 guests, more than we had planned. Because of a developing blizzard, we had few out-of-town guests. There were Trekkies running all over."
There were weather and hotel problems but Irvin grinned. "I made back $260.00. And I had a lot of fun."
In 1978 Chattacon had grown from a relaxacon to a big convention with an embryo of the concom [Per Irv, from the embryo of an unsuccessful DSC bid headed by the Lynchi--TKFW]. He said, "We were big enough to use the Sheraton Downtown. Our guest-of-honor was A.E. van Vogt, author of Slan. We thought II would double in size but it tripled in size." Irvin smiled so broadly that his black eyes narrowed to slits. "I made my original $365.00 back. With the rest I printed a fanzine, threw a con party, and turned back in $119.00 to the future Chattacon IV."
Before Chattacon III, Irvin's job had taken him to Atlanta. The time for single-handedly running a three-day con through the mail and commuting on weekends came to an end. Irvin shrugged. "It used to be fun. Still is, but I get hassled, too." On the last day of Chattacon III, Irvin called a meeting for anyone already working on the con and all those interested in continuing the work. From the nucleus of workers on Chattacon III, Irvin created The Chattacon Convention Committee for posterity. The 16 board members form the Chattanooga Science Fiction Convention Trust, Ltd. [The structure has since changed; see below..--TKFW]
Number
& Year Location Chairman Guests Attendance
~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~
I--1976 Sheraton-- Irv Koch FGoH Cliff Amos 80
East Ridge TM Meade Frierson III
II-- Admiral Irv Koch "Everyone is FGoH" 113
1977 Benbow Inn
III-- Sheraton-- Irv Koch TM Perry Chapdelaine 300
1978 Downtown GoH A.E. van Vogt
IV-- Sheraton-- Irv Koch GoH Alan Dean Foster 438
1979 Downtown MC Cliff Amos
TM Wilson "Bob" Tucker
SG Jack Chalker
V--1980 Sheraton-- Dick Lynch GoH Joan Vinge 472
Downtown MC Wilson "Bob" Tucker
VI-- Sheraton-- David Tabor GoH Jack Chalker 500
1981 Downtown MC Forrest J Ackerman
VII-- Read House Tim Bolgeo GoH Larry Niven 620
1982 TM Wilson "Bob" Tucker
SG Sharon Webb
SG Robert Adams
VIII-- Read House Tim Bolgeo GoH Jerry Pournelle 700
1983 AGoH Doug Chaffee
TM Wilson "Bob" Tucker
SG John Steakley
FGoH Jerry Page
IX-- Read House Tim Bolgeo GoH Robert Adams 814
1984 AGoH Linda Leach
TM Wilson "Bob" Tucker
SG Bob Asprin
FGoH Jerry Page
X--1985 Read House Tim Bolgeo GoH C.J. Cherryh 937
AGoH David Cherry
TM Wilson "Bob" Tucker
SG Timothy Zahn
FGoH Irvin Koch
GoHE Robert Adams
XI-- Read House Tim Bolgeo GoH James P. Hogan 977
1986 AGoH Michael Whelan
TM Wilson "Bob" Tucker
SG John Maddox Roberts
FAGoH Danny Gill
XII-- Holiday Robert Zielke GoH Larry Niven 1027
1987 Inn/Trade GoH Christopher Stasheff
Center AGoH David Cherry
TM Wilson "Bob" Tucker
SG Timothy Zahn
FA GoH Beth Willinger
FGoH Walt Baric
XIII-- Holiday Robert Zielke GoH Ron Goulart 1087
1988 Inn/Trade GoH Jack Chalker
Center AGoH Frank Kelly Freas
TM Charles L. Grant
SG John Steakley
FAGoH Kevin Ward
FGoH Maurine Dorris
XIV-- Marriott/Trade Leon Hendee GoH Stephen Donaldson 1142
1989 Center GoH Spider Robinson
AGoH Real Musgrave
TM Charles L. Grant
FAGoH Bob Maurus
FGoH Charlotte Proctor
XV-- Chattanooga Leon Hendee GoH Robert Vardeman 1192
1990 Choo-Choo GoH Michale P. Kube-McDowell
AGoH Danny Gill
TM Wilson "Bob" Tucker
SG David Cherry
FAGoH Stan Bruns
FGoH Dick & Nicki Lynch
XVI-- Read House Robert Zielke GoH Harry Harrison 1207
1991 AGoH Don Maitz
TM Charles Sheffield
SG The Webb Clan
FAGoH Mark Maxwell
FAGoH Debbie Hughes
FGoH Khen Moore
FGoH Saddam Hussein
XVII-- Read House Lee Sessoms GoH Leo Frankowski 1192
1992 GoH Craig Shaw Gardner
AGoH Barclay Shaw
TM C.J. Cherryh
SG Lawrence Watt-Evans
SG Mercedes Lackey
FGoH Samanda b Jeude
XVIII-- Read House Lee Sessoms GoH David Gerrold 1218
1993 GoH Glen Cook
AGoH Larry Elmore
TM Brad Strickland
SG Ben Bova
RAGoH David & Lori Deitrick
FGoH Jim Arnold
XIX-- Read House Charlie Williams GoH Terry Pratchett 1292
1994 GoH Dean Ing
AGoH Darrell K. Sweet
TM Wendy Webb
SG S.N. Lewitt
RAGoH Timothy Wilson
FGoH Jennifer Pieve
XX-- Read House Charlie Williams GoH Kim Stanley Robinson 1999
1995 GoH Jane Yolen
AGoH Jim Burns
TM Charles L. Grant
SG Matthew Costello
RAGoH Alan Clark
XXI-- Read House GoH Walter Jon Williams
1996 GoH Charles DeLint
AGoH Keith Parkinson
TM Charles L. Grant
SG Steven Brust
RAGoH Mark Poole
XXII-- Clarion Hotel GoH Harry Turtledove
1997 AGoH Tom Kidd
TM Charles L. Grant
SG Esther Friesner
FAGoH
FGoH
In the beginning, there was Irv...
1976-1979
Irv Koch was chairman. Mike Rogers was treasurer at least part of the time. Irv, of course, controlled most everything and notes from these Dark Ages are blurry at best and non-existent at worst. [But see above for a few more details, and anyway Irvin still has all the notes, he sent them to me....--TKFW] During this period, other trustees of Chattacon probably included: Ronnie Shelton, Dick & Nicki Lynch (2-time Hugo Award winners and Rebel Award winners), Bill Hedrick, Rich Morehouse, David Tabor, Nancy Tabor, Julia Morgan Wilhoit, Janet Caruth, Tola Varnell, Tim Bolgeo, Norm Michal, Andre Barker-Bridget, and Ken Scott.
1981
Jack Chalker, the GoH at VI, found the banquet food so horrible that he feasted in the bus station instead. New trustees probably included Bill Zielke, Ken Cobb, Andy Purcell, Rich Morehouse, and Linda Bolgeo.
1982
Tim Bolgeo became chaiman, a position he ably held for five years. Ken Cobb resigned and Andy Purcell, who had run the huxter room, also resigned. Elected to the board of trustees during the year were Stuart Lamb, David Martin, Bob Faircloth, and Bill Bridget.
1983
New faces on the board included Bob Barger, Mike Hoyes, Sandy Paris-Barger, Robert Zielke, John Trieber and Lee Miller.
1984
The Bridgets resigned this year, and Sandy (Parris) Barger resigned in December. Elected to the board were Robin Cuzzort, Ron Hogue, Jim Shepherd, Kirk Thompson and Becky Zielke. In December Eric Strotheide and James Tollett joined the organization. Tim, Robin, Jim and Kirk went everywhere promoting Chattacon and attendance jumped to 814.
1985
With Tim still at the helm, the board prepared to hold the most successful Chattacon ever. C.J. Cherryh was GoH and much discussion ensued whether the board should accede to her request for funds to bring her brother along. This was how we met David Cherry. Tracy Kelly joined Linda at registration and later became a Zielke.
1986
In the last year at the Read House for a while (they needed to renovate), Chattacon continued creeping towards 1000 attendees. The weapons policy was put in place in October 1985, and has undergone few changes since. In March, the number of trustees went up to 17, the number still in effect today. Lesley Hugens (Gill, Moore) joined the board as head of program book in February and Leon Hendee came on board as well. In April Ann Robards was elected to help Eric in the art show and Zanny Leach was elected as treasurer. Both have held these positions ever since. Ken Cobb, a former trustee and traveling man, was elected in August. Ken would later chair Chattacon's disastrous DeepSouthCon, which was probably the reason he left fandom.
1987
Most of the year was spent bickering about this and that. In April, the Read House floored Chattacon by shutting us out of our contract. Everybody had an opinion about the direction Chattacon was going. Many trips were made to various hotels and convention facilities. Atlanta was gearing up for their Worldcon. Finally, the board decided on the Holiday Inn/Trade Center, where it was felt Chattacon had room to grow. True enough! Over 1000 fans attended that year, Larry Niven put a camcorder to sleep during his GoH speech, and security apprehended many young fans for spitting off the elevators. Tim carried the chairmanship through the Atlanta Worldcon, resigning in October. Previous to this year, when one was elected to the board, it was for life. Among the many stressful things that Chattacon did was bring its constitution in line with Tennessee law. This meant term limits of three years for every director. As the dust settled on that hot, fractious summer, Stuart Lamb, who had joined the Navy yet still retained his directorship, was allowed to resign. This left open positions on the board with only a few months until the convention. In October, Bill Zielke was elected to the board along with Mike Dillson, Helen Pieve, and Judy Bishop (Thomas). Kirk Thompson handled programming duties in a short amount of time and Chattacon adjusted to the new facilities along with the sticker shock on the prices charged by the government-owned Trade Center.
1988
In his second year as chairman, Robert Zielke steered Chattacon towards calmer waters. Having survived 1000 attendees with minimal breakdown, Chattacon prepared to forge on towards even more success. So delighted with Jack Chalker's temper at the Chattacon VI banquet, we invited him back to be GoH. He proceeded to delight us once more. Dick and Nicki Lynch ran a live fanzine of their Hugo Award-winning Mimosa, as they ably helped Bill Zielke with programming. In June of 1987, Darrell Zielke was elected to run gaming, bringing the number of Zielkes on the board of directors to 4 actual Zielkes, 13 Zielke associates, and Becky. The convention attracted nearly 1300 people. Security successfully decided to augment their staff with people who had been security problems in the past, and Kelly Freas drew everybody's picture at the dead dog party.
1989
The unfinished business of an open position was taken care of by the election of Charlie Williams [aka "The Third Charlie Williams"] to the board. New directors Danny Gill and Courtland Smythe joined the board and Leon Hendee was elected chairman. Consuite was divided into three separate departments--first, second and third shifts--a short-lived arrangement.
1990
A big year. The Choo-Choo wooed Chattacon with big promises. One promise that didn't work was lovely weather. As chilly January winds whipped through the courtyard, people amused themselves by burning patterns in the carpeting of the hotel with cigarettes. Fan vandalism reached its peak this year, as all the money saved in function space went to offset the damages to the hotel. But, Chattacon would survive. After all, we had a DeepSouthCon coming up later in the year. Needless to say, after all the damage to the Choo-Choo (they also did not look too kindly on the skinny-dipping drunks in the outdoor Jacuzzis and fountains), Chattacon was, once again, without facilities. Surely something would turn up. With Lee Sessoms fielding hotel negotiations, Chattacon made contact with many hotels. But, there's no place like home, to use an oft-quoted Kansan expression, so Chattacon decided to return to the Read House.
1991
Robert was not only reelected to the board, he was also elected chairman. Filling Bill Zielke's vacated position, Dee Holtsclaw was elected to the board. One of our long-time directors, Bill Hedrick, was late to the election meeting and was not able to run because of constitutional rules. Also elected were Andrew Denson, a fixture of Chattacon for many years, and Danny Shannon, one of our former troublemakers, who became head of security. And Chattacon dared anyone to stand up to Danny. People evidently approved of the return to the Read House because over 1200 people packed into the hotel. Mark Maxwell boldly kept the bombs at bay on CNN by refusing to go to the bathroom. Khen Moore started the convention on Thursday night by passing out on the bed in operations, waking from the dead only to speak to Harry Harrison. Saddam Hussein was straw-poll voted unofficial FGoH as anxious eyes watched TV screens all weekend.
1992
Lee Sessoms was reelected and became chairman. Ambitiously, Chattacon invited Mercedes Lackey and Leo Frankowski and scheduled their autograph sessions concurrently. The rest of the convention seemed deserted as thousands waited in line for signatures. Rabid fans! Leo Frankowski graciously offered his suite as crash space for anyone and Mercedes Lackey mentioned that Chattacon would make great fodder for MST3K (is this a compliment?). Craig Shaw Gardner delighted everyone, while Barclay Shaw made huge sales outside the art show. Once again, the Read House was packed to the brim.
1993
Another ambitious lineup of guests and the unveiling of the first Surprised FGoH awaited Chattacon this year. Glen Cook was a GoH and a dealer and has returned every year since. There was no war this year, but a near disaster occurred just prior to the convention when toastmaster Bard Strickland had a car wreck. Brad Linaweaver graciously offered to step in and was given co-toastmaster duties when Brad Strickland was able to make the convention after all. Larry Elmore was such a popular AGoH that he was not able to go out to dinner with Ann. David Gerrold was this year's rabid fan guest and everyone demanded the sequel. No one was more surprised than Chattacon at opening ceremonies with the Surprised FGoH not there. Jim Arnold was tracked down at his home where he was asleep about 10:30 PM, Friday night. When told of the honor bestowed upon him, he stated that he had to work and wasn't sure that he would even make it until Saturday evening. When told that he must give a speech and do other stuff, he said he would be there as soon as possible, but would we please give his room to a needy fan. What a guy! Jim Arnold performed his duties admirably and the Surprised FGoH was declared a resounding success. Lori and David Deitrick were pleasantly surprised to find cases of left-over Little DebbiesTM at convention end and took several off our hands. Chattacon also tipped hotel staff members with cases of Little DebbiesTM Christmas Wreaths and rumor has it that there are several cases still downstairs holding up a cabinet in the employee service area.
1994
Chattacon came of age as the first woman became chairman. Charlie Williams handled the job masterfully as Chattacon packed the Read House yet again. Eric Love took over as head of security. Oh my God, we've done it again! Rabid fan alert, Terry Pratchett is GoH. Dean Ing and family moved into the Read House indefinitely prior to the convention. S.N. Lewitt was totally blown away by everything, and Chattacon was blown away by her belly dancing. Wendy Webb had a hard time juggling all the toast orders she received. Jennifer Pieve was yet another wonderful Surprised FGoH. But, of course, the real excitement started Sunday morning as temperatures plummeted and the water pipes burst. The third floor flooded and in the art show, the remaining art was taken down and moved as water seeped through the ceiling. No problem, a fan was prepared as he navigated in the halls in scuba gear (don't ask why he brought scuba gear to an inland hotel in January, we don't know). While most of the fans took off before the snow (snow? snow? in the balmy southeast? Naaaww) hit, the weather was not kind to Chattacon's guests who usually stay over until Monday. But this year... First off, everyone made a fool of themselves at the dead dog party, where directors, guests, and staff wiped out the entire convention's liquor supply, and one director floated down the hallway. Someone nobody knew flashed the entire party and, not getting an adequate response, proceeded to throw up on as many people as possible before retiring to the couch. Terry Pratchett sang all the Jim Steinmann songs there are while at the same time playing DOOMTM on the operations computer. He wondered, in vain, when the convention would be over, because he desired to "get off." Ah, Terry, worse things await. Most of the guests awoke to a world of whiteness outside Monday morning and decided to settle in since the highways and airports were closed. But Terry had to go home now or else he might not get another flight to Europe for days. After several aborted attempts at sending off via Chattanooga, the intrepid and hung-over Andy Hendee volunteered to take Terry to Atlanta, cross-country if need be, to get him to his connecting flight on Monday. Ask Andy! The burst pipes, meanwhile, had caused a lake to form outside the consuite which froze as it went down the ramp to the street. Of course the beer truck was stuck there until spring thaw. And the hotel still loves us.
Which brings us full circle as we honor our founder, Irv Koch, without whom none of this would be possible. Thanks for the memories, Irv....
[David Hartwell, in his book Age of Wonders, discusses the close connection between SF and religion. Amazing how quickly these little rituals will spring to life.]
The Avocado Incident is shrouded in the mists of time by now, but I'll do my best to tell the tale. As Linda Zielke says, it just happened. It was Chattacon a couple of years ago, and being the middle of January, it was my birthday. I believe I was rooming with Penny Frierson and we decided to have a birthday party. I had actually planned this in advance and gone to the grocery store on Tuesday, because I wanted to make some guacamole. As you may or may not know, it's very difficult to find ripe avocados in the grocery store at any time--much less the middle of winter--at least in Alabama. You usually have to buy them under ripe, and rock solid, then let them sit for a few days to soften up. So, I bought two large, hard green specimens early in the week and put them in a paper bag, as I had read somewhere that this helps them ripen.
Come Friday night of the con, I was preparing for the party. I opened the paper bag. One of the avocados was nice and soft. The other was still very hard. So I made guacamole out of the one and put the other on the night stand as a decoration. Soon there were throngs of semi-intoxicated fans streaming through the room. Linda and Bill and Becky Zielke [themselves responsible, with Holly Hina, and the rest of Zielke & Assoc., for black olive daiquiris...--TKFW] were sitting on the bed at one point and noticed the bedside table decor. It was commented upon, rather lewdly, as I recall. I had to explain, and soon the whole room was agog at the big green thing that would not get soft. As the night wore on, in our rapidly advancing drunkenness, the Avocado somehow became an object of reverence.
I think it was Penny who discovered that a honeymooning couple a few doors down had discarded a beautiful basket, that had no doubt held champagne and other delicacies. It was festooned with ribbons and filled with silver Easter grass. She brought it back to the room and the Avocado was soon nestled in the center.
Eventually, the booze ran out, and those of us remaining (I'm sorry, I can't remember them all, but I know Toni was there) decided to go in search of other parties. But we couldn't leave the Avocado. Thus the Avocado Processional was born. The Avocado, in its basket, was held aloft at the front of the line. I believe Toni took up one of the metal serving trays and a wooden spoon and brought up the rear. Ten or twelve of us, with more joining as we progressed, marched through the Read House, chanting:
A-VA-CA-DO (Bong), A-VA-CA-DO (bong)
A-VA-CA-DO (Bong),
The Avocado never did get soft. I took it home with me, and weeks later threw it away, because it smelled bad--but it was still hard.
[Reprinted from Chattacon's 1997 program book.]
'Twas the night before Chattacon
When all through the hotel
Every director was screaming,
"It's all gone to hell."
David and K.C. held their mugs with care
In hopes that Carter Bheer soon would be there.
Yeager was nestled all snug in his bed
While vision of dealers danced in his head.
And Zanny in her office and Lani in her wake,
Had just settled down for a long coffee break.
When over in consuite there arose such a clatter,
Staff sprang to their feet to see what was the matter.
Away to the door they flew in a flash,
Tore down the ramps and out in a dash.
The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow
Gave a luster of midday to trucks down below,
When what to our wondering eyes should appear,
But a refrigerated truck with eighty kegs of bheer,
With an armload of taps, so quick and handy,
We knew in a moment it must be our Andy.
More rapid than dragons the directors they came.
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:
"Now, Mark! Now, Jeff! Now Leon and Lee!
On, Ann! On, Wayne! On David and K.C.!
To the top of the ramp, to the end of the hall!
Now, drink away! Drink away! Drink away all!"
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane soar,
When they meet with an obstacle, fall to the floor,
So up to the bar the staff they flew,
With arms full of mugs, and pitchers, too.
And then in a twinkling, I heard over a headset
"Operations wants to know if pizza's been ordered yet."
As pegboard went up with a grunt and a groan,
Charles connected cables and lights came on.
Down from Operations Ann came with a bound,
She surveyed their progress without uttering a sound.
When the last screws were in and the bulbs were lit,
She grabbed a radio and OK'ed the pizza trip.
Dealers chased after Bryan who running in fear
Said over his shoulder, "It's not me this year!"
Cindy assigned radios for each team member to use,
"Now cut the chatter--remember the rules."
Charlie showed up with badges for some,
Guests, directors and staff without one.
Security teams planned how to comb the college,
Hotel stairs, hallways, and especially room parties.
Program Book done and now "at large,"
Dee hid in the fear of Cindy in charge.
The hub connected and power applied,
Mike's laptops were up but the server had died.
He cussed it and kicked it and dropped it too,
But it really worked--he had pulled the cord with his shoe.
Holly introduced the guests that arrived,
Harry and Esther and Charlie who sighed.
Frozen drinks were passed out quick,
In fear the machine would make it too thick.
Robert sat quietly with a knowing grin,
Watching other directors nervous and grim.
Once the pizza was gone and the machine was dry,
They left Operations for beds on the fly.
As one mass, they staggered out in the hall,
Towards their rooms bouncing wall to wall,
But they exclaimed before the elevator closed,
"We're ready, we think--let them come on in droves."
[From the Weaponscon I program book, 1987.]
The program book department head insisted I, as Chair, do one of these "welcome bits." Finally I decided I could tell my standard weapons' story at this point.
Two Novembers ago I was wandering around Xanadu with nothing to do but talk about neat ideas for SF cons. I had about five, but the one that people actually wanted to do was reactionary. Other cons' committees started behaving like the dullest of mundanes; they'd taken to banning this and stopping that and generally forgetting what fandom was. Banning was and is merely the focal point of such.
Obviously we HAD to do a con where everyone "must wear a weapon at all times." (And I checked, there were negligible facilities in Kennesaw, GA.) The set-up was made and then people started telling what their weapon would be if they came.
Rolled up newspapers or boots dangling from belts. Ninja toes. Numerous hands were claimed as deadly karate weapons. Innumerable mouths (which may outnumber the paper daggers dispensed by the con and are certainly more deadly). Entire brigades of fen claimed their pens, mightier than the sword, would be weapons. A few proved their journalistic typing fingers were weapons--I hope they stay on our side.
And of course there were various cutlery fen who understood the peacebonding rule before I explained it. There was interest in everything from ancient oriental blades to futuristic Special Forces guns. Likewise the real firearms fen strongly agreed with the "no real class three" rule (paperwork not worth it except for a specialized show) and had real permits to go with what needed them.
One of my apt. mates on the other hand saturates me with an uzi watergun one night as I walked in. Thus the common gun-show rule, "no ammo on the body at the same time as a projectile weapon," was changed to include liquid, gas, and energy ammo. This indirectly saved having several other rules. The only other argument--fen are MADE to argue--I got on that was one guy thought plasma was a separate case from energy and should be listed too.
One svelte lady dangled her body in front of me and asked if I would consider it a weapon; I wasn't going to argue.
Finally one lady suggested something I could not accept as a weapon!!
Yes, I said, the four-year-old child who has been going to cons since she was two weeks old gets a free membership for being under six, and can claim herself as a weapon. But, you can't claim her as your weapon. You can't wear a four-year-old child at all times....
At that point I thought the story was ended and the point made: don't worry about what's a weapon, just enjoy the con--be it somewhat specialized, just as there are specialized filk, fanzine, costume, and other specialized but surely SF FANDOM cons.
WRONG. Robert Silverberg had an editorial in the issue of Amazing which was on the stands a little over a month before this con (he was wrong about when people would see the editorial, too). He was talking about another reactionary specialized new con, Sercon, and why he liked it, even if in some ways it seemed sterile. And then he went on to explain why he wouldn't be at WeaponsCon as it wasn't his sort of thing.
He also mentioned a lot about "fandom cons" as they were when he was younger and both were just starting. That's when I decided we'd better find someone to "adopt" any fen under 18 who showed up at the door with no one to sign the agreement we have here for them. Please!
Those fen and the children of the four year old will be "Science Fiction Fandom" when Silverberg is dead and not even a memory in the minds of attendees, not members, of things called cons run by those who may well be mundanes, just to see how large numbers they can draw. And the smaller cons like and unlike those of his earlier days will likely die with those fen now over 35.
They can have cons for adults only. They can't perpetuate themselves and must leave the name of fandom to "events" or "shows" like any mass advertised money and prestige generating mundane affair. Those kids, if we take them in, will be what we call fandom.
And enjoy the con.
More Chattanooa conventions:
Magic Carpet Con V (May 2-4 '97), Radisson Read House,
Chattanooga, TN. Guests: Jerry & Sharon Ahern, Sharon Green,
Jacqueline Lichtenberg, Brad Strickland, David Weber. Membership:
$30. Info: 211 Highland Avenue, Smyrna, TN 37167.
LibertyCon 11 (July 25-27 '97), Read House, Chattanooga, TN. Guests: Fred Saberhagen, Vincent DiFate, David Weber, Charles Fontenay, James Hogan. Membership $25 until 6/15/97, $35 at the door. Info: P.O. Box 695, Hixson, TN 37343-0695. E-mail: libcon@cdc.net. Web: http://www.cdc.net/~libcon.
![[IMAGE: LibertyCon 3 Program Book Cover]](hbpg079.gif)