At the John Wyndham Hotel
Well, to be honest, we didn't see any triffids. Unless that big thing by the pool . . . naah, probably not. It stayed in its flowerpot and just looked menacing.
We came a long way this time, longer than ever before. Never has this genial old hotel seemed so far away and unattainable, and never has the journey through orange groves and sparkling lakes seemed so pleasant; and when we rolled into the parking garage it was like a triumphal procession. When things were darkest, the thought of March in Florida was like sunshine. We began planning in December to eat at the rustic seafood restaurant in March, and our plans weren't thwarted.
The rest of you are all right, but we really came this time to see Brian W. Aldiss, the Permanent Special Guest and all-around nice guy. Here he is with Donna at a special showing of Pirates of the Carob Bean.
Get your programs here, folks. Can't tell the players without a program.
At the first Author Reading, Brian Aldiss read to us from his new book Affairs at Hampden Ferrers.
Below, C.W. Sullivan and Tim Sullivan. Did you get your program yet?
Daniel Keyes read from his work in progress, a new take on his themes of mind and identity, a work so powerful that it made my camera blur. Yeah, that's it. Actually I try not to pop a flash camera at someone who's about to read me a story.
David Hartwell damaged our optic nerves again with a shirt from another dimension.
I swear this isn't done with Photoshop.
Top priority for us was the first poetry session, chaired by Donna Hooley. L-R Edith Borchardt, Brian Aldiss, Bryan Dietrich, Donna Hooley. The poems ranged from Goethe to Clark Kent, and from serious to silly. Poetry is like that. 
Donna talks to David Lunde, who chaired the second poetry session.
At a secret ceremony in the notorious "Regatta Room," Donald Morse unveils the baleful idol soon to be known as the Balrog. By the conference's end, a sinister cult had formed around this strange homunculus, a cult whose secret could only be revealed at the ceremonial Final Banquet. Below, members discuss the meaning of this strange revelation. Some called for strong drink to calm their nerves.
MORE AUTHOR READINGS
Beth Adele Long always has a killer story to read, and Steve Erikson's excerpt was quite vivid, but I was there to hear P.C. Hodgell read from her unpublished fourth book. The wild, complicated story she began long ago in GOD STALK is still in progress, and her dryly humorous voice is unchanged. Below L-R Erikson reads as host Janet Bogstad and Steve Donaldson listen.
Peter Straub looms ominously over Arthur Hlavaty and Bernadette Bosky before Arthur's session on Elizabeth Hand, Peter Straub, Chris Priest, and Roger Zelazny, waiting patiently for Farah Mendlesohn to mention his latest book lost boy lost girl.
The panel L-R Arthur Hlavaty, Bernadette Bosky, Farah Mendlesohn, Norman Peercy
Farah Mendlesohn delivers her paper, using the overhead projector for warmth.
Meanwhile, shivering in the audience, Robert Van Der Osten asks a question while P.C. Hodgell, Liz Hand, and Flora Zbar look on. Hodgell was knitting a sweater as a defense against hypothermia. Folks, at the John Wyndham Hotel you don't need ice in your drinks.
Peter Jackson Sightings! No, wait, it's Kevin Maroney. (Jackson's in the stairwell being kicked to death by Bombadil fans.)
The second poetry reading, or "The Last Supper?" "One of you will upstage me . . ."
The Formidable Formalists: L-R David Lunde, Don Riggs, Joe Haldeman, Marilyn Jurich. 
Joe Haldeman strings some words together.
Amid a withering hail of puns, moderator Gary Wolfe and his panel of experts explained that Fantasy seems unlikely to wither after all.
L-R below Peter Hunt, Brian Attebery, Gary Wolfe
L-R above Gary Wolfe's clone, John Clute, Tom Shippey
Donna with Peter Hunt after the panel.
HERE THERE BE DRAGONS
I wondered why that theme was chosen, when there didn't seem to be much emphasis on dragons in the programming. Then I saw what was being served at the head tables . . . in a piquant lemon sauce. No wonder they're getting scarce.
Charles W. Nelson prepares the audience for Tom Shippey's talk on J.R.R. Tolkien: Author of the Century as Brian Aldiss and Shippey himself watch from the audience.
Despite hecklers in the audience, Dr. Shippey gave a splendid talk on Tolkien's work.
Free drinks in the hallway! The hotel threw us a cocktail party in the mezzanine while they readied the big room for the IAFA Awards Banquet.
Donna and Joe Haldeman trading war stories. She decided to hoist the Jolly Roger at last for the banquet.
Below: Prepare to be boarded! Arthur Hlavaty and Bernadette Bosky invade Donna's space.
Bill Senior and Gary Wolfe watching the crowd gather.
Conference Founder Bob Collins is relieved to find that the Balrog's intentions were benevolent.
Brian Aldiss' quiz confounded nearly everyone. Wine and dancing girls! Isn't that what this conference is all about? Actually, no, but it does have its moments.
Sondra Swift, Donna Hooley, and the legendary Bud Foote, who left early but didn't take his wine.
See, I told you there were triffids. Probably a dwarf variety. It never moved but you could feel its attention. I think it was trying to read over Donna's shoulder.
Then it was time to hit the road for home. We got off I-95 to avoid heavy traffic, then got off the secondary road because the traffic was bad there as well. This was the tertiary road.
The tertiary road dead-ended in an orange grove, and we got out and stood there hearing the bees buzzing and soaking in the smell of orange blossoms, just as we'd promised each other we would all those cold months ago.
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