Two quick observations from the streets of Brighton. Yesterday morning, as I was walking back to the hotel from the Internet Cafe, I passed the Town Crier in full regalia. Cheerful guy! This morning, on my way here, I was passed by a guy riding a penny farthing bicycle. Interesting place.
Yesterday was a very full day, and it ended much later than I’m used to. Panels and readings and book launches all day long, and the mass autographing session. I have my copy of CD’s Dark Dreamers that I’ve been using as an autograph book since WHC 2001. There are six attendees who are in the book that I’ve never met before and I managed to get four of them last night: Brian Lumley, Ramsey Campbell, Tanith Lee and Kim Newman. Today I’m hoping to get James Herbert and Bob Eggleston.
After the signing, a bunch of us went out to supper at the fish & chips place across the street. Then at 10 p.m. we had the Dark Arts book launch for When the Night Comes Down, which went off very well. A bit quiet at first because of competing events, but it became the place to be once Bill Breedlove took over the DJ duties. He had a pair of iPods and access to the sound board/PA system. Around 11:30 he became DJ Bill and cranked up the 80s tunes. The party got larger and larger as other events wound down and he had them dancing until 2:30 a.m. The local organizers were astonished. This just doesn’t happen at British conventions, he was told.
Today will be busy. I have the Evolve book launch, then a panel I’m moderating, then the Stoker banquet on the pier. There’s this big catapult looking contraption at the end among the arcade rides. We’ve been joking that the losers will be launched into the English channel like a cow over the ramparts in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. (Fetchez la vache!) Tonight we lose an hour as the UK goes on daylight savings time. Great. One less hour. I’m already running on a deficit!
This is a great convention — a real international mix, with a healthy US and Canada contingent but also attendees from Greece, France, Sweden, Finland and elsewhere. I’ve met a ton of people, some of whom I knew only through the internet. The schedule is packed with things to do and there’s also ample time to visit with people. The hotel is atmospheric, with long windy passages that seem to lead off into the dungeons, and it’s situated in a place where you can easily walk around the town and get some of the local flair. I’m very glad I came.
