Last year’s Creation Supernatural con in Austin was very memorable – for a few reasons. One was the Radio Company concert at Sagebrush, and the other was the fact that everyone there almost melted thanks to it being the most absurd temperature I’ve ever experienced.
Of course, I returned to Austin for yet another Supernatural con in the same month. Luckily it wasn’t quite as absurdly hot – and not so luckily, there was no Radio Company concert.
There was, however, a mini Radio Company “show” when Jensen Ackles and Steve Carlson and the Scott sisters joined Louden Swain at the Saturday Night Special, and a Radio Company panel with Steve and Jensen, so at least we got our Radio Company fix – without melting!
The flight there was uneventful but an entire box of books hadn’t made it to the con unfortunately. That meant I sold out of books by Saturday – my apologies to anyone who came by to purchase a copy of Family Don’t End With Blood or There’ll Be Peace When You Are Done and I didn’t have any left. Thanks to everyone who did come by – it was lovely to meet everyone!
I did a few more panels than I usually get to do since I wasn’t needed in the vendor room the entire time, so that was the silver lining. One of the best things about a con in Austin is that I love the city. My son used to live in Houston and we’d pop over to Austin for the day, and I fell in love with its weirdness – and its delicious food. Thursday I had tacos and queso with my friend Sadie, and some good conversation to go with it. Another night after dark when it cooled off, I joined a friend at the hotel’s rooftop pool (best part about the con hotel!) to lounge poolside and catch up (though the lounge chairs were out to get both of us by periodically collapsing…)
Friday I caught most of Chad Lindberg’s panel because I just love Chad. I’ve known him since way back in 2008, when he was starring in a film called “My Big Break”. He introduced me and Kathy (my Fangasm co-author) to the filmmakers, Tony and Elizabeth, and we became fast friends. When they took ‘My Big Break’ on the road, we came along for some of the screenings along with Chad – which is how we ended up on Bourbon Street in the middle of the night for Chad’s first trip to New Orleans, and several other memorable adventures.
I also adore his character of Ash on Supernatural. Chad wrote a chapter for There’ll Be Peace When You Are Done all about portraying Ash, with lots of priceless behind the scenes insights.