
Hello. I am not as cranky as this picture suggests. Stick with me and I promise to smile.
A week ago I was in New Orleans for the
Bram Stoker Awards Weekend incorporating World Horror Convention— which for brevity’s sake I’ll refer to as WHC.
I stayed at the convention venue: the Hotel Monteleone in the French Quarter. My friend and fellow writer, Eliza Hirsch, shared a room.I arrived Wednesday night with no trouble–unlike Eliza, whose flight was canceled, but that’s her story to tell. I rode the Airport Shuttle into the French Quarter, checked in to the hotel, dropped off my stuff, and went in search of a grocery store. I was going on an all day tour the following morning and I’d been told there wouldn’t be time to stop for food, so I stocked up on bread, blueberry preserves, peanut butter, and a lot of fruit. There was a minor incident when my bag fell off the counter while I was paying and the jar of preserves shattered inside the bag, but the kind staff replaced the jar and I only had to spend a little time washing blueberry paste off my bananas.The weather was clear during my excursion, humid, and hot. I assembled my lunch for the next day, had a cocktail in the hotel bar (it spins slowly, hence the name Carousel) and went to bed.Thursday morning I ate breakfast in the hotel restaurant, Criollo–a delicious egg white omelet filled with vegetables and a spicy tomato sauce, plus lots of coffee. Then I caught the tour bus and we headed out to the Laura Plantation.


Soon enough we were on our way to the swamp. I had arranged for a six-person airboat tour of the swamp, but lucked out. Only four of us were on the boat.
Overall I really enjoyed the airboat swamp tour. I compared notes with some folks who took the regular flat-bottomed boat and they interacted with more wildlife, but the ride through the swamp was exhilarating.
Time passes. I meet up with my roommate and go on a ghost tour. Buy one Hurricane, get one free…After the tour was over, Eliza and I took a brief walk down Bourbon Street. Thankfully, no pictures exist of that excursion.
The next morning (Friday) I went to a useful workshop about marketing taught by Matt Schwartz. And then I went to panels and readings.
Dinner was at a Paris-style place. I enjoyed the Shrimp Creole and a Bloody Mary. Then I returned for more.
Eliza and I dressed up for the dance.Next day more panels and readings. And a Kaffeeklatsch with Caitlín R. Kiernan.

For lunch I joined a group at Mr. B’s for seafood gumbo and a Bloody Mary.
Eliza and I took a break to go to the Voodoo Museum with a stop at the Faulkner House and another for daiquiris.
That evening I went to the Bram Stoker Awards, but I was too busy telling jokes and stuffing my face to take crummy camera phone pics.

Sunday morning arrived fast. As an aside, I ate almost every breakfast at Café Beignet. Fabulous Cajun Hashbrowns and omelets.
I also went to the dialogue panel but didn’t take a photo. Too busy scribbling notes.
After the closing ceremonies I joined up with some cool people, ate lunch, walked around and imbibed a lot–including a stop at Pat O’Brien’s for a Hurricane. Also, absinthe.
Sunday night also involved a snack at Daisy Duke’s and a lot of packing. Monday morning I caught a shuttle to the airport and had an uneventful trip home.
Can’t wait for next year in Portland, OR!