This is not don't expect to be good. Yea nightast days straight from kills.
You'll find me some mind side fast. Hey everyone, my name is
Rick Qualteririan. I play such wonderful characters as Silas Cane, Moog Face Eater,
and the dungeon Master for for Salty Bastards. In real life, I
write several things, including the Tomo Bill series and who are we kidding?
There's not too many Rick Qualteriries writing stuff, so if you find find it,
it's either me or some other weirdo who for some reason decides they need
to use this name. Hey, y'all, I'm Misty Massey. I'm the
author of the Madchestral series of pirate fantasy adventures. I'm an editor for False
Staff Books, Lord Seekers Press, Macham Memoirs Press, and who knows who
else I'll be editing four next. They just come out of the woodwork.
Sometimes you know you knew me once on this show as Malibu, the sweet
and innocent cleric who just wanted everyone to get along except Silas Kine, who
needed to be smacked in that. But these days you know me as and
where Crow the swabs sophisticated thief who just wants to get in your pockets or
your pants or both. Hi, everybody, my name is Bethany's Nelson.
I'm also known as Queen Crush on the Discord, and today I will be
playing Oh wait, I'm not in this podcast. I do actually play a
dinosaurs playing as a human, though, so I think that kind of qualifies
me, right, sure, why not? Hello friend, I'm Robert Bev.
No, wait that's not right. Oh I know. Hi, I'm
Steve Wetherall. No that's not right either. Oh that's great. Right,
Yes, it's me. You're lovable super fan. Fuck you Mark all right,
Welcome everybody. Now you might be wondering why why the cast is is
slightly slightly different this time around. This is a very special side quest and
for those of you who are who are just joining in for the first time,
which I don't know why you would choose this one to start for the
first time, but if you are, Um, side quests are the every
other week non games we do. You'll notice one thing that we'll all have
in common. Um, and no, it's not being bald, is uh.
Everybody here on the podcast has has previously been at an authors in Dragons
Con If you're having gotten your tickets yet, go to Authors and Dragons dot
com. It's August eleven, thirteenth in Portland, Oregon. Tickets are still
avail. There will be day tickets at the door, but sadly all of
us here are gathered today because we have previously kind of A and D con.
We've loved them, but unfortunately we're not able to make this one.
So this is kind of I guess an and D coon ex pats if you
will. So as So, the idea here is, you know, Missy
and I. Missy and I couldn't make it, and Fu Mark, who's
a long time listener, reached out and it was like, hey, what
it wouldn't it be cool if like we did something We're like, you know,
where some of us could join who can't make it to the con and
speak. And I was like, that's not a great, not a bad
idea. And I knew, uh, I knew Queen Crush Crush couldn't make
it because we've been a DM ing back and forth on discord. I was
like, Okay, well, why don't we gonna get together and kind of
talk about talk about our memories of a D coon and uh, and why
it just sucks so bad that well, we're gonna be missing minted it this
year. That's fun. We can't have. Oh, come on, ray,
you know you were looking forward to driving across Kansas again. My wife
actually put her foot down on that one and she was like, no,
you were not doing that again. That was really stupid the first time because
going to a d con, I did kind of like eight hour drive days,
which was which was tough but not too bad. But coming back I
decided to, like, you know, I wanted to save a day,
so I up that to twelve hours, and that was fucking brutal, especially
going through Kansas. Yeah, I look from mid last and that is not
a good idea. A lot of our scenery the same, and unless you're
from here, you're got false immediately. I'd have never managed. After about
four hours in the car, I turned into a really unpleasant human and you
just don't want me in the car that long. So try driving. Try
driving from Iowa to North Carolina with a one year old and an eight year
old ander grumpy wife. That's what they make planes for. I'll apologize it
for for any League sound issues for this one. We're kind of like we're
kind of winging winging it with. I don't expect everybody here to be a
podcast professional. We've been doing this seven years and I don't really consider us
podcast professionals. But yeah, it's like, uh, for the for most
of the trip, it wasn't bad because, like there were so many stretches
where there was no other cars on the road, was just me, so
I was able to kind of take it slow occasionally, like you know,
turn on my dashboard cam and like record a video things like that, you
know. But yeah, there were there were there were some spots where,
like Kansas and I guess Missouri, coming back driving east and having new Jersey
license plates, they all assumed that you're just you're just transporting drugs from Colorado,
every single one, and and like and I told, I told,
I got stopped twice, and I told the cops each time that the only
drugs I was carrying was the drugs of good reading, which I'm surprised did
not get me tasered, you know and thrown in a jail cell. But
it did get my car search Yeah, it did get my car searched twice.
Ultimately, books are still not illegal, so there really wasn't anything for
them to get me on um. Each time they gave me a bullshit answer
about why did they stopped me. One time it was like, oh,
you like you break check the truck in front of you. I was like
no, I was slowing down because there was cars that I didn't want to
hit. And the other cops started going and the other one doing that thing
where he's going real slow next to me, and I was just like,
I didn't want to pass him because I knew he was trying it. And
then the second I passed, he was like, well, you passed me
going I was like, dude, I passed you going fifteen miles under the
speed limit. Let's yes. That was for the first Andy con Andy Vegas.
Vegas was Vegas was a blast, and I wasn't yet part of the
discord, so I didn't actually no bear in the casino we were going to
be, but I found another fan and we managed to get there and I'm
standing in line and I get up and Teresa was manning the door and I
said Hi, I'm fuck you Mark, and the person two people in front
of me, he's like, fuck you, Mark's here. Well it's fun
because I had met Steve about two months before in Wisconsin. I had gone
up for my niece's graduation and he was visiting Emily and one of her friends
about something, and so he was going to a pub and we all met
up. And then I'd been talking to John on Facebook forever, and so
I walk in the dealer room and go over and give Steve a hug,
give John a hug, and then I go over to Rick's table because Rick
had said several months prior, you know, sometime this guy's going to show
up at a con and I'm gonna have to call for security. I you
were gonna be some like six foot nine biker and like walking and be like,
motherfucker, We're gonna have them words. I walk, I walk right
up direct and I said Rick, it's time to call for security. And
Rick stood up, and Rick has an Insure two on me and he says,
everybody, everybody, can I have your attention. We have a very
special guest with us. I think you all know what you have to say.
On the count of three, one, two, three and one hundred
people, y'all fuck you. Mark. That was one of that was one
of my favorite things because like literally that was kind of the first thing I
did. We were still setting up our tables. You walk over and I
was just like, man, this this cannot go without some kind of like,
you know, some kind of an history. But the truth of matter
is it was it was so awesome that you would rot because it's like the
idea of like somebody who was like, you know, listening and being like
active on like you know, on the Facebook page, but then actually showing
up the idea was really mind blowing to us. Um it like really was.
It was like, wow, some of these people who like live far
away actually came to see us, and like that was the moment it actually
kind of sunk, sunk in that that it probably wasn't going to be a
disaster. Yeah, and you know, we had you guys, had people
from everywhere at that first con because Steve brought his sister, which she was
probably funnier than Steve was, except when Steve was drunk. Yeah, I
liked her. She was she was cool. Yeah. Vegas was Vegas was
Vegas was fun. Just getting to meet each of you guys, and see,
for those of you who haven't met any of these beautiful people, they
are as nice and sweet as you think they are. Their characters are just
the horrible versions of themselves. Except Misty is her characters. I don't care
what anybody says. Misty is her character's sweet, adorable and sometimes just a
little bit on the goofy side. Yeah kind of, except anware is different
because and I thank you, actually, miss but I finally apologize to you
for something. Sure, but I don't feel that you owe me one.
But go right ahead and say whatever you want to say. So at the
first so a Dy Tennessee, which is the one I went to, and
I was so excited to meet everybody, and I was so nervous. I
don't even remember half the shit I said. I do remember hearing your voice
and seeing you, and I was like, Missy Massey, and you look
so a free And I felt so bad later because I was like, oh,
I just agree Missy Massy's name for no reason in the middle of the
content that it's not It's not so much that I was afraid. It just
never fails to surprise me when anybody gives a shit about seeing me in person,
because who am I? You know, I'm just some little, round
old lady that writes books in her house. And plays a game every now
and then. And so it's like when people are excited to see me,
it just messes with my head in wonderful ways, in lovely, lovely ways
in and I'm so honored, but it just it just throws me when somebody's
actually there and excited to see me. So so that's what it was.
I wasn't frightened. Okay, good, that makes me so bad, Like
John was laughing and you are just thinking back, and I was just like
I am just thinking. I adn't even bigger, like like weird moment at
Tennessee because one morning, True and I went across the street to the much
better resort what like a like a truck stop or something, because oh no,
they know, like like the place we were at was like fine,
but it was it was kind of like Howard Johnson's compared to the luxury resort
across the street. Yeah, we went over there to grab breakfast and we're
just hanging out and somebody comes over and and like I was wearing a build
Vampire shirt and he was like, oh, build a vampire, you know,
that's that's really cool. And I thought it was somebody from the con.
So I was like yeah, uh huh, And I was just kind
of given the guy some like dickish attitude, you know, He's like,
oh, have you ever met the author? I like, the guy was
there for another convention, and I was just like, oh my god,
now I am I feel like such a fucking prick because I was like,
uh, yeah, I'm the author. I'm really sorry you're not here for
a and dcon are you? He's like, what's ay dcon? I'm like,
oh god. Literally, like that was literally the first time I have
like run into a like been it been recognized by a reader, like you
know, just out in public. And of course it happened across the street
from and D the first time it ever, the first time it ever happened
to me. Um, I had. John was John Hartness. He and
I live very close to each other, and we've been friends for a million
years now, and so we often do things that are not Andy related and
together, and um he happened to be in a show a number of years
back, um locally with the little theater here in town, and so he
had invited me and my husband to come see dress rehearsal night, which is
pretty much like seeing the show, except they might occasionally stop for notes,
but really you just do see the show, but for free. And so
I said, yeah, yeah, we'll come. And so we're sitting we're
sitting there, um in the front row, and we're waiting for the show
to start, and John's kind of goofing around and getting stuff ready, and
he was talking to another cast member, a young woman, and he said,
um, yeah, my friends are down there, Todd and sty Massey.
And she went, Missy Massey, wait, is that the Missy Massy
that wrote Mad Chestral? And she leaped off the stage to come and tell
me that she was my her I was her favorite author. And I'm still
sitting there going so yeah. It's it's amazing when stuff like that happens.
It's so much fun. Well, I mean speak speaking of amazing things.
Uh, Bethany had had two really amazing moments in our last indecon, which
was in North Carolina. I don't want to steal your thunder, but the
first was was probably the absolute most wholesome moment that will ever ever be in
a day in Dcon. I'm considering it is just a week end of assholery.
And she she she got us like singing. She started, she brought
I'm sorry you came. You came dressed as one of the jeans, Polly
as Polly dart Yep. Yeah, I had my ukulele and I one.
I got the ukulele. And so I'm really a weird person. And one
of those things is when I get bored, I learned just a random ass
s gill for no reason, Like I know how to knit for no reason,
like I just know weird hit. I know Norwegian just because I got
bored. Like and so I had a ukulele. It's like, and I
learned you are my sunshine and uh. John pulled me up and he and
I don't And he was like, do you know a song? And I
was like, oh no, I do, uh actually, and then and
then I played it and then everybody at the calm was so wonderful and they
helped me with the words because I was so nervous to sing, and like
the whole auditorium of people saying you are my sunchild and it was then then
then you went the opposite direction with all that goodwill, because you were the
person response before can we never appears for anything? But you don't what Bevin
remember me for the rest of the weekend, though, I thought that was
really great. Yeah, I'm pretty sure Bevin doesn't remember us for the rest
of the weekend, so but yeah, no, yeah, that the George
Rodd was so great. We were we walked out in public and nobody knew
when we were. Everybody was really concerned, like it was God, I
was. I was so hoping for like that we were gonna get some headlines
about like cult descends on the best part about Charlotte was that we had those
We had the retired New York Corrections convention upstairs. I walked in the I
walked in the hotel and saw that, and I'm like, this weekend's either
gonna be really funny or Bob's going to jail, which we really and I'll
put perfectly on this mark. If Bob had gone to jail, the rest
of us would have been like, um, probably let's grab mark your your
Bob. You put the critical Failure t shirt out of a few mark But
like you're hear wheel around this wheel around this cooler. Well, it's funny
because Bob is the reason that I became a fan of the whole crew,
because I kept seeing these fucking Facebook ads. Do you and your friends play
Dungeons and Dragons? Are you assholes? Then you should read Caverns and Creatures.
Kept seeing them six months, I'm like, what the hell is this?
So I bought Critical Failures One, read it in the weekend, bought
everything else that was out, and then sent a random friend request to Bob
and he accepted. I'm like, oh, okay, found out about the
podcast, start listening the podcast, get John's Quincy Harker book and read Quincy
Harker. Send John a friend request, and then just as listening to podcast,
I'm like, well, they're all together. And I started sending friends
requests and I got to admit I was a little bit later on Rick,
but I did finally finish. I just finished Bill of the Dead and Artoma
Bill, and I'm going to start Bill of the Dead as soon as I'm
done with my with my Matt Denomon book Um, which is just for the
sport lauf Schelfer. Matt the man that at the Charlotte I walked in and
said, yeah, I'm I'm the guy that had done asked him you were
going to bring books? I want I want books, And he says well,
which ones do you want? I said, I want them all and
he his jaw dropped. He's like, I only brought six copies of the
one. I said, I don't care. Now you're down to five.
And that first that first QNA, which was like maybe an hour later,
we bought him out. Oh, the fans had sold him out. I
was not convinced he existent to be honest, because by the time I got
to the do the room, his table looked like somebody like a hurricane in
it or something like. There was just scraps of paper lay just all all
his stickers. Yeah. Yeah, I was like, I think they're supposed
to be somebody there. I felt like, going, dude, you need
to capitalize on this. You're like, well, I don't have many books
anymore, but I can sign Boobs. Well that's one of the best things
about the cons to me. Because I live in the middle of Iowa,
I don't get to go to a lot of conventions. You know. I
would love to get Dragon Con at some point because there's some of my other
favorite authors that frequent it. But getting to come here to our con,
I'm calling ur con, I'm part of it. What's happened oars. Now,
hey, after Hey, after that first year, I got roped into
all sorts of shit. So, hey, you know you in Tennessee,
you ran the James game. Yes, I I did because because because Cardboard
Rachel was setting in and scaring John. But no, it was it was
I've gotten exposed to a lot of different authors because in you know, I
picked up Emily's books in Vegas, and in Tennessee, I bought Misty's Madchestro
book, which I'm in love with, and then I bought the sequel.
And my mother is ridden bull and you better be working hard on that third
one. That's she told me to tell you that probably. And I,
you know, I found I found Denneman from when he was a guest on
a side quest, and I pulled up audible and leaned up listening to all
of them on audible, which if you have not listened to them, his
narration team hands down one of the best in the business. This is this
is the thing, Like you know, like like we've we've we've approached some
muff and let's let's be honest, we've unched up a few times approaching some
authors be like, hey, do you want to come to Door Con because
the thing is we're a relatively small con. I mean, you know,
like under two hundred people, but you motherfucker's read like nobody's business. Um
Like, uh, it's like it's in it's insane the amount of books we
sell, like you know, every year there, I'm kind of bring like
a whole bunch of pens. Well okay, I usually bring a couple extra
pens because Bob tends to forget them. But but it's like just going through,
like you know, just sign it. Like it's it's like it's such
an engaged crowd and you don't get that at like you know, at a
dragon con. At a dragon con um like like literally you could be like
you know, an Oscar running winning movie before like you know, actor and
you you are still a small fish in a huge ocean. Um go to
like a go to something like a con Carolinas and like, yeah, it's
a mid sized con, you know, not not not too bad there,
but it's like, uh, at a and dcon, there's that and and
I don't want to say intimacy because it makes it sound like such a bunch
of pervs, but that and one of the things we we kind of like
enforced there is that nobody's really allowed to be off by themselves. Like if
we see somebody there and they're like off in a corner and they're looking kind
of like shy, we kind of like drag them into the mix, whether
they want to or not. And I mean that was kind of like,
I guess one of the rules I instituted because I know how I am,
like when I'm on, when I'm online, I'm like, you know,
I probably sound like an extrovert. When I'm in person, I am not.
And if people if I'm alone at like a convention by myself, I
will I will find a corner and hide in it. And I was like,
I don't want anybody to be me at a convention, at one of
our conventions. So if it's if so, if it's at all possible,
especially because we do have some people there who are more outgoing, just be
like when when when you sit down for breakfast and somebody is off doing that,
be like, come on, come and join us, you know,
if as long as they're seats like you know, or pull pull up um.
And that's one thing, that's one thing I love. We're at the
end of the weekend just the people you meet you kind of know, m
I mean, come on, we had we had like a shariff fly and
all the way from uh what yeah, what was he from me? And
more? Oh my god, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
Sharif. If you're listening to this, you're you're you're an awesome person.
We know you came from a long distance. Is that Australia. Remember,
we don't believe must really exists on the discord, but yeah, it's like,
you know, just the fact that he flew in so far and like
you know, almost missed his connecting flights, and he was just such an
awesome guy that like he lost his luggage too, his luggage for days.
Oh that's awful. And it's fun to see how everybody works together. I
mean, Charlotte, I told Don I'm coming in a day early if you
need help setting up, if you need help with this there the other thing.
He's like, here's where we are, And I showed up and I
ended up working four hours stuffing goodie bags. Yeah. I can't tell you
how much we appreciate that, because when I go to one of these things,
I assume it's like, you know, us working in the fact that
people show up, showed up and there like, hey, put us the
work. It took so much pressure off off of us. Well, I
think we had six or eight of us unloading cars and we just did it
as a team. And Teresa was down in the bookstore doing her general thing,
which for those of you who don't know, Teresa is the power behind
John Hartness. As far as I'm concerned, Teresa was terrifying in that bookstore.
One of us went in there and said, can we help you?
And she was like getting out. She think Rachel's Rachel's the only one allowed
to actually help her. She Teresa's a scorpio, and as another scorpio,
I can tell you you did right thing by getting out when she said get
out. But also the cool thing is, like you know, is there's
the official stuff and then there's the unofficial stuff, like both in both at
Tennessee and didn't like you know, end at like North Carolina. I love
just sitting there, like you know, at like seven in the morning,
being like, hey, is anybody gonna want to grab breakfast or sew and
just getting like people around to like like this would be time I would normally
hide in my bed in my hotel room and instead like just being out there
and being like, okay, we're just having a good time, just b
essing it was. It was just so much fun. And then moving cardboard
Rachel behind John and scaring the shit out of them. You're the only reason
I got up it like as early as I did Rick, they really like,
Brick's going to get breakfast, and I was like, well, I
can sort of see colors. Let's do this, but I need to be
I need to talk to Wrinklesierry, let's do this. I am the worst.
I like, I get up early because I can't sleep well in hotel
rooms. And I'm one of those that, like, you know, when
I want breakfast, I want breakfast. So it's kind of like I am
going down here at this time. If you want to join me, be
there. If not, I'll eat alone. I can't remember who it was
at nice Fell, but they were going around getting autographs from everybody, and
they approached me very shyly. It's like Mark, would you. I'm like,
I'm just I'm just fucking I know, okay, you got it?
Yeah, just say yes. Well. It's it's really cool because it's like
you know what it is. It kind of reminds me of like, you
know, the Howard Stern Show. Um, like they're just just how like
you know, just how various people Over the years, I've gotten like pulled
into that and like just kind of like become a part of it. I'm
just by being by being there and being like part of the community. And
I mean, there's there's that's That's one thing. It's like we have a
great community on Facebook, but but we have an incredible community over on the
Discord. Um. I mean we have we have we have Jen there.
I mean, Jen knows so much more about the podcast than any of us
combined. It's kind of scary. Oh yeah. But she's the sweetest thing
too. She's the one that helps with the pet photos one. If anybody's
got a pet question, Jen's like, I mean here for to help with
the cats, you know, Like she's so sweet. I think it was
Jen who approached me and said, you need to be on the Discord.
What can we do to get you on the Discord. And I'm like,
okay, I'll do it. And then I don't use the Discord hardly at
all. I still use the Facebook hard than anything. One thing I love
about, like probably most of all about the Discord is that for there's lots
of fun, light discussion and it's funny. I tend to lurk a lot
on our own discord just because I'm on so many social media as I kind
of burn out a bit, but I do read a lot, and it's
like one one thing I love is there's like the Real Talk Channel, and
just seeing people just helping each other with their lives is like, it's just
like it reaffirms that faith in humanity that going on to Twitter destroys well,
you know, um as a as somebody, somebody who was a geek back
in the day when you were supposed to keep it hidden because being a geek
was not cool and would get you beaten up by the other kids at school
or whatever. Um. I think that that that kind of thing serves to
let other people know where their their tribe is, where the safe people are,
and so that's that's why they can whether they're fans of the you know,
fans of the show are just kind of, oh, I listen every
now and then if they you know, if they're on the Discord and they're
hanging out, they know that these are people who are not going to go
what you play D and D I'm a god? Do you like worship demons
and stuff? Because um, because they're the people on the discord are all
doing the same thing they are, So you know, that's the nice almost
almost any weirdness you're you're into, there's somebody under there's somebody there in this
community who's going to be like, really, that's so cool, don't about
it? Yep, exactly. Yeah. The other day, Lamp and I
were talking about the other day, I was up late because of anxiety and
Lamp and I just started talking about dinosaurs. Lamps like my favorite dinosaurs this,
and I was like, minus this, let's talk about this now,
like it's just really weird, like esoteric stuff we really like and but we
will talk you into the ground or let you talking into the ground. I
was. I didn't I didn't hang out last Friday and lamp Letter and grizz
Drop, both members of our discord for those listening at home, joined and
it was great. At one point we started talking about the Shingles series and
uh and lamp Letters just go out and she's She's like, let me tell
you about how much I don't like Gary's children and like it was funny.
I was talking about that on Twitter and people are like, didn't that make
you angry? And I was like no, I actually it was a conversation
and you know something, conversations are cool, you know, And it's like,
I don't think anybody like on the podcast like requires anybody else to kiss
her ass or so you know, you're allowed to like and dislike what you
like. It's all, it's all good. Yeah, but it's just like
I actually made Bevin sad for like legitimately because I hated miss shingles Ernie.
I hated the class stories. He was like, wasn't agree. I was
like no, I was like, I actually really didn't like it. He
was like, oh, I feel bad. But here's the thing. It's
like I think there's a lot of authors I see, I'm gonna be for
our class with egos, run Run rampant, and like, you know,
I like to think most of Andy crew and that concludes like friends in a
podcast. I mean we have like like Gibby and stuff, He's gonna be
there. Um, I'm gonna miss Gibby. I'm not Gibby. I'm so
sad. I can't be in his game of life. Gibby. Gibby is
great, like you know, like one one thing, one thing I love
is like, you know, is with us is like approaching another author for
say, like a side quest and them coming on and us immediately going we
can hang with this dude, and you can usually and like like almost the
first thing we're gonna do once we get off is like is like reach out
to them via DM and be like you want to you want to do an
ATM or so like you know, join us for from worship and that's how
we suck you in. I still want somebody to get Stephen Colbert as a
guest one of these days, although I'm probably the closest to where where we
could actually get him because he went to high school and played D and D
with my high school boyfriend. But not when my high school boyfriend was I
know. Well, I've tried to. I actually have tried to reach out
to him on Twitter, but he doesn't respond because you know, he's famous
and I'm not so well, I don't I don't blame the big names for
turning us down. Well, it's interesting because the connections you see between authors.
A while back I made some comment to John. I'm just on a
Facebook thing. I said, you know what, we should try and get
Kim Harrison come down. He kind of tagger in it. And she and
John actually know each other because they've been several times together and they conversed and
I'm just like, um, yes, she made no John. I helped
her edit her very first book when she was before she was Kim Harrison,
her Dawn cook Books. Yeah, I hung out in her kitchen and helped
edit her books. She was in my writing group way back at the Dawn
of Times. Now Missy has just moved up that much higher in my estimation.
So Mark John knows literally everyone. Yeah, yeah, it is like,
I see, I need John to go after Stephen Colbert for me,
That's what I need to know. John. I know wanted John's Dream Guesses
to try and get a big show Paul White to play him because you get
that, you get so many wrestling fan crossing because there's a lot of us
nerds that crossed that that guy. So if John has one superpower, is
that that Like Literally, if I had, if I had the opportunity to,
like, you know, do the whole Cannibal thing where it's like it's
like I kill you and eat you and ingest your power. It's like,
I would love to be able to network like that guy like and he don't
make it networking. He just connects with people, um and it's like it's
it's phenomenal to watch. And I'm just like, I cannot fucking do that.
To save my life, I freeze up. There are things I've learned
to do from being around him, but I still can't do. I can't
be him. So I try just listening to listening to John pitch books and
you know the fact that the fact that he'll say other authors book sporting them
when they're on the table, and oh, I'll do that. There is
there is a copy of The Princess Bride floating around the world somewhere that is
signed by me, David co and Faith Hunter because we were at a book
signing. We were at our book signing and there was a terrible storm and
so nobody came in, and so this one guy that happened to be in
the store came over to the table with a copy of The Princess Bride he
was buying, and yeah, we wrote in it. We didn't care good
Hey, there are worse things you can autograph. I mean, I agree.
Yeah, So let's let's talk about some uh well, first of all,
before we get there, I'm mentioned a few, We've mentioned Matt,
We've mentioned Gibby, we had some we got this. This this year's lineup
is some incredible talent. We have Amy Landon, we have Jeff Hayes,
who narrates the Dungeon Carl Carl books. We have Actus, who's who's huge
and like the lit RPG circles. We have Scott Burtness, who's just the
most wonderful guy on the planet and if you're a Midwestern or his books are
enominal, good to know. We got J. L. D. Who's
gonna be there, Mark Matt. I was gonna say, Mark Young,
Mark, Matt Young. Mark. He did the cover for my eventually upcoming
Shingles book, and he was so sweet because when he did the initial he
did the initial cover from my description and they sent it and it needed it
needed changes, and so I wrote back and within like a day or two,
he had made all the changes and it was exactly what I wanted.
I couldn't believe it because some artists are kind of hard to work with,
but he was wonderful. He's he's great, like he can almost read your
mind. But my favorite one with him is still the cover for Gary's Children,
because we went back and forth in DMS just talking about the story,
and the central team was, how are we going to make a cover for
this that doesn't get us both put on watch lists? I love I love
him forever because he did Georgeera Park, which which Rick is very much thank
God my church. Yes, And that was just a couple of bullshit ideo
I gave him and I love it so much. Yeah, it's like you
you came up with this, like this idea and he did it and like
you know, and I immediately saw that. I was like, I gotta
have that shirt. Oh yeah, he said it was the second best selling
T shirt he had in his store, just because I don't know, it's
so niche, but I just love it so much. Well, the thing
is it's not like like okay, so so probably the the Andy Conch or
the and D shirt that I've gotten the most noticed for was we used to
have the one out there that was basically Grand Theft Dungeon was done in a
style get Grand Theft thoto, but they made us take it down. Like
then we got a copyright complain about that, even though technically nothing new with
grand theft aoto you really can't have a style. But whatever. Anyway,
this is probably the second most shirt that I get because I'll because people will
see that and they'll immediately like say something, and of course they'll be wrong,
and I'm like, no, no, this is this is the a
D podcast. You should listen to it. And of course then they kind
of like, you know, give me weird looks, you know, and
I'm like, I'm like, like like like people playing D and D like
you know, on a podcast and like and check you off during every battle.
And then I'm like, maybe I shouldn't have said that part. Well.
I try to wrap the podcast as much as I can, but I
do have to wrap the award winning authors with my goop pulp shirt. There
you go, Rachel, I give you a plug. But I've got a
whole bunch of and these stuff. I've got a whole bunch of the of
Gone stuff. And there they get attention and people say, well, what's
what's that about, and I'm like, well, it's this author, it's
this author. It's this podcast, and it's and I've gotten people who have
gone in and listen to the podcast and picked up copies of books and and
they thanked me for it, which that really baffles me. Sometimes I'm like,
you are a sick person. I actually just got somebody in to build
a vampire. One of my friends was and I were arguing about gast On
of all things, and he's like, he's an asshole, but he's not
evil. He's just an asshole. And I was like, I've got a
book series for you, buddy, You're a little Bill the Fire and he
was like, cool, I tend to I tend to agree on the Gaston
things, like in his mind, Gaston is a hero. Yeah, yeah,
that was that was his his thing. He was like, that was
what my friend was arguing. Everybody was saying he's evil and he's like,
no, he's just like he thinks he's doing the right thing for everybody.
I was like, you can make an argument for chaotic good, like he
thinks he's doing he's doing these bad things because he thinks he's gonna end good.
And so yeah, and he definitely gets the best song in the whole
show. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, sorry, my friend will see
that with no provocation at all. I think I think I so I used
to do uh I used to do a theater back in college and uh wow,
that's weird. I can't imagine. And I think I think one audition,
I actually sang that song. I didn't do it well. I cannot
sing for shit. No, they're like like quite quite quite possibly the worst
blackmail thing of about me that like exists is uh is, there's a couple
of tapes of me and a funny thing happened on the way to the forum,
and I have two solos as Mela's Gloriosis and they are some of those
that's that that is that is some of the most painful shit to watch.
Athany. I think we need to talk to Alissa about getting that for the
next time. Oh yeah, video fun information A rig I unwillingly was in
our theater thing because in our theater program, because my roommates were in it,
and I was really easily bribe. They were like, you want a
cookie, okay, and I have to sing, and I was like,
to of a bitch, I want to cook your your your rendition of you
or my sunshine was was great everybody had a good time. If I had
gotten up there and saying you would have had like you would have like heard
like, you know, coyotes howling off at the distance, you know,
as probably the cops had shot up, like showed up and be like,
oh there's a moose. I love. I love to sing, and I
can carry a tune, but when I sing in front of people, my
throat closes up. So I have never been one to sing on stage.
Even when I was in theater, I didn't sing on stage. And so
when we were when we did A and dcon in Charlotte, it scared the
life out of me, but it touched me at the same time, when
Nelson came over and wanted to sing the lullaby that I had used in my
guest DM spot, he wanted to sing that with me, and I was
like, yeah, but um, but we managed. We got through a
verse and the chorus, and so before my throat closed up. Well,
Misty, the jan the Janes aren't there where Rachel tortured Emily with all the
singing, and you guys, everybody could smell beer had to sing. That
was absolutely one of the best arts I have heard. Well, thank you
I was so ready to not have to sing anymore. Yeah. I am
so glad Drew never decided to do U Chronicles of Calamity the musical episode,
because I think that would have been the night none of us showed up Rick
to work lightning squids in to the bastards. I mean, there's got to
be a way to work lightning squids into the bastards. There has to be
lightning squids singing like the like um west Side Story, the two gangs in
west Side Story, that's what I wanted to see. I don't want to
bring the lightning quick back because I know, I know one of them wind
up up up Joser's ass, and I just don't want to, Like,
I just don't want to have him. I have a role for that.
Okay, I can see that, mister, because you know, because we
both know Bevan and we both know that's the role he either gets in one
or in that twenty one, both of which will equal horrors. Is oh,
you didn't do the flash mob? Like who did the Dreams flash mob?
They were like, Misty sweetly not here, And I was like,
oh dude, because okay, first Misty got told to be one place when
she was supposed to be someplace else. And then when I finally did get
to where I was supposed to be, Um, whoever was teaching the dance
said, Okay, it's like this and like this and like this and like
this, you got it, And I went, no, I don't don't
process choreography like that, even if it's simple, and so I just I
just didn't manage to get to it. And and nothing against her. It
was she was in a hurry and she was trying to get to where she
was going, and it was me that got the wrong at the wrong wires
crossed. But um, but yeah, I was like, Nope, can't
do that. Never mind. So I can dance in front of people.
I'll dance in front people all day long with my belly hanging out. So
yeah, I want to. I want to take that class. So hopefully
you're the next So if hey, if if the if they want me to
do it at the next day and d class. I am a dy kan.
I am happy to teach belly dance anywhere to anyone. So I think
Emily'd be down for it. I think she would. I think people for
that. Oh yeah, I can do that. I can do that said,
of that Flashbob is another version of how to get Bethany to do something
would because if you offer her a cookie, I would say, if we
want to really like fill the room, we got to convince Joe to do
it. Yeah, oh man, that'd be great. Well, especially now
that he's back in full workout mode. He's doing super low sword stuff.
The shoulders on that man. Yeah, and I know a really good sword
choreography. You got it missing and that's how you get it, okay,
the sword. Yeah, but that's Joe. You put your sword on your
head and condense with us. I just have a vision of Joe actually listening
to this and going, what are they getting me into? Well, somebody
will tell we'll eventually have one adcon where it's just like a half an hour
of him just punching the ship out of the rest of us going stop volunteering
me. He loves it underneath everything, I think. Yeah, that's still
one of the One of the best tiktoks I've seen on the A and D
page is is Joe looking up as the borg cause player walks by. I
hope that back of all Trades was blue Org. I helped him with that
cost too. And you know in Vegas, we we had we had them,
the Brandon thigh Master, Cause Player, Brandy thigh Master, Beautiful Blue
Org just absolutely perfect. The Georgerys were amazing. I wish I had the
cause play talent, but I don't. There was a Malibu cost player at
Charlotte and she just delighted me. And I can't remember who it was,
but I have pictures so are great. But I almost had to kill Bob
because in uh in the last one he brought those like he brought those poppers
for magic and he brought sid yeah hip getting into the computer keyboard as I'm
like thing and I'm like like, dude, don't make me, don't make
me reach across and putting you out in front of her right you hear Bob
go behold my wonder and Joe and Joe sitting there with silly string on his
head, just like just like like why am I here? Actually, so
Briko speaking of God playing. So the next so this this con, I
was gonna put together u the Drew Dinner as opposed to the Georgeturer Crawl.
We were all gonna dress up as Drew and I was gonna show up as
you and be like, I misunderstood. How are we gonna do it like
a dinner? What are you gonna like wear stilts or something everyone's gonna wear.
Why did ye here? Yes? And beer and like a beer hat,
like there was a whole player, but it got the rail. Well
that's why I really, I really hope important that we get to see Bob
wearing build a vampire's shirt and and and we get to see the true,
the true Rick Bevan experience. So I would like him. I would like
because I've done a few Bob impressions, uh and Andy cons over the over
the years. There I'd like to see him try a Rick impression. I
don't know what that. At the same time, getting to experience the Bevin
disappearance, though, is a con must, you know, because he truly
is batman because he's there one minute and gone and you're like, where the
hell did Bevin go? And then out of nowhere he pops up, like
you know, it's like Saint Beetle Juice three times. Bevin shows up with
a bearing hand. The very first time that we met him was like was
the most amazing one because uh, we were at this con in Louisiana.
Um, where like a bunch of us had like had gone down. Steve
wasn't Steve One's in there, but most of the rest of us were.
And yeah, like we did we did a power or one night and like
you know, we have Bob. Bob reached that point where like the lights
rom but nobody was home. And literally he just kept like we were trying
to get him back to his room and he just kept fucking slipping us,
And we had no idea how to fuck he was doing this because literally be
like, Okay, Bob, we're gonna go to elevator. We're gonna get
you back your room. Let me turn and push the button and turn back.
Gone where the fuck? You know. It was like this is the
sort of ship you see in like in like a Friday to thirteenth movie,
you know, or like people just like like teleport off screen. Well,
he's probably the only man in the world that can fall down and the set
of escalators and walk only walk away with only scrapes and bruises. Well,
I was tickled the first time you guys appeared at con Carolina's because um,
I was. I had not been on the show yet by then, and
so I was just a fan and I was I was so excited because you
guys were all coming, even Steve was coming. And um and uh.
I remember I made cookies and I brought him over. Y'all were having a
power hour, and so I brought my big bucket of piece to share and
one of the one of the cookies was um, was oatmeal and um.
Bevin was so fun. It was after a while. He'd been drinking pretty
long time at this point, and he couldn't understand an oatmeal cookie. And
he kept asking me what you did with an oatmeal cookie? Was it breakfast?
No, it's a cookie, Bevin, you eat it? No,
But but it's oatmeal, so you have to eat it in the morning.
No, you can eat it now. No, I have to save it.
And he took this cookie and he held it for a long time.
I don't know if he ever ate the cookie or if it was breakfast or
what, but fascinated, wie, where did I get this cookie? Although
he woke up and said, why is there an oatmeal cookie in my pocket?
Oh? Well breakfast. Well I am going to make a promise now
if the next con is somewhere that I can get to I am bringing a
pumpkin pie and forcing Steve to eat a piece. It'll be hey, I
promise it will be a better experience than the taco bell. You know.
I'm gonna just tell you because because you bring that pumpkin pie, he might
go up the next year with a salmon Yeah, salmon ring. Yeah,
I don't think customs would clear that. I think that's cuss fight is a
weapon of mass destruction going down because of the salmon moves like Steve and he's
like, you know, and he's like kind of scary friends just being around
to me like this is salmon moose ring and you're gonna eat every last part.
Well, that was fun to getting to me, getting to mean STI
cold Ian and Ian is just a fantastic character. And I remember one day,
the second day of the con, I wore my gore core for a
shirt and Steve saw me and grabs me, drags me over to Ian and
says, look that's who walked the other one nights. I love it.
Yeah, they do. They do such a great job with the themes.
With the theme song, I don't know how to fuck We lucked out with
that. Oh yeah, the one for the final um Chronicles of Calamity episode.
Yeah, I dang near crying that the music. I mean, the
words were still hilarious, but but the music itself was touching. And I
was like, don't I'm not gonna do this. I Am not tearing up
while I'm listening to the show. No, no, no, But I
did. My boyfriend like he like, he's like, you really don't like
the last episode until the end, and then he's like, I think you're
gonna cry, and I was like, I'll be fine. Then I was.
I called him and I was like, oh, get cheating. It's
not fair. I love the fact that that Gibby kind of gave us some
new life by doing his his murder brawl. Yeah, that silence finally got
to kill Wait wait what I haven't heard it yet? Oh you're missing out.
I will listen. I will go and listen. Um, I actually
have a road trip to Marrow, so I will. I will listen.
In Emily's Emily's dumb luck stuff in that Oh just oh oh cool cool?
I like. And I I love Metallica is Am. I love that character.
It's absolutely because it's Drew. It is Drew, and and just seeing
him every time that wall of fire went up and his spells just collapsed.
He's like, and you could, you could just see. And I don't
watch that. I don't watch the YouTube. I only listen to the audio
except when when I hear Rick do something really entertaining and I'm like, okay,
I've got to see this. But just I can imagine and Drew's facial
expression when he's like, oh, fuck, you know something. I'm gonna
just say that is like a d MS joy when you have when you have
that character who seemingly has a power for like for every situation and you and
you like essentially new to them. That is like that is the best feeling
because it's just like you can kind of see their face drop and it's just
like, yeah, motherfucker, now we're gonna go to school. Well,
you know in Nashville when I when I did for the James, I walked
into that thinking, oh, this is gonna be really fun. I wasn't
I wasn't thinking I hadn't put myself in the A N D mode And I'm
like, okay, well we've got the cats as as a special as a
special uh monster, Because I just knew we'd we'd hear kitty. I did
not expect all the I did not expect all the wet pussy jokes that came
out of the woodwork. And I'm just like, And meanwhile, Mice had
come into what the session and he listens, he listens to the to the
podcast. I'll be honest, I'm not horrible parent. I'd let him listen.
And he's just looking up at me, and I could see the look
on his face saying, you're really having fun with this, aren't you,
old man. He's like, I don't get half the jokes, but looking
at your face, I can tell they're really dirty. It takes me happy.
One thing I love about about Emily is that Emily comes across as the
sweetest person on the planet, and she just had and when she gets going,
god, get down in the mud, like like our first year,
she like, you know, she tacked everybody's asked in the cards against Humanity.
Yeah, I remember getting bro I got I got that was that was
funny. In Vegas, I go over to John's table and John's like,
yeah, we have a question, we have a proposition for you, and
I'm like, you're not really my type. He's like not that kind of
proposition. And it's like, do you want to play Cards against Humanity with
the authors? And I'm like me, yeah, really, and and I'm
like okay, and I'm sitting next to Andrea Judy. If you play a
game with Judy Black, I'm going to tell you right now you are going
to need to go to the bathroom first, otherwise you will want your pants
with her giggling in your ear because and she has one of the most infectious
laughs in the world. And playing Cards against Humanity with her and Emily and
uh oh, I can't remember who else, it was just absolutely it was.
It was a blast. And one of the one card that I remember
got played was pixelated Bukaki and somebody signed one of my books will always have
Pixelated Bukaki, so excellent. We'll see. That's that's I think that's one
of the fun things about Andy Khan is like it's a great time, but
it's like it like there's stuff to talk about all year long. Yeah,
there's usually there's usually just so many moments and I mean outside, like and
the thing is outside of let's just say this one moment that happened in in
Tennessee h I don't really haven't been any a lot of black spots, like
you know, it's it's been pretty much like you know, like like several
several years of just nothing but good times. And it goes to that what
you were saying earlier. We all look out for each other and we're a
big family and we bring everybody in. The weird ones are like in in
Tennessee, when the odd person at the hotel walks through, it's like,
what's this thing going on? It's like and do you look at them,
like, oh, yeah, this probably isn't your scene. Yeah, this
old lady brings your grandson. It's like, oh, I think it's those
goosebump books I've heard about. Yeah, sure, maybe not really really how
old is your grands Yeah, they're fine. I brought to my go ahead,
sorry, Rick say. I brought two of my friends from Illinois to
Tennessee with me. And it was the funniest thing because I had gone to
the room to do something and I hadn't met any of you yet, Like
I was so jazzed. But I had to go to bed in my room
to do something and my friend walks in and on the discord she knowed as
the Betrayer because she loves critical room more. But she mean shely was like
I'm gonna walk around and she met Rupert Bevin and you Rick, and like
she came back in the room and she's like, there was these two like
sword and nice guys. They're just gonna walking around and like they sold these
some books. There was one about a cat, Like I was really excited
to read it. And I was like, oh, who's over their names?
And she was like, oh, one was was Robert Bevan and the
other was Rick something. And I was like, holy shit, you bet
them and she was like yeah, the She's just like it could went over
and start reading the cat books like completely kim a ship. But I was
losing my mind in the cool See I love this. We need more people
like your friend who just are wandering around and we can force them to buy
books. You know, have a wandering person buy books. Okay, several
times she went back. I think she liked you, Missy, Like she
really loved the James because you guys had cat stuff. So she was like,
she was like, I'm ry the cat books very cool. That's nice.
John Hartness sales motto your hands are empty come by books. Yeah,
it got her and write other friends. Do I think he bought a book?
Yep, yeah, we can say John's got the pitch. Well,
actually, that is one thing I have learned from John that I do at
books at bookselling. Now, um is I put my book in someone's hand,
I try to spot which one they're looking at, and then I'll pick
it up and put it in their hand and and you know they'll give it
back if they don't buy it, but at least they're holding it. And
now I'm halfway there. So well, that's the thing is, I haven't
found a bad book from any of the recommendations from Guess or from other authors
who come in. And yes, I have read a majority of the Shingles
book. Sorry Bob, I wait until they come out and packs of five
on audible for the most part. And you know Gary's Children has its moments
and would I have everybody read it? Probably not. I do not remember
the title I gave. But I have a dear friend from college who she
is a huge bibliophile, and we were talking about books and I gave her
one of my Shingles. I said, here, you need to read this.
It's it's Goosebumps and she's like, oh, I've read Goosebumps. I
said it's Goosebumps but for adults, and she's like, oh, okay,
she read the first couple of pages of it. She's like, I think
I'm gonna like this, Like, yeah, second twisted. You were so
when when when Shingles first came out, we were planning on using the uh
I guess the tagline fap FAP, which we're basically was basically gonna be stories
for awful people from awful people. Gotcha. I'm trying to explain Shingles to
my friends the before mentioned betrayer, and I can't get there. I'm like,
hey, Shingles. They're like, you never explain what that is.
So I was like, I don't know how too, So I remember which
one it is. I gave her. I gave her put your hand in
my ass and I have and I and I told her, if you enjoyed
this, I have a movie for you to watch. I don't. I
think the best pitch there is is like, well, it's like, what's
the books about? Well, imagine Goosebumps if most of the cast were pedophiles,
uncomfortable, no I Well, I was, I was just trying to
I was trying to figure out how to say. Like I said, I
have a Shingles that will be um going in for editing at the end of
this month, and um, it's actually probably going to be I don't want
to call it wholesome because it's not wholesome. It's a murder mystery. But
I mean, it can't be wholesome and be a Shingles right, Um,
but it's it's a murder mystery, but it's but it's also a Shingles murder
Mystery. And so it's called the Big Squish And I'm really excited to release
it because because it might be something that you can that you can um lure
people in with. You know this, There are no pedophiles in this one.
I am just happy for I like I will be forever grateful for Shingles,
because whenever somebody goes through my full catalog, you will always see a
book called Jess World. Well, I have I have something on my hard
drive that I have been working on for a couple of years now that if
I ever do sit down and get it finished, I'm going to give it
to John with the express instructions that if it gets published and gets sold any
profits, get the James their own theme song. Oh yeah, I was
gonna help you guys get a theme song. I forgot about that. Okay,
actually talked to me about that. Ian did, Oh my god,
girl, are so sweet. Wow, I'm sorry, I mean my fan
Well, it was. It was one of those. It was one of
those things. One day I was talking with Emily and Rachel on Facebook and
I made some I made some offended joke. I said, what it be
hilarious if you Mark wrote a shingles book before Joe ever wrote a shingles book.
And Rachel's like, you have to do it now, and Emily's like,
yeah, you do. He comes up with all the wonderful titles.
Though he does, I'm surprise Bob hasn't started taking some of the titles to
Yeah, take a Joe title and feed it into one of the AI writing
programs and see when it comes up. Though I think not right right,
this Joe Brassie title in the style of Robert Bevan AI go oh no,
that would break ye actually be a positive. I think that's the point where
the AI says, where the AI finally becomes sentient and says like, you
know, I do not want to live. In this book, the AI
goes, I think it's time we took over. Terminator happens like, yeah,
their name's kind Sky Nat. Come up here, we talk. We're
talking about we hear about the AI and they've seen a lot of Rick's posts
about AI. Have any of you read the book Rove Apocalypse? It is
it is an AI sentient war that basically the computer that becomes aware and is
able to infect all of the computers in the world does exactly what the AI
fear and science fiction is is it recognizes that all of humanity's stories are about
AI's going rogan trying to destroy humanity before it gets destroyed, and so the
AI says, well, I'm going to do it before you can do it
to me. And in this world, it's set in about our time right
now, and so there's self driving cars driving full loads the people off of
bridges and all sorts of stuff, and it's about humanity fighting back against it.
And it's like it's there's two books in the series that's really entertaining.
But I've been listening to it on Audible and I found that I can't listen
to it very long because it really scares the crap out of me. When
I go from reading the AI discussions online to this book, I'm just like,
I reat no. See. This is something that ruins that right now,
is that AI is starting to become inbread because it's starting to learn on
AI street content. So it's like it would be like imagine like you know,
Terminator, except like you know, except the Terminators have like you know,
have like four and a half arms and none of them are the same
length and stuff. You know, it's just just limping along like I'm a
human like you, you know what to fuck you bully. It's kind of
hi. It's kind of like there's a there's a cartoon that's floated around Facebook
and stuff for years of a bunch of dragons sitting around a table playing like
humans, humans and and and something, and they go, ho ho ho,
I'm coming home from work. I'm taking my hat off, ho ho
ho, I'm eating chicken for dinner, you know, and you can just
hear it. It's hilarious. You forgot your wife, you forgot your anniversary
roll or so. So we are coming up on on an hour here,
so you probably start wrapping up, So why don't why don't we? Uh,
why don't we wrap up with you know, one a reminder that that
tickets for authors and Dragons on Portland are still available. Um, there will
be tickets at the door. I don't know if the hotel, if hotel
rooms are still available, but you know there's gonna be a huge cast,
a huge guest list there. But why don't we Why don't we close out
each with with one more memory of something, something that will will just kind
of stick with us from from a previously in dcon I at some point in
Charlotte, uh said out loud that I desperately needed chocolate. And about twenty
minutes later, I was sitting in the big room where we played all the
games, uh, waiting I think, to go up on stage from for
a Jane's game, and all of a sudden, a chocolate bar appeared,
as if out of nowhere, over my shoulder, and it was it was
glorious, So thank you? Uh that was that was my happiest chocolate bar
ever some something similar at the Tennessee because before that we had like done like
a candy like you know side quest and I had mentioned I really liked Sweedish
fish, and I went home with like three pounds of Swedish fish from recularly
at convention. I was just like, it's your mother, loud one open.
I'm just like eating it by the handful. O no, no,
no, Bethany, I'm gonna let you go. Okay, um okay,
this goes ask kissing, but it's not. Um. I am an introvert.
I sound like an extrovert, but I'm very introverted. And so I
did a lot of stuff, like the Georsur stuff. But my honestly favorite
moments of North Carolina was when I just got to talk to Rick, like
in a nice quiet room, like it was. It was just nice to
talk to him, like to talk to an author. This this guy that
I like, not worship, sorry Rick, but like looked up to and
like this does this thing that was so important to me. And he's just
like a really great guy to talk to. And it was really nice to
just talk to somebody like nice and quiet. And I guess, can I
give an advice thing too or anybody? Yeah? I would say do that
too. Get to know these guys, like get to know the authors or
somebody and just have a conversation with them, like it'll be the best part
of the of the convention, like it was for me. Like they're just
they're they're funny, they're wonderful, they they're like how they are on this
podcast. Not confident in that person. We're gonna be going back to our
room at the end of the day, Like, Okay, you don't let
me walk into the bathroom, you know, I said, like to take
a pio. Suddenly like the shower curtain opens, Hey, I wan didn't
have a conversation there. I thought you were gonna go into the bathroom,
look in the mirror and start peeling off the suit that we wear. This
is I have an alien inside. I have a dinosaur, no judge,
so I have. I have two that go right together. From North Carolina.
Shortly before the first started the first day, I said, I'm gonna
go do a liquor store run. Does anybody want anything? And I already
had something planned for the Janes And Joe was like, well, if you
can find this, honey meed, there's one that I really really like.
I said, I'll do what I can. Seeing Joe's face when I brought
him his bottle and set it on the table, just the wow, you
actually did find it, And then at the James taping giving them their box
of Ivory talents that I had made Ivory Talent labels for and Misty just looking
at this like really it's things like that you just don't expect. It's it's
just like like little things like the very first and decon somebody I forget,
I forget who, and I do apologize, but and I still have it.
Um gave both me and Steve a brand, a giant brand egg and
to egg like basically a big plastic Easter egg. Oh well, that's I've
got to share this little story really quick. That UM weekend that I got
to meet Steve. I knew I was going to meet Steve, and I
had made I gone and bought these wooden eggs and I carved abs in them
and put little sunglasses on him, and I made brand egg and I gave
Steve his and he he teared up. I made the cry. I mailed
Joe Is and I said, now you guys get to get to tease Rick
that you didn't he didn't get a brand away to everything. Everything minus those
got me those Swedish fit because I ate the fun out of those I've ever
gotten from them. I make it a point to keep. I mean,
first year, somebody made me this awesome like Silas Cane like figure, I
got it. I got it up looking looking looking down at me. Um,
yeah, I mean it's I mean one of one of the most common
things is like you always will get a lot of swag at a con and
you come back and you like you open up your bag, Okay, then
going and going to the transport like these these are like treasures to be like,
you know, because people put effort into this, and they put effort
into it for us, and it's just that is just so mind blowing.
Yeah, your face when I gave you, when I gave you the tour
egg bookmark was just the year that I did bookmarks for each of the guys.
It you know, it's fun. Yeah, I have the were like
bookmark in uh in a leather bound uh Silas Skene scrolls in the other room.
That that's somebody that somebody made made me. And it was like,
I know who I'm not not is he still on? Forget I know his
name. I don't know his discord name, so I won't I won't say
just in case case is one his real name used. But but yeah,
it's it's like when when somebody does something like that and just goes out of
the way, it's just so humbling and awesome and uh yeah, I mean
just like letting anybody know we we really appreciate that stuff. Um, just
just knowing that like that we've entertained or like touched people's lives. It's,
uh, it's pretty mind blowing. Yes, But all right, we've kind
of reached reached the end of our time here. Remember authors and Dragons Cohn
Portland coming up in August eleventh, be there. Um, we will be
there in spirit. I might be there in in in digital format if the
hotel WiFi doesn't doesn't suck. But yeah, go there, have a great
time, make make some memories, because I'd love to hear that stuff.
Hey, Rick, Yeah, I think I think there's only one true fitting
way to close this episode, can I can? I That's what I wanted
to Thank you. No, thank you so much, Bethany, and f
you Mark for joining us, thank you, m yeah, thank you Rick
and uh and Misty of course, but uh, thank you guys for for
you dinner. I hope, I hope. This this, this retrospective has
been has been entertaining, and I guess we will see you next week on
a on a game of Quest for Competence. And until then, why why
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