Sierra Is Here! Diana and I brought home our adoptive daughter Sierra Grace Glyer on February 7, two days after she was born. She weighed in at 7 lbs. 10 oz. and measured 20-1/2 inches in length. She has big blue eyes and light brown hair. We couldn't be happier!

     How did this miracle begin? Last July, one of Diana's students discovered that she was pregnant and talked with us about adopting her baby. As some of our friends know, we've wanted children, had worked with doctors, and unsuccessfully pursued an international adoption. So when the birth mother decided to have her baby and give it up for adoption, she thought

On November 20 a version of Stephen King's It came to Tennessee and got to the officers of ConCat 13 three days before their convention was scheduled to begin at the Knoxville Hyatt Regency hotel. Vaporization!

     The hotel demanded that the committee (excuse the expression) regurgitate $3,200 by the first day of the con. This, ConCat could not do. Thus, I received a phone call from Zig McMillan shortly before noon -- the daytime witching hour -- that the convention was cancelled. I recall thanking Zig, the Knoxville Area Science Fiction Association's current Treasurer, because I live in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and the drive to Knoxville was going to be a long one and depending on my mood and my derriere possibly an overnight stay at a Superwhatever before arriving.

     After the "Turkey weekend," Zig answered my questions about ConCat's situation. The con usually draws 250 each year. There were 50 preregistrations sent to KASFA and 35 rooms reserved at the hotel (mine being one of them). Most of the preregistrants have offered to let KASFA carry over their registration to ConCat 14 in 2002. Each KASFA board member made calls to people informing them about 13's cancellation. 

     According to Zig, the Knoxville Hyatt Regency has a less than pristine history with KASFA; e.g., (and I'm quoting Zig) "…last year if you called the 800 line and asked for a room for ConCat, you were told you had to call between 8-4 and ask for sales!" The Board will consider whether to change hotels in 2002 at its next meeting. The KASFA web site, http://www.kasfa.org, says planning begins immediately for 2002. Personally, I hope it's not at the same hotel.

     So much for -- I think -- every con's planning committee biggest fear of all materializing in everyday life! We must try to keep in mind that hotel staffers are really nothing more than Vogon mundanes who can be so BEMish at times! Next year will be all right. Maybe. But it wouldn't hurt for us all to sleep with one eye open on our hotel front desks whenever we stop for the night or day while driving down our personal byways.

Murray Moore, Torcon 3's Hotel and Facilities Committee chair, is keeping his eye on how well local hotels handle unusual groups. He predicts the Holiday Inn will find fans much easier to serve than the 400-plus Hells Angels who recently gathered to celebrate the first anniversary of the Ontario chapter.
     Moore, tongue-in-cheek, notes that fans and Hells Angels have the same problem dealing with the media: "News people don't go beyond taking photographs of the most photographic members of the group in their distinctive costume."
     Moore was mildly disappointed to have missed the gathering: "[If I had attended] I could have gotten advice from their contract negotiator, Mad Dog Bob. I could have learned interesting tips by asking questions such as 'What is your weapons policy?', 'Were you able to negotiate late checkout?', 'How many Harleys have you managed to park here in the lobby?', and 'Did the hotel, anticipating a shooting, make you give them a large deposit?'"