Thank You PensaCon 2019

It’s that time of year, and once again, I get to write a heartfelt “Thank You” that has become somewhat of a tradition for me. I touched down in Charlotte, North Carolina yesterday after having once again enjoyed a most marvelous time at a most marvelous convention. That convention is PensaCon, held in the arena located in downtown Pensacola, Florida, and it is, bar none, my favorite convention on the entire circuit.

If you are a fan of genre film, tv, books, comics, graphic novels, cartoons, and all things geek, then I highly recommend that you find a way to hit PensaCon next February. If you love being around fellow-geeks, then you should come. If you want to see an entire town that gets into the fun, then clear your calendar for the next PensaCon.

You will not be disappointed.

Mike Ensley, the show-runner, puts together a fantastic list of stars and creatives from across the globe, and I have to admit, I don’t know how he does it year after year. I have seen a truly staggering list of personalities walking the halls of that show, and I’ve even had the privilege of sharing a meal with folks like Nichelle Nichols, Colin Baker, and the guys from Pinky and the Brain, to name only a few. Every year, the list grows by leaps and bounds.

And that’s just what you see on stage.

Ensley’s staff is one of the hardest working groups of people I’ve ever had the privilege to be around. Every single one of them, from drivers, handlers, and catering to the runners, gophers, and assistants, all of them go out of their way to make every single guest feel like they’re at home. Let’s face it, I’m still very small potatoes compared to the list of personalities that hit PensaCon every year, and I have always felt as welcome and valued as the cast of Indiana Jones or Bill Shatner or any other big name you are likely to see. Everyone is at home at PensaCon. I CANNOT thank Mike and his entire staff enough for the thoughtfulness they show ALL of their guests every year.

What’s more, the entire town gets into the fun. When you first step off the plane, you discover that each gate has been renamed as a Stargate. I get a picture every year, and it’s always a treat to see it. Most of the businesses along the main strip are just as enthusiastic. There are movie marathons in the bars, and the staff at most restaurants dress up in their favorite costumes. It’s a three-day celebration of all things geek, and I absolutely love being able to play with all the other fans.

I also need to give a shout out to Alexi Vandenberg and Bard’s Tower. He has taken on the mantle of running a bookstore there at the show, and as a result, I get to work with an incredible list of established and new authors every year. This year, we had such greats as Sherrilyn Kenyon, Mercedes Lackey, Larry Dixon, Eric Flint, Chuck Ganon, David Webber, and Dave Butler. I also got to work with some rising stars like Kevin Ikenberry, Christopher Ruocchio, and Brian Lee Durfee. I also worked with some fantastic up-and-comers like JB Garner, Michelle Cori, Marianne Morea, Kuta Marler, Amryn Scott, and Thad Diaz.

Most importantly, I need to thank my own fans who come to PensaCon and stop by the booth. This business is hard sometimes, and like most writers, I’m full of doubt. But whenever I go to PensaCon, there is a list of readers who keep coming back for more of my writing. I’ll tell you, nobody makes me feel like I’m doing a good job like the fans at PensaCon. I cannot thank you enough, and in no small part, it’s because of you that I always try to launch a new book every year at your show. You are the reason my books come out in February whenever I can manage it, and it is my intention to keep doing that for as long as I can. I owe you all, and I can’t thank you enough for all the support you show me each year.

I am truly grateful to have had the opportunity to work with and meet such amazing people in and outside the booth, and all I can say is that PensaCon is at the top of the list of shows I look forward to every year. The others include DragonCon, Kansas City, and a few others, but the one that I won’t give up as my writing schedule gets busier is that mid-sized show in the out-of-the-way town called Pensacola.

If I could only do one show a year, it would probably be PensaCon, with DragonCon being a close second. The best part is that I don’t really have to choose. I’m in a position where I get to do both. PensaCon has the small-town, family gathering feel for a convention, but with all the trimmings, whereas, DragonCon is the best Mega-Convention around.

The truth is, I have been incredibly fortunate over the years, and I will be grateful for everything that comes my way. It just so happens that the lion’s share of those good vibes and good fortune come out of the panhandle of Florida.

So, permit me to offer a heartfelt THANK YOU ALL to my fans, Mike Ensley, the folks who work for him, the stars he invites, Alexi Vandenberg, the authors in the booth, and literally every single person in Pensacola, Florida. It is you who make PensaCon my favorite show, and I wish you all the very best. Here’s to seeing you all again you next year, if I’m permitted the privilege of attending as a guest.

 

Sincerely,

Quincy J. Allen
Cross-Genre Author at Large