It’s time to head to Providence, Rhode Island for the third annual StokerCon, where I was able to break bread with three fascinating creators—long-time friend Paul Di Filippo, plus two of the con’s Guests of Honor, Victor LaValle and Elisabeth Massie.

Paul Di Filippo has published more than than 200 short stories—which as you’ll hear, I teased him about as conversation began—and has appeared in such magazines as Asimov’s Science Fiction, The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction,  Interzone, and many others. Some of those stories have been collected in The Steampunk Trilogy, Ribofunk, Fractal Paisleys, Lost Pages, Little Doors, Strange Trades, Babylon Sisters, and many, many others. And then there are the novels, such as Ciphers, Joe’s Liver, Fuzzy Dice, A Mouthful of Tongues, and Spondulix. He’s been a finalist for the Hugo, Nebula, British Science Fiction Association, Philip K. Dick, Wired magazine, and World Fantasy awards. He was also my go-to reviewer back when I edited Science Fiction Age and then, for the Syfy Channel’s Science Fiction Weekly.

Paul’s the one who suggested Angelo’s Civita Farnese as our venue. The Italian restaurant was opened in Providence 1924 by Angelo Mastrodicasa. Paul’s entree of french fries with meatballs, a combination I’ve never seen before, turned out to be one of Angelo’s signature dishes, started during the Depression as a way for customers to fill up without emptying their wallets.

We discussed why the first story he ever wrote was Man from U.N.C.L.E. fan fiction, the pact he made with a childhood friend which explains why he owns none of the Marvel Comics he read as a kid, what caused the editor who printed his debut story to make the bold claim it would be both his first and last published piece of fiction, how his life changed once he started following Ray Bradbury’s rule of writing at least 1,000 words per day, why he’s written so much alternate history and for which famous person he’s had the most fun imagining a different life, why after a career in science fiction and fantasy he’s begun a series of mystery novels, what happened to the never-published Batman story he sold DC Comics which we never got to see, and much more.

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Check out what Paul and I shared that afternoon in Providence—

Rabe Rolls
sautéed rabe blended with sweet Italian sausage and
sharp provolone cheese in a deep fried thin crust wrapper

Garlic Bread with Parmesan Cheese

Calamari
breaded and fried, then blended with hot pepper rings, olives,
roasted red peppers, and spices, topped with pecorino romano cheese

Meatballs and French Fries

Veal Parmesan

Mini Cannolis

Still hungry? Then I hope you’ll join me two weeks from now when when I sit down for dinner at a Portuguese restaurant with Victor LaValle, author of the chilling novel The Changeling, which was (among other things) recognized as one of 2017’s ten best books by the New York Public Library.

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