I began my Balticon experience by running into in the parking lot of the Hunt Valley Inn. I don’t mean that literally, even though what I shared about my first-you-see-it-now-you-don’t reading might lead you to believe otherwise.

David pulled the program book out of the trunk of his car and showed me a second case of Edelman confusion by the con committee—his picture tied to my biographical blurb, as you’ll see more clearly by clicking on the scan at right. I’ve never had this sort of problem before, though during my con-going of the late ’70s and early ’80s, writers who were angry with Scott Edelstein (after his publisher backed out of several anthologies for which he’d already accepted stories) would occasionally track me down to complain.

When the call eventually comes for panel ideas for next year’s Balticon, I’m going to suggest that David and I team up to put on a joint presentation to be called something like “A Field Guide to the Edelmans,” in which we describe our distinguishing characteristics and explain how to tell us apart.

Surprisingly, considering that Balticon is such an intimate convention, further review of the program book reveals a number of attendees whom I did not run into, either literally or metaphorically—Catherine Asaro, Joshua Bilmes, Brenda Clough, and Ernest Lilly, among others. Later, I’ll report on those with whom I did interact.

But for now, it’s Memorial Day, the sun is shining, and all of the new plants we bought Saturday are begging to be put into the ground.

Contrary to what I reported earlier, I will not be reading at Balticon on Sunday morning. My slot was inadvertently listed in the pocket program as belonging to David Louis Edelman, and though the con committee graciously offered to return the time to me and publicize the change, I felt that most attendees would rely on the program book for planning out their days, and so most would not know I was reading at all or while others would show up looking for David and be disappointed to find me in the room instead. So I thought it was best (with no hard feelings) to bow out of reading this year.

Just thought I should mention it here so that no one goes looking for me where I won’t be.

But more important than any of that, for the reference of future con committees and attendees—

—that’s David Louis Edelman on the left and Scott Edelman on the right.

Know your Edelmans!

I just received my schedule for Balticon 42, which begins a week from Friday.

All of my programming will take place on Sunday, May 25. Since it’s a local con, I haven’t decided yet how many other days I’ll attend, and won’t make up my mind until I see the final programming grid.

If you also plan on being there, here’s where you’ll be able to find me:

11:00 a.m.: Reading

3:00 p.m.: How the Internet Helps Small Presses

6:00 p.m.: Autographing

7:00 p.m.: Joseph Campbell’s Monomyth

I’m not sure how I ended up on that last panel, as I never volunteered for it and don’t consider myself a Campbell expert, but I’ll do my best to pontificate properly.