NOVEMBER 14-16 EDGEFIELD MANOR 2126 S.W. Halsey St. Troutdale, OR 97060
From November 14-16, Edgefield Manor in
Troutdale, OR (just outside of Portland) was the setting of the first ever
BizarroCon.Bizarro writers, publishers,
and fans came from all over the country to indulge in three days of squishy
revelry.
On
Friday there was a writer’s workshop, a panel discussion on self-promotion, and
the largest Bizarro Writers Association meeting to happen thus far.That evening was the book release party for
“The Kissing Bug” by Daniel Scott Buck, “Shark Hunting in Paradise Garden” by
Cameron Pierce, “Apeshit” by Carlton Mellick III, and “The Rampaging Fuckers of
Everything on the Crazy Shitting Planet of the Vomit Atmosphere” by Mykle Hansen.Eraserhead head-honcho, Rose O’Keefe, brewed
Bizarro beer for the occasion and each of the authors did a reading.
Saturday
was the major day of activity with panels about Bizarro itself, publishing, and
crossover potential.This was also the
day with the majority of readings.Mitch
Maraude, Bruce Taylor, Bradley Sands, Jess Gulbranson, Jeremy Needle, Garret
Cook, Forrest Armstrong, Kevin L. Donihe, Eckhard Gerdes, Andersen Prunty,
David Agranoff, and Jeremy Robert Johnson entertained the crowd with tales of
weirdness.
That
evening was the first ever Wonderland Book Awards for best Bizarro novel and
collection of 2007.
D. Harlan Wilson won best novel but
was not in attendance, so Andersen Prunty accepted it on his behalf and read a
special acceptance speech written by Jeremy C Shipp.“13 Thorns” took the prize and the notoriously
shy Gina Ranalli accepted the award in front of the cheering crowd.
The awards dinner was followed by
the Ultimate Bizarro Showdown.The rules
were simple; you have two minutes to entertain the crowd and then the audience
decided if you got two more minutes.Jeremy Robert Johnson hosted with Eckhard Gerdes, Gina Ranall, and Bruce
Taylor passing judgment.Carlton Mellick
III placed third, Mykle Hansen took second, and Garret Cook was crowned the
winner.The grand prize was an inflatable
moose head and a “Sixty and Sensational” sash.
Everyone then partied late into
the night (some never went to bed).Come
Sunday sleep deprivation and physical exhaustion was taking its toll on the
attendees.One by one everyone said
their goodbyes and went on their various ways.
Bruce Taylor AKA Mr. Magic Realism. Bruce writes a mix of outlandish science-fiction, fantasy, and, of course, magic realism - a strange juxtaposition of the weird and the everyday.
