Feo Amante Goes to the WORLD HORROR CONVENTION 1999

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1999 World Horror Convention
North Central Marriot Hotel, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

I have been to many Conventions in my life. From Food Service Conventions (oh those buffet tables!) to Lumber (oh those free Bloody Mary's Lumber Tag Specialties served at the 1997 LAT!).

World Science Fiction Conventions (Harlan Ellison is actually a pretty decent guy. So is Larry Niven) and Star Trek (George Takei is easy to talk to and James Doohan can really sing! No kidding! The dude has the pipes!).

Computer Hardware and Software, Gun Shows, and Spelunking Conventions (always held in the great "indoors")

I've been to an Adult Entertainment Convention in Las Vegas (Barbara Dare is an amazingly sweet person) and a Wine and Spirits Liquor Convention (although I truthfully remember very little about that one), as well as various Fantasy and Comic Book conventions (MAN, but those DC and Marvel artists were bitter!).

I can say in all honesty that the World Horror Convention 1999 held at the North Central Marriot Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia was THE absolute BEST convention that I have EVER attended in my life!

See you all in Denver, Colorado at the WHC DENVER 2000!

I don't have photos of everybody.

From the overworked Horrornet Cabal member, Vincent Harper at Bereshith publishing, to the quiet Del Stone Jr. (DEAD HEAT - Mojo Press).

GAK the horror artist whose very presence percolates before your eyes.
Fellow Horrornet Cabal member Michael Marano who wrote the best-selling horror novel, DAWN SONG - Tor Publishing (which won a shared 1999WHA award for best novel and the 1999 Bram Stoker Award) was kept busy trying to give attention to all his new fans. He was nice enough to sign a Dawn Song postcard for me when I realized that I hadn't brought his book on my trip (ARGH!).

I met the painfully shy Yvonne Navarro (SPECIES, SPECIES II), and the very cool Terry M. West (Blood For The Muse), who together with Artist Glenn Chadbourne, is creating the wild graphic horror story DREG - Dark Muse Productions.

Horror writer Kevin Shadle (Short Stories: Ghost Story, Summer Retreat) was a very open and friendly guy who I wish I had a chance to party with at least one time.

I got to meet one of my favorite writers, Ramsey Campbell (INCARNATE, THE LONG LOST), who is so soft spoken I felt like twisting his nipple just to increase the volume (Hey! It works with other people! Try it and see!).

John Shirley (Song writer for Blue Oyster Cult, Co-Screenwriter for the movie: THE CROW. Latest book: REALLY, REALLY, REALLY REALLY WEIRD STORIES - Nightshade Books), was a guest of honor who I utterly failed to recognize at first, thanks to only seeing pictures of him wearing his dark glasses. The first two times I saw him, he was wearing a wide brimmed fedora and NO glasses. When I finally realized who it was I came all over "Duhhhh."

I finally got to meet Horrornet Cabal member, writer, and book publisher John Pelan1 (GOON & SHIFTERS with Edward Lee) of Silver Salamander Press. Man, but it seemed like that dude never stopped smiling!

After nearly a year of surfing their site, I finally got to meet the fine fevered folks of Wholesale Slaughter Enterprises. They had the best booth at the con and run a great Horror site over at Wholesale Slaughter.

The only bad thing about the whole con was the name badges. They were awful, with many names running out of the small light area and into the dark printed frame. My name appeared as DWARD C. MCMULLE.

Are you in these photos and have your own website?
Write me and let me know. I'll use your name for a link to your page.

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These Photos Supplied by E.C.McMullen Jr.
With Folded Arms William "The General" R. Trotter2 (left) is not only a game reviewer at the Number One Gaming magazine, PC GAMER, he is also a prolific writer, rabid horror fan and a 1996 Bram Stoker Award Finalist! Watch out for those walls while you're walking the dog, Bill! Feo Amante (that's me in the middle), and Horrornet Chatroom bud and acclaimed horror writer David Niall Wilson (Short Stories: Are You The One?, Like A Charm) "hang" with Bill in the Dealer's Room.	Evenflow So the Horrornet gang is about to hit a bookstore when, just as I'm walking out the rotating doors, up comes RAVEN (aka Scott Levy. WCW/NWO REVENGE! CG) Professional Wrestler and Big Time Neil Gaimen fan (one PC game shows Raven wearing Gaimen's SANDMAN T-shirt into the ring.)! I was blown away! Brian "Rage" Keene saw the WANTED DEAD: Cactus Jack shirt and so called out a cheery "Hiya Cactus Jack!" to Raven. The walking Action Figure was too focused on finding Neil to give Rage one of his trademark "Evenflow DDT's". Neil (NEVERWHERE - Avon Books) didn't seem to be aware of the American celebrity and appeared taken aback by the hefty man's adulation. As you can see in this picture, Neil looks slightly confused. (Should I Know these Bloody Yanks?)
Gettin' Cozy! This photo of Horror writer Paula Guran (fiction and fan non-fiction) creator of DARKECHO and me was taken during one of the many parties at the con. What is with that swooning expression she is giving me? Is she just gazing at her own reflection on my shiny scalp? Or was the alcohol haze making it something else entirely? Perhaps for one, fleeting snapshot moment, I was her Yul Brynner, and she was my Uma Thurman.	Not going Anywhere soon? (Obviously not. You are reading this slow loading page!) I spent many a loquacious hour talking to the intellectual and incredibly verbose Horror Writer Jack "Jackula" M. Haringa. Chatty though I am, I was unable to keep up with him as my jaw overheated in the ninth lap causing molar #31 to explode out of my mouth! As my pit crew rushed up with fire extinguishers, Jack continued talking as if nothing had happened; easily grabbing the checkered flag.
Some members of the Horrornet Cabal - Left to right. That there is Mike "Mikey" Huyck. Horror writer and fiction editor for Goth magazine; CARPE NOCTUM. As you will see in later pictures, his transformation into yuppie is so clean it's Scary! Standing beside him is Mike "Corwin" Oliveri. Fellow member of the Horrornet Cabal and aspiring writer. Another member of the Horrornet Cabal and aspiring writer as well is Dana "littlemy" Vander Els, and of course, me.	Nothin' but Horrornet! It was just before the awards ceremony and Horror Writer Brett Savory (Right) of Chiaroscuro deigned to be seen with me. Here is actual photographic proof that Polagaya "Nightlily" Fine (Center) was indeed at the World Horror Convention, 1999! On the left is me again. I was successful (at the time) in not drawing attention to Polagaya's hairy hand.
Gettin' Gross That such a moral and noteworthy individual as myself would go so low as to keep company with such unsavory characters! To the left is up and coming Horror talent Geoff "Chaos" Cooper. Next to him is Death Metal Musician (YKOF), Horror writer and winner of the World Horror Convention 1999 Midnight Gross Out Contest Ryan "Hardon" Harding. I'm just there metabolizing G&T's and Beer.	Catching Ketchum Geoff Cooper told me to seek out Big Time Horror Writer Jack Ketchum, and I'm glad I did. This sucker could broker souls he is so damn charismatic! One of the convention highlights was when we were late getting back to the hotel, making Jack late for a Q&A panel with the fans. Merry Prankster that he is, he suggested that I carry him into the auditorium with him kicking and screaming about how he didn't want to go. The rather ordered meeting exploded with laughter as I physically "forced" Jack to attend to his duties. Goofy people make life a joy and I fondly add this one to my collection!
Which is the Evil Twin? Soft spoken Horror Writer and Horrornet Chat irregular Simon Clark and I put our heads together in the dining room.	Gettin' Cozy Part Deux There are many of the Horrornet Cabal who thought that they would never see the day when I, Feo Amante, would make an ass of myself. But difficult as it is to believe, here is a photo of the Award Winning Horror Writer P. D. Cacek (NIGHT PRAYERS - Design Image Group, Inc.) and I'm standing beside her, doing just that: making an utter jackass of myself! Just what exactly did I do? Well that would be telling, wouldn't it?
Leather Goths In Love Brings tears to your eyes doesn't it? I mean, it just isn't everyday that you see an active service member don Nazi garb and wear it with a black vinyl French Maid outfit. Let alone get so cozy with a leather clad Mama with THIS much class and humor! The guy (the one in the dress) is Corwin (No fooling, his name really IS Corwin) and the growling lovely preparing to tear him apart is Pam Keesey.	Y? Because we LIKE you! Can you believe that this is the same Mike "Mikey" Huyck that looked so "citizen" in the earlier picture near the top? As soon as we saw those two Goths kissing and cuddling, we KNEW we had to Savage the tender one's innocence! So here we are posing with Corwin (center). In true Military fashion: with me covering the front and Mikey bringing up the rear, we made that Nazi Transvestite French Maid say "SIR!" SALLY JESSY RAPHAEL, HERE WE COME! Special Thanks to Polagaya "NightLily" Fine for her photos of Leather Goths In Love and Y? Because we LIKE you! and to Yvonne Navarro for information and corrections.
CABAL! As you can see by this photo, our hotel had Hit An Iceberg and was Starting to Sink! Never-The-Less: The Band Played On! With 3 parties on 3 different floors all blasting simultaneously, it was difficult rounding up all the members of the Horrornet Cabal. Missing from this photo is British Horror Writer Simon Clark, Splatter Horror Writer and publisher John "jpelan" Pelan, Horror Fan Dana "littlemy" Vander Els, Horror Writer David Niall "DNWilson" Wilson, Horror Writer (Current Book: HEXES) Tom "Pic" Piccirilli3, Horror writer/Fan Michelle "Nightkiss" Scalise, and fast rising horror artist GAK4. The Horrornet Cabal starting with the bottom row, Left to Right: Horror Writer and Radio Personality Brian "RAGE" Keene, Rainy's leg, Horror Writer Geoff "Chaos" Cooper, Horror Writer and Fiction Editor for Carpe Noctum magazine Mike "Mikey" Huyck , Fledgling Horror Writer Mike "Corwin" Oliveri, Horror editor and fledgling Writer Polagaya "Nightlily" Fine. Top Row Left to Right. Horror Writer Jack "Jackula"M. Haringa, Horrornet Goth Queen and Horror Writer and Publisher Rain "Rainy" Graves, Horror Writer and Co-creator of Chiaroscuro Brett Savory, Death Metal Musician and Horror writer Ryan "Hardon" Harding, and me, E.C. "Feo Amante" McMullen Jr. at the end, the only one trying to stay upright on the sinking hotel.

1. John C. Pelan (July 19, 1957 – April 12, 2021)

2. William "The General" R. Trotter (July 15, 1943 - February 28, 2018)

3. Tom Piccirilli (May 27, 1965 – July 11, 2015)

4. GAK (1961 - Jan. 13, 2019) went by many aliases. Some knew him as Glenn Denny or Gregg Kanefsky, but in all likelihood his name was Glenn A. Klinger. He was a mystery to many of his friends and the folks who wrote the checks for his work (some who were surprised that the name they thought was really his, wasn't).

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