Tachyon's Party at Borderlands Bookstore

It's the third time I've attended the Tachyon Publications annual party at the Borderlands bookstore in San Francisco, the third time I've partaken of snacks and met writer friends at this brilliant little bookstore for all things spec-fic, the third time I've waited to hear who won the Emperor Norton Award.

This year was special, because Tachyon celebrated its 15th anniversary. It's grown from 2 to 4 employees (not counting the cat), and brought out some marvelous anthologies and novels. Its motto is "Saving the World ... One Good Book at a Time." 

Rina Weisman, wife of Tachyon's founder Jacob Weisman and a Tachyonite herself,  organized a great party. In celebration, Guests of Honor John Kessel and James Patrick Kelly interviewed each other - hilariously - about their association with Tachyon.

I was there with two writing-buddies, Zed Lopez and Vylar Kaftan. Amelia Beamer came by, and Ellen Klages and Terry Bisson and other luminaries of the spec-fic field.

The Awards this year went to Paul Guinan and Anina Bennett for their work, Boilerplate, a comic novel/ illustrated book about a Steampunk Robot in a historically accurate setting; and to Trina Robbins, "writer and herstorian." Trina was away in England (at Oxford, actually) and couldn't be there to accept her award. Peter was on hand to pick up his, though his wife Anina Bennett couldn't make it.

The celebration ended with a cake especially baked for the occasion.

And I ended the evening - as usual - with many more books than I'd planned to buy. This is not a bad thing.