Field Report: CROSS PLAINS, TX
Your Administrator has returned from the wilderness of Cross Plains, Texas, and the annual gathering of Robert E. Howard fans from around the world. This was Bunker Operation's’ second excursion, where she arranged for and conducted a panel about the women in Robert E. Howard’s life, his fiction, and also his enduring legacy. She also spearheading a massive postcard project for the Robert E. Howard Museum Gift Shop. I just read from some boxing stories and spoke about the Three Musketeers of Weird Tales to a packed audience.
I’ve lost track of the number of years I’ve been making the pilgrimage to Cross Plains (it’s well over two decades), and I’m always amazed at how it manages to be different each time. In the interest of getting this newsletter out on May 5th, I thought it might be interesting to bullet point some categories in lieu of a full-blown trip report.
Best Unexpected Professional Guest: Brian Murphy, author of Flame and Crimson: A History of Sword and Sorcery, REH fan, and all-around fine fellow.
Favorite Unexpected First-Time Visitor: My step-brother Joel and his son Paul. We’ve not seen each other in nearly twenty years and it was so great to catch up with him, meet my nephew, and reminisce.
The Show Stopper Moment: the reveal of Robert E. Howard’s actual writing table, long gone from the house, finally returned to his home where it will reside, after a brief visit to a restoration expert who can bring the legs back up to their original height. I put my hand on it, hoping for the same thrum that I get when I stand in the doorway of REH’s room, but years of being an old woman’s coffee table may have blocked the table’s chakras.
Most Frequent Topic: the weather. We held the gathering in late April as an experiment, because last June (and the June before that) were unbearable. Everyone liked the cooler temperatures, right up until the cloud cover started a light misting that, coupled with 20 mile an hour winds, drove the temperature down on Friday night and not only scuttled the Ice House panel, but also the post-banquet hang-out at the pavilion. On the other hand, no one thought they were having a heat stroke, either.
Best Takeaway Loot: I can’t recall the last time I came back from Howard Days with less books than I took. It’s not happened in a good long while. This is due to the planning and diligence of publishers like Rogue Blades who endeavor to have a new book out for the event every year, and and the generosity of spirit of folks like pulp scholar Bobby Derie, who makes limited edition offerings to sell and/or give away to all the attendants. Yeah, you heard me. Every year.
That being said, Janice bought me a 3D printed statue that is quite fetching. The guy who printed and painted them did some STL-based sorcery so that you could display the statue with a proportionate head or with an oversized bobble head. It’s got a little bit of everything on it, from a Conan sword to boxing gloves, the iconic hat, his poncho, a typewriter, and a base in the shape of Texas with Cross Plains noted thereon. Pretty cool, eh?
Overall, it was a solid year, full of great friends, both old and new, and lots of wonderful memories to carry us over to the next gathering.
For the Texas Contingent
For those of you who can’t get enough of this stuff, I’ll be speaking at the Dallas Historical Society next Thursday, and any of you in the Metroplex and/or within driving distance are cordially invited.
The event will be at the Hall of State, and if you’ve never seen it before, holy cow, it’s amazing. As the graphic notes, I’ll be talking about REH and making the case for him to be included alongside other luminaries of Texas literature. I hope to see you there!
That's really touching about the table returning to its rightful home! And I sympathise with the weather dilemma - admittedly I live in the land of "no guaranteed sunny days," but yeah, I can imagine the complications given the heat you guys get there. I think a lot of events-holders will be thinking about this kind of issue more and more as the world heats up.
I think it's a great idea to do it earlier in the year when it's not so unbearably hot. I'm still hoping Martha and I can find time to attend it some year.