Canada’s greatest SciFi writer toasted (almost roasted) my brother who had been chosen for an award at a SciFi convention in Vancouver.

Congratulations Rand on recognition for your many years contribution to SciFi Fantasy Fiction.

In Vancouver today, the science-fiction convention VCon 31 begins. Fan Guest of Honour is my great friend Randy McCharles. I wrote the tribute to him for the convention’s program book (and will also be conducting the Guest of Honour interview with him on Saturday afternoon). Here’s the tribute:

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These days, the only ethnic jokes that can be made with impunity are those about one’s own group. Randy McCharles likes to portray himself as being thrifty, and often underscores this by saying, “I’m Scottish,” as if a certain parsimony was bred in his bones.

It’s true that Randy likes to get value for his money: he loves salt-and-pepper chicken wings, and can tell you which Calgary pubs have them cheap on which nights of the week. (Still, he expects quality; I was with him recently when he lamented, “These aren’t really fifteen-cent wings; they’re more like nine-cent wings.”) But all of his apparent cheapness hides an incredible generosity of spirit. I have never seen Randy fail to provide a lift to someone, no matter how far out of his way it took him, and he’s always there to help a friend. When my travels have brought me to Calgary, Randy has often put me up at his immaculate townhouse; at times, it’s been quite the hotel for writers, with three or four of us crashing simultaneously at Chez McCharles. … read more

Robert J. Sawyer tribute