“It was at Astronomicon I met a character that not only made a heck of an impression on both me and Nat, but also became a good friend for cons to come. His real name is jan howard finder (yes, spelled in the lower case)…but everyone calls him “Wombat.” Wombat is a little more than the professional fan. He’s a published author. He’s an activist for the preservation of endangered species. He’s a world traveler. He’s a Jack of All Trades, known for his mink glove and massage techniques. Most of all, he is a good guy. A really solid individual with a good heart and soul to match.”
I wrote those words a decade ago about a guy that I met in my first year (come to think of it — at the time I had met him, MOREVI wasn’t even six months off-the-press…) as a professional author. I was still new to the genre, still new to the Science Fiction convention circuit. I met Wombat entirely at random, stuck up a conversation, and gradually found out that I was in the company of a legend in the circles of fandom. He could be called a true ambassador of the convention scene, but I never really liked to think of jan howard finder — Wombat — as a luminary of fandom. He was far bigger than that, in my eyes. [Read more…] about A Tribute to Wombat