Reprinted with Permission from MissionsUnknown.com

Memo from Mission Control: San Antonio is currently contending to host the 2013 World Science Fiction Convention. If you’re a science fiction/fantasy fan in San Antonio and the surrounding area, this is hugely exciting news. Missions Unknown will be running periodic interviews with the people making the bid happen. The vote for the 2013 Worldcon’s location won’t happen until 2011, so this next two years of work will be critical to SA’s chances of winning the bid. Check out the Texas bid’s official website for more info. Let’s make this happen, SA.

BILL PARKER has been active in fandom since 1977 when he got involved with local conventions in Houston. He had worked in various positions with different conventions, including running his own horror convention in 1984. The previous year, Bill became involved with the bid to hold a North American Science Fiction Convention (NASFiC) in Texas. In 1985, he brought the first full Dolby Stereo 35mm film room to screen all three STAR WARS films at the 1985 Texas NASFiC, Lone Star Con. Bill ran the Technical Services department for the 1997 Texas Worldcon — Lone Star Con — and is currently involved in chairing the 2013 Worldcon bid in San Antonio.

Favorite sf/f authors, books, and movies include: Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein, Arthur C. Clarke, Orson Scott Card, George R.R. Martin; ENDER’S GAME, HAVE SPACESUIT WILL TRAVEL, 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, THE NAKED SUN, THE FOUNDATION TRILOGY; STAR WARS, THE FIFTH ELEMENT, ALIEN, BLADE RUNNER, E.T.

How long have you been involved with sf fandom and what do you most like about it?

I have been involved with sf fandom for 32 years. I met most of my closest friends through fandom and I still enjoy the feeling when I hear some one express how much they enjoyed a convention that I helped operate.

You’re the chairman for the 2013 Texas bid seeking to bring Worldcon to San Antonio. Which aspects of the job do you most look forward to? Which aspects do you expect to be the most challenging?

Probably the most challenging will be working with all of the volunteers that it will take to make this bid a success. This challenge is also one of the things that look forward to. Another thing I look forward to is the possibility of actually getting to host another Worldcon in Texas.

What are a couple of your favorite memories from past Worldcons?

One of my favorites was the challenge of working with Lucasfilm in ‘85 to bring the Star Wars trilogy to Austin for the NASFiC. At that time, RETURN OF THE JEDI had only been out about 2 years. That was a real thrill for me. Personally, I really enjoy the opportunity to meet and work with all the authors and artists that I have come to love from my interest in reading Science Fiction.

When you picture the ideal Worldcon in SA in 2013, what do you see?

For me, the ideal Worldcon is one where all of the attendees go away after the con happy. That is one of my main goals.