First of all, I attended this convention purely in a fan capacity, not any kind of professional capacity. I was not given access to actors nor experiences due to my journalistic expertise. Actually, as a result of going, I am in the process of pursuing the opportunity of attending events like this in a more professional capacity in the future. But as of now, I am relating my experience as a fan.

Secondly, I am going to be utilizing pictures that people have made readily available, including videos that were posted of the panels and karaoke night. I have one picture to use, but to be honest, I was unable to get good pictures, and sometimes, fans were not allowed to take pictures. Therefore, forgive the fact that I am not including pictures that I took, for they are essentially nonexistent.

As many of my regular readers are aware, there are several actors with whom I have connected on a profound level due to interviews I have conducted, reviews I have written, and general support of their work I have provided. In a few cases, I have had the opportunity to meet these actors in person. To date, I have met Sebastian Spence, Lini Evans, Giles Panton, Jesse Hutch, Ben Rosenbaum, Hrothgar Matthews, Aren Buchholz, Eva Bourne, Charlotte Hegele, Andrea Brooks, Paul Greene, Daniel Lissing, Erin Krakow, Kavan Smith, Pascale Hutton, Martin Cummins, Johannah Newmarch, Gracyn Shinyei, Genea Charpentier, Ava Grace Cooper, Christian Michael Cooper, Christian Convery, Mitchell Kummen, Imogen Tear, Lori Loughlin, Jack Wagner, Carter Ryan Evancic, Kadence Roach, Jaiven Natt, Neill Fearnley, Brian Bird, Anthony Bolognese, and Derek Thompson (I hope I didn’t miss anyone). Actually, writing that list is a bit overwhelming!

With Erin Krakow and David Haydn-Jones
A Cookie Cutter Christmas

In the case of David Haydn-Jones, I first connected with him December of 2016, due to a devoted fan (whom I have mentioned in both “David” interviews I have published). I was aware of his work for Hallmark–vaguely. I had seen A Cookie Cutter Christmas (what Heartie would miss that one, right?), and I had seen Bridal Wave, but I only slightly knew his name. His face…well, that was a bit more unmistakable. Oh, and I did see him in A Christmas Dream, but again, I was only beginning to grasp who he was. His talent could speak for itself. And my friend Teresa kept alerting me to his brilliant work. In fact, she was the one who initially got him to agree to an interview with me (and I kept thinking, “What have I got myself into now??” Okay, just kidding. But I have to say based on past experience with other actors in the business, I actually doubted the interview would ever happen.)

Because he had joined the cast of Supernatural as the recurring character “Arthur Ketch,” a publicity company took notice of him. (But let the record show I interviewed him first BEFORE that company snatched him up!) He and I had a splendid rapport from the beginning, and it was such a delight to chat with him. I had the honor of writing his biography on IMDB, and publishing one of his first interviews to promote his role on Supernatural.

Ah, Supernatural. The show that I could not escape, no matter how hard I tried! Until David came along, I had watched a tiny part of two episodes because my friend Sebastian Spence guest-starred. Sebastian was there for all of a minute before he died an ugly death, and I decided I would just hide out and not watch this show that was so far beyond my comfort zone, I didn’t know what to think.

Well, being the stellar support system that I am, I actually set my DVR to record Supernatural. That first episode that I watched with featured the diabolical Mr. Ketch was truly so much better than I thought I would be. And I kept noticing so many Vancouver actors whom I had interviewed, and so I continued to watch. I even got my teenage daughter {Martha} to watch with me. I only had two problems. First of all, I could not watch this show right before bed. All I needed was a picture of Mr. Ketch slaughtering demons as I closed my eyes–talk about the stuff that nightmares are made of! And secondly, I had to watch this show when my parents weren’t around (we share a house). Not an easy feat, and it took me quite awhile to get through all of David’s episodes. But a curious thing happened. I started fancying the show even when David was not on the show! I even sat and watched the pilot with Martha (oh, the Winchesters were so young back then!). But regardless, after Mr. Ketch met his untimely, much-deserved death, I was through with Supernatural. Or so I thought.

The thing is, you cannot follow David without seeing the SPN family come out in full force. So no matter what, Mr. Ketch was here to stay. And then they brought him back this season! (No!!! Really?? You mean I have to suffer…I mean…enjoy more Mr. Ketch?! Just kidding–I promise!!) I still have that episode on my DVR. And now there are more soon to come. Mmmm. I have some “ketching up” to do! (Bad Pun Intended!)

David Haydn-Jones, Liam Hughes, Autumn Reeser Credit: Copyright 2017 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Bettina Strauss

This past Christmas season, David starred in the phenomenal Hallmark movie A Bramble House Christmas. He granted me an exclusive interview right before the premiere, and connecting with him anew was such a pleasure. I do attempt to stay off his feed (have you seen how busy it is some days??), but he is typically competent at eventually getting back to me…at least when it’s something important. I knew he was appearing in his first Supernatural convention down in California, but I have to admit, I never considered the treat God had waiting for me shortly thereafter.

Almost by happenstance, I was going through my Twitter feed, and I glanced at a tweet that mentioned that David was scheduled to appear in even more SPN conventions. When I suddenly saw “Seattle,” I nearly exploded. Really??? Was that even possible??? I couldn’t go to an SPN convention. I wasn’t a good enough fan of the show. I couldn’t afford it. I couldn’t…you get the idea. I listed every reason under the sun why I could not go to this convention, but like the fool that I am, I clicked on the link and began to check out the events.

Well, God has a sense of humor; I always say that. How was it possible that a half day at school coincided exactly with David’s appearance in Seattle? I was in the midst of Christmas break, and Martha was home, so I scrambled to her and asked her if she wanted to go to the convention. Immediately, I was met with, “Yes!” And since she didn’t have to miss school, I proceeded to book my first ever SPN convention, hotel reservations, and more. I discovered that my good friend had already purchased a photo op ticket in the event that she would be able to go (she was unable to), and I was almost in shock that I was actually going to this convention.

As the weeks passed, there were moments that I marveled at the fact that I was sincerely going to meet David. Sure, I had met other actors, but I don’t know. I guess I never planned on meeting David, and now that the opportunity was staring me in the face, I will admit that it didn’t seem possible. I regularly daydream about meeting some of my friends in the industry, but David had never been a part of those daydreams.

I told David we would be coming, and he was enchanted, of course. But I suppose there is that part of me that thinks, “When are these actors going to get tired of me??” That might sound silly, but throughout most of my life, I have been dismissed for who I am, and few have known exactly what to do with me. I don’t fit into those nice, neat little boxes, and people have tended to think that my ideas are just too unconventional to be regarded seriously. I began to view myself as a bit of an anomaly, but I didn’t see that as a negative thing. I mean, why would I want to be like everyone else anyway when I could be me? I doubt I’ll ever get over the fact that the film community and the fan community have embraced me in such a wonderful way.

The week of the convention, I don’t think I thought it was possible. I had very little time to plan (I was working nonstop), and I just couldn’t imagine what it would be like. I was excited to spend the time with my daughter, but what would this convention be like? And what would it be like to finally meet David? I wasn’t worried about him. As usual, it’s typically more of a concern that I wouldn’t come close to living up to my reputation. But when I told David that week that I was definitely meeting him, he made my day by telling me how much he was looking forward to meeting me.

When Martha and I arrived in Bellevue on Friday, March 23rd, we checked into the most luxurious hotel in which I’d ever stayed! (Shoutout to AC Hotel by Mariott Seattle/Bellevue Downtown) I was unaware that valet service was the only kind of parking at the hotel, but it was well worth it. The hotel room, staff, breakfast, location, decor–everything was amazing! If you are ever in the area, I highly recommend this hotel.

Being a newbie to the SPN conventions, I learned something the hard way, but God worked it out in the end. I had searched earlier in the week for a schedule of events on the webpage, but there was nothing as of yet. I thought that was rather strange. When I looked on Friday afternoon, there was the schedule, and I would venture to say that the schedule was probably posted about mid-week. Thankfully, it was there because I noticed that the photo ops with David were already beginning, so I told Martha we needed to go immediately to the hotel where the convention was being held. Thankfully, it was a short walk, and we made it in plenty of time.

Once at the convention, I just kept asking questions until we found where we were supposed to be. Everyone was extremely gracious to us, and in virtually no time, we were in the correct line to get our picture taken with David Haydn-Jones. I remember this time quite distinctly. Martha and I got in line, and I noticed that there David was looking especially dashing. It seemed surreal to think that after all this time, a dream I didn’t even know I possessed was about to be actualized. Martha wasn’t certain she wanted to take the picture with me, but I insisted. And in a moment, we were next in line.

The moment David saw me, he knew exactly who I was and called me “The Legend” (his nickname for me). It was clear we both were enraptured to finally meet, and there was no hesitation as we met in a rather pleasant hug. I don’t know if you realize this, but you can tell a lot about someone from a hug.  And in the case of David, that was easily one of the best hugs I’ve ever gotten from an actor that I only knew on social media and through interview chats. That sweet hug let me know that he was just as pleased as I to finally meet, and this was a most monumental occasion.

I introduced Martha to him, and he reached out to her and asked if she’d like to have a nice family picture. Well, how could she say “no” to David, right?? The picture was beyond marvelous, as you can see. He thanked me for coming and as we were leaving, he did call out, “I hope we’ll see you around more later.” And I assured him we would be definitely be around.

After this auspicious occasion, Martha and I visited the vendors,  had some snacks and coffees, and expectantly waited for the panel featuring both David and Adam {Fergus}. During the interim, I bought a ticket to get an autograph from David, and I realized that I may have missed another opportunity or two as I didn’t understand all the private events that existed in connection with this event. It seems like the convention is a rather fluid thing, and it would be a beneficial idea to check the website frequently after purchasing your tickets so that you don’t miss other things that might be added to the mix at a later date.

Martha and I both adored the panel with David and Adam. I’ll post the video here so that you can watch and/or relive the entire panel. Even though Martha and I are not the most devoted fans to the series, we both knew of the characters played by David and Adam, and those two together on stage is something NOT to be missed! Sometimes I wondered if Martha understood a certain joke or innuendo, but she is a teenager. I found nothing overly offensive or disturbing in what they said. If they are at a convention and you have the chance to go, I highly recommend that you attend. The fan questions were hilarious at times, and it was some of the best entertainment I’ve ever witnessed to see these two together. I say they should have their own comedy show

Sometime after the panels were concluded for the day, it was time for the autograph sessions. Be prepared to wait well over an hour or two for these to conclude. Martha and I positioned ourselves somewhere near the back of the ballroom, and every time a new actor came in (there were a total of four), they were introduced and applauded. These actors will sign whatever you would like for them to sign (within reason). I’m “old school” and have this nice little autograph book I bought when I went to the Hearties Family Reunion, and that is what I had David sign. My time to get the autograph was towards the conclusion of the autograph signing, but I tell you, David was just as full of energy as he had been previously. Martha and I were entertained by listening to the fans and Adam exchange pleasantries and more (we were near his table, so that was interesting to say the least). Nothing better than eavesdropping on conversations at these fan conventions! I recommend not doing all the talking. You’ll learn so much more if you listen.

While in line, I struck up a couple of conversations with other fans. One had read my interview with David from back in December, and some of these fans were incredibly faithful (one had gone to twenty conventions!). It was fun to hear the stories and it made the time go by much more quickly.

Once I reached the table, David saw me as he was signing an autograph for someone else, and the words out of his mouth were, “I know this troublemaker here.” Yeah, I certainly CAN be a troublemaker at times, and I didn’t deny that fact. As he signed my book, he again said it was nice to have met me and wondered if I was enjoying my time since this wasn’t necessarily my wheelhouse. Yes, I know Supernatural is not my top show, but for reasons stated elsewhere, I am not always able to watch. One of these days, I plan to sit down and watch some more from past seasons because I take exception with someone he said in his last interview. I do watch every once in awhile. I can’t say I love the show and never miss it, but I can’t say I hate the show and never watch it. I plan to get caught up one of these days. I sometimes feel really bad because I’m not as current with all the many shows I need to watch!

I did tell him we were looking forward to the karaoke concert, and he was pleased by that and told me to enjoy myself. I think had things been different, we would have had a more proper goodbye, but I was there as a fan, not a journalist or professional or even a friend. And thankfully he and I did get the chance to meet. I highly recommend getting an autograph, even if not’s a big deal to you personally. It gives you one more opportunity to connect.

It was almost time to move on to the karaoke night. Now, I knew absolutely nothing about these events and had I realized that fans were signing up to perform, maybe I would have signed up myself. However, it was good for me to have the experience first of being a part of the audience. We had to get in a very long line, and when we were finally allowed to go into the theater, it was clear that most people were not sitting. There was a massive space in front of the chairs, and it reminded me of the concerts where people can get close to the stage and not waste their time sitting in a seat. I had no idea what to expect, but I knew this was going to be a blast.

At the beginning, the actors who had agreed to be a part of the event were up on stage, and there was a big screen so that audience could sing along with the performers. And once the event began, we never sat down again. Wear comfortable shoes! And bring a bottle of water. There was a lot of screaming and singing.

There were some definite highlights. Martha knew a song or two that I didn’t and vice versa. Most of the time, we sang along with the performers. It was so much fun! I relished seeing the actors onstage singing/performing with the fans who had agreed to join. It was a treat to see the positivity and the inclusiveness. Earlier at the panel, David said that the fans of the SPN community were more inclusive than going to church, and that is exactly what I witnessed at the karaoke night!

I found myself rather uninhibited before too long. No, I didn’t need to drink anything; the atmosphere alone is enough to inspire even the most reluctant of us. Martha and I both were singing, dancing, and yelling at the top of our lungs. No doubt, I was louder than her. I do have a rather distinctively loud yell.

Now, this video above, I took of David singing karaoke (yes, he accepted the challenge and did an incredible job!) is probably not the best video you can find, but I’m going to leave it here so you can hear my response. I’ll leave a link to the good version as well.

The best part of all was the ending when we all sang “Carry On My Wayward Son.” To see that kind of positivity and everything else was just amazing. Martha and I cherished the experience, and there is no doubt I’d be willing to go to another convention any time.

Now, I want to make sure that everyone knows that David is going to be in at least two more episodes of Supernatural this season (I tell you, you can’t keep a good or bad “Ketch” down!), and tonight (March 30th), we will have the opportunity to see David in an NBC show called Taken. Thanks to my friend Sebastian, this has become required viewing in our household, and when I told Martha that David was going to be on Taken (she watched the one that Sebastian guest-starred on and really liked it), and I mentioned he was going to be a bad guy. She said, “Well, of course! With that face, he can only play a sociopath!” We had a good laugh about that. Evidently, she doesn’t understand what women my age find attractive about David. But she had a point. Not every actor out there can play a diabolically debonair sociopath so convincingly!

I highly recommend Supernatural conventions! One of the fans told me they are addictive, and that they are. I think it would be amazing to attend all three days the next time, and if you have the opportunity, take advantage of it!

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