The Eyes of Texas are upon the ATA

The American Topical Association (ATA) will hold its National Show and Convention June 15-17 at the Sheraton Grand Hotel, 4440 W. John Carpenter Freeway in Irving, Texas. The show is free and open to the public. It includes exhibits, seminars, dealers, tours, youth events and live entertainment.

"Whatever your interest, there's a stamp somewhere, " said Ray Cartier, 66, executive director of the American Topical Association, with headquarters in Arlington, Texas in an on-line article, "They've Got Mail - and a 1st-class Hobby" that appears in the stamp collecting section of Topix.net

According to the write-up promoting the ATA's National Convention, Ray's specialty is stamps and postmarks by, for or about space travel; science fiction author Jules Verne and explorer Jacques Cartier, who happens to be a distant relative.

Ray's wife Karen Cartier, 65, specializes in collecting stamps that have some connection to stained glass or fairy tales. She's published one book -- The Tales by Mail (Book I), about the stories behind fairy-tale and folk-tale stamps. She is working on Book II.

For more on the convention, click here.