How much crap do you need to sell your book at a convention? Lots of crap!
BAMCon aka Berkshire Anime and Manga was my second convention. Photos below: Continue reading
The actual clearing of Thomas Rydder’s novel is the place of battle. A stretch of Pennsylvania backwoods where a group of determined men squares off with a pack of savage, supernatural wolves. It’s a proving ground of sorts that epitomizes a the plot of the novel, a blend of tactical combat and a chess match played out between the sturdy Sheriff Frank Cutlip and the monstrous leader of the wolf pack.
And there’s a lot at stake. The Sheriff stands to lose his brother and possibly watch his home town descend into chaos. The wolves, on the other hand, are pressed for time. They must complete a sinister, primal ritual or face losing their powers. The struggle between man and wolf can only become lethal.
There are many shades of lethal however, and The Clearing’s has an old fashioned, thrill ride sensibility to it, like climbing onto one if those iconic wooden roller coasters from the early 1900’s and holding on tight while your teeth rattle . Continue reading
Illustrator Paul Hollingsworth contemplates temptation.
In Anticipation of BAMCon, I am pleased to be hosting an interview with guest illustrator, Paul Hollingsworth! Besides being an artist and designer, Paul also writes a web based comic strip Destroyed By Robots and has the distinction of being the person who designed the BAMCon logo.
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Q: Well, for starters what are you looking forward to doing while at BAMCon?
Paul Hollingsworth: I’m looking forward to experiencing everything that this years BAMcon has to offer, which seems to be a lot of good folks getting together and celebrating the art and literature they love. A lot to be excited about there. I’m also looking forward to sharing some of my work and checking out work that I may not even know exists yet!
Who knows what darkness lurks in the heart of men? The fridge-whisperer knows! A great example of Paul’s quirky sense of humor.
Q: Tell us a little about the new BAMCon logo. What’s with that raccoon?
PH: Last year for BAMcon 2012 there was a call for artists to come up with a logo for new convention. I was informed by the organizers and Crystal Howcroft that they were looking for a raccoon mascot. I tried my best to come up with a character that was as fun and graphically durable as I could. For 2013 I tried to do something a little more fun by incorporating a robotic theme, and frankly I’ve always wanted to see a Gigantic Robotic Raccoon. Two birds one stone. Both years it was an absolute blast to work on and the organizers are really great folks. Continue reading
In Anticipation of BAM-Con, I am pleased to be hosting a interview with BAM-Con spotlight guest, sociocultural-anthropologist and author of “Pilgrimage, Pageantry and Fan Communities”, Charles Dunbar.
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Q: For starters, what are you hoping to do/ speak about at BAMCon?
CD: First and foremost, I’m hoping to have an awesome time. Or rather, anticipating having an awesome time. Conventions for me still hold the same appeal they always have, despite my lecturing and networking: fun, fellowship, escapism and community. I plan to speak a bit on the latter topic, in addition to a number of talks on mythology, the evolution of anime and a few looks into Japanese sacred practice. All the better to educate and inform, in addition to finding the elusive raucous party with which I shall amaze via my 1337 skills and perhaps some card games for horrible people.
Kiwii cosplays Nidalee at a recent convention.
In Anticipation of BAMCon, I am pleased to be hosting an interview with special guest cosplayer/ pro-belly-dancer Kiwii!
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Q: Well, for starters what kind of set-piece can we expect you to perform at BAMCon?
K: You can expect a series of anime and video game based songs! Songs from Blue Exorcist, League of Legends, Kingdom Hearts, InuYasha, and more will be part of our set. Some J-Pop may also make it into the set. Both shows should be similarly themed, but the sets will be unique, so come check them both out if you can!
In Anticipation of BAMCon, I am pleased to be hosting an interview with BAMCon featured guests, the +2 Comedy Trio. +2 Comedy is made up of Noah Houlihan, Will Liam, and Vegas Lancaster . Together they perform stand up that focuses on nerdy topics like Star Wars, D & D, and Comic Books. They will be performing at BAMCon on the weekend of May 10. I managed to connect with Will Liam for this interview.
Q: Well for starters then, what’s the funniest monster in the Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual?
Will Liam: Well, it depends on what monster manual you are referring to. I own at least four of them; Although I’ve a had a lot of laughs at the expense of the ArrowHawk, Mimic would have to be the funniest monster of all the D&D games. Nothing is funnier than a treasure chest that turns into a cartoon monster.
BAMCon Coordinator Amelia Ritner.
In Anticipation of BAMCon, I am pleased to be hosting a “behind the scenes” interview with Amelia Ritner, Assistant Organizer at BAMCon!
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Q: Well for starters, what are one or two (or a few) things that you hope to see at next month’s BAMCon?
Amelia: We definitely hope to see a large attendance; I think that’s always number one on our list. But I’m also looking forward to seeing more Cosplayers as well as people genuinely interested in our con in particular (maybe wearing a t-shirt from last year’s con.) 
