Hey there, I’m Kylie Jude (AKA Kylie Kerosene) and I’m excited to be writing my first post on the SSP blog. I’m sure I’ll be talking your ear off about everything from books to movies to writing advice soon, but since we just got back from our first visit to FandomFest, I figured I’d start with my take on the convention and what I took away from it in our short but sweet time there.
For those who don’t know, FandomFest is a convention for all kinds of fandoms (if you couldn’t guess from the name), from books to TV to movies to video games, you name it, and it takes place every year in Louisville, KY. You can find out more about it HERE.
Past celebrity guests have included cast members from the likes of Star Trek TNG and The Walking Dead, and the great Marvel Master, Stan Lee, has graced the convention with his presence multiple times now. He was there again this year, and although I didn’t get a chance to meet him, I could feel the energy and excitement in the air from everyone who did. Stan is a true legend, and I would have loved to be able to thank him for paving the way for creative people like me, for creating powerful and relatable characters like (for me) Black Widow and the Winter Soldier, and for the X-men, who I grew up reading and have spent half my life watching on the big screen, and who helped me see that being different doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Even those traits about us that some people might consider weird, those traits that might sometimes classify us as outcasts, can be helpful if we just look at them the right way and ‘use our powers for good’ – Stan and his creations played a big role in that journey of self acceptance and empowerment for me, and for many others all over the world. So it’s no wonder that so many people turned up this year to see him, as well as the other celebrity guests in attendance, which included Kevin Smith and Anthony Michael Hall.
This year’s FandomFest was the first convention I had ever attended as a fan (I’m part of the staff at Imaginarium which is a great convention but working doesn’t leave much time for fangirling – although sitting in on the film festival there is always inspiring) so, while we did run an errand or two to help out at FandomFest, I mostly just got to kick back and enjoy the show. My husband (Eric Jude AKA D.R. Acula) spoke on two panels there so I got to sit in on those and I thoroughly enjoyed all the conversation on two wonderful topics – Star Wars, and writing action scenes. I learned so much from both and everyone present did a great job.
The vendor hall was packed and consisted of tables featuring everything from books to artwork to costumes and more. I wish I had been able to see everything but just based on what I saw, FandomFest has a lot to offer. There was even a Star Wars dance party in front of a huge AT-ST that was a lot of fun to witness.
I think my favorite thing about FandomFest was the fans themselves. I was in awe of some of the detail and work that went into some of the costumes people wore to the convention. I wanted to take 100 pictures but as it was my first visit I wasn’t sure how people would react. There were a few that we couldn’t resist getting a picture or two of though.
Like I said, FandomFest has a lot to offer for fans of pretty much anything, and I highly recommend you check it out next year. I know I’ll be trying my best to go back.
This has been Kerosene Kommentary from your friendly neighborhood Kylie. Keep an eye out for future ramblings, and may the force be with you! 😉
Be The Lightning,
Kylie Jude.
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