Can't Stop the Serenity 08 AKA apckrfan's Fangirl weekend

Just dropping in to give an update on my time at Can’t Stop the Serenity 08 in Minneapolis/St. Paul this past weekend.

Saturday afternoon we went to the “shindig” which consisted of a parasol painting party and catered lunch. Steph had a great time painting her parasol. Me, I’m artistically challenged so I had really 2 sets of swirls on mine instead of 1 set of long ones. They asked me if I wanted to do another one since they had way extra parasols, so I said sure. And I painted the panels on that one green & yellow *s* They played the first disc of Firefly during the luncheon (they had the disc there because it contained the episode with the scenes of Kaylee holding said Parasol) and we were serenaded with the soundtrack from Serenity during the 3 hours we were there. There were some very artistic people there. One guy painted Snoopy on his dog house on his parasol. It was cute (I’m a *huge* Snoopy fan). Another guy painted “symbols” on each panel – a leaf for Wash, the parasol spirals for Kaylee, the hat for Jayne, etc. It was very fun to see. Steph’s turned out very nice.

After the luncheon, Steph found a theater where Sex and the City was playing and we went to see that. Very glad I saw it, even if I had to shell out $17 for tickets between the two of us (I’m spoiled in Fargo, tix aren’t that expensive here). The theatre wasn’t too packed, and there were only 4 men in attendance. Other than the woman sitting behind us criticizing the entire movie, I enjoyed it. I was beginning to wonder why she was even there because clearly she wasn't a fan. Carrie's hat wasn't right, Big wasn't behaving right, an embarrassing scene involving Charlotte wasn't funny at all - on and on she went.

After Sex and the City we head over to Riverview Theatre where Serenity was being shown. The package for the amount I’d contributed included 2 T-shirts, 2 posters, 1 keychain, and raffle tickets. My name was also in the program as a companion *heh* If I’d been a business (or had a published book) I could have had an ad, too. We also got a little goodie bag for being one of the first 100 through the door. These bags included a pen, a EqualityNow wristband, a granola bar and a couple of stickers. We were greeted when walking in by one of the women from the shindig playing violin. She played pretty much the entire time up until the movie started at 11:30pm.

While we didn’t win anything with the raffle (there were some pretty neat prizes, too, including a Spike puppet) we did win the auction for a MN Firefly CSTS T-shirt autographed by Adam Baldwin. Stephanie was kind of excited about that. They also had a Firefly DVD set autographed by Adam.

I’ve never seen Serenity in a theatre full of Joss fans before. Seeing it here in Fargo, I don’t think many of the audience knew it was anything but another sci-fi movie. So, some of the backstory went over their heads obviously. So, it was fun to laugh with an audience (and interesting to hear where there were a few laughs with no others or where you laughed and others didn’t). And it was fun to cry with an audience and know that even though we knew what was going to happen to Wash it was still shocking. There was a theatre full of gasps at the scene. As if we all expected that THIS time it wouldn’t happen. And the theatre was full. It was great to see that many people coming out.

There was a funny little introduction by Nathan, thanking us. There was a short movie with a browncoat dressed as Mal explaining just what Can't Stop the Serenity and Equality Now is about. And they showed Joss' speech from ’06 with an introduction by Meryl Streep. Kind of a punch in the gut to hear him being introduced as the guy who was going to be bringing us Wonder Woman. There were lots of groans from the audience at that.

We had a late breakfast with a college buddy of mine and his wife Sunday morning and then we were on our way back to Fargo. Overall, it was a great experience. The people I met and talked to were fun. It was fun, too, to see the different “types” of people that were there. Young and old, geeky and not so geeky *s*. It was fun.

Discovered at the shindig luncheon that there actually are people who like Firefly & Serenity who haven’t given Buffy and/or Angel a shot. One of the volunteers asked if anyone wanted to hear Once More With Feeling after the second play through of the Serenity soundtrack.

It was a relatively costly weekend, but well worth it. Equality Now is an organization I contribute to anyway, so I got to have some fun and get some goodies out of the deal while supporting it. Interestingly, according to 2007 number-crunching, Minneapolis contributed the most of all the cities listed.

Steph had a good time. When I told her what we were doing she just kind of rolled her eyes and didn’t seem too thrilled. Of course doing something geeky with her mother is beneath her at 17. But once we were there, she had a blast. Even Lee commented on how good her mood was last night when we got back.

Fic Updates through 11/20/07

As usual, if these links don’t come through you can access them at my main fan fiction page: www.phantomroses.com/apckrfan/fanfic and then clicking on the appropriate fandoms. All of these fics are at my LiveJournal fic journal and my Yahoo Groups fic group if you prefer. Below you will find all the updates since my last update post Oct. 16:

Outside Is the Storm
Through Part 9 added Oct. 21, 2007 and is a WIP. This is a Heroes fic. Spoilers through all of Season 1. Knowing her grandmother won't be much help, Claire turns to the only other person in the Petrelli mansion that could comfort her not knowing what's become of Peter & Nathan. This is a Claire/The Haitian fic.

One Foot On the Brake
Added Oct. 26, 2007 and is complete in 1 part. This is a Heroes/Drive crossover written for LJ community rare_heroes challenge #4: crossovers and 50timesimetyou prompt #42: Shadows. Furious at discovering his marriage was a sham, Alex Tully speeds along the highway, encountering someone in the middle of the road. This contains spoilers through Heroes Fight or Flight (2x04) and all of Drive including post series interviews given by creators with some insight as to what would have happened had the series gotten more than 4 (bloody FOX!) episodes.

Sun in the Day, Moon At Night
Added Nov. 09, 2007 and is complete in 1 part. This is a Buffy the Vampire Slayer fic written for the IWRY 2007 Marathon and LJ community 50harlequins prompt #33: Long-Separated Lovers. Angel goes in search of Buffy when he sees her in the tabloids one too many times. This is pure, unadulterated fluff! This is a Buffy/Angel fic. This is written for IWRY Fic Marathon 2007. It will also fulfill LJ community 50harlequins #33: Long-Separated Lovers

See How High She Flies
Added Nov. 09, 2007 and is complete in 1 part. This is a Heroes fic set after Kindred (2x03). After visiting with Noah, the Haitian goes in search of Claire and finds her enjoying herself with someone who isn't him. This is a Claire/Haitian fic (with shades of Claire/West) and is written for LJ community heroes50 Prompt #38-Wind.

The Light and the Heat
Through Part 3 Added Nov. 16, 2007 and is a WIP. This is a Heroes fic. Claire feels like she's being watched and is unprepared for the things she feels and what is revealed when she finally sees who it is. This is a Claire/Adam fic with definite spoilers through Four Months Ago (2x08). Spoilers for future episodes as more information about Adam is revealed may be involved.

Spark the Fire In Me
Added Nov. 18, 2007 and is complete in 1 part. This is a Heroes and Firefly crossover with spoilers through Four Months Ago and all of Firefly the series. Mal wakes up in his bed with a companion he doesn't remember going to bed with to begin with. This is rated FRAO and is written for LJ community rare_heroes fic challenge #4: crossovers. It will also fulfill 50timesmetyou prompt #17: naked.

Happy reading! And I hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving!

If these links don’t come through you can access them at my main fan fiction page: www.phantomroses.com/apckrfan/fanfic and then clicking on the appropriate fandoms. All of these fics are at my LiveJournal fic journal and my Yahoo Groups fic group if you prefer. Below you will find all the updates since August 27:

Anne-onymous
Part 15 added Aug. 29, 2007 and is complete. This is a Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel fic with spoilers through Anne, pretty AU after that though canon events are referred to. Buffy never goes back to Sunnydale after Anne and ends up married, knee deep in the evil she hoped to escape. This begins during Season 3 of Buffy, but moves in Season 4 of Buffy/Season 1 of Angel. This is a Buffy/Lindsey and Buffy/Angel fic.

She's the End of the Rainbow
Added Aug. 29, 2007 and is complete in 1 part. This is a Heroes future fic with general spoilers through Season 1. Claire has to come to grips with the fact her mother cannot attend her wedding. It's more or less a gen fic, but does fall under the Claire/the Haitian 'ship umbrella.

Living On the Edge
Part 4 added Sept. 4, 2007 and is complete. This is a Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel fic with spoilers through Restless (BtVS 4x22) and To Shanshu In LA (Angel 1x22). Buffy meets a freelance vampire hunter while at her dad's on summer break after defeating Adam and The Initiative. She doesn't realize befriending him is going to bring her right back into Angel's world when they've been so careful about avoiding one another. This is a Buffy/Gunn fic.

Desert Sunlight
Through Part 9 added Sept. 19, 2007 and is a WIP. This is a Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Medium crossover. Buffy is in Phoenix in search of a slayer and encounters someone who seems to know who she is. This is a crossover with MEDIUM. Spoilers for all of Buffy (Season 7 for sure, possibly Season 8 comics) and Medium general spoilers, though this would really take place in about Season 1 of Medium (though I'm using information obtained in Season 2's Knowing Her 2x19 for background on Lee). This will be a Buffy/Lee Scanlon fic.

Holding Out For Heroes
Added Sept. 14, 2007 and is complete in 1 part. This is a Firefly fic with spoilers through Jaynestown. His talk with Mal leaving him unsatisfied, Jayne is unable to get over the idea that someone took a bullet for him. He pays River a visit not wanting to admit to anyone else on the ship how much it bothers him. This is a River/Jayne fic and is written for the 30_fluffs LJ community: Prompt #14-lies; trickery with bonus challenge: weapons.

And You Wanna Run
Added Sept. 15, 2007 and is complete in 1 part. This is a Dexter fic with spoilers through Return To Sender (1x06). Rita's enjoying the new woman she's slowly becoming. She just hopes it's not too late to set a good example for Astor and Cody. This is a gen fic with Rita/Dexter implied. This fic is written for my friend Katie who requested some Dexter fic.

The One I Want To Go Through Time With
Through Part 2 added Sept. 19, 2007 and is a WIP. This is a The Breakfast Club fic and is set five years after the movie. On the verge of becoming engaged, home for a visit Claire takes Richard Vernon's words to heart and visits John Bender five years later out of morbid curiosity. This is based on the following quote by Richard Vernon: You think he's funny? You think this is cute? You think he's "bitchin," is that it? Let me tell you something. Look at him - he's a bum. You want to see something funny? You go visit John Bender in five years. You'll see how goddamned funny he is. This is a Claire/John fic.

ATTN: eBook readers (particularly of romance)

I’m forwarding this on, I know we have a ton of readers out there. I think what this publisher is doing is great, and I admit I bought a copy of the book. The book is called: Clutch Me if You Can (1-60186-149-4) By Rochelle Rae Hensler and you can find it at: http://www.triskelionpublishing.com/bookstore/product_info.php?products_id=1594 or just go to www.triskelionpublishing.com and search for the title.

For those who don’t know, my mom died of ovarian cancer 15 years ago, and while I can’t do anything to help this woman I could spend $6 to maybe help give her some good news during this time. It’s currently on the best sellers list, so I’m not the only one shopping for it! And if you don’t read romance, maybe you know someone who does???

Susan

Ladies,

The promo I sent out earlier today is for a young writer who has just released her first two books that were scheduled to released in late fall and early winter.

Rochelle has been upbeat and optimistic while battling ovarian cancer for several years. About six weeks ago she was told that there was nothing more the doctors could do and she needed to settle her affairs quickly.  One of the first things she did was email Triskelion and tell them her latest test results. They moved her release date up to right now so she could see her books published before she died. Damned good publisher in my opinion.

As a favor I'd like to ask you all to help this fellow author and dig into your already stretched wallets for $5.99 and buy a copy of her book. Trisk has made special arrangements to tell Rochelle her sales I believe weekly if not daily.  It would be a nice thing to do for a stranger.

Thanks for letting me babble on. I'm just a little upset by the news.

Sharon

Little Girls Getting Grown Up