Yaoi-con 2012 Preview

Go to: http://yaoicon.com for information.

Next weekend, October 12-14, I will be at Yaoi-con! I am very excited to be getting my Bishonen fix in my own back yard. This year, Yaoi-con will be at The Westin Long Beach 333 East Ocean Blvd
Long Beach, CA 9080. There are some fantastic industry guests that include the mighty Hamlet Machine from Starfighter Web Comic, Jo Chen from Guilt/Pleasure , Alex Woolfson from Yaoi911 and Artifice and the great guys from Bent-con http://Bent-con.org. The Guest of Honor is Uki Ogasawara , mangaka of the Yaoi classic, Black Sun.

Panels, Panels, Panels

I have three and most likely four at Yaoi-con this year. I am pleased to be representing localizers from the Digital Manga Guild (DMG) on a panel called Localizing for the Digital Manga Guild for Fun and Profit. The Guild needs many more translators, editors and letterers for its growing catalog of licensed titles. I'm going to make a strong case for joining up. I will have a fun power point presentation and hopefully a lively Q&A session toward the end.

Yes, he is. But that's the least of his issues.

Of course, if it's me, there must be some BDSM. My first panel of the convention is Exploring Dark Fantasy: BDSM in Yaoi. That will involve a scary fun power point presentation and props that are even scarier. Those props haven't been used in a convention since the one where I collared and palled a naughty Klingon and had Battlestar Galatica's Richard Hatch on his knees. That was a fun one. Where was I? I will take the bdsm presented in various manga and light novels on its on terms. However, I will be drawing a distinction between what the mangaka and authors describe and what is reality in the lifestyle, including how rare it is that actual consent is given from the uke or submissive (nope, not letting that go). And I will get a little bit literary on everyone with a discussion of what it means that so many major authors and mangaka choose bdsm as a theme rather than a vanilla gay relationship.

The third panel stems from an amusing aspect of many manga the localizers have completed. It is unusual when vanilla sex in a bedroom at night happens between Seme and uke. The Panel Anywhere, Anytime, Anyhow explores the many places and strange implements involved in Yaoi hook ups. Have a mentioned the bud vase with water AND a flower??? And don't get me started on the school Nurse's Office! There will be a power point presentation of some of the manga pages for illustration.

The fourth panel that I may be a part of is the Bent-con panel. It is a really cool convention that covers anything an attendee would find at a comic-con only gayer! All geeks are welcome. I will be talking about the incredible panels I attended there and the amazing people in the industry fans got to have near one on one contact with. This year's convention will be even better!

I really hope that my gentle readers in the Southland and beyond can visit. Tickets are still available at the door. Aside from my panels, there are so many wonderful industry and attendee panels. Beyond that, there is merchandise for every yaoi fandom out there. There are people in astonishing cosplay outfits. And there is a great feeling of connection that comes from finding out that you aren't by yourself in this niche. Last year was my first Yaoi-con ever. I felt such a great vibe there in general and from the folks at Digital Manga in particular, that I joined the guild. That has been a great experience for me personally and professionally. I am beyond excited that the company is running the convention.

For those who can't make it, I will be doing videos based on the power point presentations. But I hope you can make it!

Book Updates

As I posted in my last blog, there is a three chapter preview of A Soldier's Destiny available on this site. Click on the link at the top of the menu on the right called A Soldier's Destiny Preview Chapters. Meanwhile, The next installment of Ensnared is in my brain and wanting to get out. I'm hoping to have excepts of that by the end of the year when we release A Soldier's Destiny. Thank you for all the notes of encouragement. I'm even thankful for the notes yelling at me to write faster.

The next blog will be all about Yaoi-con. My Hubs and I have a new camera, so we'll get lots of photos of everything. I hope to give full coverage like a news feature. It's been some years since I've covered anything as a reporter, but I thought I'd give it a try.

For my next regular blog – Insane Semes and Why We Love Them.