The following summarizes my speech at Closing Ceremonies, for those of you who couldn't make it, or who heard it but need a reminder
Hi all! I'm ellen, aka rem on the kumoricon and tunac boards. I'm honored to be kumoricon's chair of fanfiction programming. last year, i was one of 3 panelists and 2 judges. and we had about 30 folks at our workshop, and about 8 entries in our contest, in 2 categories; and no other programming.
this year:
we had 5 panelists;
it was standing room only at our workshop--over 50 participants;
our Beta Station, our own innovation unique to our con, was open saturday night and all day sunday and which was very active as a networking spot;
another kumoricon creation, fanfiction bedtime stories, was still going strong at 1am;
many fics were actually here, on the spot, at the con, specifically for the con;
our kumoricon_fanfiction yahoo group earned 7 new members in the 2 weeks before the con, and over 30 during the con;
our zine, Kumori Kozmiks, --created by lead staff & volunteers from kumoricon fanfiction programming, but not affiliated directly with the con--
published our first issue for the con, will be on display at anime iowa in 2 weeks, and already has garnered enough submissions of fics and art for our next 2 issues, before the con is even over;
and in our contest, we had 42 entries from 20 contestants.
next year, watch for yet another amazing kumoricon first: fanfiction theater. that's right: we're gonna cosplay our fics!
now as far as the contest, of which i am the judge.
each contestant will receive a gift.
**********note*******
i still need to find contact info for one contestant: edward liljeholm! if you are, or know, that contestant, or how to reach him, please hook us up! thanks!
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gifts include manga in japanese or english, figurines, etc.
the first place winner in each category will also receive a ribbon and/or certificate.
the novella category has not yet been decided, but will within a week (of today's date).
in that category, we had 5 submissions, the longest of which was 81 pages. so i just need a bit of extra time to read those, to make a truly informed decision.
the winners of each of the other categories, however, have been decided.
winners are: for best
ANGST:
PRINCESS FRODO for "waiting for papa," a gundam wing fic.
for best
ONESHOT:
FILK AERIS for "rabbit in the moon," a naruto fic.
for best in the
unofficial category of ADULT content
KET MAKURA for "gone numb," a metal gear: solid fic.
for best in the lumped category of
ALTERNATE UNIVERSE, ORIGINAL CHARACTER, AND/OR CROSSOVER:
HOPE NICKEL for "far above rubies," a final fantasy XII fic.
for best in
GAME-BASED FICTION:
BLACKJACK GABBIANI for "ballgown brunhilda," a final fantasy XI fic.
now next, believe it or not, i actually did have to go ahead and create this category, because i really did have an unbelievable 8 entries in it.
so, the kumoricon fanfiction award for best fanfic in the
INVADER ZIM category (really!) goes to
J. RANDOM LURKER for "behold the power of couch."
******note****** there was tremendous positive crowd response to this category and this name! must be a huge untapped zeal for zim out there in the kumori crowd!
for best in SONGFIC (and yes, we did have multiple entries in this category!):
AMANDA LEMONCELLI for "the perfect drug," a sailor moon fic
with a little help from "when i'm gone,"
a song by 3 doors down.
for best POEM:
FILK AERIS for "troublesome," a naruto fic.
for best
AUDIENCE RESPONSE AT OUR NEW, EXCITING FANFICTION BEDTIME STORIES EVENT:
SHEN AND MATT for "the all-purpose yaoi naruto fanfic".
and i've already warned them, i want to see this cosplayed next year at our fanfic theater event! :twisted:
second place in our
AUDIENCE RESPONSE category, from fanfic bedtime stories, goes to:
TOM HARGREAVES for an untitled piece that i dubbed, "dr. seuss watches
naruto." :lol:
for best
COMEDY:
TIM JOYNT for "dreamscape! the figments," a slayers fic.
for best PIECE WRITTEN SPECIFICALLY AT THE CON, FOR THE CON:
AMANDA LEMONCELLI for the aforementioned songfic, "the perfect drug,"
(sailor moon & 3 doors down).
and in the special category, new this year to kumoricon to honor our desire to bring in new otaku of all ages and walks of life,
OVERALL BEST NEWBIES:
MATT & SHEN. their entries included the aforementioned "all-purpose yaoi naruto," cojointly written; matt's naruto-based action novella, "civil war;" matt's naruto-based poem, "kimimaru's legacy"; and shen's naruto-based novella, "want you to want me."
thank you to everyone who helped make kumoricon fanfiction program the vanguard among cons! and a rousing good time
this includes my core original members from our yahoo group:
filk aeris and blackjack gabbiani, both strong contestants last year, hwo were both panelists this year; and hope nickel, our zine editor and publisher, as well as panelist.
this also includes new panelist, ket makura; tim joynt, who helped set up rooms for our events; dash the gnome, volunteer extraordinaire and my goddess of the gap (she knows what that means); amy unfred, who until march was also part of coordinating fanfic; and sailor naboo, for making ribbons and certificates and just all-around making the con a more vibrant and successful endeavor.
also thanks to: professor antonia levi, for helping fanfic become professionally recognized; baka zoku member chris for energy work; G-d and guardian angels for getting me here after a car wreck that left me with no front bumper, on the way up here; and con chair sean larson and programming co-coordinators arlene penrose and peter verrey, and everyone from alto nimbus, for flexibility in allowing fanfic to blossom under its own guidance and authority.
see you next year!
yours fondly,
rem
aka ellen
chair of fanfic programming for kumoricon.
