BishounenCon 2017!

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This year was the first time this event took place and it was very obvious. Vendors and artists alley in the same room, tiny little panel rooms and such... Very small but let me tell you, I have never felt so much love at a convention before. All the authors, vendors, artists, and other attendees were kind, funny, and so amazingly understanding. And I say understanding because I walked into the Yuri!! On Ice panel and was very likely the only one in the room who never saw the show. I came there to see what it was about and everyone was excited to share.

The same could be said for the author panels (which, I attended for obvious reasons) where I learned a great deal about tropes in LGBTQ fiction and how to represent a wider range of characters.

I also got some swag, of course:

I will be reviewing these books, of course. And those first two books are signed! :D

If this con keeps going (PLEASE DO) next time, I would make a weekend out of it. I ended up having to miss panels I really wanted to see because I didn't want to be driving back home at 1 am. People get stupid on highways normally so add dark and bridges to that and NOPE. Lenni would rather not, thanks.

Overall, I learned a lot, I met some fun people, I gave out a bunch of cards, and I have some fun books to review. I would love to attend next year and I hope it was successful enough to warrant a yearly event.

Shakespeare Adventure!!!!!! (Part 2)

Here we are again with part 2 of our Shakespeare adventure. This time Justin is taking the place of Hamlet Sr. Let's see if Justin follows the script or rewrite it all together. 

http://www.otakusandgeeks.com/articles/2017/2/25/shakespeare-adventure/author (part 1) 

Lenni Reviews: "Windsinger" by A. F. E. Smith

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Mirrorvale has long stood in a precarious 'truce' with the surrounding kingdoms; held together with the fear of the changers. Now not only overload but a mother, Ayla Nightshade attempts to broker a formal peace treaty with an ambassador from the neighboring kingdom of Sol Kardis. After one day of hard negotiations, the ambassador is found dead. Suspected of murder, the race in on to prove Ayla's innocence and prevent all out war.

Across the the three books (this is the third Darkhaven novel) the writing quality, world building, and character depth has been consistently entertaining and well executed. The build up is slow to a rip-roaring climax; leaving plenty of time to be intrigued and entertained. The characters are especially interesting in this outing, with even the side characters having story arcs ramping up several times to push them to the limit and end up with some great development. It can seem a little trivial in the grander scheme of things but it was good to get to know them.

I do hesitate to give away too much and end up spoiling some pretty major plot points. Suffice it to say I am loving this series and hope to see more. 4.7 out of 5.

Tales From The Crypt 2017 Teaser

Hey O&G fans, M Night Shyamalan is rebooting the classic horror series Tales From The Crypt Which ran from June 10, 1989 to July 19, 1996. For those to young to remember the series or the movies it spawned here is a look at the original intro:

Intro to Tales from the Crypt. Aired on HBO from 1989 to 1996. "Tales of horror based on the gloriously gruesome EC horror comics of the 1950's" (IMDB) Best quality and no stupid logos since I ripped it from my own DVD.

Now check out the 2017 Teaser:

Tales From The Crypt Season 1 Trailer! (2017 Remake)

The remake has been delayed, so we hope this teaser is a sign that the series is a go. It was previously said that the new stories would be culled from trending pieces posted to the fiction site, Wattpad, and the footage bears a decidedly modern milieu. In the teaser, Shyamalan calls the original show a “forbidden fruit” from his childhood, celebrating its “dark, ironic” tone. No date has been set yet.

Shakespeare Adventure!!!

Justin and I decided to do a 'Choose Your Own Adventure' book called To Be or Not To Be. This is part one of the adventure because there are so many paths and endings to have. Stay tuned next week because its going to be an interesting one...

Survival Horror game from Deck 13 The Other 99 Gets major update and new trailer

Deck 13 and games development studio Burning Arrow announced today the availability of a brand-new update for ‘The Other 99’ that brings multiple improvements to its game currently downloadable through Steam Early Access. Based on the feedback received from players engaged in previous versions of the action-horror title, Burning Arrow released this update to fix many of the concerns that were expressed while also making it much more challenging to survive the island. A list of corrections and enhancements developed and implemented in this new version can be found below: - New Starting Area. - Massively reworked Balancing. - Better interaction for survival with the world (e.g. now you can drink water from rivers, etc..). - Rework of the Survival Guide (Hunger & Thirst related). - Overhauled the island with new props populating the environment. - Rework of the combat. “It’s great being able to bring such an important update to The Other 99. We’ve taken a lot of the feedback we received on the early builds of our title and worked hard to improve the game in those areas with a focus on the game’s difficulty. With the new AI system that we have completed, it is no longer easy to avoid and bypass enemies, as fights are now much more challenging.” says NAME, co-founder of Burning Arrow. Burning Arrow also released a frightening new trailer to celebrate the release of the update. It shows the intensity that occurs when exploring the dark and unnerving island, and it captures some of the fierce combat and menacing locations featured throughout the game.

The Other 99 Game Description & Current Features The Other 99 is a single player, first-person, action-survival game. Ripped from their ordinary life, players awaken on a desolate hebridian island with nothing but a single note that reads: “The only way off the island is through the The Other 99”. Described as a British Battle Royal, Lost meets Fight Club and a digital Lord of the flies, The Other 99 is a game of mystery, exploration, brutal combat, stealthing mechanics and problem solving. But be careful: permadeath is included.

Ø One objective. Alternate playing styles. Getting off the island is your main objective. § Survival of the fittest: Do what it takes to get off the island. Follow the cryptic note and butcher your way to freedom. Only thing is.. many of the other 99 have the same idea. § Mind over matter: Keep focus and lurk amongst the bushes, tactically sabotaging camps and assassinating by the dead of night. § Discovery: Let animals be animals. Watch from a distance and decipher the mysteries of the island. Maybe there is more to the island than meets the eye.

Ø Dynamic AI system § Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not happening. Simulations are hard at work in the background determining how AI’s move, kill and survive. This effects the world you play in and provides unique situations every time. Campfires are lit because AI have actually visited them and bodies are there because they have died, the world lives around you.

Ø Large open world environment to explore § Pick up a lit torch and discover the lore and extensive backstory of the island through rock engravings, notes and environmental story telling. § Go where you please! Nothing is stopping you from walking to the other side of the playable area. Well.. Potentially 99 psychologically damaged murderous people. Ø Dynamic day-night cycle and ever changing weather system § Keep track of day and night cycles as this will change visibility on both you and the other 99. Lighting fires at night or running through open fields during the day are decisions you must make. § Weather can be unforgiving, rain blocking out the sound of footsteps and thunder illuminating the path ahead are elements you can use to your tactical advantage.

Ø Hunger and thirst § Maintaining hunger and thirst doesn’t just keep you alive, it ensures you are strong for every encounter you face. § Explore more efficiently by keeping well hydrated. § Kill more efficiently by maintaining your nutrition.

Ø Puzzle and problem solving § Solve perspective puzzles, collect components and decipher notes. These will lead to greater rewards and bring you closer to understanding what is happening on the island.