What can I say about Mile Hi con this year?  With forty five years in the making, they left little to feel you longing.  Great authors were on hand to sign your favorite books and give their fans the proper attention when asking questions about their best characters, story lines, or just talk about life.  When talking to a few of these authors, I have now committed to a couple new book series and I do not feel one ounce of regret.

Not being one of the biggest cons in the area, Mile Hi Con does a great job bringing in some unmatched talent and provides for a family environment.  Having time to sit and talk to different authors without being rushed off keeps people coming back every year.  Not to mention the vendor room that includes many different types of jewelry, corsets, honey chocolate and my all-time favorite thing, books, signed and unused to get your own autographs by the authors waiting outside. 

The Art show is great to walk though as well.  Depending on what you are looking for starting with pottery, steampunk goods (great Starfleet badges were available this year), anything that can be made by hand can be found on the tables.  Then moving on to the paintings and prints, you are able to find a wide range of items varying from landscapes, dragons, and what seemed to steal the show this year, cats is different costumes, my favorite was a Cat Godzilla.

The gaming area seemed to be the most popular this year with Pyro and Anna starting up when the doors opened.  The home grown games seemed to be received well this year, hearing about all of the different rules left me more confused than when I started, but everyone seemed to have a great time.  Hanger 18 looked to be a big hit this year, with standing room only around its table, the characters looked to keep everyone intrigued in the game.

Klingons, Starfleet, Kilts, oversized beards and a ferryman working the main elevator, Mile Hi Con was a success once again.  Depending on what you are looking for, you are able to find most anything at this event, whether it be an autograph from your favorite author, a book you have been trying to locate for years, a new piece of art to hang above the mantle or a little handmade felt mouse to put on your desk and to give you some extra motivation.  Cannot wait to see what Mile Hi Con brings to our plate next year!

The largest Science Fiction literary convention in the rocky mountain region is back for its forty fifth installment...Mile Hi Con.  As an avid lover of the literary arts I am excited to see all of the authors this convention will bring out to Denver.  With headliners like Ian Tregills, Seanan McGuire and local author, the great Connie Willis I am awaiting anxiously for the doors to open on Friday. 

With over eighty authors attending this year, there should be no problem finding something that will tickle your fancy.  Along with a jam packed schedule of panels throughout the weekend, you will be able to get some of your long standing questions answered by your favorite authors.  There are also over forty artists attending the event this year, giving you a chance to buy original pieces of art.

There are also some late night activities on the docket this year including the famous Critter Floatilla, Mask Parade with Masquerade and a midnight showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show Saturday night.  Movies will be playing throughout the weekend as well featuring some of the Science Fiction classics along with some more recent features.  

Books, Art and Movies are going to lead to a fantastic weekend getaway for any Science Fiction fan.  Getting to meet some of the writers who have changed our outlook on the future is a great honor for myself, and getting to meet some of the people that will be taking the reins for the years to come will be a fantastic opportunity to see where the genre will be taking us. 

Hope to see you all this weekend!

I have to say, that I am still beaming after attending the Mile High Horror Film Festival. Don't get me wrong, I love cons, but holy cow do I love me some horror and this year's event flat out topped last year.  For one, they hosted it at the Alamo Drafthouse, a theater that I simply cannot get enough of, and second...they brought in some incredible guests and hosted some incredible events.  

I mean, it was awesome to see everyone again from last year, and believe me, there is always a good time to be had at any event that Jeffrey Reddick and Jonathan Tiersten attend. Not to mention I don't think there is ever a convention that Robert Elrod attends that I don't end up heading home with another incredible piece of his art.   

But there were two events that completely and utterly blew me away this year.  The first I already wrote about...the chance to see my favorite film on the big screen at last.  The other...was meeting Tom Savini.  

Now I took the time to meet Ken Foree as well, who by the way was a class act through and through, and well, that was also freakin' amazing but Savini...well there's a reason I was beyond excited to meet him in person. You see, Dawn of the Dead not only helped me decide that I wanted to spend the rest of my life writing stories in any form or fashion, but it also brought forth my complete and utter love of film. It was the film that gave birth to my desire to dissect film in both story and technical design.  

I spent many an hour of my youth picking apart Savini's work, doing my best to learn how he did it, what he needed to do it and after not too long...trying my best to replicate it.  I discovered I did not have the patience that Mister Savini had when it came to special effects makeup, but what an honor to shake this man's hand.  He is one of my heroes of film and that's what made this event so special for me.  It was not only a celebration of all things horror, but a chance to literally stand before a legend and say hello. 

What can be said about a film festival that is dedicated to horror films? Amazing, spectacular, astounding?  None of these terms will be able to summarize what I was privy to at this festival.  I am a lover of the horror genre, there is very little to dispute this with my reviews of horror novels or movies.  Getting to sit back and talk to some of the people behind the grooming of my youth was beyond all of my expectations.

Although, I did not check out most of the films at the Mile High Horror Film Festival, I have no regrets.  Getting to meet the horror icons from my youth and present, I am beyond fulfilled by this great festival presented by the Alamo Draft House.  Meeting Meg Foster, Ken Foree and Timothy Quill and Tom Savini left me in awe.  With other fantastic guests like Johnathan Tiersten, Jeffrey Reddick, Tiffany Shepis, Robert Elrod and The Enigma, you are left with nothing to desire.

With some of these stars being at the event, you are not only going to snag an autograph, but enjoy a Q&A before your show.  Ken Foree along with Tom Savini sat and talked about one of the top zombie movies, Dawn of the Dead.  This was also the case with They Live featuring Meg Foster and "Rowdy" Roddy Piper and with Doug Bradley for Hellraiser.  Getting a treat such as this is an incredible gift from the folks at the Mile High Horror Film Festival.

Sitting and waiting for Dawn of the Dead to start, I was not disappointed at all as The Enigma was on stage doing things that no one should be able to do to and with their own body.  Tom Savini started off the Q&A as we waited for Ken Foree to enter the auditorium.  Listening to how they made my favorite zombie movie made my day as other questions surfaced about recent movies like The Lords of Salem.  Finding out that Rob Zombie is an actor’s director made my day.  Other stories were told, Ken Foree was told about Dawn of the Dead by longtime friend Duane Jones from Night of the Living Dead and Tom Savini got the news that it was time to get back to work through a telegraph from George Romero that asked him to start thinking up ways to kill people.

But I digress, let's move on to meeting the actors, actresses.  I must admit that I rarely get star struck at an event, but meeting Tom Savini left me that way.  Talking for a few minutes about the affects he used in Dawn and Day of the Dead made my day, and he even took a moment to tell me what features the newly released version of Day of the Dead would benefit me.  A dream come true, although he did not have a photo from Knightriders to sign, I was still happy to receive a hand shake and autographed copy of Day of the Dead.

Meeting Ken Foree was beyond a dream come true. Seeing him in several movies like Dawn of the Dead, Brotherhood of Blood and The Lords of Salem, I was right at home.  Talking about the movies and his favorite photos seemed to put us both at ease.  Figuring out he is just a normal person made it easier as I learned about his life in the Denver Public School system.  Our fathers both worked in DPS and knew each other to an extent as one career was ending and another was starting to blossom.

Talking with Johnathan Tiersten about his movie roles made me laugh as everyone that sat around him had a story or point of view of his illustrious career in Hollywood.  For some reason he is seen as a jokester of horror, but seems to enjoy this status while hitting the cons and singing his way to the top.  The man is extremely talented as since I have had the chance to listen to his covers and original songs, and you can find them, and plenty of pictures of Jonathan without a shirt on at jonathantiersten.com

Jeffery Reddick was one of the highlights of the festival.  Reddick is the creator of the Final Destination series and the writer of the remake of Day of the Dead (don’t hold that against him, the script was changed) and Tamara (which I will watch soon) is always a blast.  Jeffery is a joy to talk to as he is a screen writer and will have something coming out in the near future for us as horror fans to talk about.

Timothy Quill was just a blast to talk to.  He loved every minute of his place in Army of Darkness along with My Name is Bruce.  Stories about what happened on set along with what will be (hopefully) coming in the future made my weekend as we talked about what Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell might be coming out with.  Those conversations are best left to the imagination as we wait to see what really happens. 

Tiffany Shepis, one of Hollywood’s scream queens was also at the event.  Not knowing exactly what she had been a part of, I did a bit of research as she was able to tell me about her best pictures, Violent Kind and The Hazing.  I made sure to pick both of them up knowing that one of the Scream Queens has recommended two of her best films.  I am now ready to sit back and enjoy her performances.  Although she interrupted a great Rodney Dangerfield impression, I know that these two films will deliver and my reviews will be on the site at some point.

Robert Elrod is also a joy to talk with, a local artist who is able to draw anything you want is more than a Godsend.  Finding an outstanding Joker print, I left his table with more than just a smile on my face.  Finding out that he drew this fantastic piece at the Glenwood Hot Springs with his significant other brought the element of real life back to me.  If you are ever in need of a piece of art, make sure to check out his site at robertelrodllc.com.

Personally, the highlight of the festival was meeting Meg Foster. Meg has been in more than a few good movies in her time, but my favorites include They Live, Masters of the Universe and The Lords of Salem.  I tried to give her a hard time about Rob Zombie making her wear contacts during the filming of The Lords of Salem, but found out that it was just a difference in the lighting during the filming.  ‘I never took anything off of the set’ was her answer as Meg told me that during her acting stint was being a parent and working for the paycheck rather than the fame left me speechless.  Having met and learned so much about her took away the sense of stardom as I realized just how down to earth she really is, working for a living rather than the fame.

The Mile High Horror Film Festival has been more than a dream come true for me.  Being a part of a great group like Girls of Geek 12 has helped out a little bit, but being a fan of this genre makes me part of this push.  Listening to the commentaries of these movies, along with watching the more recent works of these actors/actresses makes me feel more at home at an event like this.  Not knowing about this for the past three years makes me sad, as this is where I truly belong.  Being able to connect with people is not a part of my job these days, as I work at a desk for forty hours a week, but being able to feel at home is one of the things that you are not able to fake.  These are the people I can connect with and will never have an issue with talking shop, personal or anything in between.  Mile High Horror Film Festival, will be hard to beat this year, but I hope that they will be able to come up with something fantastic for next year!

Nan Desu Kan has been my #1 anime convention since 2005. Last year, I only went for a few hours Friday night. This year, though, I made it Friday and Saturday and wow has it changed.

This year, the con was abuzz with many people. There was a line to get into the dealers room, everywhere you turned there were people; bright eyed and in costume. 

Friday was slightly more calm. A lot of friends were there, so I got to spent the day with Mattie and a bunch of our pals. Walking around, checking out the dealers room, and I even stuck my head in a few panels/video showing rooms...all before hitting the bar even!

Saturday I started my day there a little later. There were a lot more people to be had at the con. That was when they started a line into the dealers room. Which, I have to say, was kind of nice. While there were a ton of people, the con still had the same, energetic, fun-family feel it always had. 

Bright friendly faces, who were willing to get their pictures taken. Everyone was nice, friendly, and welcoming. And while I hadn't been there in a few years, the parts I like the most about this convention never really changed, just a ton more people than I remember. And of course, I can't leave out the best part of NDK, Garcia's, the mexican restaurant right across the street from the Marriott Tech Center. Where they have an amazing strawberry margarita; and they don't question the costumes! 

It was there we made a new friend, who was kind enough to join us for dinner and share her own zany con stories.

Because that's what cons are really about. Making friends.

There's been a central theme that I have hinted at in covering Nan Desu Kan 2013 and that theme is that this is a convention unlike any other.  I stand by that for a reason and because Sunday at the convention continued to prove this theory right.  

The Anime theme that accompanies this convention however, is not what I find to be that ultra unique piece.  That's just a bonus to be honest.  No, the surprise of Nan Desu Kan is that it is a convention of limitless energy.  Think about it for a second.  

Conventions have their own special structure for all of us and well, we feed off of its energy. They are always three days of joy but the energy level changes day to day.  We always arrive at the convention on Friday ready and raring to go and once we get settled in Saturday has arrived and every con goer I know goes hog wild on this day.  Doing everything and anything they can. 

There's entertainment galore on the Saturday of a con, and plenty of late night fun as well and that's what seems to make Sunday a little more of a challenge.  Sunday is usually the day where the energy level is down, and the air is heavy with the end of the convention hanging over everyone's head.  Not at NDK my friends.  Sunday was something else.  

I mean come on, there was a rave that lasted until two in the morning the night before and as I walked the floor and talked to some of the staff they told me the line stretched on for ages just to get into the party so naturally one would think that Sunday should include those long faces of fatigue.  

Oh no, Sunday was Saturday II at NDK and I was utterly impressed at the wealth of energy that poured out of the crowd.  There were still lines a mile long to get into panels, main events and the vendor room.  I only saw a handful of people in the lobby checking their luggage to make sure they had everything with them before going home.  It was amazing.  

In fact the floor was still a sea of human beings and the hang out spots that I noticed on Saturday were still in heavy use.  I honestly have never seen anything like this.  I mentioned the lines at main events and I wasn't kidding.  I took a moment to stand there and watch the line grow and grow, heading for the main lobby as everyone waited patiently to enter the World Cosplay Summit Event.  I truly get the feeling after witnessing this that I will never see such sights at any other convention outside of NDK.  

Nan Desu Kan is the con that simply won't quit, and I firmly believe that had there not been a schedule or a Monday looming...this con would keep on rolling until the energy finally runs out, and I think we all know that would take a very long time.  

Sometimes it seems like the whole world is against a con.  That despite the joy we all take in wandering the halls, there are forces out there conspiring to ruin that good time.  Such was the case on Saturday at Nan Desu Kan.  

For as the convention reached its peak hours, the always unsettling noise of a fire alarm forced a break in the action, if only for a little while.  But it didn't take much time after that for mother nature to settle in and flex her muscles to the crowd when a Tornado Watch arrived along with ominous clouds.  

But did that stop this hearty crowd from enjoying their annual dose of Anime?  Absolutely not.  

Instead of letting a false fire alarm and weather get the better of the event, the halls of NDK remained packed for hours on end.  It was in fact a sea of human beings that was a challenge and thrill to navigate.  I was not able to find any place in the hotel that could provide peace and quiet and that's not necessarily a bad thing.  

After all, we come to a con for the thrill, and there is no greater thrill than seeing a convention filled to the brim with people.  It was exhausting in the right kind of way.  In fact I saw something that I honestly don't see at other conventions, groups of people finding whatever corner they could and simply taking a little time to relax and chill and hang out.  

But despite the wild events and need for relaxation and rest while at the convention.  There is one great event that towers over all conventions on a Saturday...the costume contest.  NDK handles their contest in two phases, individual and group and we here at Girls of Geek managed to hang around for the first half of the contest. 

I have to say, that NDK's costume contest feels different than any other convention I've ever attended.  I would tell you it was related to the crowd since main events was filled to capacity, but I think a sold out crowd is the minimum expectation for a costume contest.  

No, what caught me by surprise was how damn good the costumes were through and through. This con splits their contestants into Beginner, Intermediate and Master like so many other conventions, but the quality of each skill level was well...above and beyond.  I saw beginners that should have been in the master category and master costumes that should be filmed. It was pretty awesome to say the least.  

But the costume contest is always bittersweet, for it signals the beginning of the end.  Once we all leave Main Events to settle in for either evening activities or head to our rooms or home, we know that tomorrow is the last day of the con and well, I don't know anyone who is happy about that.  

There are only a handful of things in this world that I wake up full of anticipation for and one of those things is a convention.  I love it when my alarm goes off and I can start counting down the hours until I get the opportunity to step through the doors of a con and enjoy an experience like no other.  

In fact there is no greater moment than those first precious seconds that you enter a hotel or convention center for one simple reason.  It truly is stepping into another world.  So imagine my joy today as I stepped through the doors of the Denver Marriott to enter the world of Nan Desu Kan.

Just like last year, the only simple word that one can associate with NDK is...busy.  Yet that word will never do this con justice, only because every minute we were there, waves upon waves of people continued to roam through the halls of the hotel, it truly is a sight to see. 

As we always do the first night of a con, the Girls of Geek team simply went out to get the lay of the land.  We wandered through the packed atrium.  We roamed the halls with everyone else, simply taking in the convention in all its glory before Michelle and I made the decision to check out something I know I missed last year, the vendor room.  

It certainly did not disappoint.  It too was packed wall to wall with con goers, and every booth was filled to capacity as people were snatching up every collectible they could find.  I cannot count how many people I saw with both arms filled with goods that were stacked as high as they could safely carry. 

Of course it isn't just about the floor.  There were panels and costumes galore to be seen, and as you can see from this picture and the one above, everyone is already bringing their A game when it comes to cosplay and that should make for an even more incredible showing come Saturday.  

As for the panels, we tried to sample everything we could.  We took the time to pop our heads in and out of as many panel rooms as possible, but as always there is simply just too many panels to cover.

Either way, it felt good to step back into the world of the convention, and I cannot wait to see what NDK has in store for us tomorrow.  Until then my friends.  

It's been too long since a convention warmed our hearts.  Let's be honest, we've all been dying to step through the doors of a convention center, or a hotel and take in the vast amounts of energy of people in costume all geared toward the goal of celebrating a genre.  So we have all patiently waited for the next one to come our way.  

The good news is, the wait is over.  Nan Desu Kan begins tomorrow.  

In fact, if you cannot wait until tomorrow, there's good news for all.  NDK begins pre registration tonight at the Denver Marriott from 7p-10p giving everyone their chance to see incredible costumes, reunite with old convention friends and more importantly, get the fix we so badly need.   But be ready, NDK is a ridiculously popular convention here in the Mile High City and if pre registration is anything like it was last year, expect a bit of a wait.  Last year we here at Girls of Geek were witness to a line that extended the length of the hotel just so folks could get their badges.  

If that kind of a line isn't your thing, that's okay.  Pre registration continues tomorrow at 11 a.m. , and of course, the convention itself kicks off.  Programming gets underway around 2 p.m. and the vendor room opens its doors at 3.  If you're not sure what to do or what to see and you happen to have a smartphone, download the Guidebook app right away and get your official NDK schedule and maps all in one handy little place.  

If you have any concerns about the weather this weekend forcing any changes in programming or threatening the convention, don't.  Nan Desu Kan is going to happen regardless of what the weather looks like because we have all looked forward to this con for a long time and we here at Girls of Geek will see all of you tomorrow when NDK officially gets under way.  

While may are gearing up for this weekend's awesome anime convention, Nan Desu Kan, I'm eagerly awaiting the week to be over. With all my costumes done, it's a horribly slow week until the Con can start, and the fun begins.

NDK was the first convention I went to in Colorado, back in 2005. While my attendance hasn't been annual due to life, I've tried to go as often as possible. And this year, I get to go with my best friend, partner in crime, and roommate, Mattie. 

This years costumes offer some promise, but not going to lie, I just go to hang out with friends and check out the voice actors/actors/awesome guests and have a good time. While I have friends who do participate in the costume contests, that is not for me.

Speaking of costumes, that's probably the funnest part of cons. I love making the costumes. This year, Mattie and I went all out and for a while our apartment looked like a really weird crime scene. With clay, fabric, gloves, paint, and fake blood every where, it's a surprise we didn't have anyone calling the cops after seeing the place.  But, with costumes at the ready, all there is to do is final touch ups, and we're all good to go! Which is fantastic, since normally, costumes aren't being finished until the last second with me!

The thing I love most about NDK is it's become an all encompassing con. While it is an Anime convention you can find all walks of life there. Video gamers, sci-fi fans; you name it, it's at this con. And while the crowd can be a bit younger, there are people who have been going to NDK since it started and then some. Age doesn't seem to matter. It's the fact that, like many cons, anyone who goes is part of the 'con family' and thus, instantly welcome.

Of course, being of age and knowing there's a bar there, does not hurt my desire to go to NDK one bit. Just makes it more fun. 

Can't wait for NDK this year! It starts Friday the 13th (my favorite and lucky day) this year and you better believe, we'll be there the second it starts! So if you're going, come find us and say hi!