How long I’ve been in the fandom (if at all): My favorite male character: My favorite female character: 1 OTP: 1 NOTP: Funniest character: Prettiest character: Most annoying character: Most badass character: Character I want as my best friend: Female character I’d marry: Male character I’d marry: Least favorite character: Pretty please?
Because my size does not mean that you are doing me any favors by talking to me. Because in high school some boys thought I owed them something for giving me the time of day when no other boy would. Because some boys thought that because my friends were sexually active that meant that I was. Because all of those boys got mad when I said no. Because with some of those boys I had to shove them away when no was not enough. Because those boys would make me feel bad for saying no and, since my friends said yes to their boys, I actually thought I had done something wrong.
Because my size does not mean that I envy my skinny sisters. Because my skinny sisters do not hate me because of my size. Because I do not think a thin girl in a tight dress makes her a slut. Because there are people who feel that I should think such things. Because women have crimes done against them where clothes, drinks, and the time of night is to blame instead of the culprit. Because, in the same society that blames these inanimate objects, women are told to worship these objects: hit the club at night, drinks are half off or free for women, and wear something sexy to get a man’s attention.
Because my attraction to women is not for a man’s entertainment. Because me being with a woman does not mean that my partner and I will join a man. Because my attraction to women does not mean that I have not found the right man yet. Because we are not together for attention, or because it is cute, or because it is phase that we will “get over” eventually. Because we are more than just a fantasy. Because we are more than an experiment to be tried while drunk or in college. Because I kissed a girl for more than just “liking it, I hope my boyfriend don’t mind it.”
Because it is o.k. for me to be a geek, and no, I am not faking it. Because I should not have to list my credentials when it comes to geekery. Because when I cosplay I am more than just a “black” version of a character. Because, yes, I am fat, and there is nothing wrong with me cosplaying. Because I will be told not to cosplay a character while my skinny sisters will be told that their cosplay is “too sexy.” Because some people assume I dislike “sexy” cosplay and the women who wear it. Because some people assume that such cosplay is an invitation. Because some people assume that such cosplay makes a woman an “attention whore” while, at the same time, people want those characters to be cosplayed.
Because when I speak up for myself some people think it is a cry for attention, a pity party, and that I need to stay quiet. Because, growing up, you are told not to let people hurt you, yet when you become an adult you are told that you are overreacting.
Because I am proud of who I am and what I have accomplished. Because “Briana” does not come with a list of negative assumptions to pick from, but a list of positive notes to cherish and maybe even learn from. Because I am black, I am plus sized, I am part of the GLBT family, I am a geek, and I am happy with myself even if there are people who think I should not be.
Because there are people who think I should not be.
Katalynne quietly took in everything Fagan was telling her, letting it process in the back of her head.
Demons were real? Check.
There was an entire world full of them? Check.
These men hunted them down and, for some reason, wanted her to be a part of this crazy operation? Double check?
“Um… c-can I sit down?”
“There’s no chairs in this area,” Fagan frowned a bit because, shit, the least he could do was have a chair at the ready for her.
Now that the first book in our Hunters series, “Seeking the Storyteller,” is out, we’ve decided to write little side stories to go with the book(s). Here is the first one :)
“Seeking the Storyteller” can be purchased at the following:
Its 2014. Oreos don’t have a single natural ingredient in them that isn’t distilled out of recognition. People get their vegetables from cans. They have made cruelty-free, lab-grown BACON. People fly around in big, metal machines.
I. AM. TALKING. TO SOMEONE. ACROSS THE WORLD. IN A MATTER OF SECONDS.
Not natural. Is not bad.
Your rhetoric is no longer a valid excuse for hate.
never was.
Also have you seen some of the Oreo flavors now? I mean watermelon, really? If we can have watermelon flavoring mashed between two chocolate wafers I can find women attractive, o.k.?
Two staff members came to my booth and told me that one of the dealers in the Dealers Hall was selling my DMMD print. We went over to the dealer’s booth, and staff immediately confronted her, asking, “Where did you get this print?” The dealer did not respond. Then staff pointed to me, saying I’m the artist and she should not be selling my print.
Dealer: “Oh, this is a personal copy! It’s not for sale.”
Staff: “Why is it out here?”
Dealer: “I just have it together with this.” (it was alongside an official dmmd poster)
That was some bullshit, because fun fact: my poster had a FUCKING PRICE TAG ON IT. What’s worse, she was selling it for $10 more than I usually do.
The dealer took off the price tag, and supposedly put my poster away, and it looked like there was nothing else we could do. Staff apologized to me because they didn’t know how to handle the situation, and felt that they asked the dealer the wrong questions.
Later that same day, my poster was back up at their booth again. Staff asked a stranger to try to buy my poster, and the dealer (or the dealer’s mother, I believe) did attempt to sell it to them. What they didn’t know was that other con workers were watching them, so they were caught red-handed. BUT the dealer argued that no, that poster is not for sale, so apparently the only thing staff was able to do was get the dealer to put my poster away for good.
But honestly, why the fuck would they have my poster at their booth if they weren’t trying to sell it?
I wasn’t able to get a pic of my poster at their booth, but a friend of mine did. Sorry it’s hard to tell, but the posters around it are official art of other series, which is what dealers are allowed to sell.
But fan art is not allowed in the dealers hall (unless you drew it yourself) because think how fucked up that is. This person bought a print from me at a previous con, and intended on profiting from it. And who knows if they’ve done the same to other artists. Not only is that a shitty thing to do and incredibly insulting to the artist, but it also doesn’t seem like a very profitable thing to do??? Honestly, why risk your credibility for ten fucking dollars?
Staff apologized to me again. One of them was particularly emotionally invested in this whole mess because she’s an artist too, and couldn’t stand knowing that people are profiting from others’ fan art, and there’s pretty much nothing we can do. When she told me not get discouraged (about me making art), she cried and oh my god I almost cried too. Girl, if you’re reading this, don’t worry, I’m more pissed off at the dealer than discouraged!
The dealer is MJ Anime Goods. Their facebook page can be found here.
I”m not attempting to get anything out of them since everything about anime conventions is in a legal grey area. I just want people to know what happened, and everyone please don’t buy fan art from the dealer’s hall unless you know the seller is the original artist!
MJ Anime Goods frequents California cons a lot, if they continue to sell unofficial fanart please do not support them. Artists have it hard enough as it is, they shouldn’t have to deal with third parties trying to profit off of them.
Reblogging to spread the word because that’s not cool at all. They should’ve been kicked out, honestly, especially when they put the print back up after the first time.
Photos of me and Yaoioneechyan at Sakuracon in our completed Anthy and Utena cosplays. It was a bit rainy on Saturday so we didn’t get to shoot the poses we wanted but it was a good first shoot. Can’t wait to wear it again to Kumoricon.
This is the story of a geeky anime/gaming gal by the name of Chibi. Please fasten your seat belts and prepare for... some sort of ride? Oh! I love to write, and I also love doing crafty things. I go to conventions with my partner and sell woodburned things, clocks, mirrors, and more! So expect to see those on here too :)
