Mountain-Con’s blog

Brandon Mull image

We at Mountain-Con are constantly working to bring you the best convention this side of ... well, anywhere. You never know who will be on the guest list next. This week we have the pleasure of announcing that Brandon Mull, author of "The Candy Shop War" and the "Fablehaven" series will join us at Mountain-Con. (Thanks to brandonmull.com for the image.)

Fablehaven is about a couple of children who discover that their grandfather is the caretaker of a nature preserve for magical creatures. (Check out fablehaven.com for more information.) These novels have been so popular that the third Fablehaven book, "Grip of the Shadow Plague", debuted on the New York Times Best Seller list at #3, and knocked off J. K. Rowling's final Harry Potter novel, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" off in the process (after 180 weeks). (Additional information available at www.meridian magazine.com, www.brandonmull.com, and www.fablehaven.com.)
The fourth Fablehaven book is due for release April 2009.

According to Mr. Mull's Web site, the Fablehaven book series has been optioned (for movie rights) by Mr. Avi Arad...the director behind the Spiderman and X-Men movies. As with everything in Hollywood, you never know until it happens...and we wish Mr. Mull good luck. ("The Candy Shop War" has also been optioned.)

Because of his (understandably) busy schedule, Mr. Brandon Mull is able to be with us only for one full day: Saturday, September 20th. He will do a Question & Answer session and will sign his books at that time. Mr. Mull has also agreed to attend our "Banquet with the Stars" on Friday evening.

So...get your tickets now by visiting www.mountaincon.org, and be on the lookout for additional guests to be announced over the next few weeks.

(Reminder: Pre-sale tickets for an adult, 3-day Mountain-Con VI pass are $40. After August 31st, we will discontinue the pre-sale registration and sell tickets at the door for $45. Single-day rates are also available at the door.)

To recap:

Reason #1 to attend Mountain-Con: "Because it's just that COOL!"

Reason #2 to attend Mountain-Con: Brandon Sanderson

Reason #3 to attend Mountain-Con: KidCon

Reason #4 to attend Mountain-Con: "Location, location, location!"

Reason #5 to attend Mountain-Con: Kevin Sorbo

Reason #6 to attend Mountain-Con: Cool props

Reason #7 to attend Mountain-Con: Club Fahrenheit 451

Reason #8 to attend Mountain-Con: Sarah Douglas

Reason #9 to attend Mountain-Con: Star Trek: Of Gods and Men

Reason #10 to attend Mountain-Con: "We are YOUR people!"

Reason #11 to attend Mountain-Con: Herb Jefferson Jr.

Reason #12 to attend Mountain-Con: Banquet with the Stars

Reason #13 to attend Mountain-Con: Fan Film Festival

Reason #14 to attend Mountain-Con: "Starfleet Academy" classes at the Wasatch Campus

Reason #15 to attend Mountain-Con: Costume Contest & Masquerade

Reason #16 to attend Mountain-Con:
Brandon Mull, author of the Fablehaven book series

You never know who you will meet at Mountain-Con. We've been visited by the Ghost Rider, Green Lantern, the Borg, Professors Snape and McGonigal, several Stormtroopers, Starfleet officers, and Hogwarts students, Captain Jack Sparrow and the entire family of The Incredibles.

As per usual, Mountain-Con will hold a costume contest and masquerade. All participants win some sort of prize/recognition. Last year, we had our guests judge the contest, and they decided that one of our contestants deserved the "Bravest in Utah" award for his "Dr. Frank N. Furter" costume. (If you don't know who that is...you're probably too young to find out.) Other awards included "Best Choreographed", and "Best Child's Costume". Everyone involved had a great time. (Thanks to the folks at CONduit for helping us run the masquerade this year.)

So, get those creative juices flowing and get your costume together this September 19th through 21st. Who knows...maybe YOU'LL get the "Bravest in Utah" award this time.

(Reminder: Pre-sale tickets for an adult, 3-day Mountain-Con VI pass are $40. After August 31st, we will discontinue the pre-sale registration and sell tickets at the door for $45.)

To recap:

Reason #1 to attend Mountain-Con: "Because it's just that COOL!"

Reason #2 to attend Mountain-Con: Brandon Sanderson

Reason #3 to attend Mountain-Con: KidCon

Reason #4 to attend Mountain-Con: "Location, location, location!"

Reason #5 to attend Mountain-Con: Kevin Sorbo

Reason #6 to attend Mountain-Con: Cool props

Reason #7 to attend Mountain-Con: Club Fahrenheit 451

Reason #8 to attend Mountain-Con: Sarah Douglas

Reason #9 to attend Mountain-Con: Star Trek: Of Gods and Men

Reason #10 to attend Mountain-Con: "We are YOUR people!"

Reason #11 to attend Mountain-Con: Herb Jefferson Jr.

Reason #12 to attend Mountain-Con: Banquet with the Stars

Reason #13 to attend Mountain-Con: Fan Film Festival

Reason #14 to attend Mountain-Con: "Starfleet Academy" classes at the Wasatch Campus

Attention residents of the greater Salt Lake City and greater Ogden areas (and those who work there and/or are otherwise able to support us there)...

This year, Mountain-Con is running TNT Fireworks stands at two locations to support the cause of fandom. Those locations are:

• Salt Lake City area:
  • 6525 S. State Street in Murray, UT
  • Sam's Club parking lot
• Ogden area:
  • 3042 Washington Boulevard in Ogden, UT
  • Carlo's Produce parking lot

Both stands will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. from Saturday June 28th through Saturday July 5th, 2008. Depending on availability, the stands may open on the 23rd & 24th as well (for Pioneer Day).

If you plan to purchase fireworks for your family Independence Day celebration, please visit one of our locations. (Rumor has it that the "Trojan Rabbit" from Monty Python and the Holy Grail will be at the Salt Lake location on the 28th.)

Reason #14 to attend Mountain-Con:
"Starfleet Academy" classes at the Wasatch Campus

Once again, Mountain-Con is proud to present "Starfleet Academy" classes. These wonderful, humorous classes are presented by a cast of great characters: Deputy Commander of Starfleet Academy "Stoval", the great engineering professor "T'Nea Kelley", Earth's formost expert in planetary history "Lady Victoria", and "Ambassador Indra Ivari" of Andor.

We are once again greatful to Bruce & Patricia Phillips for bringing these classes from Colorado for our enjoyment. (They have been at Starfest for many years.)

Enjoy building paper starships or cities made of index cards in Engineering 101, learn how to survive as a Security recruit, find out exactly how Earth survived the 20th Century, or one of many other courses. Attend all classes offered through Starfleet Academy - Wasatch Campus (i.e. Mountain-Con), and graduate with a certificate...and maybe even a prize.

(Reminder: Pre-sale tickets for an adult, 3-day Mountain-Con VI pass are $40. After August 31st, we will discontinue the pre-sale registration and sell tickets at the door for $45.)

To recap:

Reason #1 to attend Mountain-Con: "Because it's just that COOL!"

Reason #2 to attend Mountain-Con: Brandon Sanderson

Reason #3 to attend Mountain-Con: KidCon

Reason #4 to attend Mountain-Con: "Location, location, location!"

Reason #5 to attend Mountain-Con: Kevin Sorbo

Reason #6 to attend Mountain-Con: Cool props

Reason #7 to attend Mountain-Con: Club Fahrenheit 451

Reason #8 to attend Mountain-Con: Sarah Douglas

Reason #9 to attend Mountain-Con: Star Trek: Of Gods and Men

Reason #10 to attend Mountain-Con: "We are YOUR people!"

Reason #11 to attend Mountain-Con: Herb Jefferson Jr.

Reason #12 to attend Mountain-Con: Banquet with the Stars

Reason #13 to attend Mountain-Con: Fan Film Festival

Reason #14 to attend Mountain-Con:
"Starfleet Academy" classes at the Wasatch Campus

Reason #13 to attend Mountain-Con:
Fan Film Festival

Fan films have been gaining in popularity lately with the use of the Internet and sites such as You Tube. Some fan films, such as James Cawley and company's "New Voyages" series (now known as "Star Trek: Phase II") have become very popular and have encouraged others to try their hand at film making.

One of the things that Mountain-Con is excited to bring to our attendees this year is the "Mountain-Con Fan Film Festival". This film festival showcases professional and amateur movies, videos, and such made by you...the fan.

You can get the entry form by navigating to our Web site (www.mountaincon.org), clicking on "Downloads" and then choosing the Mountain-Con 4 Film Festival Entry Form.

The rules for submitting an entry to the Mountain-Con 4 Film Festival are as follows:

• Categories:
  • Sci-Fi
  • Horror
  • Fake Trailers (any genre)
  • Fantasy
  • Music Video
  • Student Sumbission (17 years old or younger, with parental permission)
• Runtime must not exceed 20 minutes.
  • Films longer than 20 minutes will be shown, but not judged.
• All films must be REGION ZERO DVD for screening. (It is much easier to view on DVD this way.)
• No "R" rated content, pervasive adult content, or other objectionable material. Mountain-Con reserves the right to judge all material, and all such judgments are final.
• All entries must have a signed admission form submitted with the entry as permission to be able to judge and/or show the film at Mountain-Con. If it is a student film submission, the submission form must also be signed by a Parent or Legal Guardian.
• Mountain-Con is not responsible for any lost, missing, or damaged films/DVDs. All films/DVDs become the property of Mountain-Con upon submission. If you wish to have your film/DVD returned, you must provide a self-addressed package (including proper postage). Mountain-Con also reserves the right to use submissions in future festivals, on compilation DVDs, and for other promotional purposes.
• Note: Mountain-Con staff are allowed to submit entries, but their entries will not be judged.

So...what are you waiting for? Get that fan video you made into the hands of our judges a.s.a.p., and come join us for a unique experience this September!

(Reminder: Pre-sale tickets for an adult, 3-day Mountain-Con VI pass are $40. After August 31st, we will discontinue the pre-sale registration and sell tickets at the door for $45.)

To recap:

Reason #1 to attend Mountain-Con: "Because it's just that COOL!"

Reason #2 to attend Mountain-Con: Brandon Sanderson

Reason #3 to attend Mountain-Con: KidCon

Reason #4 to attend Mountain-Con: "Location, location, location!"

Reason #5 to attend Mountain-Con: Kevin Sorbo

Reason #6 to attend Mountain-Con: Cool props

Reason #7 to attend Mountain-Con: Club Fahrenheit 451

Reason #8 to attend Mountain-Con: Sarah Douglas

Reason #9 to attend Mountain-Con: Star Trek: Of Gods and Men

Reason #10 to attend Mountain-Con: "We are YOUR people!"

Reason #11 to attend Mountain-Con: Herb Jefferson Jr.

Reason #12 to attend Mountain-Con: Banquet with the Stars

Reason #13 to attend Mountain-Con:
Fan Film Festival

Reason #10 to attend Mountain-Con:
"We are YOUR people!"

For those who have never been to a fandom convention before, there is a good statement from author Bev Hale. Either you'll think "these are my people" or you'll run away screaming. (Thanks for the quote, Bev!)

In that vein, Mountain-Con has something for every person no matter the fandom, the age, the interest, or the talent. You only have to read some of our previous "Reasons" to see that!

The different genres of fandoms we represent include science fiction such as Star Trek, Star Wars, Firefly/Serenity, etc. Fantasy fandoms include Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Dungeons and Dragons, and so on. Horror fandoms include Anne Rice and Stephen King, the Camarilla, Buffy/Angel, and much more. Oh, and we can't forget the real science, computers, and general "geekdom" genre!

Types of fandoms at Mountain-Con include meeting stars and getting autographs (if desired), gaming, filking, costuming, writing fan fiction, making fan films, and many different combinations of the above (such as cosplay...a combination of costuming and role-play).

As a family-friendly convention, Mountain-Con serves all ages. For the very young we have our own kid-friendly programming track called "KidCon". For the adults, we have other things...like a banquet with the stars and other such activities. And, of course, there are panels and games that families can attend together...if you want to.

If you've never attended an adventurer / anime / costuming / fantasy / filk / furry / gaming / geekdom / horror / pirates / sci-fi / superhero / etc. convention before, give us a try. You may find that we're your people...or you'll run away screaming. :-)

To recap:

Reason #1 to attend Mountain-Con: "Because it's just that COOL!"

Reason #2 to attend Mountain-Con: Brandon Sanderson

Reason #3 to attend Mountain-Con: KidCon

Reason #4 to attend Mountain-Con: "Location, location, location!"

Reason #5 to attend Mountain-Con: Kevin Sorbo

Reason #6 to attend Mountain-Con: Cool props

Reason #7 to attend Mountain-Con: Club Fahrenheit 451

Reason #8 to attend Mountain-Con: Sarah Douglas

Reason #9 to attend Mountain-Con: Star Trek: Of Gods and Men

Reason #10 to attend Mountain-Con:
"We are YOUR people!"