RunDisney: What I’ve Learned & How I Got Hooked

rundisney 2017 wine & dine 10k

For what seems like half my adult life, I’ve had friends who participated in RunDisney events, but even though I’ve been running on a regular basis since 2004, I never really thought about participating myself.

In fact, I didn’t even run my first 5k until 2012, and while I really enjoyed it and ran several more throughout the years, I never really planned on doing longer races. Between that and the expense involved in traveling to Orlando on top of the cost of the RunDisney races themselves, I couldn’t really justify doing any of them.

Of course, fast forward several years and here I am, once again living in the Orlando area. And yet if it weren’t for the Star Wars Half Marathon weekend, I’m still not sure I would have entered a RunDisney race. But this is me we’re talking about here – obviously I couldn’t pass up doing a Star Wars themed race! I actually wanted to do the 10k, but by the time I heard about these races at all that one was already sold out. (Seriously, that’s RunDisney Lesson #1: Register as early as possible!)

rundisney 2017 star wars 5k epcotThankfully the entire weekend wasn’t sold out, and I was able to run the 5k. Honestly even with the money I paid to run the dang race, I’m still surprised I dragged myself out of bed for it…there were a lot of 5k’s I would have liked to run back in Greenville but could never bring myself to sign up for because they started at, say, 8 AM on a Saturday. (I’m just not one for getting up that early on the weekends.) The race time for the Star Wars 5k at Disney was 6 AM…with participants required to be in their corrals by 5:30 AM.

I live 45 minutes away from Disney. It was a very, very early morning.

But I’m getting ahead of myself! The day before my race I had to go to Wide World of Sports to pick up my bib, and because I didn’t read everything they sent me when I registered, I had no idea that there was a whole expo going on during bib pick-up hours! Tons of running gear and RunDisney merchandise, on-site massages, even freebies here and there – I never thought I’d walk into a marketplace for runners and have to spend the entire time reminding myself that I’m a broke artist who can’t afford $100 compression running tights or an $80 shirt that says “Running + Wine” on it. Talk about RunDisney Lesson #2: You’ll want to buy a lot of stuff, so save up that money! (Or if you can’t/don’t save up money, maybe don’t go wandering through the expo.)

They even had RunDisney vacation planners there! Now, you can’t simply register for the races – they’re there to help you plan a full RunDisney vacation , which I learned only after talking to one of them for about 20 minutes. However, I’m still glad I spent that time talking to them, because if I hadn’t I wouldn’t know RunDisney Lesson #3: If a race is sold out, there’s a chance you can still get in if you book a vacation package with it. In fact, that’s how I was able to register for the Disney Princess Half Marathon in February – it was sold out online, but I booked two nights at one of the All Star resorts and was able to snag a race spot along with that. Now I’m just trying to convince myself it’s worth the expense because I’ll get to sleep about an hour longer and not have to drive home right after running 13.6 miles.

rundisney 2017 star wars 5kI’m sure you’re wondering how this is all worth it, when RunDisney race registrations cost three to five times more than your average race registration. The thing is, I know that for most people it’s probably one of those “you won’t understand until you try” things. That’s how it was for me, anyway, even though for years now I’ve had several friends telling me how fun these races were…which I guess makes that RunDisney Lesson #4: You have to experience a RunDisney race firsthand in order to understand it [and likely – possibly inevitably – get hooked].

The excitement was palpable the morning of the Star Wars 5k. There was music, a fun announcer, participants dressed up in fun outfits (and sometimes even costumes)…it was impossible to not be excited. And then along the race course there were photo ops with characters and tons of photopass employees snapping pictures of the runners…not to mention the fun of running through Epcot at dawn.

And if that’s not enough to convince you, at the end you’re handed an actual medal! (No other race I’ve ever run has given out participation medals, and the RunDisney ones are AWESOME!) Not only that, there’s plenty of free bottled water and gatorade, fresh fruit, and snack boxes…and then even more photo ops, both in front of a RunDisney background and with more characters…and in my case those character photo ops were a huge plus because yes, they were Star Wars characters!

rundisney 2017 star wars 5k bb8

rundisney 2017 star wars 5k captain phasma

My one regret from my first RunDisney race was that prior to the run, I didn’t know RunDisney Lesson #5: They don’t time their 5k’s. So just keep in mind that if you want to know your race time one of their 5k’s, you have to clock it yourself.

As much fun as I’ve had running races in the past, none of them even come close to how amazing that Star Wars 5k was…and not just because it was Star Wars. I loved it so much that when I got home later that morning, I immediately signed up for the Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend (which took place just last weekend) and the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend in January 2018. For Wine & Dine, I had to sign up for the Two-Course Challenge, as that’s all they had left. This meant running a 10k on Saturday 11/4 and then a half marathon on Sunday 11/5, which seemed crazy at the time and unfortunately still seems crazy now, as I ended up with a bum hip prior to the race weekend and was only able to run in the 10k, anyway.

I keep trying to tell myself it’s okay that I listened to my body and didn’t overdo it by running the half last weekend…and anyway, I’m registered for the half marathon – and only the half marathon – in January. I have over two months to heal and train, and if I’m honest with myself, I need that time in order to run the best race I can for my first half marathon EVER 🙂

rundisney 2017 wine & dine 10kWith the Wine & Dine 10k, I also got to run through another park, as both Hollywood Studios and Epcot were part of the course. And despite the problems I’ve been having with my hip and the fact that the RunDisney courses are far more crowded than most of your average local road races, I ran my first official 10k in 1:13:03. (Although that’s the official RunDisney time; my personal ‘stopwatch’ on my phone says 1:13:00.18!) And as a side note, that brings me to RunDisney Lesson #6: People will cut you off – a lot. Most of the time they aren’t doing it on purpose, but it will happen. People will also pass on the left. I passed on the left. If you’re running in one of these races and care about your time, you will inevitably cut someone off (hopefully not on purpose!) and/or have to pass on the left. If you don’t care about your time, don’t get too frustrated or yell at people for mistakenly cutting you off or for passing on the left. (I personally did not get yelled at for cutting anyone off, nor did I yell at anyway, though I did definitely get frustrated a couple of the times it happened…and yes, I did pass on the left and get yelled at for it.)

I’m sure that I’ll learn more lessons when I run in the half marathon and the Princess half marathon early next year, but for now I’ll leave you with RunDisney Lesson #7: Be prepared for some fun outfits/costumes. And if you’re so inclined, definitely wear one yourself! I personally probably won’t wear a crazy costume, but I have tried to wear fun yet comfortable running outfits for both of my races…and I’m still trying to come up with some more fun outfits for the next two. Any suggestions?

rundisney 2017 wine & dine 10k donald duck

2017: The Year of Fun Webcasts (Apparently)

I have so many updates to make to this blog that I’ll never get around to all of them, but as 2017 seems to have turned into the year of fun webcasts, I thought I’d share the ones I’ve been part of so far!

2017 began with the 2-year anniversary special of FEELINGS…with The Geekiary! While it was a more somber episode than we’d originally expected (due to the current political climate), it was still a good time..and I swear, we did talk about things other than politics!

 

 We had another FEELINGS episode at the end of February – we had a lot of discussion about TV, both shows that I love (The Expanse) and shows that I am…well, supremely frustrated with (The Walking Dead).

 Just last weekend, I hosted a webcast on my personal YouTube channel. My friends Adam, Bekah, and Lauren joined me to chat about “The State of the Cosplay Community”, and it turned into a pretty darn positive chat about cosplay bullying (what it is and how to avoid it), why you shouldn’t buy likes for your cosplay page…and a whole lot more 🙂

 Tonight was actually our “March Madness” episode of FEELINGS, and we talked about Iron Fist (ugh), the shows we’re looking forward to in April (iZombie! Archer! The Handmaid’s Tale! American Gods!), and of course upcoming conventions (Star Wars Celebration, Ice & Fire Con, and SDCC)…

 So if you’re looking for something to watch, check out the webcasts I’ve been on so far this year…and yes, there will be quite a few more in the coming months!

These Weeks on The Geekiary: 4+ Months of Highlights

The Geekiary

I feel bad because I was really enjoying sharing my Geekiary articles, but the past five months have been VERY busy, so my somewhat regular posts have long been pushed to the wayside. In order to play a bit of catch up, here are just some of the more important Geekiary articles that I’ve written since July 31st (more important in my opinion, at least) 🙂

Because it’s been so long, this time around I’m going to go back in time starting from some updates I made today…

The Geekiary The Walking Dead Season 7December 17th, 2016
UPDATED: The Walking Dead Season 7 Masterpost
Check out my reviews and news of the current season of TWD!
UPDATED: Steven Universe Masterpost
I’ve written several SU news posts and episode reviews since I last shared my Geekiary articles 🙂

December 16th, 2016
Rogue One: Dark, Gritty, & Reminiscent of The Empire Strikes Back
Let’s be honest: Star Wars hasn’t always done the best job of telling a story to which we know the ending (see the prequels). Yet in Rogue One they did just that, and while it didn’t give me quite the sense of amazement that I felt when I saw The Force Awakens, there is no denying that it is a success in nearly every respect.

The Geekiary Ashley Eckstein Ashley Taylor Her Universe Walt Disney WorldDecember 6th, 2016
Ashley Eckstein and Ashley Taylor at Walt Disney World
When I found out that Ashley Eckstein and Ashley Taylor were holding a signing at Disney Springs at Walt Disney World, I couldn’t wait to attend.

November 20th, 2016
Tara Lynne’s Geekiary Gift Guide 2016
I had so much fun putting together my 2015 Geekiary Gift Guide that I knew I had to reprise it this year. So for 2016 I aimed to do what I did in 2015 – include geeky items that not only speak to me, but are also suggested by both Geekiary writers and fans.

November 26th, 2016
Netflix Gilmore Girls Has its Moments, But Leaves a Lot To Be Desired
The Netflix Gilmore Girls revival is both not enough and too much, at least for this fan. Despite the fact that there was plenty that I didn’t love, I keep hoping to hear that we’ll get more than just those four episodes/six hours…although sadly it doesn’t seem like that will be the case. (At least not in any foreseeable future.)

The Geekiary Fantastic Beasts and Where to FInd ThemNovember 19th, 2016
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Screenplay is Where It’s At
I made it very clear that I felt there were a lot of issues with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, but I have to say that if you’re a big Harry Potter/Rowling fan, the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them SCREENPLAY clears a lot of things up.
Katheryn Winnick Wakes Up, Kicks Ass, Repeats on Vikings
The first half of Vikings season 4 ended on an odd note, with an episode that saw Rollo vanquish Ragnar and his fellow Vikings as they attempted to attack Paris again and then featured a time skip of several years. Season 4 returns on November 30th, and this past week Katheryn Winnick (Lagertha) was on hand to give some juicy details about what has happened and what’s to come.

November 17th, 2016
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: A Fun Frolic with Some of That Harry Potter Magic
The absolute first thing that I have to say about Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is that I wish I could write a spoiler-free review – one that people could read before seeing this movie – because I think that before you walk into a theater to watch it, you should ask yourself, “What am I expecting from Fantastic Beasts?”

The Geekiary Good Girls RevoltNovember 14th, 2016
Good Girls Revolt is Mad Men for Smart Women
If you want a history lesson combined with a scary reminder of how crappy things can still be for anyone who isn’t a straight white man, all wrapped up in the drug-, alcohol-, and sex-fueled setting of the late 1960s/early 1970s, then Good Girls Revolt is the show for you.

October 31st, 2016
MegaCon Tampa Bay: A Successful First Year
I’ve been to a lot of conventions, and I’ve hosted several first-year conventions. That said, MegaCon Tampa Bay was one of the best first year cons I’ve ever attended, which was honestly a pleasant surprise.

October 20th, 2016
First Red Dead Redemption 2 Trailer Finally Released!
Here’s to all of my fellow Red Dead Redemption fans who have waited so long for the oft-rumored Red Dead Redemption 2…because not only do we have a vague release date (Fall 2017), we also have the very first Red Dead Redemption 2 trailer!

The Geekiary BoJack HorsemanOctober 16th, 2016
Bojack Horseman: A Difficult Yet Worthy Recommendation
Listen, the first half of the first season of BoJack Horseman is really, really hard to get through. And to be honest, there are parts of the third season that are difficult to watch as well. But as a whole, the payoff is worth it. Trust me on this.

October 11th, 2016
Gravity Falls: Season Two Makes It Worth a Watch
I’ll be the first to admit that I wasn’t really sure about Gravity Falls after watching the first season, but now that I’ve binged both seasons, I’ve added it to my must-watch cartoons list along with Steven Universe, Polar Bear’s Cafe, Kuroko no Basuke, and more.

September 27th, 2016
The CW’s Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is Perfect in its Imperfections
I was surprised when the CW renewed their entire lineup for this coming season, and one of the more shocking renewals was that of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, a show whose first season had some of the lowest ratings on television.

…and last but not least, there were also quite a few updates to The Geekiary’s Dragon Con Masterpost in September!

Dragon Con 2016 Thor Cosplay

I know this was a lot to take in all at once, but I *will* try to do a better job of keeping up with my “These Weeks on The Geekiary” posts throughout the coming months…but you know, please keep your fingers crossed that I can actually do so 😉

These *Weeks* on The Geekiary

The Geekiary

Yes, once again, I’ve missed gathering up my weekly Geekiary posts for a while. Even now, I’m technically posting this on the wrong day of the week – Monday instead of Sunday – though it’s only 1 AM, and it’s a holiday weekend, so I think that’s a good excuse.

That said, I’ve actually been way better about keeping up with this blog, so check out my other recent entries along with my Geekiary articles, if you have the chance 🙂

this week on the geekiary disney's moanaJune 14th, 2016
Disney’s Moana Official Teaser Trailer Finally Arrives
Fourteen years ago this week, Disney released Lilo & Stitch, their first animated feature film set in Hawaii…and now we get to look forward to another Disney movie set in the Pacific: Moana! Disney released the Moana official teaser trailer just a couple of days ago, and not surprisingly, it made me even more excited for this movie.

June 17th, 2016
Chi Wizard Tournament 2016 Registration Extended to June 18th!
I love visiting Chicago; it’s a beautiful place, I have friends there, and I always have fun. It’s also a city that hosts many amazing geeky activities (for instance, C2E2 earlier this year), which of course is another draw. It’s great that I’m able to combine my love for Chicago with those geeky activities, so it shouldn’t be very surprising that my next visit is basically planned around the Chi Wizard Tournament 2016!
Knights of the Borrowed Dark: No Harry Potter But Still a Good Read
Knights of the Borrowed Dark by Dave Rudden is the last of the Advanced Reader Copy books I picked up at C2E2 this year, and while it may not be the best middle grade/YA novel I’ve ever read, the story was pretty interesting. Perhaps if I were younger I would have connected with it more.

this week on the geekiary star wars battlefrontJune 22nd, 2016
This Week in Star Wars Gaming: Battlefront Expansion & LEGO Star Wars
Between Star Wars: Battlefront and the upcoming LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens, it’s as much a golden age for Star Wars gaming as it is for Star Wars movies – and this week, both of the aforementioned games are in the news!

June 25th, 2016
Star Wars and Baseball: You Just Can’t Go Wrong
Tonight I attended Star Wars night at Greenville, South Carolina’s local minor league baseball stadium, Fluor Field. This is an annual event that I stumbled upon many years ago but constantly seem to miss…so when I got the email about this year’s Greenville Drive Star Wars night, I knew I had to attend – because you really can’t go wrong when you combine Star Wars and baseball. (At least in my opinion.)

this week on the geekiary independence day resurgenceJune 26th, 2016
Independence Day Resurgence: Just the Cheesy Nostalgia I Wanted
Here’s the thing: I went to see Independence Day Resurgence assuming that it would be heavy on the nostalgia and just as cheesy as the first movie. I even re-watched Independence Day recently because after seeing the previews I hoped that this sequel would be as close to the first movie as possible.

June 28th, 2016
Game of Thrones Finale Episode Update
Before Sunday night’s season 6 finale, many fans were still in the dark about what the Game of Thrones final episode count would be. And while we still don’t have an exact answer, producers Benioff & Weiss have been very clear about one thing: it’s not that many.this week on the geekiary game of thrones sandor clegane

June 29th, 2016
Game of Thrones Season 6 vs. A Song of Ice and Fire: Round Three
I have to admit it: I’m both astounded, excited, and depressed about what happened in the second half of Game of Thrones Season 6.

These *Weeks* on The Geekiary

The Geekiary

For once I’ve missed posting my Geekiary articles not because I’ve been busy with other things, but because I’ve had so much more to write about, like my amazing trip to Key West, the fact that my novel is now available as a paperback, and how hashtagblessed I am to be a part of Ice & Fire Con.

But I have been writing other things, too, so here is a list of the past few weeks’ worth of my Geekiary articles!

May 24th, 2016
C2E2 Josiah Bancroft Arm of the SphimxA Josiah Bancroft Interview: The Adventures of the Books of Babel Continue!
Nearly two years ago I read what is to this day the best self-published novel I’ve ever discovered – that being Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft. As it turned out, he also attended C2E2 this year, and I finally got my hands on a copy of Arm of the Sphinx, Book 2 of his Senlin series “The Books of Babel”. Needless to say, once I started reading, I couldn’t put it down…although at this point I’m no longer surprised by that.

May 26th, 2016
Steven Universe 3×4 Review: Barn Mates
Considering how much I loved the first three episodes of this “In Too Deep” series, I was surprised to find that I wasn’t all that fond of “Barn Mates”…that is, until I rewatched it.

May 31st, 2016
San Diego Comic-Con 2016 Announcement: A Podcast of Ice & Fire Panel
I’m very excited for this San Diego Comic-Con 2016 announcement, because not only will A Podcast of Ice & Fire be hosting a Song of Ice and Fire panel for the second year in a row at SDCC, but it means that I will be returning to Comic-Con as well!

June 2nd, 2016
Walking Dead NewsWalking Dead News: Season 6 Finale Backlash, Ezekiel’s Tiger, & More
We’re almost two months removed from The Walking Dead Season 6 finale, and the show won’t air again in October…but there’s still a lot of Walking Dead news crowding the Internet.

June 3rd, 2016
Julia Vanishes Features Great Writing Marred by Average Storytelling
I picked up an Advanced Reader’s Copy of Julia Vanishes by Catherine Egan at C2E2 earlier this year because, while I don’t usually read YA, this novel sounded intriguing. I just wish that in the end the blurb on the back hadn’t turned out to be quite so misleading.

June 4th, 2016
game of thrones season 6 sansa stark jon snowGame of Thrones Seasno 6 vs. A Song of Ice & Fire: Round Two
Here it is, folks – we are halfway through Game of Thrones Season 6.

June 6th, 2016
Loot Pets May 2016: The POWER Collection
I have to admit, May 2016’s Loot Pets box was the first one that I wasn’t really happy with. I liked the items that came in my Loot Crate Level Up POWER Collection package, but I don’t think Loot Pets was on par with May’s theme.

June 7th, 2016
The Fangirls Coloring Book: An Exciting Release from Her Universe Press!
A lot of us here at The Geekiary love Her Universe – personally I think at least 10% of my wardrobe is from Ashley Eckstein’s clothing line. And recently, they put together Her Universe Press to publish books, which was another thing to love about HU…a company that is now bringing us “The Fangirls Coloring Book”!

2000px-Star_Wars_Logo.svgJune 9th, 2016
Star Wars Episode VIII “in the home stretch”
Can it be true? Is filming for Star Wars Episode VIII close to being wrapped up?
Click Here to Start: An Engrossing Middle-Grade Novel
Click Here to Start by Denis Markell is another book that I picked up at C2E2 back in March, and now that I finally got around to reading it, I am so, so glad that I did!

June 11th, 2016
Roses and Rot: Intrigue and Rambling
It’s funny that when checking out other reviews for Roses and Rot by Kat Howard (before cracking it open myself), one person said “this book is actually a romance novel” – because that isn’t the impression I got at all. Yes, there are romantic aspects to it, but above all Roses and Rot is a Tale of Two Sisters, if you will.

These *Weeks* On The Geekiary

The Geekiary

I’ve been traveling a lot, hence not sharing my articles from The Geekiary for the past two Sundays. But I’m back today with…well, a very mixed bag of news and reviews!

May 3rd, 2016
88 Captain America: Civil War Pop-Up Stores Open in Movie Theaters
“Are you planning on going to see Captain America: Civil War this weekend? Well, here’s some exciting news: The Araca Group, DCPI, and Marvel Entertainment have combined forces to sell unique merchandise in Captain America: Civil War pop-up stores, which will open in movie theaters beginning May 6th.”

May 5th, 2016
Star Wars Celebration 2017: Is Orlando the New Star Wars Capitol?
“It’s May the 4th – a.k.a. “Star Wars Day” – and among the many awesome things happening today, the dates and location of Star Wars Celebration 2017 were announced! Next year it will take place April 13th-16th at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.”

Captain America Civil War Black WidowMay 10th, 2016
Captain America Civil War Women: The Heart & Soul of the Movie
“I’ll admit it – I went to see Captain America: Civil War for the ladies. Now don’t get me wrong – I love me some Cap – but it was the Captain America Civil War women who really stole the show.”
Tom Hardy Cameo in Episode VIII: He Joins the Star Wars Ranks
“Good news, Star Wars, Mad Max: Fury Road, and Tom Hardy fans – earlier today, MakingStarWars.net posted a good bit of information about a Tom Hardy cameo in Episode VIII.”

May 16th, 2016
The 100 3×15 Review: Perverse Instantiation Part One
“It was really difficult for me to focus throughout the entirety of “Perverse Instantiation Part One”, which to be honest was more than a little bit disconcerting, considering that basically every character in this episode had a one-track mind.”The Geekiary The 100

May 17th, 2016
The 100 Season 3 Finale Spoilers: What Will Clarke Get Into Next?
“I may not have been the biggest fan of “Perverse Instantiation Part One“, but I have my hopes that Part Two will leave me in a better place. That said, I was intrigued by The 100 Season 3 finale spoilers that have been today’s big news for the show.”

May 18th, 2016
Star Wars: Bloodline is Another Great Installment in the New EU
“There was a lot to love about Star Wars: Bloodline, though that doesn’t mean that it was a perfect novel (not by far). Still, I’ve enjoyed reading about half a dozen of the new Star Wars novels in the past few months, and this was definitely one of the best.”
Second Ghostbusters Trailer Ignores the Skeptics
“With the new movie being released on July 15th, the second Ghostbusters trailer definitely didn’t shy away from revealing more about the female leads and the fact that yes, they’re bringing back some old ghosts. It almost seems like they put this trailer together to combat the skeptics who made the first trailer the most disliked in YouTube history.”

The Geekiary MegaCon 2016 Trevor Project FundraiserMay 21st, 2016
Exclusive Announcement: Trevor Project Fundraiser at MegaCon 2016

MegaCon 2016 is fast approaching, and I’m very excited to announce that The Geekiary has spoken with The Trevor Project, which champions a cause near and dear to our hearts, and I will be holding a fundraiser for them at my booth next weekend!”

These *Weeks* On The Geekiary

The Geekiary

Last Sunday I was still at the fourth annual Ice & Fire Con, so I missed my “This Week On The Geekiary” post…which means I have two weeks worth of links to catch up on!

 

But first…how awesome is this Iron Throne banner that my close friend and fellow Geekiary author K-K created?

Ice and Fire Con Iron Throne

Needless to say, the convention was awesome as always, and eventually I’ll collect my thoughts and share them here…let’s just say it’s been a very busy week since I got home. I still don’t know how I’ve kept up with my Geekiary articles, but clearly I did 😉

 

April 20th, 2016
Ruby and Sapphire's Story The Answer Steven UniverseRuby and Sapphire’s Story “The Answer” Being Released as a Children’s Book
“When “The Answer” aired back at the beginning of January, it immediately became my favorite SU episode of all time. So my excitement knew no bounds when I heard that Ruby and Sapphire’s story is going to be made into a book – and even better, a *children’s* book!”
First The Magnificent Seven Trailer Reveals Diverse Cast & More
“I grew up watching the late-90s Magnificent Seven TV show with my family, so between that and my love for Chris Pratt, so far I can’t see anything to not love about the first The Magnificent Seven trailer.”

April 21st, 2016
Game of Thrones Season 6 vs. A Song of Ice & Fire: Round 1
“This year I’ve waited until the last minute to write this first Game of Thrones Season 6 vs. A Song of Ice & Fire article, because as many fans know, the show has separated itself from the books quite a bit – and is now, in many respects, moving on from them in this upcoming season. It’s something that many fans are seriously concerned about; with all of the deviations (both the good, the understandable, and the downright crazy) Benioff and Weiss have already made, what’s going to happen when they have next to no source material to guide them?

April 26th, 2016
Walker Stalker Con Joins Boycott Against Discriminatory North Carolina Law
“Yesterday Walker Stalker Con announced that they will be postponing their Charlotte, North Carolina convention. This change is because they, along with many other companies boycotting North Carolina, hope for a repeal of the state’s bigoted law which forces people to use the restroom of their assigned birth gender regardless of their actual gender identity.”

April 28th, 2016
Star Wars: Bloodline Claudia GrayStar Wars: Bloodline to be Important Franchise Installment
Bloodline, the next Star Wars book by Claudia Gray, is being released on May 3rd, 2016 – and needless to say, the hype is strong with this one.”

April 30th, 2016
The 100 3×13 Review: Join or Die
“I have to be honest, when A.L.I.E. ordered that the gates of Polis be opened, I wasn’t expecting the horror that we were greeted with in “Join or Die”.”
Loot Pets 2016: The Quest Collection
“The past couple of months, the Loot Pets boxes I’ve received have been heavy on the treats and accessories…but The Quest Collection definitely included some different and fun items.”
Children of Earth and Sky: An Interesting Premise That Doesn’t Quite Work
“As someone who enjoys history (and has a B.A. in it, in fact) I was really intrigued when I heard about Guy Gavriel Kay’s new novel Children of Earth and Sky. The fact that it’s essentially billed as a fantasy novel that is loosely based on actual history drew me in for sure; I just wish that alone had been enough to keep my attention.”