RALEIGH NC BROWNCOATS

Equality Now thanks Browncoats

2012-01-06T11:29:00.000-05:00

Yasmeen Hassan, Global Director for Equality Now, thanks the Browncoats and volunteers of Can't Stop the Serenity, and talks about some highlights in the fight for equal rights worldwide in 2011. Many of these have been made possible by the money donated to Equality Now by CSTS events every year.

CSTS-Raleigh founder now also local SF author

2011-12-27T14:25:00.005-05:00

J.L. Hilton -- aka Jen, or "Flame" as she is known on Fireflyfans.net -- is the founder of the Raleigh Can't Stop the Serenity event, coordinator in 2006, 2007, and 2008, co-organizer in 2010 and 2011, and global sponsor in 2009 and 2012. Those who attended the events will remember her as the emcee from 2006-2011 (except in 2009).

Many of you will also know her as the maker of Firefly- and Serenity-inspired jewelry, as well as cosplay replicas and steampunk, some of which she's donated to CSTS over the years.

Her new novel Stellarnet Rebel is available on Amazon, B&N, and Google Books, and will be available soon on Audible.

There will be a party at Tir na nOg Irish Pub from 7-9pm on Thursday January 5 to celebrate the book's release. Meet the author, hear an excerpt, and learn more about eBooks. 10% off coupons for publisher Carina Press and other promotional materials will be distributed. Wifi will be available and assistance with various eReader platforms — Kindle, Nook, smartphones, tablets, etc.

Enjoy live Irish music by Kilcarragh featuring Hunter Murray on the Irish Button Accordion and Mark Van Sciver on guitar, bodhrán (the Irish frame drum), bones and vocals. Kilcarragh specializes in playing Irish house music – the music of the small pubs and local gatherings so popular in Ireland, and which plays a role in the novel. “Aileen’s Pub” in the Asteria space colony was inspired by Tir na nOg and the author’s Irish heritage.

Click here to RSVP for the event on Facebook.

Christmas SERENITY Screening at the Colony! Thursday December 1st!

2011-10-19T21:55:00.003-04:00

It's our annual Browncoat Christmas Screening of SERENITY! This is a no stress fun event at one of Raleigh's landmark theaters The Colony. Tickets are only $5.50 and available at the door night of show. The Colony has a capacity of 400 so there is plenty of room. Doors will open at 7:00, Movie at 8:00 on Thursday December 1st.

The Colony has sodas, popcorn of course, beer & wine and a great selection of reasonably priced candy.

This year a local rising artist Iron Jaiden will be creating an original poster just for this Screening. A limited number of these will be available for sale at the Colony night of the screening. His website is:
http://kingdomofnonsense.com/

Please note that The Colony does not accept Credit Cards so remember to bring cashy money! The Colony is located at 5438 Six Forks Road, Raleigh 27609. 919-847-5677.

Spread the word and hope to see everyone there!

We raised $4,308

2011-06-28T17:58:00.004-04:00

$3,231 (75%) goes to Equality Now

$1,077 (25%) goes to Kids Need to Read

See more photos of the event at Penny Photography.

CAN'T STOP THE SERENITY 2011

2011-06-26T22:00:00.000-04:00

SOLD OUT

Every year, Browncoats around the globe hold charity screenings of the sci-fi movie SERENITY to raise money for Equality Now and other worthy causes. In Raleigh, we also support Kids Need to Read. Click here for information from last year's event.

COSTUME CONTEST: Judges were award-winning costumer Jennie Faries, sci-fi author Mark L. Van Name, and Sam Montgomery-Blinn, editor of Bull Spec magazine. First-, second- and third-place trophies donated by Wake Forest Awards & Engraving.

CHRISTIANA ELLIS award-winning local author and podcaster donated signed copies of her book, "Nina Kimberly the Merciless," a fantasy novel with a modern sense of humor, about the headstrong teenage daughter of a barbarian conqueror. The podcast was an inaugural nominee for the 2006 Parsec Award for Best Speculative Fiction Long Form and was also nominated for a Podcast Peer Award. In 2010, Foreword Magazine awarded Nina Kimberly the Merciless with the Bronze Award for Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy Novel of the Year.

2011 RAFFLE PRIZES AWARDED

Special guest sci-fi author Mark L. Van Name will autograph a copy of his book CHILDREN NO MORE for one lucky winner. This is the fourth and latest installment of Van Name's series featuring nano-enhanced mercenary Jon Moore and sentient assault vehicle Lobo. Van Name is donating every cent he receives (including the advance) from the sale of both hardcover and paperback copies of the CHILDREN NO MORE to Falling Whistles campaign for peace in the Congo, to help rehabilitate and reintegrate child soldiers.

This beautiful, one-of-a-kind "Ladies of Serenity" necklace was designed and handmade by Durham artist Diana Keever just for our raffle. It features kimono fabric cord, bullet casing, black leather, buddha charm, pistol charm, heart, key and Swarovski crystals, representing Zoe, Inara, Kaylee and River.

A replica of River's sword.

Kaylee's shiny prize bucket with one hand-painted rice paper parasol from Firefly Cargo Bay, Kaylee letter "K" Scrabble tile pendant on hand-dyed pink silk cord and Simon letter "S" Scrabble tile pendant on leather cord from JLHjewelry, "SHINY" bumper sticker, "Everything is Shiny" button, screwdriver, and teddy bear patch from Washosaurus. (Total value of this prize is $65.)

Steampunk prize package donated by Jen Hilton of JLHjewelry: Two steampunk books featuring her work, "Steampunk Style Jewelry" and "1000 Steampunk Creations," and a handmade acid-etched and hammered brass and copper "serenity" pendant. (Cover price for each book is $25 apiece, retail value of necklace is $38. Total prize value of $88.)

11x17 print of Mike Henderson's drawing of Mal and Serenity.

Handmade glass pendant created by Cary artist Linda Searcy, featuring a real, vintage Japanese postage stamp.

A cast iron tea set from Japan, with a dragonfly design, for your own companion welcoming ceremony.

Jason Palmer's "River vs Reavers" prints.

A limited edition reaver ship ornament.

Shepherd Book prize basket includes a copy of Serenity: The Shepherd's Tale graphic novel, Shepherd Book necklace by JLHjewelry, rosemary, serenity pen, and an authentic autographed card from the Serenity trading card series by Inkworks signed by Ron Glass. (Total value of this prize is more than $50.)
Serenity Alliance Currency Money Packs -- fan club exclusive edition with Miranda map -- from Qmx.

A "Serenity Sake" pint glass and t-shirt (size L) by artist Ian Leino. Value $27.50 (both items will go together to one lucky winner).

Fruity Oaty Bar prize bag is one BlueQ "Yum!" tote filled with fruity treats from Japan and Singapore, temporary tattoos, and two 4x6 acrylic magnets featuring the Fruity Oaty Bar girls. (Total value of this prize is more than $20.)

Limited edition Browncoats t-shirt (size XL) by Teefury.com.

Firefly hairsticks courtesy of LaRachelle Designs.

Other raffle items include...

Jayne's bunk junk prize pack with a very cunning knitted hat from Illusionext, a brand new Cabela's safari shirt (size XL) with an Army pilot pin on the pocket (similar to the shirt and pin he wore in the Maidenhead bar), Alliance replica money, a deck of cards, a replica of his forged medical badge (from the Firefly episode "Ariel") and other goodies from the Hero of Canton. (Total value of this prize is more than $80.)

Browncoat prize basket which includes a sterling silver "serenity" pendant from Dragonweave, Browncoat soap by Geeky Clean, brown wax candle, reusable Browncoat grocery bag from Washosaurus, "Serenity" comic by Dark Horse, "Space Age Loser" CD by the Browncoats band, goodies from Firefly Cargo Bay, items from Cats Dreaming -- fabric fortune cookie, serenity bookmark and "leaf on the wind" pendant, and a ceramic "serenity" magnet by Earthenwood Studio. (Total value of this prize is more than $85.)

* Firefly/Serenity patch collection, including Serenity logo patch, Independents military patch, limited edition 2009 CSTS patch, "Keep Flying" Firefly patch, and Blue Sun patch. (Total value more than $35.)

Pfaltzgraff "SERENITY" votive candle holder

Framed Serenity trading cards donated by Metropolis Magazines

Framed Buffy trading cards donated by Metropolis Magazines

Framed 11x17 "Bellerophon Fire" poster by John Anderson. The Bellephoron Fire design was originally created for the webseries COURAGE, and appeared in promo shots of the production. It's a sport based on 'hoopball' which the cast plays in hold of the ship.

Done the Impossible DVD

Bedlam Bards "On the Drift" autographed CD

Browncoats: Redemption Fan Film DVD

Finding Serenity a collection of essays edited by Jane Espenson

Serenity Found another collection of essays edited by Jane Espenson

SERENITY on the big screen in December

2010-12-08T16:54:00.001-05:00

If you missed this year's "Can't Stop the Serenity" event in June, you still have a chance to see SERENITY on December 9, 2010. Doors open at 6:30pm, movie begins at 8:00pm.

There is usually a prize giveaway at this event, but it's NOT a charity thing. It's just for fun, part of the "Cool Classics" series at the Colony Theater on Six Forks Road in Raleigh. Only $5 per person, at the door, and a 400 seat theater -- twice the size of Raleighwood, our CSTS venue, so there should be room for everyone.

There's a nice write-up about it at IndyWeek.com

For information about next year's CSTS charity event, check this website in 2011 or join the NC Browncoats Yahoo group to keep up with the latest goings on in our neck of the 'verse.

Support your local steampunk vampire novelists

2010-11-13T18:32:00.004-05:00

Clay and Susan Griffith will be at Flyleaf books in Chapel Hill at 7pm Saturday November 20, for a book signing of their novel "Vampire Empire Book One: The Greyfriar."

Susan is a Browncoat, and in this interview with Marjorie M. Liu, the authors talk about how the look of one of their characters was modeled on Inara from Firefly.

Letter of thanks from KNTR

2010-10-11T19:34:00.004-04:00

This is a copy of the letter from Kids Need to Read, to everyone who participated in the Raleigh "Can't Stop the Serenity" event this year.

Raleigh donated $1,042 to Kids Need To Read in 2010, the maximum allowed under the conditions of participation set by the global coordinators of the CSTS worldwide program.

WANTED: CSTS 2010 PHOTOS

2010-09-17T10:57:00.004-04:00

If you have photos from CSTS 2010 in any city, you can post them here: http://www.flickr.com/groups/cantstoptheserenity/

*

Browncoat musician MARIAN CALL coming to Raleigh

2010-08-26T22:07:00.004-04:00

MARIAN CALL will be at the Berkeley Cafe in Raleigh, Tuesday September 21. Doors open 7pm, show starts at 8pm. $10 suggested donation.

OFFICIAL BIO: Singer and composer Marian Call became a fan of Firefly and Battlestar Galactica fairly recently, though she's been a certified geek since birth. Like many inspired fans, she turned her artistic bent toward her new obsessions. The result is a tribute album full of new and remastered songs, all dedicated to the spirit of the shows she loves and published exclusively by Quantum Mechanix and Black Market Beagles. The songs on Marian's new album "Got to Fly" are inspired by Firefly/Serenity and Battlestar Galactica, and by the fans and friends she's met by coming out of the closet as a nerd. Marian Call delivers whimsical Alaskan folk funk for the Coffee Counter-Culture. She sounds a little like Joni Mitchell & Regina Spektor raising the child of Jason Mraz & Erin McKeown. Call’s sound is always soulful, honest, and clever, loved by all types — computer geeks, church ladies, teenage thugs, NPR listeners, and urban hipsters worldwide. Marian is currently touring all 50 states.

Find more information at http://mariancall.com.

Upcoming Browncoat events

2010-08-19T00:05:00.013-04:00

* The Raleigh Browncoats are meeting for dinner, a Can't Stop the Serenity post-event wrap up and other hijinks at 7pm Thursday August 26 at the Falls Taproom. Please email us or post a message on our Yahoo Group if you plan to attend, so we can save a seat for you. If you can't attend but would like to be involved in CSTS 2011, email us and we will contact you in the future.

* The first round of Can't Stop The Serenity charity auctions are up on eBay. The auctions are being held by the California Browncoats and all proceeds go to benefit Equality Now. Prizes include lots of cool signed stuff, original art from the Float Out comic, and a pair of tickets to the 2010 Browncoat Ball.

* The Browncoat Ball is October 22-24 in Charlotte this year. The full weekend event is $165, or there's a Saturday-Only pass for $110, or a Saturday Night Ball pass for $75.

Supporting the local sci-fi community

2010-08-08T23:35:00.018-04:00

I had the opportunity to attend NASFIC, the North American Science Fiction Convention, from August 5-8 in Raleigh, where I met several local authors, some of whom happen to be Browncoats!

Raleigh sci fi author Mark L. Van Name is donating the proceeds from his latest book, "Children No More," to Falling Whistles: Campaign for Peace in the Congo. He is also a self-professed fan of Serenity, and I hope we will see him at the next CSTS.

Christiana Ellis is a Browncoat and local podcaster extraordinaire who interviewed me in 2008 for my role in coordinating CSTS. Her debut book, "Nina Kimberly the Merciless" is available on Amazon.com and also as a podcast through her website.

James Maxey is the author of the Dragon Age fantasy series and the superhero novel Nobody Gets the Girl.

Samuel Montgomery-Blinn is a Browncoat who founded Bull Spec magazine, featuring local writers (and yes, he is accepting submissions). Find it at a store near you.

Sara M. Harvey, steampunk author and costumer. She's out of Nashville, but I'm still going to mention her because she's a fan of Serenity. She has a Steampunk Kaylee costume, knows entirely too much about geisha, and she's just an all-around delightful person.

With an effervescence which borders on mania, Davey Beauchamp of Greensboro, NC, is an author, librarian, and editor of the book Writers for Relief, an anthology to benefit the victims of hurricane Katrina.

I did not meet him, but I discovered that John Claude Bemis is in Hillsborough and has a book titled "The Nine Pound Hammer," the debut of his Clockwork Dark series. He'll be having a launch party for the second book in the series, at the end of August. Check out his website for details.

I also discovered Off World Designs, which is not local but I wanted to share because they have some brilliant Browncoat t-shirts.

Keep flying,
Jen

2010 CSTS-Raleigh raised $4,170

2010-06-29T17:35:00.007-04:00

$3,127.95 (75%) to Equality Now
$1,042.64 (25%) to Kids Need to Read
Click here for photos from the event.

Congrats, Raleigh, on being one of the CSTS "5 Year Veteran Cities"

CAN'T STOP THE SERENITY 2010

2010-06-27T22:00:00.020-04:00

Once a year, Browncoats around the globe hold charity screenings of the sci-fi movie SERENITY to raise money for Equality Now and other worthy causes. In Raleigh, we also support Kids Need to Read. For five years, we've had our screening at Raleighwood Cinema Grill, 6609 Falls of Neuse Road, Raleigh.

COSTUME CONTEST winners were...

First place: "River"

Second place: "Badger"

Third place: "Lovebot"

RAFFLE PRIZES:

* Official Malcolm Reynolds Stunt Pistol Replica by Quantum Mechanix, courtesy of Michael Cluth.

* Replica of River's axe from True Swords

* "River vs. Reavers" print by Jason Palmer.

* Companion gift basket including an autographed picture of Morena Baccarin.

* Gift Certificate for a 6-week Bellydance Class with Haala of Halo Bellydance in Cary (value $72).

* Official Serenity Blueprint Reference Pack by QMx, donated by Jen Hilton.

* Serenity Movie Blue Sun Logo Blue Frosted Shooter Glasses (set of two) and bottle of rice wine.

* Jayne Cobb "Public Relations" gift basket with grenade necklace, "Bunkmate" shirt from Out to the Black Outfitters, "His & Hers" Jayne hats knitted by Emma Guild.

* Big Damn Heroes gift basket with comics, pvc figures, and other items representing the nine crew members.

* Hammered Metal "Serenity" Pendant handmade by JLHjewelry

* Serenity lunchbox packed with Firefly t-shirt, a Chinese "serenity" pendant from Dragonweave, items from the California Browncoats, and other goodies.

* Jayne hat knitted by Emma Guild.

* Serenity Reaver Ship limited edition ornament

* Alliance Currency Money Pack from Qmx

* "Done the Impossible" DVD

* Bedlam Bards "On the Drift" autographed CD

* The Browncoats CD and autographed poster

* "Serenity Found" and "Finding Serenity" books edited by Jane Espenson

* Serenity: Float Out comic donated by Aaron Stone