Today, we are featuring a blog from Eliza Hirsch, a local writer and, of course, proud geek girl. Below, Eilza shares a story about one of her favorite books and why it spoke to her when she was a teenager.

I only made it to my sophomore year before dropping out of my Colorado country high school. I left behind trailer classrooms (the debate club was relegated to a stuffy box hidden behind the school proper), an extra creative mascot (the mighty fighting Falcons from Falcon High School, in the city of Falcon), and a few real, honest-to-Betsy cowboys.

During my illustrious public school career, I developed a couple coping mechanisms. Books were my primary line of defense. I fell in love with stories, and the ability of those stories to transport me into different, more interesting places. Places that made sense.

The paperback cover for Into the Wild Nerd Yonder

Places like the world in Julie Halpern’s Into the Wild Nerd Yonder. The book follows Jessie in her sophomore year of high school. Her best friends are changing in ways she’s not sure she likes, and she’s trying to figure out who she is, how she fits into the world. Sound familiar? Sound like everyone’s second year of high school? Yeah.

I liked this book, and Jessie in particular, for a few reasons. The most important is that Jessie is the kind of girl I might have been in high school—if I was approximately twice as innocent and half as angry. She wears crazy clothes (most of those skirts I mentioned came from the quilting fabric section) and hangs out with people on the fringe of the social strata; she’s funny, and fun.

Jessie’s also unapologetically intelligent and—with a goal of sewing enough skirts to wear a different one every day of school—she’s uniquely creative. She doesn’t mind standing out, yet at the same time she’s pretty insecure, relying on her increasingly difficult-to-relate-to friends. What’s a girl to do?

Well, Dungeons and Dragons, of course.

Around that same time in my life, I discovered tabletop role-playing. Or, to be more accurate, living room floor role-playing. For me, role-playing was another iteration of storytelling. For Jessie, role-playing becomes both a means to connect with people she enjoys being around, and a way to reinvent herself.

Jessie meets Henry, who was part of a role-playing group in her school, and starts spending more time with a DM and less time with her BFFs. Along with epic battles and multi-day campaigns comes the worry that she’s turning into—as the title suggests—a nerd.

The cover for Into the Wild Nerd Yonder also won my heart: corset-topped dress plastered onto a pink background decorated with D20s. The byline My Life on the Dork Side decorates the hem of the dress.

The book as a whole is an easy read, and while Halpern does give Jessie some room to explore her emotions and the way life never seems to stop changing, I think she doesn’t dig too terribly deep. Still, for an enjoyable, sometimes nostalgic, weekend read, it’s worth picking up.

I’m still waiting for the sequel. I’m thinking: Jessie discovers Star Trek and gets roped into making costumes for an epic (and ultimately doomed) public reenactment of Wrath of Khan. Will she finish the last seam before the city park is overwhelmed with families and picnic baskets? Or will all her stitches be wasted? Find out in: The Wrath of Lawn!

Are there any characters—in books or movies or television—that remind you of your high school self? Share them below!

Eliza is a science fiction and fantasy writer living in the Seattle area. She is a ClarionWest alum, loves kitty cats, and collects board games. You can find her online at exploringeliza.com.

GeekGirlCon President and Marketing Director Erica McGillivray (left) and Programming Operations Director Julia Santo (right) show off the TARDIS built by GeekGirlCon staff and volunteers

Do you live in or around Seattle? Are you interested in getting to know other geeks in the area?

Then you should join GeekGirlCon’s first informal meetup of the year!

In addition to hosting special events such as movie nights, art auctions, and burlesque shows, we want more opportunities to get to know all of you better and build a community of GeekGirlCon fans.

What do you love? What sort of geeky things get you excited each day?

Come discuss them at one of our meetups, which we plan to host every other week. We’ll explore areas outside of Seattle, chatting with geeks in Tacoma, Everett, and perhaps as far as Spokane. We might focus on certain topics each time, and we’ll mix up times and locations — a bar one night, a coffee shop another, and an outdoor picnic on a pretty day.

We’ll host our first meetup on Wednesday, May 30, from 6 to 8 p.m.

But we need your help to get there. Tell us where our first meeting should be. We’ll stick to the Greater Seattle area for the first one, but what neighborhood or city?

Leave a comment below telling GeekGirlCon why we should come to your neck of the woods. The area with the most comments gets the first GeekGirlCon meetup hosted in their neighborhood. And feel free to suggest great pubs, coffee shops, or other meetup locations.

I’m counting down the days, and can’t wait to get to know more about all of you!

Susie Rantz, PR Manager

Do you have blank walls? Need a change of scenery? Or you want to support a worthy cause? We have just the event for you. Come at the Ltd Art Gallery on Saturday, May 19th for an art auction to benefit GeekGirlCon.

Our staff is collecting art donations for a killer art auction with all proceeds going to GeekGirlCon. Think of it like an in-person eBay*! Mix and mingle. Then bid on some awesome art.

Details and cheat codes:

When: Saturday, May 19th
Where: Ltd Art Gallery (307 E. Pike Street, Seattle)
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Cost: Free entry to gallery
Who: All ages

*Fine print: You must be present to “win.” All art must be taken home, carted away, or otherwise claimed by the winning bidders by 10:30 p.m. the of the event. All art is sold as is.

Description: The Accounting Manager is responsible for recording and analyzing the day to day financial transactions of GeekGirlCon and for adhering to the Non-Profit accounting guidelines as established by the IRS and other regulating agencies. Reports to Operations Director.

Duties:

- Oversees all financial transactions for GeekGirlCon.
- Coordinates with Sponsorship Coordinators to maintain accurate records for all individuals/companies making donations or sponsoring GeekGirlCon.
- Works with Treasurer and department directors to maintain departmental budgets.
- Coordinates outgoing payment timing and incoming funds with department directors.
- Performs bank reconciliations on all accounts.
- Reconciles PayPal account and transfers funds from PayPal to the GeekGirlCon bank account.
- Works with Operations Director to ensure that all necessary legal paperwork is completed in a timely manner.
- Coordinates with Treasurer to ensure tax returns are completed by deadlines.
- Coordinates with Treasurer to provide financials to the Board and keeps them apprised of all financial situations arising within GeekGirlCon.

Qualifications:
- Working knowledge of Quickbooks Pro.
- Minimum Associates Degree in Business/Accounting or equivalent work experience.
- Prior experience in Non-Profit accounting preferred.

If you’re interested in joining GeekGirlCon in this role, please email your resume, a cover letter, and two things you’ve learned in the last year to registration@geekgirlcon.com.

*Please note that GeekGirlCon and its staff is made up entirely of dedicated volunteers and this position is pro-bono.

PR Content Producer Shubz and her mom on her wedding day

“My Mom is a fantastic leader in our family, and also one of my biggest fans. I have always been in the performing arts, and for every recital, dance competition, and (recently) gig or open mic, Mom has either been there or has put it in her calendar to come through and check out. I gave her a 1337ology article I was featured in for nerdcore and she absolutely loved it. Rap and hip-hop may not be her thing, but the fact that she is so ready to support and love the work I do is such a confidence booster.” - Shubz Blalack, PR Content Producer

“I never really thought about my mom having an influence on my geekiness, because it was always so obvious. What I did not really appreciate until later was that she was actually quite a bit of a geek herself. She always encouraged me to follow my passions and not worry about what anyone else thought. She also made sure that my brother & I saw Star Wars (the original/only three: episodes IV, V, and VI) and loved it when we recreated scene after scene verbatim ad nauseum. She has passed along two ‘family jewelry’ necklaces — one C3PO and one X-wing. She pledged PBS when we couldn’t stop quoting lines from Red Dwarf; and she’s bought expansion packs for Carcassonne, while getting all of her friends to play on and offline. Funnily enough, neither of us is a big fan of Mothers’ Day. It feels a little small to limit appreciating her to a single day a year. She is frakking awesome, and I’m so proud every day that she’s my mum.” - Amanda Powter, Copywriter

“My mom can certainly be blamed for my fall into the geekdom, and that’s a great thing! As a pharmacist, she instilled in me a love for science and math at an early age. But she did so much more than that! She encouraged my strange and unusual behaviors. When I stepped out of my room in a plaid top and striped pants, she smiled. When I said I wanted to paint my car pink, she and my dad took me to the auto detail shop. She came with me to see Lord of the Rings at midnight. These seem like little things, but when you grow up around someone who shows you she’s proud of who you are and what you love, you have the freedom to truly be the person you’re meant to be.” - Susie Rantz, PR Manager

PR Manager Susie Rantz and her mom after running a half marathon in Hawaii

So you’ve heard from us, how about you? Tell us about the awesome mom/mother figure in your life!

Description: The Merchandise Coordinator makes sure GeekGirlCon customers have a diverse selection of GeekGirlCon branded merchandise available for sale at the convention, events, and in our online shop. Acts as the procurer, designer, custodian, and retailer of all GeekGirlCon merchandise. Reports to Design Manager.

Duties:

• Communicates with vendors and manages deadlines for the manufacture of GeekGirlCon endorsed apparel, etc.
• Grows relationships with local vendors for future GeekGirlCon needs.
• Manages and tracks inventory; reorders as needed.
• Analyzes GeekGirlCon’s market for improvements to merchandise selection.
• Manages online shops for GeekGirlCon logoed merchandise as well as geek-themed products.
• Sets up and manages the merchandise table at GeekGirlCon-related events throughout the year.

Qualifications:

• Attention to detail and an eye for quality.
• Ability to manage projects unassisted.
• Strong knowledge of MS Excel and Word.
• Outstanding communication skills.
• High degree of flexibility and initiative.
• Knowledge of retail pricing structures is a plus.
• Must live in the Seattle or surrounding area, as duties often include setting up at local events.
• Knowledge of basic retail math and simple profit and loss reports.

If you think you or someone you know, would be a great fit for our Design Team, please direct all inquiries and resumes to Rachelle Abellar at assocdesign@geekgirlcon.com.

We look forward to hearing from you!

*Please note that GeekGirlCon and its staff is made up entirely of dedicated volunteers and this position is pro-bono.

“Doctor Who?”

This week, GeekGirlCon partnered with Central Cinema to host a Doctor Who-themed TV dinner. We screened two of our favorite Doctor Who episodes:

“Blink” starring the Tenth Doctor, David Tennant, and written by Steven Moffat
“The Doctor’s Wife” starring the Eleventh Doctor, Matt Smith, and written by Neil Gaiman

We also had a lively intermission, as Behind the Blue Door performed a new burlesque act from their upcoming Doctor Who-inspired cabaret show! You’re not going to want to miss this show when it debuts at the end of June.

Behind the Blue Door performers, who gave a teaser for their upcoming Doctor Who-inspired cabaret show!

It’s pretty clear the Seattle area has a lot of Doctor Who fans, as the event sold out! Thanks so much to everyone who came.

I’m a huge fan of Neil Gaiman and always love watching his Doctor Who episode. It’s funny but also so emotional and eerie — that’s Neil Gaiman for you!

Are you a fan of “The Doctor?” What’s your favorite episode?

We had the chance to catch up with Danielle and ask her a few questions about herself, her business, and her geeky passions. Enjoy!

Danielle Hulton, owner of Ada's Technical Books

How did you get the inspiration to open Ada’s Technical Books?
In school, I studied electrical engineering and computer science. I have also always loved to read. After working in the tech industry for four years, I decided I wanted to do something a little different. Technical bookstores aren’t something new in the U.S. and I thought it was really strange that Seattle didn’t have one. Also, I felt that I could bring a little different feel and some new ideas to technical bookstores than those that I’d been in before.

Can you tell our fans how Ada’s Technical Books got its name?
Ada’s is named after Ada Lovelace. Ada is considered the first computer programmer. She lived in the late 1800′s and was a mathematician. Click on the link for much more information. She was a super interesting person!

What were you doing before you opened your bookstore?
Before I opened Ada’s, I worked at Pico Computing as a software/firmware engineer. Pico is an FPGA platform company… really cool stuff!

What are some of your favorite books?
Oh so many! In the fiction category: Octavia Butler’s “Lilith’s Brood” and Neal Stephenson’s “Snow Crash.” I also really love “Pattern Recognition” by William Gibson and anything by Cory Doctorow. My favorite non-fiction books change pretty frequently. I loved “The Difference Engine” by Doron Swade and “Fashioning Technology” by Syuzi Pakhchyan. I also love all of Mary Roach’s books.

What are some challenges you face as a business owner?
Honestly, I think my biggest challenge is figuring out what I’m doing. I haven’t ever studied business, so most of the time I feel like I’m just winging it. But, that makes things really fun and interesting too.

What is the most rewarding thing about owning your own business?
I love that I can have a vision for my business and then, because it’s mine, make it happen. I love seeing my dreams come to life every day at Ada’s. Also, I love meeting all sorts of interesting people through customers, authors, and conferences.

Beyond being a place to buy books, Ada’s also throws events. What were some of your favorite events?
Hmm … great question! I’ve really loved a lot of our events, but the few that come to mind right now are our events with authors Phil and Kaja Foglio, “Captain” Roberts, and Rob Flickenger. We have a big party in the works to celebrate Children’s Book Week that I think is going to be really fun too.

Because we are GeekGirlCon after all, we have to ask: what are you geeky about right now?
Vegan cooking, figuring out how to hack my Tassimo Coffee maker, and gardening. I will also always be a Star Trek TNG and sewing geek.

Thanks so much, Danielle. Now, what are you all waiting for? Head to Ada’s Technical Books now!

“Peter O’Donnell’s Modesty Blaise is hands down my favorite comic book hero. She is the most complex, sophisticated, skilled and intelligent of all action heroines. As lovely as she is deadly, Modesty is the Princess of Spy-Fi. Whether great friend or shrewd adversary, she kicks ass – backwards and in high heels.” - Jen K. Stuller, Programming Director (See more about what Jen has to say about Modesty Blaise in this blog piece!)

“My favorite comic book hero is Kitty Pryde. Not only was she the inspiration for Joss Whedon’s Buffy Summers, but I could see so much of myself in her character. She came from humble beginnings and entered the X-Men series as a teen. It was incredibly empowering to follow someone who was young and unsure of herself, but could also kick some serious butt. It always thought her ability to ‘phase’ was a great metaphor for our desire as teens growing up to sometimes just disappear.” – Susie Rantz, PR Manager

“I have to admit, I have only read one comic book series ever: Fables by Bill Willingham. I love it, but who I loooove the most in it is Bigby Wolf, aka The Big Bad Wolf. Willingham took this hated character from children’s stories and made him human without sugarcoating his past and what that character is known for. After killing thousands of humans and animals, then fighting in the ‘human wars,’ he ends up being the person in charge of the safety of Fabletown’s residents as their Sheriff. Willingham took the Big Bad Wolf and made him into a loving, caring (okay sometimes his wolf ‘anger’ comes out and he shifts back into wolf form) character you really connect with, which is why he is my favorite comic book character.” – Mel Howard, Customer Service Coordinator

“My favorite superhero is Jennifer Walters, aka She-Hulk. Unlike her cousin, the Hulk, She-Hulk maintains her personality, brains, and sense of fun when Hulked-out. When she’s not being put in charge of the UN or saving the world with the Avengers, she’s practicing superhero law, being a mentor to the Hulk’s daughter, and probably being a fashionista (all 6’7″ and green). She-Hulk tends to break the fourth wall and talk to her readers and creators. Oh, yeah, she also saved Santa Claus that one time. She-Hulk’s pretty awesome.” - Erica McGillivray, Marketing Director and President

Who is your favorite comic book hero and why? Leave us a comment below!

For more information on participating “Free Comic Book Day” stores, check out the store locator.

Seattle-area stores participating:
ARCANE COMICS & MORE
5809 15Th Avenue Nw
Seattle, WA, 98107

BEL-KIRK STAMP, COIN & COMICS
11232 120Th Ave Ne
Kirkland, WA, 98033

THE COMIC STOP
1307 Ne 45Th St
Seattle, WA, 98105

COMICS DUNGEON
250 Ne 45Th Street
Seattle, WA, 98105

CORNER COMICS
12049 124Th Ave Ne
Kirkland, WA, 98034

DREAMSTRANDS COMICS & SUCH
115 N 85Th Street
Seattle, WA, 98103

Because ladies love action movies, too. Am I right?!

This year, we get superheroes, fairy tales, action flicks, and a new Ridley Scott movie! There also promises to be a few tear jerkers, like The Intouchables and Death of a Superhero. Below are some of our favorite trailers and a few more details for each movie.

Which one are you most excited for? Fill out our poll at the bottom of the post!

The Avengers
Release Date: May 4
IMDB description: Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. brings together a team of super humans to form The Avengers to help save the Earth from Loki and his army.

Snow White and the Huntsman
Release Date: June 1
IMDB description: In a twist to the fairy tale, the Huntsman ordered to take Snow White into the woods to be killed winds up becoming her protector and mentor in a quest to vanquish the Evil Queen.

Prometheus
Release Date: June 8
IMDB description: A team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race.

Brave
Release Date: June 22
IMDB description: Determined to make her own path in life, Princess Merida defies a custom that brings chaos to her kingdom. Granted one wish, Merida must rely on her bravery and her archery skills to undo a beastly curse.

The Amazing Spider-Man
Release Date: July 3
IMDB description: Peter Parker finds a clue that might help him understand why his parents disappeared when he was young. His path puts him on a collision course with Dr. Curt Connors, his father’s former partner.

The Dark Knight Rises
Release Date: July 20
IMDB description: Eight years after Batman took the fall for Two Face’s crimes, a new terrorist leader, Bane overwhelms Gotham’s finest, and the Dark Knight resurfaces to protect a city that brands him an enemy.

Which movie are you most excited to see? Fill out our poll and let us know in the comments!