Tag: Jeff Pierre

Where It All Began – Return To Supernatural Chicon!

Where It All Began – Return To Supernatural Chicon!

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Chicago was the very first Supernatural Creation convention, way way back in 2007. My friends and I stalked their website for weeks waiting for the tickets to go on sale, trading off ‘watch the site’ times so it would always be covered. We were rewarded with front row seats, back in the day when front row was the same price as the rest of the gold tickets, and had an amazing time at that very first con. I’ve been extremely fortunate to be able to return to what we then called “Chicon” each year it’s been held since then. It’s where one of my closest friends lives, so it also means I get to hang out with Winchester Family Business editor Laurena and her lovely husband. This year I had lots of other friends, both old and new, there too – so it was a whirlwind weekend of patio dinners at great restaurants in the 75 degree sunshine and long talks in the vendor room with friends I don’t get to see nearly often enough.

If you’ve ever wondered what the vendor table looks like, this was the Chicago set up – if you’re ever at a con, come say hi! I’m always happy to sign books too, whether you’ve brought them with you or bought them at the con. And if Family Don’t End With Blood inspired you in some way, it makes my day to hear about it – and the actors’ when someone says the chapters they wrote were an inspiration.

My flight got in on Friday, so I missed DJ Qualls and Julian Richings (my friend Barb caught a few photos for me).

I got to chat with Julian a bit later – we both worked on the book ‘Death in Supernatural’, with Julian writing the Foreword and me writing the Afterword, so it was nice to see him and catch up.

I caught Gil McKinney and David Haydn Jones panel in progress. The pairing of Gil and David might seem like an unusual one, as their characters didn’t interact at all on Supernatural, but they have gelled into a delightfully naughty duo that I thoroughly enjoy. When I came into the ballroom, they were trying to decide if Gil once wore his dance belt backwards, or was it really just a thong?

David has a new movie coming out that apparently involves dancing, so that is sure to be fun!

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Supernatural in The Big Easy: SPN NOLA 2023

Supernatural in The Big Easy: SPN NOLA 2023

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I have enjoyed every Supernatural convention that’s been in New Orleans, which is one of my favorite cities in the US. The food is incredible, the history and architecture are fascinating, and it’s a place where people are determined to relax and have fun – which makes it a great place for a con. This year was the first time it was a Road So Far Creation con instead of an official Supernatural con, but it was once again a wonderful time, in part because I had lots of friends there.

And because  – New Orleans!

My friend Tedra brought a bunch of free postcards to put at my vendor table, from artist @sfwFandD, which were needless to say very popular.

I love when fans do things for other fans just out of wanting to share the joy – so much of what makes fandom special!

(Also they made great bookmarks for the books)

I had to work later than usual, and then flights were wonky, so I didn’t end up actually getting there until Saturday late afternoon – which meant I missed a ton of panels and people that I really wanted to see. First Misha panel I’ve ever missed, I think. Boo work.

I did make it in time to have dinner with friends, and for the Saturday Night Special, luckily!

This was a uniquely awesome SNS because the stage at this venue was very very far from the first row of seats (which makes no one happy) so the ever resourceful Creation tech team constructed a catwalk to bring out a portion of the stage – and every single actor and musician seemed to love it as much as the fans did!

Kim performed one of my favorite Blondie songs, which is a perfect fit for her.

Creation’s own Stephanie Dizon performed, which she used to do a lot back in the day, so it was great to have her (and her great voice) onstage again.

It’s also great to have Gil McKinney back – at the cons and at SNS singing. (Check out our exclusive interview with Gil recently here if you missed it)

And look at those fabulous back up dancers aka Kim and Briana!

And newcomer to the cons JoJo Fleites also joined in the SNS.

They absolutely blew everyone away with their beautiful rendition of ‘Hard Times Come Again No More’ which was also performed this season on ‘The Winchesters’. Wow!

‘The Winchesters’ cast is as talented as Supernatural’s actors have always been apparently – Meg Donnelly also performed, showing off her onstage experience.

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Walker’s Season 3 Finale – And A Cliffhanger Ending!

Walker’s Season 3 Finale – And A Cliffhanger Ending!

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It’s been a tumultuous week in the Walker fandom (and especially in the Supernatural fandom at large), with Walker renewed but Walker Independence and The Winchesters not renewed and Gotham Knights still up in the air. So I think we all needed some feel good TV, and the season finale of Walker didn’t disappoint – although, of course, that wasn’t ALL the episode gave us!

“It’s A Nice Day For A Ranger Wedding” set up the story for next season while also giving us some truly happy making moments, which felt much needed.

The episode starts at the end, a discarded bouquet of flowers, a bloody body on the floor, still alive and breathing heavy.  The room is ransacked, broken glass strewn all over.

And then it’s 36 hours before…

Well damn, Walker, that’s a beginning!

Cordell is back to running with Liam and Trey, which means he’s starting to make some progress with his PTSD perhaps, and also means we get to see the boys all run in single layers. Cordell has a brief flashback of the time he went running and got kidnapped by Grey Flag, but then Cassie runs right into him and they’re off again. Cassie wins and triumphantly puts on the hat and everyone is a good sport. (Also, we find out she was a Mathlete, which is a shoutout I’m sure to Padalecki – who really was a Mathlete!) There are a lot of shout outs in this finale, and I am here for it.

Most of the episode is devoted to planning the wedding of Captain James and Kelly, with a lot of healing going on in the process for lots of the main characters.

Abeline tells Trey she’s seen how far he’s come, highlighting that he’s in a better place and feeling less responsible for the Grey Flag mess.

Cassie gets a call from the FBI – Tessa Graves – who wants her and Walker to come join an FBI task force for the summer in Florida. They’re flattered and Cassie is tempted, though also conflicted because Austin has come to feel like home. She’s clearly in a better place too.

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Walker Heads Into Its Season Finale – And A Renewal for Season 4!

Walker Heads Into Its Season Finale – And A Renewal for Season 4!

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Tonight is the season finale of Walker, and the fandom is going into it in a celebratory mood – because a few days ago we got the good news that the show has been renewed for a fourth season! Yeehaw!

Last week’s episode, airing in the midst of the writer’s strike, was titled ‘It Writes Itself’ which sounds like a commentary on the importance of writers or a critique of the use of AI in writing, but is actually referring to a speech that Cordell is struggling to write and the work he has to do on himself to be able to be in a place to do that. The episode was actually a remarkably feel good episode – for the most part.

It kicks off with the Walker Rescue celebration, which featured lots of pretty horses and some of the fandom as extras, so that was fun. James confides to Cordell that he’s getting married to Kelly again and asks him to officiate the wedding – with a caveat.

James to Cordi: When in doubt, do not make a joke…

(This could just as easily have been directed to Jared Padalecki, as most fans of his infamous dad jokes know…)

Abeline and Bonham offer to have the wedding there, so that’s more reason to celebrate. Liam and Stella celebrate realizing their shared dream and cut the ribbon – but I’m sad that neither Ben nor Colton are there.

The guys plan a bachelor party (which initially they include Cassie in) – an overnight at Racer Ridge to go fishing. Cassie is not in, however, since it’s not the “usual pub crawl and debauchery”.

Cassie: I was born in Brooklyn. I draw the line at tents.

The guys head out at dawn on horseback, Trey asking ‘there aren’t any bears, right?’ which made all the Jared Padalecki fans laugh because of his well known fear of bears lol

Meanwhile, Augie is filling out online applications for joining the Army but doesn’t tell his dad.

Cordell surprises James with his son DJ coming along on the ride – which was awesome to have him back on the show even briefly.

Also awesome? Getting to see so many pretty horses in the beautiful Austin scenery.

And Cordi looking damn good in a denim jacket and black hat, Trey fishing in a tee shirt (and spraying bug spray on his bared tummy), and Liam chopping wood. This show knows its audience…

My guess is all the cast had a fabulous time riding horses and fishing and roasting marshmallows and playing football together, and who can blame them? Giddyup!

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‘Walker’ Returns with ‘Daddy Was A Bank Robber’

‘Walker’ Returns with ‘Daddy Was A Bank Robber’

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There’s a brand new episode of Walker tonight, so here’s our recap of everything that happened last week when the show returned from a mini hiatus – and introduced a new character!

It’s an aptly named episode that picks up after the take down of Kevin Golden and the death of Julia Johnson (and Cordell being finally found innocent), a positive outcome but there’s aftermath for everyone, Cassie and Trey especially still on shaky ground.

Cordell comes home and hangs up his hat to kick it off, the family in the kitchen with coffee and bacon and things seeming more or less back to normal.

Cordell had two weeks off and some PT, and Geri is back (and Colton went to Vegas – not for an impromptu wedding but for a culinary internship – but boo, I really like Colton so I’ll miss him, never mind Stella’s feelings…)

Cordell has made some progress, able to say it was a good thing for him too that he took some time off to spend with family after his ordeal – that he needed it. Abeline thanks him for doing it, and hugs her son – and then even gruff Bonham joins in! A hug with Mom and Dad seems like just what Cordell often needs but doesn’t often get, so the fandom was just as happy as Cordi was in that moment, I think.

(So was Jared Padalecki, who live tweeted the episode along with his watching companion, daughter Odette).

Cassie knocks on Trey’s door and invites him out for a beer (and not a talk about our feelings all the time) and he says yes, which seems like a big step in the right direction for the two.

Geri returns to the Side Step – but she’s not alone, she’s got someone she wants the rest of the gang to meet.

That someone is Hoyt’s daughter Sadie (surprise!), who does not exactly endear herself to Liam and Cordell by trying to scam some tickets to the free fundraiser that’s happening that night for Walker Rescues. Saylor Bell joins the cast and does a wonderful job in this episode of portraying Sadie’s contradictions, and eventually the grief she tries to bravado over.

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