KiSmet 2016

Kismetcon.com

Posted on behalf of the KiSmet Con co-chairs.


Hi Folks & a Big Welcome to the penultimate Kismet update. The Con is now less than SIX WEEKS away (that faint wailing sound you can surely hear is the two of us staring at our "still to do list"!) Aaaaaargh!

***** DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION ENTRIES IS 1 AUGUST *****

We are really pleased to say that we now have 30 people attending the Con as well as five supporters wishing us well from afar, which is absolutely wonderful! So, if anyone else is thinking of joining us, we would love to hear from you, of course, but the absolute sneak-in-under-the-wire deadline for registrations is August 1 (just in case you didn't notice the banner above!) so if you want to register please get your anti-grav skates on and head over to Our Kismet Con website AT ONCE! We are waiting to hear from you...
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Welcome to the Kismet update for JUNE! Only two more updates after this one and then it's the Con! Time has flown over the past year and now all the fun is just around the corner...

Here we go, then.

First, some reminders:

Registration
We have 28 people coming to the Con at the moment, with 5 supporting memberships from various parts of the Federation, so we're very pleased! There remains, at the moment, still some space for more, which is good!
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Posted on behalf of the KiSmet Con co-chairs.

Welcome to the May update for KISMET!

Our big news this month is that the Con venue has been moved! We are still at Lane End, of course, but we will now be occupying the impressive Wycombe Hall, rather than Wycombe Court or Lodge. Take a look at it if you haven't already.
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Posted on behalf of the con committee.

STOP PRESS!

The three categories of the great Kismet Art Competition are now:

1. Best photomanip (A4 max size)

2. Photo Mania: Take a photo of Kirk and Spock and pimp it up to make it amusing.

3. Drawings, paintings or other artwork using traditional or digital media.

Hopefully, we've now covered everything!!

Don't forget, this competition is only open to attendees and supporting members.

Kismetcon.com

Posted on behalf of the KiSmet Con co-chairs.

Welcome to the March update for KISMET!

We are now well into the twenties with registrations, but can always do with more - so if you are planning to sign up, please do so as soon as you can! More attendees means more opinions, more discussion, more laughing and even more fun!
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Kismetcon.com

Posted on behalf of the KiSmet Con co-chairs.

So... Just about six months to go until the Con, and we wanted to update you and remind you all about the amazing competitions awaiting you at Kismet 2016!

If you are unable to attend the con, we invite you to become a supporting member. For that you will be helping support the convention, and some of your membership will be donated to a charity for COPD; plus we will send you the membership pack which will include an electronic version of the con zine as well as other goodies and, of course, you will earn our unending gratitude! You can find out more about the supporting membership at kismetcon.com.

Contests and Prizes

For those considering attending, we are running a bunch of competitions as detailed below, and have some wonderful prizes lined up for these, all highly desirable! We scoured the known galaxy for Kevas and Trillium, but failing that, settled for some very select items! There will be special prizes for each of our contests and plenty of raffle prizes (as anyone who remembers Chris from ANY British K/S Con will be aware that she takes raffles quite--umm-- seriously). And as we plan to have both pink and green raffle tickets available, how will you be able to buy just one strip? You can find out more in the Competitions section of our website at kismetcon.com

Vidding Contest

The eagle eyed among you will have seen that our website has been updated to show that this contest is now open to all K/S vidders, wherever you may be, whether or not you are attending the Con. Our very own T'Lara is waiting to receive your new song vid creations. Whether you are new to this wonderful craft or a seasoned vid creator, we’d love to show your vids at our Con and vote for the best! For full details, please go to the Vid show section of our website at Kismetcon.com.

Con Zine

Please note, because members will be voting on their favourite con zine entry, with a prize for the author, submissions will only be taken from members and supporters.

By now, some of our members will be hopefully thinking about a story, poem or even a piece of art for our Con zine. We are looking forward to reading the creative ways that our authors use the contest words, augment and gratuitous in their stories. Probably not in their poems, though that would be impressive!

If you are not very experienced as a writer, the zine is the perfect place to try out your talents on a very grateful public and, as we've heard (shhh..whisper it) some very well known and loved K/S writers are intending to submit, this could be your big chance to have a story in the same zine, and maybe win a prize as well! For further details, please go to the Con zine section of our website at Kismetcon.com.

Please send your submissions to the Con email address, that's kismetcon@gmail.com

Art Contest

For the same reason as our Con zine, the Art Contest is only open to those coming to the Con or supporting it.

There are three categories, no less, including one for all of us, whether conventionally artistic or not, with a prize for the best in each as voted for by members. They are:

1. Photo manip
2. Non-digital art
3. Photomania!

To explain that last category, what we’re look for is for you to take or find a photo of Kirk and Spock and tart it up, electronically or otherwise (green glitter and pink sequins anyone?) This is the category created by a typo (and can't you tell!!) and is designed for both the technologically expert and the technologically inept. Go wild with your computer or a pair of scissors and a glue-gun (preferably not at the same time) and just have fun - that's what Kismet is all about!

Let us know your art work titles, if you can, before the Con, and just bring your art along to display. Our resident art show organiser, tracionn will be happy to help you display to best advantage. Any more details, check out the art section of our website, all together now…kismetcon.com!

And let's not forget the CAKE TOPPER!

We welcome more art entries: create a pic (clean!) that can be used on the Kismet con cake. Just imagine how proud you'd be if your art is reproduced in glorious icing to adorn a very special cake!! Send in your pics now! Please send entries to the Con email at Kismetcon@gmail.com

Con Membership Update

Our numbers have moved to just above our minimum, which is great and has reduced our blood pressure nicely (pills now in the bin). So, the Con is very definitely On! It was good to have a poll on our KiSmetCon Facebook group recently, and found that others who haven’t yet signed up are still planning to attend. We look forward to hearing from you and welcoming you aboard.

Our membership price is fully inclusive. What you get is a single room with ensuite bathroom at a fabulous venue set in 24 acres of rolling countryside just outside London (which has hosted two previous K/S cons), as well as all meals for the weekend, snacks and unlimited hot beverages.

Instalment Plan
Our instalment plan, if you need it, is second to none, as we can tailor it to suit you. And if you are already paying in instalments need reminding of your outstanding amount, we can do that.

Full details of membership costs and plans, once again, check out the membership section of our website, that's Kismetcon.com, as if you didn't know by now!


We hope to see you in September!

Anne & Chrissy
KiSmet co-chairs

HUGE DRUMROLL! Tarraa!

We are delighted to announce the arrival of the brand new KISMET CON website! Dash now to check it out! With huge thanks and sighs of appreciation to everyone involved (especially awarrington & killabeez) for their ideas, their patience, their talents and, did I say patience? We hope you all think that it's been worth it, coz we know we do! Let's all share it now, to promote Kismet and attract even more members!!

Kismet is also on the following social media sites:

LiveJournal
Tumblr
Twitter
Facebook

We encourage you to friend/follow/reblog/retweet to signal boost the con.

Anne & Chrissy
Kismet Co-Chairs

2016 is not only Star Trek's 50th Anniversary year but also KISMET year!! (FANFARE!) This is our first formal update, to let you know what's happening and give you some information about competitions etc. so you have plenty of time to prepare.

Registrations

Firstly, we have 15 people who have actually told Chris that they want to attend. Of these, 11 wonderful beings have paid some or all of their money. Many thanks to you, you know who you are!!

Now, we are aware that it's still early days, folks, but this is not the 20 that we really need to go ahead with the Con, and we would ideally like even more than 20, so if you are intending to come, please do get in touch with Chris at the Kismet email at the bottom of this post, and send in your money, or an instalment, as soon as you possibly can. Chris will make it as easy as she can for you to send her funds in which ever way is best for you.

As a reminder, the full amount is £235. What you get for this:

* Membership to the convenion with all the panels and competitions
* Convention goody bag to include a DVD of the vid show, and other little surprises
* Full board at the venue: accommodation (your own room with ensuite bathroom) and all meals: breakfast and lunch on Saturday and Sunday, dinner on Friday and Saturday, as well as hot beverages and snacks throughout each of the days. This is actually LESS than we charged in 2013!

If you want to stay on Sunday night as well, then the cost is £317. Please not that while breakfast on Monday morning is included, dinner Sunday night is not. There is a bar on site that sells food, so those of us staying will buy our own food and eat together there.

Further details of the venue and location can be found in the Venue section of the website.

Art

We are planning an Art Show, and an Auction if there are enough contributors. If you want to exhibit anything, just bring it with you, but please also let us know in advance at the Kismet email address below. If you want to auction anything you are exhibiting, please let us know the title and description of the piece (medium, size, minimum bid etc) no later than 1 August.

There is an art competition, the categories for which are set out below. You are most welcome to exhibit and auction items without entering the competition; just make it clear to us what you're doing. Further details can be found in the Art Show section of the website under Programming.

Competitions

We have lots of contests running over the weekend. Winners of all competitions will receive a prize. They will be announced and prizes awarded at the Closing Ceremony. Please note that the competitions are only open to Con attendees (you must have registered before you submit your entry/entries). You can find details of each of the contests, and their criteria for entry in the Competitions section of the website.

Cake Topper Competition
We are running a competition (no prize, just huge kudos) for the design of the cake topper for the Saturday night dinner. Please email a cool design to us at the Kismet email below no later than 1 May. Members will be given the chance to vote for their favourite with the results being kept secret until the big reveal on Saturday night!

Note that as the topper has to be professionally printed onto icing, if it is a photomanip it must not be explicit! Other entries may be used for printing onto other Con related items.

Art Competition
There will be three categories:

i. Best photomanip (A4 max size)

ii. Photo mania : this is a category accidentally created by typo! Take a photo of Kirk & Spock and pimp it up to make it funny (A4 Max size)

iii. Hand-made (non digital) art.

Please bring the pieces to the Con with you, but let Chris or Anne know at the Kismet email address below by 1 August the name of your competition piece, so we can prepare the voting slips. Voting will take place over the Con weekend. All competition pieces may also be auctioned, of course.

Best Songvid
A maximum of two entries per attendee, please. All entries will be played over the Con weekend and voted on by attendees. Arrangements for getting these to us can be found in the Vid-Show section of the website under Programming.

Con Zine
Entries from members only.

i. Best short story: to contain the words "augment" and "gratuitous".

ii. Best poem

The Con zine will be circulated electronically to all registered members around one month before the Con to give everyone time to read it and cast votes at the weekend.

Please get all entries to Anne or Chris at the Kismet email address no later than 10 July. Entries will NOT be edited, as there will not be time, so please triple check grammar and spelling before submitting! Further details can be found here in the Con Zine section of the website.

There will be a caption competition, a cosplay competition and other daily competitions over the weekend.

Panels
We are planning to have a LOT of panels because we all love talking about K/S! That's what Cons are for, after all. This means we need a LOT of ideas and a LOT of volunteers to run those panels. Please email Chris or Anne at the Kismet email address below with your ideas/suggestions.

You don't have to run the panel just because you suggest the subject, though it would be great if you did! All running a panel involves is telling everyone your thoughts at the start and then sitting back while everyone else wades in. Not hard, honest, and you can of course do it in pairs if you want, for support. As the programme takes shape, we'll publish details in the Panels and Talks section of the website under Programming.

Have we whet your appetite? Please let us know if you'd like to attend by emailing us at kismetcon@gmail.com or you can sign up directly at the website in the Membership section.

That's all for now, folks! Watch this space.

Anne & Chris