Anniversary Shenanigans: Author Visit + Giveaway - Wes Kennedy

Please welcome up and coming author Wes Kennedy who's here to talk about something near and dear to her heart.

As an anxiety-ridden voluntary shut-in, I'm a big media buff. If it can be consumed through my eyes, chances are I will be there to consume it, or at least know enough about it to navigate vague conversations on the internet with strangers.


I'm also a huge fan and proponent of fanfiction. I love the freedom and autonomy fanfiction gives to fans. Most notably, fanfiction has given a choice to queer fans to see themselves represented in their own characters (because Fuck the Canon, Old Man™). My whole reason for being where I am right now is due to fanfiction.


I've talked about it before, but I'm a glutton for humiliation so: Back in the Day, I was a major Yu-Gi-Oh! fan. No lie, I owned a duel disk and a once made a pillow with Yami Bakura's face on it. I could show you a picture of it, but then I'd have to kill you.


As the sheltered daughter of a gospel singer patriarch and a woman so innocent she still doesn't understand the true meaning of O.P.P., liking Japanese animation about Egyptian gods playing children's card games was the weirdest thing about me. In retrospect, it isn't that weird. And, in retrospect, it's still pretty fucking weird.


Anyway, my love for a 4Kids show imported from Japan is what lead to my first sexual awakening. While innocently scouring the internet for YGO-related content, I stumbled upon Fanfiction.net. FF.net was a portal into a world I'd never heard of before: fans of things creating original stories for those things. Up until then my only experience with fandom was the 4Kids YGO board where I broke down into tears not once, but twice over arguments regarding Mai Valentine's deck strength.


I searched through FF.net with wide-eyes. It didn't take long for me to catch on, and soon I was looking over my shoulder as I searched for fanfiction of my favorite, and only, OTP (though I didn't know it was called that at the time): Mai Valentine/Jounouchi Katsuya. Up popped a list of hundreds of original stories involving the two. I was excited. I was overwhelmed. I was terrified my parents would be home soon.


I avoided all the smutty stuff (Modern Me: Ha!) and went straight for the stuff labeled 'fluffy.' I indulged in sweet romance of my two favorite characters on my favorite thing, knowing I would never get this level of detail and focus in the actual show. It was good. I was happy. I had found this secret thing buried in the corners of the internet I could come to at any time.


One day while scrolling through fluffy Mai/Jou fics I found something amiss. Right there in the smack of it all, was a fic labeled Kaib/Jou. My brain short-circuited as I tried to understand. My only knowledge of anything like that had come from going to my small, tightly-knit Southern Baptist church. In otherwise, the word BAD flashed like warning lights around the link. Turn back! it begged.


So I scrolled past it… and then scrolled back to it and clicked before I could change my mind.
Before I continue to recount the entirety of my awkward, repressed childhood that cultivated many of the mental health issues that plague me today, let me summarize: That one fic opened me up to a world of non-heterosexual fiction. I read more fanfiction of male/male and female/female characters. I found yaoi manga and became a reluctant fujoshi. My life revolved around escapism, and it just so happened that more often than not, that escapism was super gay.


Early on, fanfiction was the only way I could safely consume queer stories of people I identified with. Logo was blocked at home, and the closest to representation I ever got starting in middle school was Marco Del Rossi on Degrassi (and watching him get gay bashed scared the absolute shit out of me). I still got all of my books from the library, and living in a small town of less than 2,000 people meant not having many LGBTQ+ options.


In fanfiction, I saw queer couples be happy and safe and in love. I read stories where teens like me projected their own fears and problems on the characters for us to relate to. I realized my own queerness through fanfiction and the doors it opened. Hell, I started my original fiction path from writing fanfiction for over five years.


And while the world is slowly getting more and more progressive with regards to queer identity, fanfiction still has a place. Trans teens are finding their most accessible representation through fanfiction written about characters they identify by other trans teens.


These days I'm quietly obsessive, and a little less, uh, [noises of strangled despair]. Sure, I'll still stay up until 2 AM to spend ridiculous amounts of money on rare manga at discounted prices on June's website, but I also take a more active roll in my own queer identity. I'm part of a local DFW-based BL group that marries the fun of queer fandom with legitimate queer media issues. I support Texas-based LGBTQ+ organizations. Right now for school I'm creating an LGBTQ+ Book Talk representation for teens.


I still write fanfiction, though original stories have caused it to take a backseat. I've got a million and one plot bunnies to choose from and I'm going to run with them all before I'm done. A-Kon 28 (and more!) will see four panels from my group about queer issues in fandom and The Discourse™.


I go to anime conventions across Texas and present panels on my favorite things. I watch anime and TV shows and read manga all in the comfort of my little sanctuary. I'm happy—as happy as someone like me can be—and it's such a mindfuck to think that if I hadn't found that fic all those years ago, I might have stayed isolated and lonely and confused. Yikes


Slash fandom has earned its reputation as an all-out jerkfest for cis white straight dudes getting it on (cough), but I owe so much to it. I want to see the variety of the queer spectrum reflected in all media—MM especially!—but until then fic has got me. Bring me your tired, your poor, your hurt/comfort Thorki fic. Show me your asexual Steve Rogers headcanons. Give me your trans Junkrat meta. Maybe you'll teach me something new. Maybe we can bond. I want to read it all.

About the author

Wes Kennedy is a queer fiction author and starving graduate student from the great state of Texas. She loves libraries, hot wings, Pepsi, Blaxploitation, and comics. An anxious perpetual sleeper with a penchant for self-deprecating humor, Wes has a soft spot for writing comedies, forbidden love, and nerdy queers. When not writing, she enjoys touring various anime and sci-fi conventions across Texas, reading and writing fanfiction, yelling about sports, and watching TV shows religiously.


Website | Twitter | GoodReads

We'd like to thank Wes for helping us celebrate. Check out our tag team review of Wes' debut here. Make sure to leave a comment about fanfic or whatever.

Wes is hosting an awesome giveaway! One lucky winner will win a $10 Amazon gift card + To Terminator, With Love ebook! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The giveaway is open until 12:00AM (Eastern time) on 11/20/16. Shortly thereafter, we will contact a winner! 

Please respond to the winning notification within 48 hours or we will choose another winner. Good luck!


Trivia Question

Name the book wherein the main character exchanges a weekend with a stranger to keep a painting created by his deceased lover. (worth 20 pts)

Don't forget to tag @BMBReviews on Twitter as well as the author and your answer to be entered to win DSP credits!

Don't miss entering in our month long unicorn giveaway here!

Tag Team Review: To Terminator With Love by Wes Kennedy

Dexter Wu’s life is hectic, but he's managing—mostly. He’s on the verge of finishing grad school, and that means putting the final touches on his number one project: HAL, a social robot and children's storytelling companion. But his best friend is leaving the country for good, his birthday’s coming up, he’s swamped with studying for finals, and he hasn’t slept in days.

He's also going to destroy the world.

At least, his robot is, according to the possibly untrustworthy Agency, an organization whose mission is to protect the world at all costs. After his birthday party turns into a fight for his life, Dexter's simple life of fast food and Netflix binges is replaced by a glitchy oracle, the world's douchiest secret agents, and an ever-increasing chain of conspiracies.

With the help of Andre, a mysterious and disenchanted young agent turned rogue, Dexter sets out to plead his case to the Director in an effort to get his life back to what counts as normal—but he should know by now nothing is ever so easy.

We agreed on the rating and, coincidentally, used the same quote! #UnicornBrainShare

Fantasy Living

If Austin Powers was a geeky science nerd in university, this would be his story.

I’m casting this because... I feel like it?

Dexter is a crazy stupid genius who’s building a child’s reading companion robot for his post-grad thesis, but hasn’t figured out how to make it talk…

He named the robot HAL - You know - the crazy supercomputer from Space Odyssey?! But cuter.. And not crazy, maybe.

He is attacked and almost killed in his lab by some super-spies as they are trying to steal his creation, but is saved by this guy...Andre…

And finds out HAL is going to destroy the world in the future…

"I’m pretty sure you just tried to sell me a bad Terminator meets Minority Report fanfic here"

But Andre assures Dexter that no one was supposed to kill him, that there must be some mistake, and they need to get to headquarters to sort it all out with the Director.

This story was a lot of fun. I thought Dexter was adorable and funny. Andre was a great balance of serious and sarcastic to balance Dexter’s personality. While on the run they have some surprisingly hilarious dialogue (well not really surprising, but...okay, it was surprising)

"But you’re not exactly being inconspicuous walking the street twitching like a crackhead and stroking a robot like it’s your precious."

"How could HAL even be dangerous? Dangerous enough to warrant all of this, even."

"You named it after an infamous AI that went haywire and tried to kill people," Andre whispered back accusingly.

Dexter threw his hands up in exasperation. "It was supposed to be ironic!"

"I don’t think you understand the meaning of the word."

"No one does!"

They hide at Andre’s grandma’s house, where they get to know each other more… within the limits Dexter sets.

"But, I’m a really awesome kisser - at least that is what my girlfriend in 7th grade told me one time - and if you’re into dudes who can build sweet pillow forts, boy, do I have a treat for you -"

The writing for this story was pretty solid. Only a few mistakes that jumped out at me. Generally, well written, and plenty of excitement to keep the plot moving.

I had to suspend disbelief for pretty much the entire story, because this read like a spy kid movie only for college kids… but you know, it was funny, and witty, and had plenty of movie references to help it along.

There was some stuff that made no sense, but I chalked it up to Austin Powers again, because that movie didn't make much sense and it was a blockbuster hit; not everything has to make sense all of the time.

The world building, while bizarre, was pretty tight. So was the plot. Consistent and crazy. There were some twists and turns, and sometimes I was just left feeling dizzy. But I have absolutely no regrets about picking up this book. None!

I’d recommend this for young adult readers in the 14-17 age range as well as lovers of blanket forts (points at self), and books that reference popular sci-fi thrillers frequently.



Cupcake

What a fun romp!

To Terminator With Love is not meant to be taken seriously. It’s a silly, fun farce with a lovable main character.

Dexter Wu is an electrical engineer at MIT, junk food aficionado and brainiac. He’s witty and sarcastic and completely enamored with his robot, HAL.

If you’re a movie buff, this will be a winner for you.

HAL, according to a clandestine organization known simply as the Agency, will take after his namesake and destroy the world!

To save the world from Armageddon agents are dispatched to robonap HAL. The one thing standing in their way is Dexter Wu who is not letting the precious go without a fight, or at least a couple of pithy epigrams. Thankfully, Agent Andre Jackson decides to go rogue and save the nerd.

*cue caper theme music*

You will need to suspend disbelief a bit for this one. There was a point in the middle somewhere where I seriously toyed with the notion that this was an elaborate hoax orchestrated by some benevolent guardian with the sole objective of bringing the reclusive and socially awkward Dexter and Andre together. It was so outlandish that I just could not fathom any organization operating thusly.

Not only was I incorrect it got even more OTT! There are tons of hijinks and pop culture references in this tribute to sci-fi movies of yore.

Dexter and Andre have a palpable chemistry that’s adorable. During their kooky adventure solid beginnings of a relationship start to form.

Kennedy shines with the banter between Dexter and Andre.

”You named it after an infamous AI that went haywire and tried to kill people,” Andre whispered back accusingly.

Dexter threw his hands up in exasperation. “It was supposed to be ironic!”

“I don’t think you understand the meaning of the word.”

“No one does!”

Oh ho ho ho!

Oh wait, no. You’re right. No one does.

I also liked that both Dexter and Andre are nerdy dudes who have sweaty palms, love a pillow fort, have a totally rational fear of clowns and appreciate a good steak finger.

Overall, a nice entre into the world of published fiction by another fanfic writer crossing over. I look forward to reading more from her in the future.

Recommend to sci-fi movie fans who enjoy a far-fetched adventure with a character that can drop a Twin Peaks reference with a (mostly) straight face.




Review copies were provided by the author & NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Find out more on Goodreads.