Musings

On the Fringes of Comic-Con

/ Amy Clare Fontaine / 2 Comments

Every summer, San Diego hosts the San Diego Comic Convention (Comic-Con International), a massive celebration of all things nerdy: comics, yes, but also other “popular arts,” including science fiction and fantasy movies, shows, games, and literature. Many attendees dress up as their favorite characters from such media (an activity known as “cosplay”). The convention hosts panels and events galore, a veritable feast for fans of superheroes, aliens, anime, and more.

This year, the event began on Thursday and ends today. I didn’t obtain a badge (I wasn’t aware that I would be in San Diego this summer when they went on sale in the fall!), but I went downtown for a while on Friday to check out the scene, snapping a quick photo of this sign at the San Diego Convention Center:

I also glimpsed this advertisement for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (the text on the left reads “Strange brought you here. Curiosity keeps you.”):

Witnessing Comic-Con (even from afar) has made me reflect upon stories I’ve loved over the years, of which I have called myself a “fan”: books like the Harry Potter series and The Lord of the Rings, shows like Star Trek and Doctor Who, games like Night in the Woods and Undertale, and multimedia franchises like Pokémon. What elements made me (and so many others) fall in love with these stories? What makes a story resonate and endure, even gaining a massive following?

Two big factors (for me) are characters and worlds: characters I care about, and worlds I want to explore…and maybe even live in for a little while. A third, less tangible factor that I also love to see is an element of hope: the idea that we can work together to make the world a better place. I am typically not a big consumer of horror or dystopian fiction (nor plots that resolve themselves purely through violence) for that reason; I prefer to imagine brighter futures and believe in the magic of possibility.

What about you? What are the stories (in any medium) for which you proudly identify as a “fan” (or have in the past)? What do they have in common? What are elements you wish you saw in stories more?

I look forward to reading your answers below!

Love for Your Work, Love for the World

/ Amy Clare Fontaine / Leave a comment

A paper Valentine showing the characters Bluey and Bingo from the show Bluey in granny outfits. The caption says "You are the Janet to my Rita"

A Bluey Valentine my mom gave me. I recommend this show to people of all ages!

How’s February treating you? I had the pleasure of participating in two great events this month. First, on Valentine’s Day, I attended the 11th Annual Cal Poly Humboldt Authors Celebration at the Cal Poly Humboldt Authors Hall. This event honors Cal Poly Humboldt faculty, staff, students, and alumni (like me!) who published new scholarly and creative works last year. I spoke at the open mic about my first lead-authored scientific paper, as well as my games for Choice of Games (both Fox Spirit and my second interactive novel about magical equines, which I’m working on right now). It was inspiring to meet fellow authors and hear about all the exciting new publications coming out of Cal Poly Humboldt!

The library will eventually be posting photos (and possibly video) from that event here: https://authors.humboldt.edu/ under the “Event Photos & Recordings” tab. I will write another quick post to share those with you once they become available!

Second, on Presidents’ Day, I attended a Not My Presidents Day demonstration in Eureka in peaceful opposition to the current political situation in the United States. You can find an article and slideshow about that event here: https://www.northcoastjournal.com/NewsBlog/archives/2025/02/18/local-50501-not-my-presidents-day-draws-hundreds-in-eureka I made a sign that said, “Stop robbing the poor to profit the rich,” which I brought with me to the event. I gave it away to someone else when I left, who continued spreading that message.

Lately, I’ve been trying to find ways to rekindle my passion for my work (i.e. by attending the Authors Celebration) and show compassion toward our world (i.e. by attending the Not My Presidents Day demonstration). On that note, I have some questions for you:

1. How are you loving your work lately? What excites you and inspires you about it?

2. How are you loving our world lately? How do you spread love and kindness in your community? (This doesn’t need to be some big, bold, grassroots community organizing type thing. Small actions matter!)

I would love to hear your answers in the comments! Thank you for sharing your light with the world!

Sailing into the Unknown

/ Amy Clare Fontaine / Leave a comment

Happy New Year, everyone! This year, I’m committing to posting here at least once a month (finally!), sharing musings and news with you all more regularly. I appreciate your support, and I want you to know that I’m still here, trying my best to spread light from my little corner of the world.

Where are you headed this year? For my part, I have no idea! I’ve applied for wildlife biology jobs in California and a PhD program in the UK, but I won’t know if I’m getting an offer on any of them for a while. I’m still plugging away at my second interactive novel for Choice of Games (this one’s about unicorns, pegasi, and kelpies!)…

A smiling figurine of a unicorn with wings, kneeling on a table with a grid laid over it

Photo by Pranav on Unsplash

…but I don’t know yet when the game will come out (hopefully sometime this year!). I’ve submitted a play based on folklore about a Christmas witch to a short play festival, but I won’t know whether the play has been accepted to be produced until the end of March. In short, as usual, my future is full of unknowns.

I do know one thing, though. Whatever happens next, I will give thanks to God for the many blessings in my life and strive to follow Jesus with love, kindness, and courage. Faith is the wind in my sails, buoying me through the storms and keeping me afloat and moving forward. Faith is my lighthouse, guiding me through the darkness. The world is filled with rancor, fear, and despair these days, but those forces will never have the final say. I hope you will strive to see the light in these oft-dark times yourself, and to be a light to others. Blessed be.

Tackling Climate Change (Repost from SimBio’s Blog)

/ Amy Clare Fontaine / Leave a comment

Hi, friends! I found a helpful article today that shares resources about how we can all make a difference to reduce the impacts of climate change. As a wildlife conservationist, I strongly believe that we should all do our part to keep our lovely planet healthy and thriving…and as a teaching assistant, I understand the need to empower our students, rather than demoralizing them. Here’s the article: https://simbio.com/tackling-climate-change/ Cheers!