Furry Weekend Atlanta November Newsletter

SOUTHERN TAILS - NOVEMBER 2007
The official newsletter of Furry Weekend Atlanta

February 15-17, 2008
Sheraton Gateway Hotel
Atlanta, GA, USA
http://www.furryweekend.com

IN THIS ISSUE...
1. Hotel is filling up!
2. Save time later, pre-register now!
3. Meet our Guest of Honor: Bonk!
4. Programming Spotlight: First Con Orientation
5. Art Show now accepting submissions!
6. Dealers Den over HALF FULL!
7. Volunteers needed!
8. The Furry Weekend Atlanta Family
9. IT'S ALL ABOUT YOU!

Less than 110 days and counting!

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HOTEL IS FILLING UP

The hotel is filling up rapidly - much faster than it did last year! If you haven't booked your room at the Sheraton Gateway hotel yet, we strongly recommend that you do so soon. We've already sold out of all rooms with king-sized beds.

The Sheraton Gateway Hotel Atlanta Airport is conveniently located just half a mile from Atlanta's Hartsfield Jackson International Airport and ten minutes from downtown Atlanta. We have arranged for a special convention rate of $96.00 per night for single, double, triple and quad occupancy rooms. To take advantage of the special Furry Weekend Atlanta rate, you are encouraged to book online through our website or, alternatively, contact Sheraton Reservations at (770) 997-1100 and request the "Furry Weekend Atlanta" room block and rate. More information is available at http://www.furryweekend.com/hotel

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SAVE TIME LATER, PRE-REGISTER NOW!

Pre-registration is currently up over 40% above where it was at this time last year. This means that Furry Weekend Atlanta 2008 is shaping up to be another huge year, and what better way to start out a great con than by ... not waiting in a long registration line?!

You can pre-register for an Attending Level membership for $35.00, a Sponsoring Level membership for $90.00 and our top of the line God Level membership for $160.00. Additionally, this year we will be offering a special Fifth Anniversary Membership to celebrate five years of Furry Weekend Atlanta. This membership is available for pre-registered attendees only and is limited in number, and in addition to receiving all the benefits of all the levels membership levels, Fifth Anniversary Members will receive a special, one of a kind and extremely nice gift. Remember, prices will be higher at the door, so be sure to pre-register today at http://www.furryweekend.com/registration

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MEET OUR GUEST OF HONOR: BONK

Bonk was born and grew up in Warner Robins, Georgia, in the United States. His child hood days, however mischievous and playful, were good with out to many crazy events. From early childhood, producing art was always a source of entertainment and joy for him. However, it was in Junior high whem he decided to work hard and peruse art as a career. He drew everything from cars to his own characters.

In 1995 that he went to Dragon*Con and discovered Eric W. Schwartz. Then young Bonk most likely drove Eric up the wall with his constant questions until finally asking Mr. Schwartz if the could sketch out some of his furry characters and POOF!!! Bonk the furry artist was born!

Several years later Bonk attend The Atlanta College of Art and Design. Working like any other college student he filled his time with watching TV, movies and doing everything else besides his homework. After learning as much as he could about traditional and digital art, he graduated from ACAD in 2001. During his college years he made many good friends and mentors who guided him in becoming the artist he is today.

Bonk isnít just a furry artist - he has produced art for many local companies in the Atlanta, Georgia area. Today he works as a graphic designer for a sign shop in Tucker, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. He fills the rest of his time with commissions and freelance design jobs. He hopes to one day own his own business - either a comic shop or simply working as a freelance graphic artist.

All artists will tell you they were influenced by other artists. Aside from the influences of his close friends and family, Bonk's art has been shaped by artist such as Mark Braught, Masamune Shiro, Joe Madureira, Boris Vallejo and many many more. Looking at their art and working hard to mimic what he saw helped Bonk to form his own style. Among these many influences, and probably the most important, is his family. His mother always pushed him with constructive criticisms, his father showing him how to uses the many tools of the trade, and his brother by asking him to draw crazy stuff for him. His family still inspires him to this very day.

Find out more about Bonk on our website: http://www.furryweekend.com/goh

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PROGRAMMING SPOTLIGHT: FIRST CON ORIENTATION

Is this your first convention? A little uncertain or scared about what the convention may be like? We're glad you're considering coming to FWA and want to help you have a fantastic weekend.

Furry Weekend Atlanta first introduced the First Convention Panel in 2004, and each successive year has been a great success and very useful for those who attend. For all newcomers to the magical experience we call the furry convention, this is your opportunity to learn how things work, what to expect, and most of how, how to have the most fun during your time at Furry Weekend Atlanta. Our panel of "experts" - who've been going to conventions way, way too long - will entertain you while passing along little nuggets of knowledge, like: how not to be ... that guy ... in front of the artist you adore, ways to avoid getting sick, injured or having to have the paramedics called, what you can expect over the course of the weekend and maybe even where the nearest liquor stores are!

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ART SHOW NOW ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS

The Art Show is now accepting submissions. The Art Show features an area for general artwork as well as a separate area for mature artwork not viewable by minors. Artwork is sold by written bid, with pieces receiving five or more bids automatically going to voice auction. The auction will take place on the Sunday of the convention, February 17, 2008. Even if you cannot attend the con, we will still accept your mailed-in submissions. The deadline for submissions for the Furry Weekend Atlanta 2008 Art Show will be February 1st, 2008. Any pieces being mailed must be received by February 8th, 2008. For more information, visit www.furryweekend.com/artshow

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DEALERS DEN OVER HALF FULL!

Are you thinking of getting a table in the Furry Weekend Atlanta Dealers Den? Don't wait any longer, or there might not be any tables left! The Furry Weekend Atlanta Dealers Den is over half full (well ahead of this time last year), so if you're still thinking about getting a table, now is the time to do it. Prices on tables are $80 per table. The full-table price includes one Attending-level membership to the convention. Only one free membership will be given for each dealer registration. You may sub-divide your table however you choose. http://www.furryweekend.com/dealers

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VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

We owe a lot of thanks to our past volunteers (without them we'd have to do all out own grunt work), and to all of you who've shown a desire to 'just help out' with all the little things that it takes to make Furry Weekend Atlanta so great. Furry Weekend Atlanta relies heavily on its volunteers to help out in lots of places throughout the con. If you are interested in volunteering, please be sure to check out our volunteering page at http://www.furryweekend.com/volunteer

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THE FURRY WEEEKEND ATLANTA FAMILY

We have plenty of community sites for you to interact and contact the convention staff:

* Our Message Board: http://www.furryweekend.com/messageboard
* On LiveJournal: http://community.livejournal.com/furryweekend
* On MySpace: http://groups.myspace.com/furryweekend

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IT'S ALL ABOUT YOU!

Our goal in producing Furry Weekend Atlanta is to produce the best possible convention for you, the anthropomorphics fan. Through our dedication to the high standards of Southern Hospitality, Furry Weekend Atlanta strives to make sure you have the best visit possible and enjoy your stay with us. If there is anything we can do to help make your visit to the Dogwood City any better, please let our staff know; they are here for your service and to provide you with all the best of Southern Hospitality on your visit.

Furry Weekend Atlanta
February 15-17, 2008
Atlanta, GA, USA
http://www.furryweekend.com