Each year we pick an industry of choice to inspire your creativity. In keeping with this year's Folklore theme we've concentrating on Writing and Publishing.
We also invite members of the community to run specific events or perform special duties on behalf of the convention including judging our competitions or performing live.
You can read all about them below ✨
Industry Guests
 | Rose Black Rose Black is a combination of anxiety and dyslexia in a hoodie, bi, a professional computer wrangler, and mother to the world’s wiggliest child. She’s lucky enough to live in the historic city of Bath and is capable of eating her weight in sushi. Rose is a familiar face on the convention scene and will be taking part in our Authors Industry Q and A panel this year to talk about her experiences with writing and publishing alongside our other indsutry guests. Her debut novel 'Til Death Do Us Bard' is being published next year with Hachettte UK which you can pre-order here. |
| Francis White Frances White is the author of Voyage of the Damned, a fantasy murder mystery at sea, coming in January 2024 from Penguin Michael Joseph. A Nottingham resident, Frances is a creative writing graduate from Royal Holloway University of London. She has a soft spot for writing unlikely, flawed, messy heroes and loves mixing humour and heartbreak. Frances is also passionate about bringing more LGBTQIA+ representation and fat positivity into fantasy. When not writing, she can be found sewing cosplays for comic conventions or researching obscure historical facts. ' Francis will be joining Rose and Luke on our Authors Industry Q and A panel and you can Pre-Order her debut novel 'Voyage of the Damned' here. |
Community Guests
 | BexiBeans Professional entertainer and cosplayer BexiBeans Cosplay (she/her). Bexi will be
doing a panel on wig styling and is our head Judge for the Cosplay Masquerade and Talent Show. Bexi started cosplaying at 15 and was already making ballgowns within the year. With a love of performing and keen for detail she naturally progressed into her career as a professional character performer, which she loves to this day. Bexi has worked for a number of party companies across the country, numerous charities (including walking in the London New Years Day parade!), and now organizes and runs her own events. |
 | Hollie Caddock Professional singer and LARP-er Hollie Caddock , we’re so excited to have Hollie performing live for the HotaruCon Fantasy Ball! Hollie has been involved in conventions and expos for over 15 years. She has performed for London MCM ComicCon and Kitacon and is excited to be back onstage with you all again. Hollie’s set list includes a mix of modern pop culture, so there’s sure to be something for everyone. |
 | Tabby and Mariam Tabby and Mariam (TheSparkOfRevolution and CereselCosplay, or SparkieAndCeres) are responsible for all the chaos of Hotarucon Cosplay Chess! Cosplaying since 2007 (Tabby) and 2011 (Mariam), these two have run panels big and small at cons all around the country. You can check out Chess from previous years on YouTube, or read here more info! |
 | Viv (RaceRabbit) Obsessed with Japanese culture and an anime nerd for almost 2 decades, Racerabbit has been editing AMVs for almost as long. Proud editor and appreciator of the old craft, she has won Kitacon's AMV contests 3 years in a row Viv is showcasing her exquisite taste and personal talent with an AMV disco at the Friday parties and casting her expert eye over our first AMV/Edits competition. For more information head to our competition’s page. |