The Dawn Contest DragonCon 2K

1. Congratulations on winning the 2000 Dawn Look-A-Like Contest. What was winning like? Where you nervous?

Winning was just the best. I was so nervous for so long before the contest (we're talking months here) that when the announced my name as first place I just wanted to cry, scream, dance and go to sleep at the same time! It was pretty fantastic.

2. What made you enter the Dawn contest?

I entered the Dawn contest because I absolutely adore Joe's character Dawn. I have been a fan for years and have been dressing up in Dawn outfits to go out to clubs and parties long before there ever was a Dawn contest! (The first time I met Joe 3 1/2 years ago I was dressed as Dawn!) Anyways, entering really had nothing to do with the money (as most people think), I really just wanted to be able to say that I won. Oh, and I really wanted the big check too, but they didn't have one this year. :(

Editor's Note: Last years winner received a large (5ft wide) souvenir check hand painted by Joseph Michael Linsner. That is quite a unique and valuable item.

3. What was your Dawn costume design based on and how did you make it?

My costume is based on the cover of Cry For Dawn #7. (see above) I made the whole thing from scratch, it was insane. After I made the coat part (which was easy) I had to start figuring out how to make all the buckles and snaps and so on...it was pretty tedious! I tried to make it look exactly like the picture.

4. How long did you work on it? Who helped?

I started doing stuff for this costume about 2 weeks after I got back from last years DragonCon. The first thing I did was hire The Baroness of NYC (www.baroness.com) to make my latex bodysuit. She is the best so I had to have her! I went down to NYC for fittings, I sent her the metal pieces and she created exactly what I wanted! The boots were specially made by my friend Ashton, who had made my Dawn armor form last year. I bought the patent leather and went down to his house and we made sure they were exactly right. My friend Brina, who is a floral designer as well as a fantastic makeup artist (She was Carrie this year as well as the cutest leopard girl) made my rose. The coat I made completely by myself out of 15 yards of maroon PVC, it pretty much consumed all my free time. I had to make all the silver bars myself which was really, really not fun. But everything was perfect, I couldn't be happier!

5. There were some excellent competition. Did you expect to win?

I didn't expect anything. I was so tense I couldn't even think about it or I probably wouldn't have made it onstage! I just concentrated on keeping my costume where it should be and pushed who would win out of my mind! I mean, there were alot of fantastic DAWNS back there!!

6. You were a returning contestant, did that help?

LOL...I think that put more pressure on me. I got second last year, the only way you can top that is first! So I completely went all out for this year. And thank goodness, it worked!

7. What was it like back stage?

Well, I do have a funny story... You see, I was wearing a latex leotard. Latex DOES NOT BREATH. Which means, I was sweating my bum off. Also, latex is supposed to be very shiny. But the chains I was wearing around my neck kept taking the shine away. So I spent pretty much all my time before the contest alternately moping myself with a towel and getting 'polished' by Brina! Let me tell you, it must have been an amusing picture; Brina dressed as Carrie bending over 'polishing' me with a rag as I'm draped on a chair.

8. What's next?

Well, I'm getting married in October, that's pretty much gonna consume all my time until then. But, I will be trying to upload pictures of my outfit on my website, I had been waiting until after the contest to do so and I am so pleased with how the coat came out I will be doing that soon! I am an aspiring costume designer (check out my website: http://Red_Rose_Designs.tripod.com) and maybe this will open some doors for me!

9. Any closing comments?

Yep! Thank you to everyone that attended DC this year. I couldn't have asked for a better anything this year! I hope to see everyone back next year! Oh, and one more thing, yes, that was my real hair! Everyone kept asking where I got my wig that night of the Dawn contest! :) I spent almost 6 hours in a beauty salon to get my hair that color! (And quite a bit of Moolah!) But once again, it was more than worth it.