I was sent a few press releases from Ashley Eckstein but was delayed in posting them. She's at SDCC right now so read these two updates and tell her I said HI when you see her! :)

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SHINING THE SPOTLIGHT ON FEMALE FANS, “HER UNIVERSE” PANEL TO BE HOSTED BY ASHLEY ECKSTEIN AT SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON

One of the fastest growing demographics in the Science Fiction field today is the female audience.  Thanks to an entertainment landscape which is growing more and more female-friendly, the foundation for fangirls in the Sci Fi/pop culture world is getting stronger every year and they are rapidly becoming a Force to be reckoned with.

Realizing this incredibly important and increasing segment of the Sci Fi/Fantasy audience, Ashley Eckstein, the voice of Ahsoka Tano on the television series, Star Wars™ : The Clone Wars, has teamed up with The Araca Group, the co-producers & merchandising company behind the Broadway sensation, Wicked, to launch Her Universe™ – a line of merchandise designed exclusively for female fans. Beginning with a license for Star Wars, Her Universe focuses on authentic and high-quality licensed Sci Fi/Fantasy fashion apparel and merchandise.

Eckstein’s new endeavor, however, is not just about selling merchandise. She hopes to start a movement within the Sci Fi community to equally acknowledge the female fan base. Her first step will be coordinating and hosting a special panel at San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday, July 24th from 6:30pm to 7:30pm in Room 24ABC, entitled “Her Universe: Shining the Spotlight on Female Fans – the Past, Present and Future of Science Fiction Through Female Eyes.” This unique panel brings together some of today’s leading women who are movers and shakers in the various fields of Sci Fi and fantasy.  The panel will discuss the influence of women working in the Sci Fi field, what kinds of entertainment female Sci Fi fans want to see more of, how to write fully-realized female Sci Fi characters, what has been missing up to now, and what female fans can do to encourage this growing movement.

This timely panel will bring together a dynamic group of women to discuss their experiences as well as a Q & A period with audience members. Join panelists Jane Espenson (Writer/Producer - Battlestar Galactica, Caprica, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Firefly, Angel, Dollhouse/Co-Creator of Syfy’s Warehouse 13), Melinda Snodgrass (Author- The Edge series, Co-Author - Wild Card series/Story Editor Star Trek: The Next Generation), Erika Kennair (Director of Development - Syfy), Cat Staggs (Artist – Star Wars sketch cards, Marvel card sets, comic cover illustrator), Bonnie Burton (Content Developer Lucas Online, Official SW Blog, Founder of Grrl.com), Katie Cook (Artist – Star Wars, TOPPS sketch cards, comics, webcomic Gronk), and Mary Franklin (Senior Events Lead, Lucasfilm Ltd.).



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Targeting Female Sci-Fi Fans, Her Universe Apparel Line Launches Online Store - and a Fangirl Revolution!

Recognizing the ever-increasing number of female science-fiction fans, actress Ashley Eckstein, the voice of Ahsoka Tano in the hit animated series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, has created Her Universe™ a new line featuring fashionable, female–focused apparel and products for fangirls. Partnering with The Araca Group – a leading production and merchandise company – has entered into a multi-year agreement with Lucas Licensing to develop and produce a line of female-centered Star Wars products, to be made available at conventions throughout the country and online at the official Her Universe online store and website at www.heruniverse.com.


“Wanting to give female fans a voice and affirm that they play an important role in the world of Star Wars and science-fiction, we created the Her Universe brand especially for them. We are excited to outfit fangirls of all ages – to give them the confidence to step into the spotlight and express their own fandom,” says Eckstein. "Ever since we announced Her Universe, the outpouring of support from the fans has been incredible. We are also creating a Her Universe community, a place for their voices to finally be heard."

“Ashley is such an enthusiastic emissary of the Star Wars brand, and we are so excited that she’s taken the lead on this exciting new initiative,” said Paul Southern, Lucas Licensing’s Sr. Director of Domestic Licensing and Marketing. “She has her finger on the pulse of what our female fans want to wear.”

Described playfully as “geek chic,” the new Star Wars line from Her Universe gives fangirls the opportunity to show that the Force is strong with them! The Her Universe line will be available at San Diego Comic-Con in July and at Star Wars Celebration V in Orlando, Florida in August where fans can also meet Eckstein.

You can learn more about Her Universe, the Her Universe Comic-Con panel and purchase products at the online store by going to www.heruniverse.com and by following Eckstein on Twitter at (https://twitter.com/HerUniverse) and visiting the Her Universe Facebook page at (http://www.facebook.com/HerUniverse).

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