This time next week I’ll be packing for Novacon, where I have a packed schedule: Friday 22:00: Congoing On a Shoestring – It’s been a busy year for British and Irish fans: a Worldcon in London, a Eurocon in Dublin, a clearly unmissable weekend in Nottingham. But in a time of austerity, how can we stretch our […]
Space Opera isn’t dead; instead, delightfully, it has grown up. Empire of Dust, the debut novel from Jacey Bedford, published by DAW, is a fine example of a novel which has its roots in the sub-genre, but grows beyond it. Cara Carlini is a woman with a past, and she’s running away from it as […]
We’re back from another excellent BristolCon. Lots of great panels, a lovely atmosphere and a chance to catch up with old friends and make new ones. Also cake. There’s always plenty of high quality cake, given away for free, at Bristolcon. Other cons could learn from this. Highlights included Paul Cornell’s kaffeklatsch (though I don’t […]
It’s just over two weeks until one of my favourite conventions, BristolCon. Held on Saturday 25th October in (duh) Bristol, this is a lovely little one day convention. My schedule shows that the organisers know me far too well: Midday – Interactions: Conventions like Bristolcon are a great place to meet and chat with people you […]
Sadly, the organisers have had to cancel the Station X sci-fi event at Bletchley Park, so I won’t be there tomorrow. I’m hoping they do put on something similar in future, as I’d love to come along.
On Sunday week, the 21st of September, I’ll be appearing at Station X, a multimedia extravaganza at Bletchley Park. Yes the Bletchley Park! Possibly my coolest gig this year, maybe excepting Worldcon. The event is ‘a curated weekend of immersive screenings and fun themed workshops’. In other words, you can watch Dr Strangelove in Teleprinter Hall, […]
Australian website Festivale were kind enough to ask me what they called The Usual Questions – although some of them were more original than that title implies (especially the one about the lift). You can find my answers here (unfortunately the direct link doesn’t work on all devices so you may have to look me up!)
This time next week I’ll be at FantasyCon in York. Aside from hanging out in the bar and meeting up with friends – especially those I missed in the glorious madness of Loncon – I’ll be on the following programme items, both on Saturday the 6th: 3.00pm – Reading. (Note sure what yet, as the […]
It rocked. I know some of those involved, and know how much hard work they put in, and how stressed they were beforehand, but as a punter, I’d say it went really well. A few small hiccups, but overall, a triumph. Highlights included: The Fan Village: complete with real ale bar (natch), perpetual Finnish room […]
This time next week Loncon will be in full swing. For those who want to get started early – or who haven’t managed to get tickets to what promises to be the biggest Worldcon evah – then may I recommend the Gollancz Festival, on the 13th August. It starts with all sorts of virtual shenanigans […]
Here it is… Kaffeeklatsch Thursday 16:00 – 17:00, London Suite 4 (ExCeL) Hard Right Thursday 20:00 – 21:00, Capital Suite 13 (ExCeL) Hard science fiction is at its core dependent not on science, but on a world with inviolate rules. These rules can manifest as scientific realities or social constructs, but either way, these kinds […]