SFF Chronicles News
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7th January 2009 04:25 PM
Ian Whates
First full week in January and life is beginning to return to a semblance of normality following the festive ‘interruption to normal services’. Snow’s on the ground but hey, this is winter! Unfortunately, the economic climate is just as chilly as the weather…
Even so, great joy yesterday, as I finally took delivery of Gary Gibson’s book Stealing Light… for the second time. Foolishly, I managed to leave my first copy on a train shortly before Christmas, when I was halfway through, totally immersed and loving it. Am I the only one who manages to do that sort of thing, as if possessing a suppressed masochistic streak which is determined to make myself suffer?
January’s going to be busy – lots of deadlines to meet and schedules to keep. I hope I can get out to a couple of events towards the end of the month.
The British Science Fiction Association have Michael Swanwick as guest at their regular monthly meeting on Wednesday the 28th (can’t wait to see that – met Michael a few years ago and he’s great fun, not to mention a fabulous writer), while the British Fantasy Society have another event two days later with readings from various people including Pat Cadigan and Kim Newman.
Both of these are in London, and both organisations have been criticized for centring their events programmes in the capital – something they do because that’s where the highest concentration of members are to be found.
So it was great to see the BFS branch out last year, with Lee Harris (editor of Hub magazine) organising open nights (ie excuses to get together, drink lots and hear genre stories read by their authors) in York brewery – proving that, contrary to popular belief, the BFS can organise a… No, we won’t go there; this is a family forum. I went to one such last January and had a great time. The event featured ghost story readings from Ramsey Campbell, Pete Crowther and Ally Bird. Lee’s planning another one for this February.
The rest of the year’s shaping up nicely as well. The organisers of Picocon, the popular one day convention at Imperial College in London, have just announced their guests this year, namely: Pat Cadigan, Robert Rankin, and Michael Marshall, Smith. This will be on February 28th.
I’ve just heard, too, that Ian Watson has been invited to stand as one of the Guests of Honour at this year’s Eurocon in Fiuggi, Italy (March 26th to 29th) following the late withdrawal of Robert Silverberg. Fellow guests include actress Kate Mulgrew (Captain Kathryn Janeway of Star Trek Voyager fame).
Hmm… What are the chances of getting to Italy…? Well, I can hope.
Ian Whates
First full week in January and life is beginning to return to a semblance of normality following the festive ‘interruption to normal services’. Snow’s on the ground but hey, this is winter! Unfortunately, the economic climate is just as chilly as the weather…
Even so, great joy yesterday, as I finally took delivery of Gary Gibson’s book Stealing Light… for the second time. Foolishly, I managed to leave my first copy on a train shortly before Christmas, when I was halfway through, totally immersed and loving it. Am I the only one who manages to do that sort of thing, as if possessing a suppressed masochistic streak which is determined to make myself suffer?
January’s going to be busy – lots of deadlines to meet and schedules to keep. I hope I can get out to a couple of events towards the end of the month.
The British Science Fiction Association have Michael Swanwick as guest at their regular monthly meeting on Wednesday the 28th (can’t wait to see that – met Michael a few years ago and he’s great fun, not to mention a fabulous writer), while the British Fantasy Society have another event two days later with readings from various people including Pat Cadigan and Kim Newman.
Both of these are in London, and both organisations have been criticized for centring their events programmes in the capital – something they do because that’s where the highest concentration of members are to be found.
So it was great to see the BFS branch out last year, with Lee Harris (editor of Hub magazine) organising open nights (ie excuses to get together, drink lots and hear genre stories read by their authors) in York brewery – proving that, contrary to popular belief, the BFS can organise a… No, we won’t go there; this is a family forum. I went to one such last January and had a great time. The event featured ghost story readings from Ramsey Campbell, Pete Crowther and Ally Bird. Lee’s planning another one for this February.
The rest of the year’s shaping up nicely as well. The organisers of Picocon, the popular one day convention at Imperial College in London, have just announced their guests this year, namely: Pat Cadigan, Robert Rankin, and Michael Marshall, Smith. This will be on February 28th.
I’ve just heard, too, that Ian Watson has been invited to stand as one of the Guests of Honour at this year’s Eurocon in Fiuggi, Italy (March 26th to 29th) following the late withdrawal of Robert Silverberg. Fellow guests include actress Kate Mulgrew (Captain Kathryn Janeway of Star Trek Voyager fame).
Hmm… What are the chances of getting to Italy…? Well, I can hope.
