Program participants* * Thursday* * Friday* * Saturday* * Sunday* * Monday
The Portrayal of Science and Scientists on SF TV
Scientists on TV and in movies are often stereotypes, or are portrayed with no real understanding of science or what real scientists do. But there are exceptions -- for example Scully, in early seasons of the X-Files, was a reasonable scientist.
Andrew Adams, Genevieve Dazzo, Therese Littleton, David Stewart
The Plague After Next: How Are We Going to Die?
We've seen HIV, SARS and now Avian Flu. Global pandemics are a stable of SF disaster, but how realistic is the fiction, and how worrying are the facts?
Greg Bear, Colin Gavaghan, Alma Alexander, Frank Wu
Reading
Gary Gibson
Reading
Simon R Green
YAFA Initiation
Introduction to Young Adult Fun Activities, hair adjustment, and some fun and free stuff. A chance to check out YAFA.
Reading
Joe Haldeman
Fangorn Talks about His Art
Cover art from Chris Baker has many moods -- silly for Robert Asprin, fantastic for Brian Jacques, dramatic for David Gemmell. He's also created conceptual art for films such as War of the Worlds.
Fangorn
Human Psychology and Long Distance Spaceflight
Mike Rennie considers the potential psychological effects of long distance space flight, and looks at some of the research undertaken by the space agencies and even the British Antarctic Survey!
Michael Rennie
British Worldcon Orientation for SF Professionals
Not been to a Worldcon before? Or an SF convention before? Or a British SF convention before? Our crack team of experts shows you how to have a good time.
Pat Cadigan, Gay Haldeman, Harry Harrison, David Hartwell
Hubble Update
Inge Heyer talks about the Hubble Space Telescope.
Inge Heyer
Reading
Amy Thomson
The Family Business: So Maybe It's In the Genes?
Why do some families produce more than one writer? What's it like? Can you share worlds?
Anne McCaffrey, Todd McCaffrey, Sean McMullen, Adam Stemple, Jane Yolen
Reading
Karl Schroeder
Autographing
Scott Edelman, Elizabeth Hand, Eldon Thompson
Nitro Ice Cream (YAFA)
John, Kathi, Emma and Simone make nitrogen ice cream, and we learn odd uses for this chemical.
Emma King, Kathi D. Overton, John Pomeranz, Simoné Vanzyl
Reading
Mark Rich
Reading
Juliet E McKenna
Fan Room Opening Ceremony
The Plokta Cabal (and friends) explain the concept of a viral convention, introduce the Antler Awards, encourage you to participate in everything, and generally set you up for the weekend.
Revisiting Favourite Childhood TV as Adults
What were your favourite shows as a child? Why did you enjoy them? When you saw them as an adult, what changed for you?
Margaret Austin, Chris Barkley, Nicki Lynch, Laurie Mann, John Pomeranz
Post Colonialism and Cargo Cults
Is it a gift from the gods or just a military supply run? Portrayal of indigenous people has notalways been fair or free of cultural bias. Words like "primitive" and "backward" may notbe used anymore, but what expectations does the writer bring to these settings?
Karin Lowachee, Geoff Ryman, Harry Turtledove, Elizabeth Wein
Book Group: Robert Sheckley's The 10th Victim
The 10th Victimis one of Robert Sheckley's most provocative books. Elements from the novel have been reused in SF ever since its publication, and it was the basis for the motion picture The Tenth Victim with Marcello Mastroianni and Ursula Andress.
Gail Dana, Robin Munro
Fem-Bots and Faeries
Although we no longer live with the nipple shortage of the 1950s, fantasy art remains unreconstructed. Why hasn't feminism affected SF and fantasy art -- or has it?
Judith Clute, Paul F. Cockburn, Karen Haber, Madeleine E. Robins, Jannie Shea, Delphyne Woods
What's New from Del Rey Books
Come meet the editors from Del Rey and hear about New books from your favourite authors.
Steve Saffel, Shelly Shapiro
So, Private Spaceflight Is Here
SpaceShip 1 has won the X-Prize and Branson is buying a batch of the next model. We've been talking about what happens when we hit this point in programme items at cons for the last 20 years, so what do we think now that it's happened?
Simon Bisson, Paul Chafe, Dan DeLong, Aleta Jackson, Mary Turzillo
Fandom 101 -- Enjoying a British Worldcon
Not been to a Worldcon before? Or a con before? Or a British con before? Our crack team of experts shows you how to have a good time.
Liz Batty, Gay Haldeman, Sue Mason, Chris O'Shea, Spike Parsons
The Limits of Open-Source Knowledge
Wikis are touted as a huge success, but are they useless for practical work? What happens to data integrity in a world where people can effectively vote on the documented value of pi?
John Bray, Andy Sawyer, Alison Scott, Renee Sieber, Amy Sisson, Karen Traviss
The Origin of Life: Facts and Speculation
Tino Warinowski discusses current speculations from the scientific community concerning the origin of life and the potential for life in other parts of the solar system.
Tino Warinowski
Reading
Alastair Reynolds
The Past, Present and Future of Christian Fantasy
With D. J. Taylor's Shadowmancer, Gene Wolfe's The Wizard Knight, and the Left Behindsequence, Christian fantasy is back on the agenda. What does it have to offer the largely secular world of the fantastic?
Paul Cornell, Ronald Oakes, Jessica Rydill, Graham Sleight
Board Games for the 21st Century
A look at some superb board games that you will not find outside the hobby stores. If your knowledge of board games is limited to Riskor Monopoly, then you are in for a real treat! Discussion will include co- operative games Lord of the Ringsand Shadows Over Camelot.
Gordon Lamont
Autographing
Juraj "Mad" Maxon, Janet McNaughton, Chris Roberson, Amy Thomson
Lego Train (YAFA)
We have a selection of train bases, upon which your WAR TRAINZ can be built and battled, while people talk about the future scientific side of Trains.
Bazooka, Carolyn Dougherty, James Shields, Simoné Vanzyl
A Solar System of 50,000,000,000,000,000 People
Klaus Æ Mogensen's vision, based on rigourous science, of humanity's future in the Solar System.
Klaus Æ Mogensen
Reading
Cecilia Dart-Thornton
Reading
Dennis Danvers
The Matter of Britain in British Music
An investigation into the Matter of Britain as portrayed in British music, from Purcell to Birtwistle -- and beyond.
Sarah Ash
Reading
Keith DeCandido
The Philosophy of Science Fiction (YAFA)
"What is Science Fiction?" is a big enough question. So what is the philosophy of SF?
Geneva Melzack, Justina Robson
Role-Playing Game Design Theory
How has the model for an enjoyable RPG evolved? An introduction to the models popular in the internet independent RPG community will be followed by discussion.
David Cake
What's New From Eos
Come meet the editors from Eos and hear about New books from your favourite authors.
Diana Gill
Privacy or Paranoia?
How justified are concerns about ID cards, RFID and the like? Are social and communitarian interests being undermined in the name of freedom?
Roz Kaveney, Mike Scott, Renee Sieber, Karen Traviss, Britt-Louise Viklund
The Next Astronomy Missions
Dave Clements talks about Herschel, Planck and ASTRO- F.
Dave Clements
Hans Christian Andersen & the Dark Side of Fairy Tale
Fairy tales really aren't very nice; they encode the fears and prejudices of adult society. By the time you leave this panel you might have doubts about the red shoes you wanted so much.
John Clute, Edward James, Faye Ringel, Jo Walton
Science Commons
Scientific research has long been very much like the open source model. Can it be kept that way? Discussion of the SC project and related work.
Colin Gavaghan, Julian Headlong, Amy Sisson, Eric M. Van, Juliette Woods
Reading
Elizabeth Wein
Wearable Art: Jewelry and Fabric Arts
Fabulous painted scarves, silver rocket pins, brocade dresses, necklaces of exotic stones. How is it done and where do they get the materials?
Spring Schoenhuth
Autographing
Robert Buettner, Alastair Reynolds, Kathryn Sullivan
Paul Cornell Reads Some Doctor Who (YAFA)
Paul is the author of numerous Doctor Who books and audio plays, and is a script writer on the New Doctor Whoseries. His episodes include "Father's Day."
Paul Cornell
Opening Ceremonies
And so it begins, with some solemn ritual, and the introduction of the Guests of Honour. The Committee welcomes everyone to the 63rd Worldcon!
Gail Dana, Greg Pickersgill, Christopher Priest, Lars-Olov Strandberg, Jane Yolen, Vince Docherty, Colin Harris
Reading
Gregory Frost
Reading
Ellen Klages
Cartoon Capers (YAFA)
One hour of insanity. A look at some of the weirder cartoons current, homemade and old.
Reading
Susan Hanniford Crowley
Reading
Jay Lake
Asexuality is the New Gay, but Is that Also the Default of Science Fiction?
In the middle of the sex scene do you find yourself wanting to get back to the technical description of the star drive?
Paul F. Cockburn, Jim Grimsley, Joe Haldeman, Geoff Ryman
What's New From Bantam Spectra
Come meet the editors from Banta/Spectra and hear about New books from your favourite authors.
Anne Lesley Groell
The Art of the Reviewer
Our Panelists discuss the potential pitfalls of reviewing, as well as the skills needed to write a good book review.
Elizabeth Hand, Mark Kelly, Paul Witcover, Gary K. Wolfe
Physics and Astrophysics Year in Review
What's been happening in astronomy and astrophysics this past year? A lot! Come and hear about some of it.
Jordin Kare, Mark Olson
UK: Media SF vs. "The Two Cultures"
The divide between the cultures of the sciences and the arts are often discussed in the UK. While SF is sometimes invited out of the gutter to dine with the literary establishment, its media cousin does not. Despite this, the only shows on UK radio and TV discussing the human soul were Melvyn Bragg (UK TV's champion of the intellectual) and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Is it time for media SF to be taken more seriously in the UK?
Martin Easterbrook, Roz Kaveney, John Medany, Dave O'Neill
Reading
Irene Radford
Into the Navel of Fandom and Other Scary Journeys
Why record, remember and reminisce? How does it seem when we do look back? Featuring the memories participants personally think should notbe lost -- and experiences which should be forgotten.
Geneva Melzack, Greg Pickersgill, Joe Siclari, Lars-Olov Strandberg, Suzanne Tompkins, Damien Warman
Can It be Fine Art if It's Science Fiction?
Many galleries and fine art markets insist that SF art cannot be fine art. Should this or can this be changed, and if so, how?
The Wombat, Sally Mayer, Klaus Æ Mogensen, Martina Pilcerova
It May be Art, But is It Science?
The science in science fiction art -- where does artistic license begin and end?
Fangorn, Judith Clute, Les Edwards, Dominic Harman
Reading
David D. Levine
How to Participate in and Moderate a Panel
Veteran Panelists discuss the tricks of the trade for being an effective panel member or moderator, and offer words of wisdom on things to avoid while serving on a panel.
Janice Gelb, Ellen Klages, John Scalzi
The Real Middle Ages
Since the time of William Morris, much fantasy has been set in a pre-industrial world of warriors and castles. Why do writers love the Middle Ages? What do the authors leave out, or get wrong?
Ellen Asher, Edward James, Conor Kostick, Kari Maund, Sean McMullen, Faye Ringel
Use Your Presentation to Tell a Story
A costume is only part of a masquerade entry. The presentation is the other part, and you can take and hold the attention of the audience and judges by telling them a story.
Miki Dennis, Maggie Percival, Dave Weingart
Autographing
James Barclay, Chaz Brenchley, Diana L. Paxson, James Swallow
Create Your Own Car (YAFA)
Paint a car, and use foam to alter its looks. Is it a Batmobile or a Delorean? Continues all weekend.
Shelly Coleman, Dave Elder, Anne Stokes
Reading
Allan Weiss
Reading
Janet McNaughton
Introduction to SF Fandom in Japan
In preparation for the 2007 Worldcon in Yokohama, we present an introduction to Japanese fandom -- past, present, and future!
Hiroaki Inoue, Mari Kotani, Peggy Rae Sapienza, Takayuki Tatsumi
Terraforming Starts At Home
Before trying to engineer the environments of other worlds, should we try to see if we can handle this one's first? Could we actively intervene in Earth's environment? If we could, should we? Or have we already?
Tom Easton, Rich Lynch, Geneva Melzack, Andrea Novin
Xena, Buffy, Hex: Is Lesbianism in Genre TV Progressive?
Lesbian subtext in Xenacontributed to its popularity, and subsequent genre TV portrayed more open lesbianism. Does it matter if these shows give us positive role models, or merely titillate?
Jane Carnall, Elaine Nicol, Steve Rogerson, Stuart Vandal
Room 101 with the Guests of Honour
According to George Orwell, Room 101 contains "the worst thing in the world," the thing you most hate and fear. Our guests will provide some pet hates and argue why they deserve a place there; the devil's advocate will try to argue them out
Bridget Bradshaw, Greg Pickersgill, Christopher Priest, Connie Willis
The Digital Divide
Are we building a web-enabled society that disenfranchises those unable or unwilling to adopt the online lifestyle? Governments justify the push for e- services on the basis of cost savings, but along with privacy considerations, what are the implications?
Christopher Rowe, Don Sakers, Renee Sieber, Maureen Kincaid Speller, Nicholas Whyte
The Alge-Bread-ist
If you cut a sandwich in half, do you have one sandwich or two? Third Row Fandom contemplate the great philosophical questions of our time, and make a tasty snack.
Tom Anderson, Liz Batty, Niall Harrison, Andrew Hogg, Alex Ingram
Ceilidh Made Easy
Interested in going native, or just looking for some exercise? This is a class in Scottish dance for beginners.
Margene Bahm
What is the Future of the Developing World?
Should the West stay out of it? Is Development Politics irretrievably contaminated by the past? Or is the free market the answer?
John-Henri Holmberg, Grant Kruger, Lawrence Person, Karl Schroeder
Mark Protection Committee Meeting
This committee manages the WSFS service marks like "Worldcon" and "Hugo Award" and consists of members elected by the Business Meeting and appointed by Worldcon committees. This meeting is open to all convention members.
How Do You Get to a Book Cover
Artists and art directors from different countries/industries discuss the differences in their markets. What unconscious cultural preferences exist? What makes a good book cover?
Didi Chanoch, Simon R Green, John Picacio, Karen Traviss
You Can't Copyright My DNA, Can You?
Genome, appearance, personality -- what happens when you CC licence them? Can you assert moral rights over your DNA?
Andrew Adams, Carolina Gómez Lagerlöf, Ken MacLeod, John Meaney, Richard Morgan, Alastair Reynolds
SF Fandom: Telling the Story
How we tell the stories and how that preserves or distorts fan history, particularly in the UK/Europe. Includes libraries, archives, histories, fanzines, trip reports, art, photos, films and onwards.
Chaz Boston Baden, Bill Burns, Tony Keen, Patrick McMurray, Andy Sawyer
A Fair Ballot
Fandom has for years used the Australian ballot, which solves the problems in First Past the Post systems at the expense of greater complexity. Now the real world seems to be catching on.
Paul Dormer, Fran Dowd, Parris McBride, Kevin Standlee
Enough of Medievalism Already!
Other historic periods can offer the writer a fresh canvas.
Sally Mayer, Marcus Rowland, Delia Sherman
GamerZReception
Cast and crew of the New movie GamerZwill be present to mark its premiere. The reception is open to anyone with tickets to the GamerZpremiere.
Ceilidh
Come dance to the traditional sounds of the Eden Ceilidh Band.
Duncan Lunan
The Future of RPG and Computer Games
Computer and role-playing games have been an important part of SF and fandom for 25 years. What does the future hold for computer games and RPGs, especially as they relate to each other?
David Cake, Bill Fawcett, David Lohkamp, Klaus Æ Mogensen
All Politics are Local
How does a writer's personal and cultural politics shape what shows up on the page/screen? How might the politics demanded or suggested by editors affect SF? Panelists discuss the many faces of politics in their everyday lives.
Tore Audun Høie, John-Henri Holmberg, Kimmo Lehtonen, Takayuki Tatsumi
Film Premiere: GamerZ
Interaction is proud to host the premiere showing of GamerZ, a New comedy movie from Scotland -- an engaging love triangle with a strong twist fantasy. Tickets will be available from the Info Desk. Please see the Thursday Newsletter for further details.
Sexual Just A Minute
Spicing up the venerable BBC Radio panel game. Our Panelists talk unprepared about sleazy subjects for one minute without deviation, hesitation or repetition -- well, pick any two of three.
Fran Dowd, Flick, Doug Spencer
The Military: Making it Authentic
Does it matter if we don't get the equipment right? Is there a military ethic that we have a duty to get right? What matters to readers in uniform?
Simon Bradshaw, Paul Chafe, Richard Morgan, Karen Traviss, Scott Westerfeld
Reading
Glenda Larke (Noramly)
Living in Old Structures: Church, State, Academia
What's it like to live and/or work in some of the world's oldest hierarchies? Fans from the Church, the Civil Service, the military and academia discuss.
Simon Bradshaw, Claire Brialey, Guy Consolmagno SJ, Lilian Edwards
SF Trivia For Chocolate Quiz
Mark & Priscilla ask SF trivia questions. Audience members answer, hoping to win chocolate.
Mark Olson, Priscilla Olson
Open Filk
Reading
Ellen Kushner
Open Filk
Open Filk
Disgusting Ideas in SF
One reader's neat idea is another's yuck factor. What's yours?
Fiona McIntosh, Amy Thomson, Diane Turnshek
I'm Sorry I Haven't an SFing Clue
Those famous opening notes tip you off immediately, this is the antidote to panel items... Remarkably well-preserved jazz trumpeter Tony Keen is the chair, and scoring duties are the responsibility of the lovely Cardboard Buffy.
Ben Jeapes, Tony Keen, Ken MacLeod, John Meaney, Christopher Priest
After Dark
A selection of sensitive fannish faces discuss the burning issues of the day -- a Zeitgeist item; we can't tell you what the topics will be at the time of going to press. They'll keep going as long as there's an audience and an argument.
Alison Scott
WSFS Preliminary Business Meeting
This Meeting is where you can participate in the process of making and changing the official rules for the Hugo Awards and the selection of future Worldcons. Every member of Worldcon can propose, debate, and vote on changes to the governing documents of WSFS. Today's meeting is where we hear reports from committees, consider changes to the Standing Rules, and go through an initial round of setting debate times for amendments to the WSFS Constitution, and also where you can make nominations to the WSFS Mark Protection Committee. If there are items of business you want discussed at the main meetings later in the convention, make sure you attend today's meeting to keep the business from being dismissed from the agenda.
Blake's 7: Is Story More Important than Special Effects?
The release of a 30-year-old show on DVD attracts New fans: why? New shows with a massive SFX budget fail before the first season is out: why? It certainly isn't the latest special effects that give Blake's 7 its staying power -- what is it?
Ben Jeapes, Judith Proctor, John CampBell Rees, Steve Rogerson
The Future Around the Corner (SFF)
Mike Cosgrave (M)
Paul Billinger:
- Near Future Visions: Robson, Morgan, Levy
Dr Nick Hubble(Kingston University):
- Future Memories of the Suburbs
Andy Sawyer(Liverpool University):
- Learning to be British through the Future of 2000
AD
You've Plugged Whatinto It?
Hardware Hacking is an increasingly popular pastime. Also the advent of computer control has revolutionised many hobbies, e.g. amateur astrophotography.
Cory Doctorow, Martin Hoare, Jordin Kare
Drug-crazed, Mutant Sci Fi Fans Invade Glasgow: SF in the Tabloids
Just what do we look like to the outside world? Why is it they think we are all trekkies when there isn't a uniform to be seen.
Tom Easton
John Brunner Retrospective
Without a doubt, the most distressing event of the 1995 Worldcon was the death of John Brunner. Our distinguished Panelists will pay tribute to his work, considering the legacy he left for science fiction.
Brian Aldiss OBE, Joe Haldeman, Christopher Priest, Robert Silverberg
Reading
Conor Kostick
When is Genocide Justified?
Genocide is remarkably common in SF, often promoted by apparently nice liberal people. Why?
Paul McAuley, Michael Swanwick, Karen Traviss
Care and Feeding of a GoH
So you've decided to run a con, and you've invited a guest. What should you do to make them happy? Conrunners and their guests exchange tips and horror stories.
Toni Jerrman, Sue Mason, Parris McBride, Spike Parsons
DDR Workshop
Dance Dance Revolution/ Dancing Stage Euromix is that rarest of things; a video game that's good for you. Alison Scott, lifelong video game junkie and couch potato, helps you get off your arses and get dancing. Regular clothes are fine.
Alison Scott
Pseudo-Hard SF
Fiction that looks superficially like science-oriented SF, but on closer examination is little more than a hackneyed rehash of Frankensteinor some such. Michael Crichton has a lot to answer for!
Ellen Asher, Jonathan Cowie, John Douglas, Ian McDonald, Geoff Ryman
Reading
Esther Friesner
From the Glens to the Stars
Scottish writers prepare to take SF by the horns and ride it through the cosmos, and nary a kilt or a haggis in sight. Discussion of genre pitfalls and potentials from the Scottish perspective.
Michael Cobley, Gary Gibson, Richard Morgan, Neil Williamson
Kaffeeklatsch
Les Edwards, Peter F. Hamilton, Tanya Huff, Madeleine E. Robins
Autographing
Laura Anne Gilman, Walter Hunt, Rebecca Moesta
Career Guidance: How to Get into the Trade (YAFA)
Why teens should start writing now. How to break into the business and avoid scams and ripoffs. Our esteemed panel offers an insight into becoming a writer.
Nick Gifford, Robin Hobb, Ken MacLeod, Diane Turnshek
Reading
Steve Davies
Reading
Jessica Rydill
Game Design: You've Read It, Could You Play It?
Just how would you turn a book or comic into a playable game -- board, role-playing or computer game?
David Cake, William King, Gordon Lamont, Joe Pearce, Marcus Rowland
The Pros and Cons of Blogging Science
What can happen when an apparently off-the-record remark by a scientist at a fannish gathering gets reported online? When nothing is unattributable any more, will researchers dare to risk mixing with bloggers at events such as conventions?
Anna Croft, Colin Gavaghan, Oliver Morton, Dave O'Neill, Renee Sieber
Visions of a Small Island (SFF)
Paul Kincaid (M)
Dr Neil Hook(University of Wales, Glamorgan):
- Visions of Wales seen through Thursday Next
Jeana Jorgensen(Indiana University):
- Militant Protestants and Gun-Toting Vampires: one
anime view of Britain
The High Frontiersmen
Is it inevitable that space will become the next battleground for geopolitics?
Keith DeCandido, Ken MacLeod, Ian McDonald, Nicholas Whyte
Why Write for Children & Young Adults?
A recent advertisement for a Canadian first novel award included the sentence "if you have previously written children's books, you are still eligible." With that kind of attitude, why do we bother?
Julie Bertagna, Oisin McGann, Janet McNaughton, Sharyn November, Scott Westerfeld, Jane Yolen
Has SF Lost its Faith in Social Science?
With increased discussion of politics and economic systems in SF, are SF authors beginning to treat the social sciences with the same rigour as the hard sciences? Or do they continue to make stuff up, expecting the reader will demand less from the "soft" sciences?
Ginjer Buchanan, Jo Fletcher, Laura Frankos, Charles Stross
Reading
Mary Turzillo
Character vs. Science in Hard SF
It is sometimes said that in hard SF, the science is a character too. What does this mean, and can or should it be reconciled with a traditional understanding of character?
Greg Bear, Patrick J. Gyger, James P. Hogan, Justina Robson, Stanley Schmidt
Slideshow: A Look at Many Worldcons
Guest of Honour Lars-Olov Strandberg has taken photos at every British and European Worldcon since 1965, and a number of American ones too. He's going to show some of the slides; a small panel of experts will help him identify the guilty.
Bill Burns, Rich Lynch, Andrew I. Porter, Lars-Olov Strandberg, Kees van Toorn
Fanzine Production Workshop 1: Cover and Design
Fanzines are cool, but if you've never pubbed your ish, it can be daunting. Our workshops are designed to get you producing your own fanzines Right Here In The Fan Room -- and the first is on cover and design.
Jae Leslie Adams, Pat Virzi, Pete Young
Digital Dreams
Digital techniques, the art of the airbrush, and other ways to paint the fantastic.
Allison Hershey, John Picacio, Martina Pilcerova
Reading:
Robert Sheckley
Robin Munro
Promoting New Writers
How it's done, the best way forward, and what writers can do for themselves.
Carolyn Caughey, Lillian Cauldwell, Jetse de Vries, Shelly Shapiro, Sheila Williams
Racial Characteristics and Other Forms of Determinism in Fantasy: How Can We
Ever Get Away from It? How do you avoid racial stereotyping when you construct an alien species? Is it ok to simply move the stereotyping to a different trait? Are strong, fierce women who hop onto horses hours after giving birth just as bad? And can we use stereotypes creatively?
Sarah Ash, Lillian Stewart Carl, Gregory Frost, Maureen Kincaid Speller, Jo Walton
My First Masquerade: What Happens at a Masquerade
What is the process from the time an entrant checks in at the masquerade desk or office until they leave stage.
Sandra Manning, John O'Halloran, Teddy
Kaffeeklatsch
James Barclay, Frank Borsch, Paul Cornell, Chris Roberson
Autographing
Jay Lake, Todd McCaffrey, Irene Radford, Elizabeth Wein
Rebel Training Camp and Missions (YAFA)
Everyone is dressed as a rebel trooper, drilled, and set to tasks.
Paul Chafe
Art in Space: Slideshow by David A. Hardy
Hardy captures massive starscapes on a canvas that can fit on your wall. Enjoy a slideshow full of launching starships, dying suns and spinning planets, including paintings from his Hugo-nominated book Futures.
David A. Hardy
Reading
Laura Anne Gilman
The Immortal in Written and Media SF, The HighlanderMeets This Immortal
Immortal characters are a staple of SF and Fantasy. How do the written and media genres cope with characters who look at the world without our cultural assumptions?
Ginjer Buchanan, Tanya Huff, Fiona McIntosh, Elaine Nicol, John Scalzi
Introduction to Japanese Science Fiction
An overview of the genre past and present. Come see the Seiun Award presentation.
Mari Kotani, Reiko Noda, Peggy Rae Sapienza, Hicaru Tanaka, Takayuki Tatsumi
It's How You Say It (SFF)
Andy Sawyer (M)
Dr Dianne Newell(University of Vancouver):
- Judith Merril in Japan
Amelia H Beamer(University of Michigan):
- Genre Evolution Project
Ria Cheyne(Royal Holloway):
- Alien Languages in Science Fiction
Moving in Time as Well as in Space: the Fractured Narrative & the Causal World
Priest's novel The Affirmation, presents a story in pieces which readers have to reconstruct like a puzzle. This may be a valid way for a writer to depict extreme experiences -- but what are the pitfalls? Do films like Mementorepresent a "mainstreaming" of this approach?
Claire Brialey, Fiona Patton, Alastair Reynolds, Steph Swainston
What's Hot and What's Not
An overview of favourite recent fiction and the material that missed the nominations. What works are winning the more specialised awards? What is cool but defies categorisation?
Paul Billinger, Charles N. Brown, Ellen Datlow, Donna Hanson, Paul Kincaid
What's New in Astronomy and Cosmology
Recent developments on our understanding of deep space and the structure of the universe.
Dave Clements, Guy Consolmagno SJ, Inge Heyer, Diane Turnshek
Reading
Fiona Avery
XCOR Private Rocket Company
Talk by Aleta Jackson and Dan DeLong on XCOR's work on commercial private space flight.
Dan DeLong, Aleta Jackson
Worldcon Box Game: Time Travel in Practice
We send superfluous technology and fannish goodies back to Loncon II, and the 1965 Worldcon sends Interaction a time capsule. Fans representing the '60s and the '00s explain their choices; a survivor from the '80s moderates.
Zara Baxter, Sandra Bond, Andrew Ducker, Rog Peyton, Peter Weston
Belly Dancing
A practical workshop, participants only. Great exercise, drives men wild with lust*, what's notto like? *NB Your Mileage May Vary.
Sue Mason
The Return of the Queen: Writing Feminism in a Medieval World
The "real" Middle Ages is notknown for fostering feminism. Apart from the upper aristocracy, few women had any power or freedom of action, and that power was limited by the rules of male society. What are the effects of introducing feminism to medieval setting?
Lillian Stewart Carl, Ellen Kushner, Julianne Lee, Diana L. Paxson, Madeleine E. Robins
Reading
Kelly Link
Clones, Children or Countless Lives
If everyone lives forever, or is endlessly reincarnated, where do we put them? And can anyone reproduce in any other way?
Simon Bradshaw, Cory Doctorow, Anne K. Gay, Richard Morgan, Eric M. Van
Book Group: Jane Yolen's The Devil's Arithmetic
Come join the discussion of Jane Yolen's novel about a contemporary Jewish girl who finds herself shifted in time and place to the era of the Nazi Holocaust. Hannah learns what it means to be a hero. She experiences the horrors of the past, then acts as a witness to her contemporaries, telling a powerful story that isn't an easy one for civilisation. And so the narrator begins, "I'm tired of remembering..."
Elizabeth A Billinger
Kaffeeklatsch
Kevin J. Anderson& Rebecca Moesta, Jay Caselberg, James Swallow, Ian Watson
Autographing
Trudi Canavan, Michael Cobley, Hal Duncan
Extreme Art (YAFA)
We nail you to a wall, colour by GOB art, decorate our own t-shirts, and generally have fun with spray paint.
Max, Oisin McGann, Anne Stokes
Reading
Carol Berg
Reading
Jude Fisher
Creating a Character for the Screen or the Page
Comparing media characters like Buffy, Spock or Londo with written favourites like Miles Vorkosigan, Honour Harrington, Winston Smith or Zee Zee.
David Gerrold, George R.R. Martin, Lauren McLaughlin, Craig Miller
How Do You Research Things That Don't Exist?
What are the "rules" of vampires or fairies? How do you justify departure from the rules?
Mark Chadbourn, Laura Anne Gilman, Beth Hilgartner, Charles Stross, Martha Wells
You Killed Off the Old People: Depicting Older People in SF
Will there be pensioners in outer space? Will longevity treatments rule the future? What might a world without grandparents be like? Does it matter if we forget how to grow old?
Brian Aldiss OBE, Elizabeth Hand, Tanya Huff, Geoff Ryman, John Scalzi
Fantasy for Children (SFF)
Fatima Ahad (M)
Dr Irma Hirsjärvi(Jyväskylä University):
- Young People Reading Fantasy
Stefan Ekman(Lund University):
- Forces of nature in Susan Cooper's The Dark Is
Risingsequence
Jessica Yates:
- Catherine Fisher and Annie Dalton: contemporary UK
children's fantasy writers
The BSFA 'Best of British Science Fiction' Contenders
Panel to consider the contenders for the British Science Fiction Association poll on the best of British SF, as well as a great British SF author to join the BSFA's New Order of Merit.
Stephen Baxter, Paul Billinger, Paul Kincaid, Maureen Kincaid Speller
Fantastic Cities
A celebration of all the many wild, wonderful, vibrant, dangerous and exciting cities of fantasy literature.
Jeffrey Ford, Ian R. Macleod, China Miéville, Michael Swanwick, Claire Weaver
The Ethics and Effects of Colonisation
Life on a colony is likely to be dangerous, deprived, lonely and years from medical and social support. The first generation might be happy with this, but will subsequent generations feel the same way? Do we risk recreating Pitcairn Island on Phobos? Also, what are the risks of having unaccountable groups with the resources and energy budgets needed for spaceflight? Do we risk terrorism by meteor strike (imagine The Moon Is A Harsh Mistressfrom the Earth's point of view)?
Ken MacLeod, Farah Mendlesohn, David Moles, Dave O'Neill, Karen Traviss
Reading
Andy Duncan
Doctor WhoRetrospective: The Best Years
What were the best years of Doctor Who? It goes beyond the important matter of "who made the best Doctor?" Which years had the best scripts, the best major story arcs, the best free-standing episodes?
Chris Barkley, Paul F. Cockburn, Paul Cornell, Kathryn Sullivan, Nicholas Whyte
Growing Old by Accident: How Do *We* End Up as the Establishment?
Once we knew how to make fandom better -- or take it over. And then we find we've gone from young turks to old farts. Are we destined to repeat fan history even if we're uninterested in it?
Randy Byers, David Cake, Andrew Hogg, Greg Pickersgill, Mark Plummer
Aesthetics of SF
How do we write the sense of wonder?
John Clute, Ian McDonald, Robert Silverberg, Ian Watson
The Chesleys: Past, Present and Future
The Chesley Awards are internationally respected as the most prestigious in the fantastic arts. They acknowledge the best sculptures, book and magazine covers, game designs and art direction that the field has to offer.
Karen Haber, Justina Robson
Reading
James Barclay
Conrunning Fans Separated by a Common Language
Conrunners all have their own lingoes, histories, and strong points of view. How can they communicate with each other, let alone the people attending the cons?
Janice Gelb, Toni Jerrman, Mike Scott, Theresa R. Smith
Mandolin Workshop
Mandolin for all skill levels in ensemble and solo filk settings; audience participation encouraged but notmandatory.
Blind Lemming Chiffon
A Commonwealth of Science Fiction
A chance to hear about the work coming out of Australia, Canada, New Zealand and other areas of the Commonwealth
Cecilia Dart-Thornton, Russell Farr, Jo Fletcher, Rowena Lindquist (Cory Daniells), Antonio Ruffini, Allan Weiss
Kaffeeklatsch
Juliet E McKenna, Suzanne Tompkins& Damien Warman& Juliette Woods, Harry Turtledove, Jane Yolen
Autographing
Sarah Ash, Keith DeCandido
Terry Pratchett Reading on the Floor (YAFA)
Terry Pratchett reads his favourite book.
Terry Pratchett
The Science of Aliens
A landmark New touring exhibition from the Science Museum, London, incorporates content developed by Big Wave Productions for the Channel 4 TV series Extraterrestrial. Development teams discuss the use of science fiction and imagined worlds to engage the public in science.
Stephen Foulger
Reading
Greer Gilman
Reading
Bill Fawcett
Handling the Media
You've just received a phone call: a local TV station wants a quote from a "Sci-fi" author. What do you do when the BBC ask you to talk about UFO belief? How do you cope when your lovingly crafted genre novel hits the big time?
Lillian Cauldwell
Make a Cyclotron with Your Microwave Oven (YAFA)
Emma and Simone show us things.
Emma King, Simoné Vanzyl
How Mediocre Movies Can Become Good TV Shows
What do Stargate SG-1and Buffy the Vampire Slayer have in common? They were both mediocre movies that became good TV shows. Poor TV shows get remade as good ones e.g. Battlestar Galactica. How can this happen?
Jim Mann, Cindy (Huckle) Mohareb, James Swallow
When Novices Win: Masquerade Tips
Worldcon masquerade winners ("Arctic Circle" at Noreascon 4, "Return of the Hunt" at Intersection) discuss entering a masquerade as worldcon novices, along with tips and pitfalls to watch for along the way.
Susan de Guardiola, Janet Johnston, Maggie Percival, Mike Percival, Kate Waterous
What's New from Voyager/HarperCollins
Come meet the editor of Voyager Books and hear about New books from your favourite authors.
Joy Chamberlain, Emma Coode, Jane Johnson
The Second Golden Age of Children's Fantasy (1970-1990) (SFF)
What inspired such a wealth of fantasy writing for young people in this period? What gives these stories lasting appeal for writers, critics and children now?
Charles Butler (M), Stefan Ekman, Conor Kostick, Janet McNaughton, Maureen Kincaid Speller, Francis Spufford
Eurocon Business Meeting
Annual business meeting of the European Science Fiction Society, including presentations by Eurocon 2007 bid committees.
Not Letting Research Get in the Way of Your Imagination
How to bluff your science in a convincing fashion.
Tina Beychok, Brenda Cooper, Gail Dana, Peter F. Hamilton, James P. Hogan, Ian R. Macleod
How Have Worlds Changed?
In the 1960s, Larry Niven found himself writing a New version of Mars every time another space probe changed the understanding of the planet. What are the latest developments in our understanding of the planets that will affect the way we write about them?
Duncan Lunan, Paul McAuley, Oliver Morton, Tino Warinowski
Reading
Sylvia Kelso
Guest of Honour Speech: Jane Yolen
Our Guest of Honour Jane Yolen talks about growing up in a family of liars... er, storytellers and how that sort of heritage can influence a person's outlook on life and choice of career.
Jane Yolen
SF on British TV Since the First Doctor
What impact did Doctor Whohave on British TV? Did it help or impede the creation and acceptance of other later SF shows? Can we predict the legacy of its current incarnation?
Judith Proctor, Steve Rogerson, Gary Russell, Rob Shearman
Fannish Reading
Why read fanzines anyway? Some of our favourite readers read some of our favourite fanzine articles.
Sandra Bond
Things I Wish I'd Known
Artists in discussion on things they didn't know when they started out, but wish they had.
Robert Hole, Jr., Sally Mayer, Oisin McGann, Frank Wu
Reading
Connie Willis
Mining Other Cultures
What stories, characters and landscapes can non- European folk traditions offer the SF/F writer?
Jonathan Clements, Jeana Jorgensen, Katya Reimann, Frank Roger, Takayuki Tatsumi
The Agent-Client Relationship
Literary agent Joshua Bilmes discusses the business from an agent's perspective.
Joshua Bilmes
Kaffeeklatsch
David Moles, Stanley Schmidt, Lars-Olov Strandberg(in Swedish), Robert Vogel
Autographing
Joe Haldeman, Harry Harrison
Capture the Flag (YAFA)
Based on computer games like Doom, we bring this violent sport to life, with two teams and two forts and many blow up weapons.
Reading
Justine Larbalestier
Reading
Elizabeth Hand
Update on the Dune Series
Frank Herbert may have left us but his Dune lives on. Find out about the Dune 7 duology being written, based on an outline by FH, as well as other works.
Kevin J. Anderson
Reading
Christopher Rowe
Paganism in Glasgow
The thriving pagan community has at least eight moots currently running in Glasgow. Come hear about this diversity, and how some local pagans interact with the land and spirits of this green place.
DC, Jean Thompson
Five Horror Books You Shouldn't Read (YAFA)
Kim Newman and James Lovegrove talk to us about a selection of books that will give you nightmares.
James Lovegrove, Kim Newman
Comics Now
People doing comics today comment on the state of the industry.
Dan Abnett, Tony Lee, Liam Sharp, Bryan Talbot
The Dead God in SF and Fantasy
"God is dead," proclaimed Nietzsche. Philip K. Dick put the corpse in a spaceship circling Alpha Centauri, and Philip Pullman killed Him off in volume 3. Can gods be killed? And if so, why?
Stephen Baxter, Carol Berg, Guy Consolmagno SJ, Ben Jeapes, Paul Park
The Developing World in Space: Through Poverty to the Stars
China has a manned space programme; India is openly musing about following suit. Are the New superpowers recapitulating the space-race?
Aleta Jackson, Ken MacLeod, Geoff Ryman, Amy Thomson
Questioning Camelot (SFF)
Edward James (M)
Dr Kari Maund:
- The Myths of Avalon: Celtic realities and Arthurian
fantasie
Dr Faye Ringel(United States Coast Guard Academy):
- When Knighthood Was in Flour
What's Real & What's Not: Christopher Priest & Reality
You can't trust anyone, especially the narrator in a Priest novel. Many of them make up stories to shape their lives or those of others. Should the reader try to sort out what is real, or is that a dead end? And is Priest a storyteller who tells us notto believe in stories?
Andrew M Butler, Paul Kincaid, James Lovegrove, Graham Sleight
History of Anime, Part 1: Early Anime
Jonathan Clements looks at the earliest anime, from wartime propaganda to Astro Boy, the first science fiction cartoon in Japan, and the earliest days of colour TV.
Jonathan Clements
Creating the Matte Paintings for I, Robot(Slideshow)
Enjoy a slide presentation by David Mattingly of the paintings he created for use in the movie I, Robot.
David Mattingly
Reading
Diana L. Paxson
Exploring the Planets
Panel on current and forthcoming planetary missions
Geoffrey Landis, Oliver Morton, Alastair Reynolds, Prof. David Southwood
Greg Pickersgill GoH Experience
Part talk, part interview, all Greg.
Catherine Pickersgill, Greg Pickersgill, Peter Weston
SF Music Quiz
A light-hearted quiz to test how well you know your SF television and movie themes.
Christine Davidson, Michael Davidson
What's New from Hodder Headline?
Come meet the editor of Hodder Headline and hear about New books from your favourite authors.
Carolyn Caughey
Reading
Chris Roberson
Presentation of Prometheus Awards
The Prometheus Awards are sponsored by the Libertarian Futurist Society. Two awards are given: for best libertarian novel of the year and a Hall of Fame award for classic libertarian fiction.
Just How Different are Arts & Sciences Research?
The subjects might be very different, but aren't the research methods fairly similar? Scientists often give unscripted talks at conferences, while arts papers are often read verbatim. In what other ways are these two academic cultures and research approaches different, and how are the differences reflected in the published papers and repositories? Which discipline yields ideas more useful to the SF author?
Dave Clements, Greer Gilman, Tony Keen, Farah Mendlesohn, Liz Williams
Filk Concert: Lynn Gold
Not all California Love Songs and Road Kill, Lynn sings of the chic of geek and puts the fun in unusual.
Lynn Gold
Kaffeeklatsch
David D. Levine, George R.R. Martin, Richard Morgan, Karl Schroeder
Autographing
Esther Friesner, Robert Silverberg, Tricia Sullivan
5 Anime Films You Shouldn't Watch (YAFA)
Mari and Dragon recommend five anime films that will turn you into a fan forever.
David 'Dragon' Cotteril, Mari Kotani
Reading
Jack Cohen
Presentation of Sidewise Awards
The Sidewise Awards for Alternate History were first announced in summer 1996 to honour the best "genre" publications of the year. Two awards are given: short form and long form.
Filk Concert: TBA
The first of our slots for musicians discovered at the convention -- show up and find out who we've tracked down!
Fanzine (YAFA)
Over the weekend we will be producing a fanzine, and this is our kick-off meeting. Any task that takes your fancy -- photo journalist, commentary, artwork, interviews, reports on programmes -- is welcome.
James Bacon, Grant Kruger, Geneva Melzack, James Shields
Harper Collins Pre-launch of Alan Lee's The Lord of the Rings Sketchbook
In conjunction with Harper Collins, Alan Lee 's The Lord of the Rings Sketchbookwill be available for sale and signing. Come early to purchase a book to be signed.
Alan Lee
Reading
Paul McAuley
Reading
Paul Cornell
Presentation of Golden Duck Awards
The Golden Duck cash awards honour excellence in children's science fiction literature in the categories of Picture Book, Middle Grades (Eleanor Cameron Award), and Young Adult (Hal Clement Award).
Filk Concert: Gwen Knighton
Gwen is a Scottish Harp Society of America National Journeyman Champion and a "distant sister" member of Three Weird Sisters since her 2004 move to the UK. Her song writing is extraordinary.
Gwen Knighton
Secret History Of Ansible
A talk by Dave Langford, multiple Hugo winner for fanwriting and his fanzine Ansible.
David Langford
The World We are Making Now 1: People
Children being born now will be running the world in 50 years time. What kinds of people are we making now?
Jon Courtenay Grimwood, Robert Hole, Jr., Caroline Mullan, Ruth Nestvold, Liam Proven
Radical Retellings: of Fairytale, of Well Known Fantasies, of Other Genres
Is the only way to make fantasy interesting these days to retell and rework it?
Andy Duncan, Gregory Frost, Merrie Haskell, Christine Mains, Jane Yolen
Breadth of Character (SFF)
Faye Ringel (M)
Dr Sylvia Kelso(James Cook University):
- The Green Knight's Progeny: Medieval and Modern
Romance(s)
Dr Peter G Christensen(Cardinal Stritch University):
- John Dee in Science Fiction, Fantasy, and the
Historical Novel
Albrecht Fritzsche:
- James Bond and the Borders of Fantasy
The Sting: SFWA, Atlanta Nights and Publish America
Disgusted by Publish America's claim to be selective and concerned about quality, a group of SFWA authors concocted the worst novel imaginable. This monstrosity was submitted to Publish America who enthusiastically offered to publish it. Gotcha!
Darlene Marshall, Robin Hobb, John Jarrold, Steve Saffel
Is Genius Gendered?
One lone genius and an attractive assistant (fill in the genders) save the world. Our panel gives media and literary SF examples, and discuss how changing the gender might change other things.
Cory Doctorow, Sean McMullen, Connie Willis
Current State of SF on TV: Picking from the Potentials
Which of the New SF/fantasy series do the fans like?
Lillian Cauldwell, Martin Easterbrook, Scott Edelman, Nicki Lynch, Rebecca Moesta, Eric M. Van
James Tiptree Jr. Book Group: Not Before Sundown
Discussion of Johanna Sinisalo's Not Before Sundown? (released in US as Troll: A Love Story). In modern Finland, a man hides a troll in his apartment and struggles with problems of attraction and possession.
Irma Hirsjärvi
Translation: Controlling the Text
How do we select a text for translation? What are the technical issues when translating SF? What is lost? Are some texts inappropriate for translation? Does translation intensify or dilute artefacts of the originating culture?
Frank Borsch, Gail Dana, John-Henri Holmberg, Alain Nevant, Terry Pratchett
Realistic Swordfighting 101
Mark Hillyard and Alastair Stewart explain the tradition of western martial arts, and demonstrate the skilful and pragmatic swordsmanship of the Elizabethan age.
Mark Hillyard, Alastair Stewart
Reading