Mancunicon 2016

[Stephen Palmer]

Mancunicon - who's going, and when?

 

[Susan Boulton]

I am. Will be there from Friday until Monday.

 

[iansales]

Yup, I'll be there. Hopefully with a new book to sell

 

[chrispenycate]

I'm planning to be there - doing sound again if it works out.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Yup, I'll be there. Hopefully with a new book to sell

Ditto. And ditto.

I'm planning to be there - doing sound again if it works out.

Oh, fab, fab, fab. This time we get a lunch, yes? (It was my fault last time). And find somewhere where we can actually chat properly and catch up. I'm so, so delighted you'll be there.

I'm planning to get over on the Friday at some point and head home on Sunday in time for an Easter tea. So far my weekend sounds like a meet up with just about anyone I interact with on line who have never met me. Millymollymo, Sue B, Stephen, some Chronners who aren't just as active anymore, lots of the military sf people who've supported me to an insane level. I honestly, truly, can't wait to meet you all.

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

For those that might be thinking of going to Mancunicon (I mentioned this to Steve Palmer in a PM recently and thought why not spread the word)

Beginning at 10am tomorrow, 31st January, we are releasing a limited number of day memberships for Mancunicon. So if you have friends who are looking to come for just part of the weekend, please let them know that they can find details on our membership page.

Mancunicon's membership is growing, and we've been talking to the hotel about the overall limit on our numbers. We're not there yet, but if we do reach the limit, we will have to close the convention to new members. If you know anyone who is planning to join who hasn't yet done so, make sure they know that time may be limited. And remember: there will be no memberships available on the door.

That's all for this time. But if you use Facebook or Twitter, make sure to follow us for the latest news and updates. We're looking forward to seeing you at Easter!

With best wishes,

Mancunicon Communications Team

Obviously, this could just be them trying to boost the pre convention ticket sales, but it has to be considered if you are hiking over the Himalayas to get here, it would be a tragedy to be turned away at the last abseil.

 

[PeteMC]

I'll be there with the Angry Robot crew

 

[Ian Whates]

I'll be there for the whole weekend, including a book launch on the Friday, at 5.30. Four new titles being launched, including a debut novel that's already been praised by the likes of Ursula K Le Guin, Lavie Tidhar, and Adam Roberts. Come along for some free wine and a natter.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I'll be there for the whole weekend, including a book launch on the Friday, at 5.30. Four new titles being launched, including a debut novel that's already been praised by the likes of Ursula K Le Guin, Lavie Tidhar, and Adam Roberts. Come along for some free wine and a natter.

free wine, you say... ?

I'll be there. I'm not launching Sunset Over Abendau at it, but it'll be close so I'll bore lots of people about it.

I'm also on a couple of panels on the Saturday - will post lots of details nearer the time.

 

[Susan Boulton]

I'll be there for the whole weekend, including a book launch on the Friday, at 5.30. Four new titles being launched, including a debut novel that's already been praised by the likes of Ursula K Le Guin, Lavie Tidhar, and Adam Roberts. Come along for some free wine and a natter.

Oh dear I will need an extra bag for my new books....

 

[PeteMC]

Oh, apparently I'm doing a panel on the Monday but I don't know which one yet - been having a few communication difficulties recently!

 

[PeteMC]

Got my panel assignment through - I'm only on a panel with Sarah Pinborough! <flails>

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Got my panel assignment through - I'm only on a panel with Sarah Pinborough! <flails>

I was on a panel last year with Sarah - she is fabulous fun! (I ended up on a worldbuilding panel moderated by Joe Abercrombie, featuring Sarah, Pat Cadigan and Peadar O'Guillion. No pressure there for a newby...)

 

[PeteMC]

Wow, that's a lot of serious company!!

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Wow, that's a lot of serious company!!

It really, really was. And because it was a small con most of us were doing back to back panels, so I was on quite a lot with them. Much more terrifying was that the con started with a literature night, where we had to read - it was my second ever reading. In front of all those names. To say I was petrified was an understatement...


Anyhow, these are my confirmed panels for Mancunicon. Getting close and exciting!

Catastrophe and Salvage
Saturday 14:30 - 15:30, Room 7 (Hilton Deansgate)

In a recent essay for Salvage, Nicholas Beuret and Gareth Brown drew a distinction between between disaster or apocalypse, which are terrible things that may happen (or in some stories, have happened), and catastrophe, which is "a constant presence, shaping how the act of survival takes place." Which real SF deals with catastrophes in this sense? How do such stories reflect our daily experience of life in a world of austerity, ecological disaster and war? And how do we, as readers and as writers, balance the need to escape and to inspire, and the need to confront and acknowledge?

Andrew M Butler (M), Matthew De Abaitua, Graham Sleight, Tricia Sullivan, Jo Zebedee

The Stars Are Your Canvas
Saturday 16:00 - 17:00, Room 7 (Hilton Deansgate)

Space opera is arguably the most unconstrained of SF subgenres, encompassing everything from the realism of McAuley's Quiet War to the exuberance of Leckie's Ancillary trilogy. How do writers find their own personal sweet spot between spectacle and science, and develop their own language for describing the biggest storytelling canvas of all?

Michael Cobley (M), Ian Sales, Alison Sinclair, Gavin Smith, Tom Toner, Jo Zebedee

 

[millymollymo]

I'm there Sat / Sun - just for fun

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

Mancunicon 2016

For those attending Mancunicon and looking for a critique of their efforts check out the following from the Mancunicon Facebook page.

Calling aspiring writers!

The Manchester Speculative Fiction writing group will be running two ‘Crit Sandwich’ workshops on the Saturday and Sunday mornings. During each two-hour workshop we will offer constructive criticism on either one or two short stories or the start of a novel submitted by email in advance. This is an open call for submissions for attendees to 1 or 2 science fiction short stories not exceeding 10,000 words in total OR the first 10,000 words of a science fiction novel. Closing date for submissions is one week before the first workshop day: that’s midnight Friday 18th March. Submissions will be selected on a case-by-case basis. Please send submissions to:

submissions@manchesterspeculativefiction.org

 

[Verity]

I'll be there - my first EasterCon was last year, at Heathrow, and I really enjoyed it. Also, Manchester is my home city, so it's a good excuse to visit again. I will be dressed as a Jedi librarian, Tardis engineer and Steampunk fairy catcher over the weekend!

 

[Susan Boulton]

One week to go folks. If you see me about say hi!

 

[PeteMC]

Likewise - I'll be at the Angry Robot party in the Presidential Suite (oooh la-de-dah!) on the Friday night with the team and a few of the other authors. Drop by for a drink and a chat!