CONFLUX is the science fiction/fantasy convention held in Canberra. This year, prior to the convention they are repeating what they did last year: having a Virtual Convention. Next weekend.

So even if you can’t go to the real thing, you can come and chat online to some authors including myself, guests at the real con, editors and others in the business.

Here’s how:
Log on to this address* – find the section devoted to the author/celeb you want at the time scheduled for them – and chat!
Each has an hour allotted to them. You can throw them tough questions, tell them how much you loathed loved their books, ask what they are doing next, tell them how to write….whatever.

Here’s when:
Next Saturday and Sunday, Oz time. I start the programme at 12 noon Eastern Australian time on Saturday. (That’s 10 a.m. Saturday Western Australian/Malaysian time; 10 p.m. Friday night in New York; 7 p.m. Friday night in Los Angeles; 7 a.m. 3 a.m. Saturday in London – if I have my international dateline worked out properly. (Sorry about the original incorrect time for London.)

Here’s the programme and the participants:
Saturday August 2

12 noon – Glenda Larke

1pm – Chris Barnes
2pm – Gillian Polack
3pm – Bruce Gillespie
4pm – Phill Berrie
5pm – Stephen Hunt
6pm – Peter Strong
7pm – Karen Miller
8pm – Fiona McLennan
9pm – Maxine McArthur
10pm – Sharyn Lilley
11pm – Karen Herkes
12 midnight – Ellen Datlow

Sunday August 3rd

1am to 6am – break
7am – Sherwood Smith
8am – Nicole R Murphy
9am – Jonathan Strahan
10am – Kaaron Warren
11am – Sean Williams
12pm – Kevin J Anderson
1pm – Cat Sparks
2pm – Jackie French
3pm – Jack Dann
4pm – Simon Haynes
5pm – Marianne de Pierres

*http://conflux.org.au/forum/