Fabulous time continues…
A panel on the environment and SF with Kim Stanley Robinson, John Clute, several delightful scientists…me the lone fantasy non-scientist holding up my end of the genre…
Coffee with Carol Ryles.
Discussions  in the Green room
Book launch of “Baggage”  (Eneit Press edited by Gillian Polack) and caught up with so many old friends at Borders….
 Met author Lara Morgan for the first time…
Dinner with Orbit folk…
I could go on and on.
Stimulating conversation, great company,  industry talk…
What more can I ask?

Bit jetlagged, but no problems.
Had a morning coffee with Cheryl Morgan at the airport to start the day…
Ended it with dinner with Karen Miller, Kate Elliott and several other US congoers…

More tomorrow. Con starts then.

THURSDAY

•     1-2pm launch (no, not mine): 

It begins for me when I wander along to Borders Bookshop, for the launch of “Baggage” edited by Gillian Pollack, published by Eneit Press. Borders South Wharf  20 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf. This, I assume, is open to the general public. Everything else below, only open to members of the con.

•        5-6pm panel: 

 SF/F has long dealt with environmental concerns, imagining the future impacts of overpopulation, climate change, peak oil, and water shortages. Contemporary writers talk about the importance of ecological themes in their work.

FRIDAY

•     9-10am: 

Pure socialising. FB get-together: place as yet unknown.

•     1-1.30pm reading:

I’m giving a reading. Come along. I shall read from Stormlord’s Exile and possibly also the beginning of the next book, set in the Havenstar universe… Last time I gave a reading at a worldcon it was to an audience of two, one of whom was Kate Elliott (bless her), so I am keeping my fingers crossed there’ll be at least 3 this time.
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SATURDAY

•     4-5pm panel:

The trilogy seems synonymous with the fantasy story. Why is fantasy so closely tied in with the idea of the three-book story? Is it simply a marketing requirement, or are their structural advantages to the form that are not provided by the single novel. A look at the arguments for and against the trilogy, and whether it’s a tradition that’s here for good or due to be retired.

•    5-6pm panel:

Is fantasy the new vanguard of feminist politics in specfic? Fantasy authors discuss the role  of gender issues in their work

SUNDAY

•       11am signing books:

You know, the books of mine you’ll be bringing along or buying in the dealers room??*  

•     12-1pm Kaffeeklatsch*:

 Come and talk to me. Your chance to tell me exactly what you think of my books and ask me “Why the &@# did you do that???“… Over coffee. You’ll probably remember more than I do about my books though… It’s a roundtable discussion with a handful of readers and me  – remember to book your place. You can try through Andrew  kaffee@aussiecon4.org.au  but I don’t know if they are accepting pre-bookings yet.
*Lit coffee-gossip. And it doesn’t have an ‘e’ on the end in the singular

•     3-4pm panel:

With so many fantasy novels based in a setting drawn from medieval Europe, it’s no surprise to see so many stories based around monarchies – kings and queens, princes and princesses, tyrannical emperors and long-lost heirs to the throne. How much of fantasy’s appeal is grounded in a monarchic setting, and how can this long-standing tradition of genre be updated or refreshed – or abandoned entirely?

•     10-11am panel:

It’s the age-old and widely derided question, and one more often than not dismissed or dodged by authors around the world. Despite this, the question actually deserves answering: where do authors get their ideas? A look at the hunt for inspiration, tricks and tools for stimulating creativity, and – perhaps – the ultimate answer to fiction’s oldest question.

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As you should all know, this year the Worldcon 2010 is going to be in Australia.

One of the results of this is that more Australians will be able to nominate works for the Hugo Awards (2009 publications), and to vote for the winners. And I hope they do.

See here for details: Aussiecon Hugos

The best site to give you more general details about the Hugos is here: http://www.thehugoawards.org/

If you have paid up your membership for Aussicon – at least partially – by the end of January, then you can nominate a work published in 2009 – in fact up to five works in each category.
If you attended last year’s worldcon, you can also nominate.

Works which receive most nominations will then go on the ballot.

Remember, though, that this is not about voting for your friends. It’s about voting for a work which you think is world class.

Some people are a bit intimidated by the nomination form (or later by the voting) because there are so many categories, including categories they may know nothing about. But you don’t have to vote for everything, or fill up all the spaces. Read only novels? Then nominate your favourites and forget about the other categories.

So get out there and nominate!! Or at least think about what stories etc you want to nominate. Nominations close March 13th.

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And before you all get worked up on my behalf, it is extremely unlikely that The Last Stormlord would make its way on to the ballot although it is eligible, as it is not published in the US or UK until March 2010. So, worldwide, few people will have read it. It actually has more of a chance statistically next year for that reason – whether it ever gets thought of in terms of a worldwide award is another matter entirely, of course.
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