Had a lovely night @norncon.bsky.social - listened to many beautiful readings, also performed my musical number (from book 1 or 2? YES) for the first time. Held a UK copy of ALL HAIL CHAOS with its shiny foil. On Fridays, we (me and @rflong) wear green.

@aptshadow.bsky.social , Ian McDonald, RB Kelly, Jack Fennell and J E Hannaford discuss writing the Other as the first panel of the first @norncon.bsky.social

Reading from my secret new novel @norncon.bsky.social - title and publisher to be unveiled soon....

The #TinyKoalas are at Norncon @norncon.bsky.social again today! Pick one up for your lanyard, and post a selfie with YOUR Tiny Koala. #AustralasianSFF #MeanjinIn2028 #BrisbaneIn2028 #Worldcon #Norncon

Seconded. @norncon.bsky.social was a great time, met and talked with so many fantastic people, and came back feeling enthused for this writing stuff again.

Connolly Station used to be my regular station for school/work commutes. 30 years ago I'd exit right and go to school. 20 years ago I'd exit left and go to work. Today I'm headed to Belfast and @norncon.bsky.social later. Always loved the train service is called "The Enterprise".

Kicking off tomorrow evening with our *free* literature night. #Belfast, we are in you!

Sci-Fi Ireland is in the house!!! Literally, the magazines are in Mark's house 🦄🚀👽 These 1st edition prints will be available at the phenomenal @norncon.bsky.social Information and tickets for NORNCON available at: norncon.org #sciencefiction #ireland #SFFconvention #NORNCON #Sci-Fi-Ireland

This weekend we'll be in Belfast for the inaugural Norncon. Hilton, Lanyon Place Friday, 8 May – Saturday, 9 May Who else will we be seeing up there? @norncon.bsky.social

Not going to lie, I’m excited for this!

Buzzing to be included in the inaugural @sci-fi-ireland.bsky.social launch next weekend!!! See yas at @norncon.bsky.social in Belfast 🍻

I’ll be on three panels at NornCon and taking part in the readings the night before. Really looking forward to this weekend.

Check out the programme for next week's Norncon in Belfast - lots of great panels, talks, workshops and readings with some truly excellent panellists.

Our programme is live and we can’t wait to welcome you! Don’t forget Friday night at the Hilton is our literature evening with readings from local writers, guests and guests of honour and is Free of charge!

Who is ready for our programme reveal?! Stay tuned this evening 🙂

Brand-new Irish Science-Fiction journal Sci-Fi Ireland will launch their inaugural issue at @norncon.bsky.social in Belfast on Saturday 9th May! Featuring past International Debut Novel Competition winner RB Kelly 🌟 More info: norncon.org

@norncon.bsky.social is only a few weeks away now! I'm one of the Guests of Honour alongside @aptshadow.bsky.social The programme has now been finalised and looks AMAZING! And Belfast is such a lovely city. #books #booksky #fantasy #fantasybooks #sff

Next up on our author profiles ahead of issue 1 is Hugo Kelly. We're ecstatic to be bringing his story - "Pilgrimage" - to the Irish speculative fandom and the wider Sci-Fi world. Tickets for @norncon.bsky.social available at: norncon.org #sciencefiction #ireland #writer #SFFconvention #NORNCON

Our gaming partners this year are the awesome www.battleinc.co.uk Find them in the games room for some great gaming options!

Our final guests are also committee members based in Belfast! Horror writer Trevor Kennedy also edits Phantasmagoria Magazine.  Writer and editor Siobhán F. Murphy’s novel Hedge Witch was published in 2025 and Mage Call is out in May. Jo Zebedee loves blending themes of identity into dark tales.

Badges! Have you grabbed a membership yet? @norncon.org

Next up on our author profiles ahead of issue 1 is Paul Van Sickle. We're ecstatic to be bringing their story - "Lightning in a Bottle" - to the Irish speculative fandom and the wider Sci-Fi world. Tickets for @norncon.bsky.social at: norncon.org #sciencefiction #ireland #author #scificonvention

Absolutely phenomenal day yesterday building momentum towards @norncon.bsky.social in just 20 days time!!!! Can't wait to see y'all at the @hiltonbelfast on the 9th of Nay for NORNCON and the launch of Sci-Fi Ireland #sciencefiction #ireland #horrorconvention #starwars #sundayfunday

Nice to see @ianmcdonald.bsky.social flying the Norncon colours @luxcon! Ian will be joining us on panels as well as interviewing @aptshadow.bsky.social - we’re so excited!

Our Guest of Honour interview with Anna Smith Spark will be with author JE Hannaford, who will also be on our panels! J E Hannaford is powered by coffee, dragons and whisky. When she isn't writing or reading, she likes exploring with her dog, and playing D&D.

As one convention disappears into exhausted memory, another hoves into view... I'm so excited to be a GoH @norncon.bsky.social at the Hilton Lanyon place, Belfast, on 8th to 9th May, alongside @aptshadow.bsky.social #fantasy #fantasybooks #books #epicfantasy #booksky

Next up on our author profiles ahead of issue 1 is Damien Kelly. We're ecstatic to be bringing @damosays.bsky.social back to the Sci-Fi fandom at our launch at @norncon.bsky.social 9th of May Tickets for NORNCON available at: norncon.org #sciencefiction #ireland #author

Continuing our art/artist teaser-introductions we've got @hannaswork.bsky.social of @thebelfastreview.bsky.social We can't wait for you to see the - "The Salmon of Improbability" - when we launch issue 1 @norncon.bsky.social Information for NORNCON at norncon.org #artist #coverart #localartist

Just saw the update to the @norncon.bsky.social lineup includes @ianmcdonald.bsky.social and now I’m trying to figure out if I can fit all three Luna books in the bag for the weekend

Starting off our author profiles ahead of issue 1 is @payperbacwriter.bsky.social !!! We can't wait bring her phenomenal story to the fandom and to have her read at our launch at @norncon.bsky.social. Tickets for NORNCON available at: norncon.org #sciencefiction #ireland #author #convention

Next up on our author profiles ahead of issue 1 is D.C Forde!!! We're absolutely buzzing to present D.C's work as part of issue 1 and can't wait bring his gorgeous story to the fandom at our launch at @norncon.bsky.social on the 9th of May!! Tickets for NORNCON available at: norncon.org

Today's Sci-Fi-I Sunday Funday is a shameless plug for our launch at @norncon.bsky.social, a picture of Mark's new strawberry plants and a fancy wee whiskey his granda shared for Easter. Information and tickets for NORNCON available at: norncon.org #sciencefiction #ireland #sundayfunday #whiskey

Crowd favourite Samuel Poots will be joining us! A writer and games designer from N. Ireland, who communicates primarily through Pratchett quotes. He is Ulster University’s current writer-in-residence. Follow Sam across social media as @pootsidoodle

Finally Got around to getting my membership for Norncon. First con I’ve managed to get to since Dublin Worldcon

Did you get paid today? Saving up to buy your membership? Now is the time. This is the way -

Things are hottjng up as we begin to finalise our programme - have you got your membership yet? Www.norncon.org

I'll be a Guest of Honour @norncon.bsky.social in Belfast on Friday 8th and Saturday 9th May alongside @aptshadow.bsky.social ! I'm so excited! It should be a fantastic event. Memberships and more information via the link in the comments below.

After 40 days and nights in the astral plane - reading, editing and communing with the gods of science fiction - we are delighted to have our eight open submission stories for issue 1!! We'll be shining the spotlight on each of our authors in the run up to @norncon.bsky.social so watch this space!!

Welcoming Nikita Rogers, an Urban Fantasy author from the North of Ireland. By day a tattoo artist, by night she scribes stories steeped in magic. A lifelong Pagan witch, you will find a lot of real magic and true witchcraft history in her books. You can find contact info at www.nikitarogers.com

Looking forward to welcoming Mike Chinn! Mike lives in Birmingham with his wife and their tribe of guinea pigs. He’s written fiction that runs from Westerns to Sword & Sorcery and Space Opera, via Horror and his Damian Paladin pulp adventure stories and the occasional Sherlock Holmes pastiche.

Super excited that Ian McDonald will be a guest! Ian is a SFF writer living in Co Down. His debut, Desolation Road, was a Locus Award winner. He's written ever since, and has won the Hugo, Philip K Dick and Campbell Memorial awards. He has three cats. Pray for him.

It’s great to welcome debut authors to the convention! Stephen Daly is a queer author from Belfast, who is passionate about how people make sense of who they are and where they are from. He grew up around stories. Eventually he realised he was circling what he actually wanted to do: tell stories.

@kaliereid.bsky.social is a fantasy and romance author currently living in Belfast. Her romantasy debut about an exiled saint and the iconographer sent to paint him, The Sacred Space Between, came out in 2025 with Harper Voyager. We’re absolutely delighted that Kalie will be joining us as a guest

Joining us with their best queer reading recommendations, the Book Witches, friends Sami and David, met 8+ years ago while working in a coffee shop and have been stuck together ever since! They are looking forward to sharing some recommendations with you all!

We’re delighted to be joined by @shaunalawless.bsky.social whose Gael Song series has been a real hit! She is an avid reader of the mythology and history of Ireland which inspired her to write the Gael Song, a historical fantasy series nominated for Best Debut at the British Fantasy Awards.

Our next guest is Byddi Lee, author of Barren, The Rejuvenation Trilogy, and March to November. She publishes flash and short fiction, and manages Flash Fiction Armagh. Byddi also writes for stage, including her climate-change play Toxic Relationships. For more information, visit www.ByddiLee.com.

Bursary applications! We have a number of bursaries available for the convention, giving full access to all panels, events and shenanigans. If you would like to apply please message the page or mail [email protected] 🙂

if you’ve not read THE CALL, it’s an absolute copper-bottomed ocean-going banger, now in a lovely 10th anniversary edition

On the relaunch of his iconic take on Irish mythology, The Call, it’s perfect to introduce guest Peadar Ó Guilín. Peadar’s first novel, The Inferior, "a stark, dark tale,” was translated into eight languages. His next novel, "The Sword Garden", will be published by Wizard's Tower Press, in April

TIL that it isn't "Kiss from a rose on the brain" but "kiss from a rose on the grey" and that... makes less sense, actually...?