"The moment you allow AI to write a sentence for you, you lose your voice." Francesca Barbini @lunapress.bsky.social nailing it in her guest of honour interview with @megintransition.bsky.social. #pictcon

Diana Wynne Jones panel at Novacon.

Huge thanks to @effjayem.bsky.social for organising Pictcon 1 and asking me to be GoH! I was interviewd by the fantastic @megintransition.bsky.social ❤️ & concluded the day on a fab panel with @neilwilliamson.bsky.social @bethkesh.bsky.social @joannacorrance.bsky.social @shoreinf.bsky.social 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

I am loving Ragwort, the sequel, right now. I have the utter privilege of chatting with Sam and the fabulous @shonak.bsky.social for her beautiful Daughters of Nicnevin for @waterstonesargyle.bsky.social on the 20th November. Hopefully see you there.

If you've not read Gorse by @samkhorton.bsky.social you totally should as its bloody great. Perfect for this time of the year, and currently only 99p on Kindle (and other providers). amzn.eu/d/48RSe2S

Eastercon is the UK's annual science fiction convention for book lovers & writers Iridescence, 2026's Eastercon will be at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel, 3-6 April 2026. Tickets on sale now Guests of Honour include @rjbarker.bsky.social @emmanewman.bsky.social & @drkarenlord.bsky.social

Satellite 9 hotel booking opens tomorrow - 6th November! The convention is at The Clayton Hotel, 298 Clyde St, right in the city centre, and we can’t wait to show you this fabulous venue.

Book Review: The Everlasting, by Alix E Harrow In order to have a future worth fighting for, you must have a past worth remembering. @ergative-abs.bsky.social has our review at the NOAF blog www.nerds-feather.com/2025/10/book...

Liz is back! We discuss a variety of topics including Worldcon finances and the fact that Alison is definitely doing the T-shirts for @easterconuk.bsky.social like, any day now. Really. No, YOU’RE overcommitted. Listen here! octothorpe.podbean.com/e/146-it-win...

Join Eastercon 2026 before the our rate rise on the 1st December! From the 1st December our Adult Attending rate will rise to £90, all our other rates will stay the same. Adult Low Income prices are self-declared: if you need the discount, you qualify. You can join here eastercon2026.org/register

Ready for a weekend of Science fiction, science fact, and science fun! The next Satellite 9 convention will be held on 22–24 May 2026 at the Clayton Hotel Glasgow in Glasgow. With a stellar Guest of Honour Liz Williams, a weekend of fandom awaits. Grab your membership nine.satellitex.org.uk/join

Programme at Iridescence! Want to be on a panel, run a workshop, or give a talk? Fill in the form and submit your ideas. We are excited to build an awesome programme with you! eastercon2026.org/programme

Contributors Wanted! Do YOU want to write for Nerds of a Feather? www.nerds-feather.com/2025/10/cont...

We're throwing our hat in the ring to host Eurocon 2030 in the fantastical city of Copenhagen! Accessible transport, stunning sights, and a commitment to sustainability, Copenhagen promises an unforgettable experience for all attendees. Support our bid, and be part of an incredible adventure!

Hotel Booking Open to General Members. If you are a registered member of Iridescence you should have received an email with booking instructions. Please check your spam if it isn't in your inbox. If you've any questions please email [email protected]

OCTOTHORPE 144 IS THE LAW. As well as a pleasing rhyme, listeners will know this heralds the episode on 2012’s DREDD! We hope you enjoy the episode, and remember: until your assessment is formally over, you’re still entitled to dispense justice. Listen here! octothorpe.podbean.com/e/144-i-have...

Reminder that hotel booking will open to the general membership on the 30th September. Booking information will only be sent to registered members so if you've not joined the convention yet then now is a great time to do so. Join or check your registration via eastercon2026.org/register

Iridescence Bursary Scheme Now Open Need support with attending Iridescence? We’ve got a bursary scheme to help. The scheme is open to anyone in the UK or Ireland. First deadline: 31 October 2025 Full details and the application form eastercon2026.org/bursary-sche...

There are roles both pre-con or at-con. There is no minimum contribution, be it for on an hour or the whole weekend, your contribution makes a real difference. Come join the team and be part of the con spirit! Any questions then don't hesitate to email [email protected]

We are looking for volunteers. Volunteering is at the heart of Eastercon. It is what makes the convention possible! By giving a little of your time, you help shape the experience for everyone while joining a welcoming, creative community. The form is on our website eastercon2026.org/volunteering

It's clearly my month to be on podcasts. This time I'm talking about fiction about the English Civil Wars. podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...

Apply now to secure your spot and be part of one of the busiest, most vibrant parts of the convention! Deadline for applications: 31st January 2026 Any questions email [email protected]

Dealers applications launched! Step into the excitement of the Iridescence Dealers’ Room and bring your artistry and merchandise to an eager audience ready to discover something new and wonderful. Form to apply can be found on our webpage eastercon2026.org/dealers

Come be part of the celebration of our community and reserve your fan table slot now. Form to apply can be found on our webpage eastercon2026.org/fan-tables Deadline for applications: 31st January 2026 Any questions email [email protected]

Fan table applications launched Fans are the heart of Iridescence, the passion and glue that keeps our community together. So, whether you’re representing a club, a project, or a cause, fan tables are a place to gather, share, and celebrate what makes fandom special.

If you're a newbie writer but not reading established authors' newsletters, why not? @matociquala.bsky.social's recent "Networking is just making friends, a how-to guide to conventioning for authors" is full of VITAL info to help you progress & avoid embarrassment. buttondown.com/matociquala

“I mean, your society’s broken, so who should we blame? Should we blame the rich, powerful people who caused it? No let’s blame the people with no power & no money & these immigrants who don’t even have the vote, yeah it must be their fucking fault.” —Iain Banks www.theguardian.com/books/2013/j...

Hotel Booking: Opening Dates, Rates, and Access Notifications. We are excited to announce that we will shortly be opening hotel bookings for the Hilton Birmingham Metropole! Hotel booking will be via a link, sent to members. If you’re not yet a member, then join now! eastercon2026.org/register

I stopped by the Trope-ology Podcast with @themythofchris.bsky.social to natter on about Goblin Markets! Have a listen if you fancy! Available in the usual places! open.spotify.com/episode/1cfs...

✨ Guest Liaison Help create a fantastic convention experience for one of our Guests of Honor. You will serve as the liaison between the GoH and the convention, assisting with guest/con logistics, and ensuring that all Divisions and guests communicate effectively to have their needs met.

It's two months until publication and events are starting to open for tickets! I'm so very excited to be talking with Sam K Horton @samkhorton.bsky.social and Meg Macdonald @megintransition.bsky.social in November www.waterstones.com/events/sam-k...

Help us build our Programming at LAcon V! There are two ways to get involved in this by visiting our site.

Came across this through work today and I cannot think for the life of me why it might be a useful thing in recent discourse. namedrop.io

You can also find more info on our programme page: eastercon2026.org/programme Help us bring you the best programme possible!

Programme klaxon! The programme team are working on lots of ideas to bring you a brilliant programme, but we need to hear from you! We’ve created a *very* short survey for you to pass on your suggestions and to tell us if you’d also like to take part in programme: forms.office.com/e/rN9T4wEX1N

If you've not received it yet then check your spam and if it still isn't there then please email [email protected] We will be posting a series of updates in the coming weeks so do check your email and our socials. Still to get membership? Grab it at eastercon2026.org/register

Hello lovely Easterconners - We've been busy in the background getting things in place to bring you an amazing Eastercon next year! If you're a member you should have received an update email today. We're sorry if you got it more than once, we're tech wrangling and grateful for your patience.

If you missed the live recording of the Murderbot interview episode at WorldCon, you can watch it here:

New episode up now. The Tombs of Atuan (1970) by Ursula K. Le Guin, the second part of Earthsea, with guest Frank Cottrell-Boyce in conversation with Una McCormack and Andy Miller. @frankcottrellboyce.bsky.social @iammilliam.bsky.social @unamccormack.bsky.social open.spotify.com/episode/0sc5...

Home grown on my 3rd floor flat window ledge. Not too shabby.

Thank you so much to everyone who came along to @waterstonesargyle.bsky.social last night, and especially to @annabelcwrites.bsky.social @cameronjohnston.bsky.social and @megintransition.bsky.social. I look forward to hearing what you all think about The Damned King.

Great book launch last night for @justinleeanderson.com The Damned King, with @annabelcwrites.bsky.social and @cameronjohnston.bsky.social hosted by @megintransition.bsky.social - free flowing & joyful conversation between friends. Thank you @waterstonesargyle.bsky.social !

The Joy of the Epic at Waterstones Glasgow where (l-r) @cameronjohnston.bsky.social , @annabelcwrites.bsky.social , @justinleeanderson.com talk to @megintransition.bsky.social to celebrate the launch of Justin's third book in this series, The Damned King. And a damned fine bunch they are!

Epic book chat tonight. @justinleeanderson.com launching his new one, The Damned King, with @annabelcwrites.bsky.social and @cameronjohnston.bsky.social. And the magical @megintransition.bsky.social asking the Big Questions. Love these events. Thank you @waterstonesargyle.bsky.social !

This is tomorrow, friends! I’m really looking forward to chatting all things epic and fantastic with these wonderful people! Both Justin and Cameron’s books are ridiculously good, so come and be tempted into buying your next favourite read. 👀

LAcon V is just about a year away, and we're still looking to fill a few volunteer positions. Check our previous posts for some specific roles we're looking to fill, or read on.

As of 2025, @naomikritzer.bsky.social has joined an exclusive club of only 21 authors who have earned at least four Hugo Awards in the prose categories (novel, novella, novelette, short story, or series). It's the same number of wins that Heinlein managed.

(7/7) We regret that we didn’t examine our use of this iconography and language. We will do better. We appreciate the members of our community who have held us to the standards this community deserves. Thank you. We will continue to listen and improve.

(6/7) The leadership of this convention recognizes and abhors the violence and horror that were perpetrated by white settlers and colonizers against Indigenous peoples throughout the Americas, and that experience is commonly erased in American culture.

(5/7) Unfortunately, some of the iconography and language we chose did not accurately reflect that, and instead served to imply that the convention would be a celebration of Westward Expansion. This was never our intention but was obvious when pointed out.