My throat is raw from coughing all night and I want to vomit.
I’m miffed. I made a dress for the Banquet and Awards. I was going to a panel about Discworld.
I’m not going to be able to see my friends before we all leave Brighton.
I want to vomit. Have I mentioned that?
I’m going to watch the World Fantasy Awards on the internet and hope the technology is working.
Now I’ve finished writing up my despatches I’m going back to bed to sulk.
Update:
I had a nap then woke up in time to watch the World Fantasy Awards on the stream.
Best Novel – The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett (Del Rey; Hodderscape)
Best Novella – Yoke of Stars, by R.B. Lemberg (Tachyon)
Best Short Fiction – “Raptor”, Maura McHugh (Heartwood: A Mythago Wood Anthology)
Best Anthology – Heartwood, Dan Coxon, ed. (Drugstore Indian)
Best Collection – A Sunny Place for Shady People, by Mariana Enríquez, translated by Megan McDowell (Hogarth US; Granta)
Best Artist – Liv Rainey-Smith
Special Award – Professional – Sydney Paige Guerrero, Gabriela Lee & Anna Felicia Sanchez, for Mapping New Stars: A Sourcebook on Philippine Speculative Fiction (The University of the Philippines Press)
Special Award – Non-Professional – Steve J Shaw, for Black Shuck Books
I woke up feeling off so I had a steady morning and made my appearance at the con hotel in time for my second panel – Queer in Fantasy at noon. It was supposed to be streamed but staffing changes prevented it. Sian took another picture of me. I’m pointing at the book on the table, it’s I Want That Twink Obliterated from Bona Books. I was expressing my excitement.
Chris McCartney, Katie Bruce, and Christopher Caldwell were also on the panel, which was moderated by Burdock Broughton, who writes as April Steenburgh. I was beginning to feel unwell so I didn’t have much helpful to add. I mainly listened to everyone else and asked for a list of the books they’d all recommended. People have said that I made good comments but I have my doubts. I was overwhelmed and had brain fog for most of it.
After this panel I went to the quieter area and did some embroidery. I also made a quick visit to the dealer’s room to buy a book from AK Faulkner, Blind Man’s Wolf, and then planned to head to the ‘Creative Lives’ panel, but I got into the room and the bright lights were too painful, so I sat in the dark corridor, ate my sandwich and read Blind Man’s Wolf.
I attending the only reading I’ve been to this con, by Stephen Cox and AK Faulkner. Stephen Cox read from his Sapphic Victorian murder mystery, The Crooked Medium’s Guide to Murder, while AK read from Jack of Thorns and Blind Man’s Wolf.
After that I attended the ‘The Role of Reviewers’ panel in the same room. As a reviewer I was interested in how others saw their role, and also I didn’t need to more from the sofa I’d taken up residence on. Then I moved on to the Academic Hour, and listened to early career researchers talk about their research. The talk about Romanian folklore in fantasy was particularly interesting.
At six in the evening my throat started to feel scratchy, and I coughed my way through the ‘Editing and Editors’ panel. Luckily I was at the back and out of the way so I don’t think I bothered anyone. It was interesting, but by this point I was not able to take a lot in. I learnt that editors generally want the best for the writers and there is tension when they work for publishers because they have to balance the demands of publishing as an industry with the needs of the writers they work with.
At 7 p.m. it was the charity raffle. This is a Fantasycon tradition and stalwart Red Cloaks Babs and Marleen came through once again. They announced the ‘big prizes’ and were drawing the smaller prizes afterwards. I didn’t win anything.
Finally, at 7.30p.m. I made it up to the main room for the British Fantasy Awards. The awards were streamed although there were some technical difficulties.
This is a new award, organised in partnership with the BFS, BSFA, and UKIE to recognise excellence in World Building in Speculative Fiction, whether in books or games. It was presented by Brian Aldiss’ son, Tim.
The BFS awards were compared by Joanne Harris after Tim and Allen finished talking. I’m going to share the results, which are now available on the BFS website.
I judged this one so I already knew the winner. It was actually the first award to be presented after the Aldiss Award, but I’m working through a pre-printed list. The award was presented by Anne Landmann and collected by the author.
This award was presented by the venerable Suniti Namjoshi, a Guest of Honour at the Convention. It was collected by someone I vaguely recognise but I don’t know their name.
Presented by BFS Chair and excellent author, who’s new book I will be reviewing 6th December, Shona Kinsella. Award collected by editor, Ian Whates.
Best Newcomer – Frances White – Voyage of the Damned – Penguin Michael Joseph
Award presented by Taika Bellamy and collected by the author. I reviewed Voyage of the Damned and enjoyed it, but after listening to the Christophers at the Queer in Fantasy panel I’m wondering about the validity of m/m romance written by women. Who is the target audience?
This was presented by Ian Whates and collected by a representative.
BFS Art Competition
Sophie Jonas Will – Snicket and the Fireflies
Madelina Gaubelonga – The Long Wait
Carlie AF – Lonely Spire
The announcement was made by Jenni Coutts and the artists will have their work printed in the Autumn 2026 issue of Horizons, the BFS periodical.
BFS Short Story Competition
Mull, by J.W. Anderson
The Sphinx, by Marian Gordon
Iterate, by Nathaniel Spain
The announcement was made by Stephen Poore and the winners will have their stories published in BFS Horizons.
The Karl E Wagner Award – Rosemary Pardoe
This award is presented for outstanding contributions to the genre, and this year’s winner was a founder member of the BFS. Shona Kinsella made the announcement.
Legends of Fantasycon – Marlene and Babs the Red Cloaks.
This award is presented to people who make Fantasycon what it is – a joyous celebration of Fantasy. The award was announced by Karen Fishwick and eventually accepted by Babs and Marlene after they’d got a pint at the bar.
After the awards I had a drink with a group of friends and headed back to my hotel because I felt unwell.
Today I was on my first panel, The Way We’re Wired, about neurodivergence in fantasy. The moderator was David Green, and the other two panellists were Janet Forbes from World Anvil and indie writer Roxan Burley.
I was supported by a few people I know, and my friend Sian, deputy chair of the BFS, took a picture for me to commemorate my first panel.
Before this panel, I attended another panel, Mapping in Fantasy. The moderator was Adrian M Gibson and the panellists were Alicia Wanstall-Burke, James Logan, and Joy Sanchez-Taylor.
Joy Sanchez-Taylor is an academic from CUNY, James Logan is trad published, and Alicia Wanstall-Burke is indie published.
I have James Logan’s book The Silverblood Promise and I’ve bought all three of Alicia’s books based on the description of the maps. I really want one of Joy Sanchez-Taylor’s books, but academic books are expensive.
I made extensive notes on the conversation, so this is a bit of a summary.
The panel discussed their relationships to maps, expressing childhood memories of travelling with paper maps and learning to read them. For Alicia, maps also help her to write as they allow her to visualise a space and the way it effects the story. They discussed how the choices made on the presentation of a map can tell the reader something about the world. Joy Sanchez-Taylor especially emphasized the way reorientating the world can express and explore new ways of thinking.
The panel went on to discuss whether or not a fantasy needs a map. James Logan expressed that although he has maps of his world they aren’t included in his books because he likes to keep things malleable, so that he can move cities around if he needs to, giving him more options for the future. Alicia Wanstall-Burke brought up the question of who owns the map? A map might be a symbol of power or it might be a tool to navigate a territory and be subject to change as the land changes. James Logan, from his perspective as an editor in a major publishing house, expressed that it can be expensive to commission an artist and a cartographer, so changing the map for the next book in a series is not going to happen. Joy Sanchez-Taylor mentioned the importance of maps for visual learners and discussed the pressure on authors to have a defined map, but that they can have known and unknown areas so that the story world can expand.
Next, the discussion moved on to how the layout of the world affects the story. Alicia Wanstall-Burke discussed how the world can provide barriers to technology, information, and culture, and when cultures separated by the physical barriers meet, there can be conflict, and that can drive the story. James Logan likes to keep the world fresh for himself and for readers, so he sets each story in a different city, providing a sense of scale. They went on to discuss the way maps change perspective and the commissioning process.
I also attended the ‘Here be Dragons in Fantasy Fiction’ panel, (moderator: Charlotte Bond; panellists: Aliette de Bodard, Michael R Miller, Andrew Knighton). It was fun listening to other people who love dragons as much as I do, and I’ve got two of Aliette de Bodard’s books in my Amazon basket now, because Dragons and their murder husbands…
I attended Stewart Hotston’s book launch, and got myself a signed copy of Project Hanuman.
In the evening I attended the Disability in SFF panel, moderated by Annie Summerlee, with panellists Lizzie Alderdice, Susie Williamson, Katie Bruce and Kit Whitfield. I know Katie Bruce and Kit Whitfield and wanted to support them, as well as being interested in what they had to say. The panel was streamed and is on the member’s area of the WFC 2025 website if you didn’t get to see it.
After that, I attended the Flame Tree book launch. We got a lovely speech from Lee Murrey, a hilarious one from Ramsey Campbell, and an amazing reading from Anna Smith Spark. I treated myself to a stack of books from Flame Tree yesterday, but I was tempted buy more today.
After the launch I spent several hours chatting and drinking with friends and new acquaintances, until we got chucked out of the con bar and went down to the hotel bar, until I left at 1 a.m. We’ve overwhelmed the hotel slightly, I don’t think they realised how much SFFH people like to drink.
I wasn’t planning to buy anything today, but I gave in and spent lots of pennies visiting the FlameTree Press table, the Wizard’s Tower table, and the Portal Bookshop table, as well as a couple of indie author tables
I have pretty much spent half my book budget and may need to reduce it further to get a suitcase to take them home in.
I’ve treated myself to three notebooks from FlameTree, some teas from the Bird & Blend shop, and a pocket watch from a jewellery maker.
I definitely need a waistcoat now.
I’m having a break in hotel room. I’ll go back to the con about half four for the 5pm workshop I’ve signed up for. Until then I’m resting amd writing.
I’m in Brighton for World Fantasy Convention 2025. I arrived yesterday. It’s raining. I found dragons after visiting Brighton Gallery and Museum and the Pavilion gift shop. I’m planning to visit the Pavilion itself on Monday if I have the energy.
This morning I used the hotel swimming pool, hot tub, and hydrotherapy pool. Then I had a continental breakfast, before heading out. I eventually had lunch at the Shelter Hall, which wasn’t too bad. Expensive, but everything in Brighton seems to be expensive. I’m definitely going to have the flatbread thing I had today again.
I’ve been writing since I got back, typing up and sharing the next bit of my space dragon story. There should be more later in the week. I’ve got a quiet morning planned tomorrow, before I go to the con hotel for registration and visit the dealers hall.
There’s a BFS meet-up in the con hotel bar this evening, which I plan to attend, but until then, I’m going to rest. I need a nap. Badly.
It’s about half six on Sunday afternoon. The last panel ended almost three hours ago. I’ve had a nap and finally have some time to write about my experience of FantasyCon 2024.
Bit of back story. A group of authors in Northern England and Scotland got sick of all the literary events being in London and decided to organise their own it Leeds. They arranged it with Waterstones and called the event ‘It’s Strange Up North’. 18 authors agreed to attend and the notifications went out.
I happen to be on the British Fantasy Society discord and heard about it, since one of the organisers was in the Yorkshire & Humber channel on the BFS Discord. I bought my ticket ASAP and waited. I had planned to go to Leeds for the entire weekend, but hotels are ridiculously expensive. It is my birthday weekend, or at least it’s the weekend closest to my birthday, so theoretically I could have had a whole weekend away but the cat didn’t agree.
Yesterday, I travelled to Leeds by train, went to Hold Fast Books after a ride on the water taxi, then meandered around the Armouries shop, and bought a dragon, got another water taxi back to the Granary Dock and made my way through the station and up Albion Street, stopping in for a pizza and pavlova at The New Conservatory in Albion Place, before heading just a bit further up Albion Street, to Waterstones.
It was packed! They sold out the event! It was catered. Or more precisely, the organisers had gone out and bought party food and told everyone to eat up because they didn’t want it to go to waste. I struggled, honestly. I wasn’t too fussed by the food, and there were too many people corralled into too small an area until the shop shut at 6.30pm. Once it shut, we spread out and took over all three floors.
I met Laura Lam, author of Dragonfall, Goldilocks, and several other books. I bought the paperback of Dragonfall and Laura signed it for me. We had a chat about random things, like epidermoid cysts, and the publishing industry.
I met Sunyi Dean, and her dog. She signed a paperback copy of The Bookeaters for me.
I met Stephan Aryan and got an early copy of The Blood Dimmed Tide. He signed it for me. Stephan Aryan is very tall. I got the first book in this duology, The Judas Blossom, last year at FantasyCon, and he signed that one there. I’m actually going to read both of them at some point.
I bought a copy of The Bone Ships, by R.J. Barker. He was supposed to be there but couldn’t, so sent signed book plates.
I met Charlotte Bond and got a copy of her debut novella, The Fireborne Blade. She was handing out sweets and bookmarks, so I’m not complaining. I read the book on my way home last night and a review will follow shortly.
I met Sarah Brooks, who signed a copy of The Cautions Traveller’s Guide to the Wastelands, her debut. It isn’t supposed to be out yet.
I picked up a copy of Ascension from Nicholas Binge. I think it’s the only sci-fi I bought.
And finally, Snowblooded, by Emma Sterner-Radley, a fantasy set in 19th century Sweden.
I have book marks for some of them, and in the goody bag I received an ARC of We Are All Ghosts In The Forest, by Lorraine Wilson and a pin badge for Snowblooded.
There are pictures on my Instagram.
P.S. Did you know the Royal Armouries shop has dragons!?
I bought a Suki brand dragon called Thunder. He is cute and has joined the dragons of my dragon shelf.
Seriously, it’s been an adventure getting to my hotel. Got to Heathrow just fine, except for accidentally getting on the wrong train at Paddington station, getting off the train and getting lost finding the Heathrow Express. I did get to help from station staff, who were very kind when I lost speech. That was fun! Going non-speaking in the middle of London is not great but I survived. Had my sunflower 🌻 lanyard on so I could ask for help.
I struggled to find my bus, found a bus, got off the bus at the right stop but thought it was the wrong stop and walked the best part of a mile to the wrong hotel. There are two Radisson Hotel and Conference centres on Bath Road, apparently. I ended up at the blu, when I should have been at the red. It’s very confusing and the staff at the Radisson Hotel Blu had to call me an Uber back to the Radisson Hotel Red, which cost me a tenner. London prices are ridiculous.
Finally got here at 4pm and got checked in. By 5pm I was in the pool, obviously. Spent an hour in the pool and came back to my room for a second shower. The complementary toiletries aren’t very good, my hair felt striped after I showered in the pool changing room. There’s a reason I always bring my own toiletries and I’ve brought my own towels too. Hotel towels are never big enough.
The changing room does have this nifty machine that dries you swimming kit off a bit. I liked that.
Now I’m going down to the restaurant for my tea. I’m so hungry! I haven’t had a proper meal yet today.
Everything Is Better With Dragons 