In her guest post for Brewing Community last week, Leife Shallcross mentioned Conflux: Canberra’s annual convention for speculative fiction writers and fans. This year it is taking place from Friday 2 October until Monday 5 October, so it is just around the corner! The theme this year is Light, in line with the UN’s International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies. Special guests are Isobelle Carmody, author of the The Obernewtyn Chronicles, and Tehani Wessely of FableCroft Publishing.

I will be attending this year and am very much looking forward to making some new friends as well as catching up with some old ones.

Where to find me

I will be sitting on three panels. Exact details are subject to change.

Writing short reviews

When: Saturday, 3 October, 11 AM

Where: Clarke Room
Novotel Canberra
65 Northbourne Avenue, Canberra

I was in the audience for last year’s panel and found it really useful for my work here at the Earl Grey Editing blog. Hopefully this year I can return the favour!

 

Editing your own s**t

When: Sunday, 4 October, 11 AM

Where: Clarke Room

So you’ve got a first draft. Now you’ve gotta make it pretty. Where do you start? I’ll be moderating this panel. The exact line-up has yet to be confirmed, but looks like it will involve some highly talented writers and a couple of very experienced editors.

 

Creating virtual writing communities

When: Monday, 5 October, 1:30 PM

Where: Reid Room

Writing can be a lonely business, and we all know the value of being part of a community. How do you make a community work in situations where there are barriers to actually meeting up and hanging out in a physical location? This fits in nicely with my Brewing Community series.

 

If you have an interest in speculative fiction and can make it along, please stop by and say hi! I love getting to know new people. However, if Canberra is a little too far away for you or attending conventions is not your sort of thing, there’s no need for you to miss out entirely. I shall be posting a convention report once the excitement is over (and I’ve had the chance for a few restorative cups of tea).