If you are in the UK in June and you love speculative fiction, then this is a convention you might want to attend. The programme is rich in events and speakers (Ken MacLeod, Richard K. Morgan, Adrian Tchaikovsky, V.E. Schwab, and many, many others) and spans over three days.
You can get a look at the full programme on the official website, where you will also be able to book the single events/ workshops of interest. There is also a dealer room and a writer competition.
Here’s what the Bookseller said about the festival. “The festival’s founder is Ann Landmann, a former events manager for Blackwell’s book shop in Edinburgh, who told The Herald she wanted to throw a spotlight on “three often overlooked but hugely popular genres” and to “break down the boundaries between genre writing and general fiction”. “By modelling it on existing book festivals, we aim to put genre writing on an equal footing with literary fiction,” she said. “We want to connect readers with some of their favourite authors, and introduce them to the writing stars of the future. The festival is keen to attract more national and international authors and to “discover, nurture and showcase local writers”. It has also formed a partnership with the MLitt Department at Glasgow University and the Creative Writing MA programme at Edinburgh Napier University.”
I will be onsite for the whole weekend, so if you happen to be in town, just get in touch!