Westercon 75 Canceled

Arlene Busby, chair of Westercon 75, has announced that Westercon 75 is canceled.

The Westercon 75 staff and I regret that we cannot fulfill our plans to hold the event which had been scheduled for June 30 – July 3, 2023, in Anaheim, CA. It saddens us to do this, but a cascade of circumstances won’t allow it to happen.

Instead, Loscon 49, scheduled for November 24-26, 2023, at the ...Read More

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Boskone 60

Boskone 60 was held February 17-19, 2023 in Boston MA at the Westin Boston Sea­port. Nalo Hopkinson was the guest of honor, Victo Ngai was the official artist, Tui T. Sutherland was the special guest, Dave Clement was the musical guest, and astronaut Jeanette J. Epps, PhD, was the science speaker. There were around 1,400 registrations, 370 virtual, with 963 warm bodies on site. Attendees came in from nine countries ...Read More

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Bond Elected 2023 TAFF Delegate

Sandra Bond was elected the delegate for the 2023 Trans-Atlantic Fan Fund (TAFF) “for the 2023 TAFF trip from Europe to North America, with itineraries to be announced but presumed to include Pemmi-Con, the 2023 NASFiC in Winnipeg.”

TAFF “was created in 1953 for the purpose of providing funds to bring well-known and popular [science fiction] fans familiar to those on both sides of the ocean across the Atlantic. Since ...Read More

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Belfast Wins Eastercon Bid

Belfast, Northern Ireland won their bid to host the 2025 British National Science Fiction Convention (Eastercon), in voting held at Eastercon 2023. The convention will take place April 18-21, 2025 at the Belfast International Conference Centre.

Guests of honor will include Lauren Beukes, Derek Landy, Rebecca Roanhorse, Ian McDonald, Jeannette Ng, and Will Simpson.

An adult weekend membership is £60 until the end of May. For more information, see their ...Read More

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Platz Named Nebula Awards Toastmaster

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA) has announced that performer and designer Cheryl Platz will be toastmaster at the 58th Annual Nebula Awards to be presented May 14, 2023 in Anaheim CA. SFWA President Jeffe Kennedy said, “We are proud to welcome Cheryl Platz as our 2023 Toastmaster. Platz shares our love of game writing and exploring new worlds — from the page to the movie screen and ...Read More

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2023 Sturgeon Symposium

The Gunn Center for the Study of Science Fiction has announced the second annual Sturgeon Symposium, to be held September 28-30, 2023 at the University of Kansas in Lawrence KS.

The Symposium is “celebrating the 30th anniversary of Octavia Butler’s groundbreaking novel, The Parable of the Sower. As KU’s choice for the 2023 Common Book program, this novel is a powerful inspiration for our Symposium’s theme, ‘Fantastic Worlds, Fraught ...Read More

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Indian Virtual SF Conference

The Indian Association for Science Fiction Studies (IASFS) has opened registration for their virtual 22nd Annual/7th International Science Fiction Conference, to be held April 4-5, 2023. Attendees must register by March 12, 2023. Events will be held over Zoom, and will include pre-recorded presentations, live panel discussions, and other events. The conference also welcomes submissions for papers:

The Theme: Any aspect of science fiction. However, the wide range of the ...Read More

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World Conventions News

A petition has been launched at AVAAZ.org calling on “the Board of Worldcon 2023” to “rescind the status of guest of honour from Sergei Lukyanenko.” Lukyanenko was announced as one of three guests of honor for the 81st World Science Fiction Convention scheduled to be held August 16-20, 2023 in Chengdu, China. The petition objects to Lukyanenko’s support of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. As of press time, the digital ...Read More

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Octavia E. Butler Awards and NBWC Symposium

Author and editor Sheree Renée Thomas and writer Jewell Parker Rhodes are the recipients of this year’s Octavia E. Butler Awards, presented by the Center for Black Literature at Medgar Evers College, CUNY.

They will be honored at the National Black Writers Biennial Conference, to be held March 31 – April 1, 2023 at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn NY. The event is focused on “DIASPORIC VISIONS: A CELEBRATION OF ...Read More

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2023 World Fantasy Awards Judges Announced

The judges for the 2023 World Fantasy Awards have been empaneled.

The judges will read and consider eligible materials from 2022 between now and June 1, 2023. To be considered for awards, all materials must be received by all five judges and Peter Dennis Pautz by June 1, 2023. “If… something is received on May 31 the judges may well have only one day to read it before their deliberations

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Chengdu Worldcon Delay and Venue Change

Chengdu Worldcon 2023, the 81st World Science Fiction Convention, to be held in Chengdu, China, has announced a delay and a new convention hotel and venue:

Chengdu Worldcon 2023… will be held on October 18-22, 2023 (5 days in total), at the Chengdu Science Fiction Museum in Jingrong Lake, Pidu District, Chengdu. Sheraton Chengdu Pidu and Wyndham Grand Chengdu will be the new convention headquarter hotels for the accommodation.

The ...Read More

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Nebula Conference Registration Opens

SFWA has opened registration for the 2023 Nebula Conference and Award Ceremony, to be held May 12–14, 2023, both online and in-person at the Sheraton Park Hotel at the Anaheim Resort in Anaheim CA.

Registrations may be purchased at this link. Registration for the online portion of the conference is $150.00 and includes access to broadcasts of the weekend’s panels and the subsequent archive, mentorship opportunities, the Nebula Awards ...Read More

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Petition for Chengdu to Drop Lukyanenko

A petition has been launched on site AVAAZ.org calling on “the Board of Worldcon 2023” to “rescind the status of guest of honour from Sergei Lukyanenko….” Lukyanenko was announced as one of three guests of honor for the 81st World Science Fiction Convention scheduled to be held August 16-20, 2023 in Chengdu, China. The petition objects to Lukyanenko’s support of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. As of this writing, the ...Read More

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2023 TAFF Candidates

Sandra Bond and Mikolaj Kowalewski are the two candidates for the 2023 Trans-Atlantic Fan Fund (TAFF) “for the 2023 TAFF trip from Europe to North America, with itineraries to be announced but presumed to include Pemmi-Con, the 2023 NASFIC in Winnipeg.”

TAFF “was created in 1953 for the purpose of providing funds to bring well-known and popular [science fiction] fans familiar to those on both sides of the ocean across ...Read More

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2022 World Fantasy Convention Report

The 48th World Fantasy Convention was held as a hybrid event November 3-6, 2022, with the Hyatt Regency hosting the in-person portion in New Orleans, that destination Louisiana city so renowned for its cuisine, music, and atmosphere. Guests of honor were Ginjer Buchanan, Victor LaValle, and Jo Walton, with Iris Compiet as artist guest of honor, Andrei Codrescu and Brandon O’Brien as special guests, Nisi Shawl as featured guest, plus ...Read More

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Can*Con 2022

Can*Con 2022 was held October 14-16 at the Sheraton Hotel in Ottawa, Canada. There were 276 registered memberships; 194 members were in attendance, and 54 attended virtually. Guests of Honour were E.D.E. Bell, Nathan Caro Fréchette, and Suyi Davies Okungbowa, plus virtual guests C.L. Clark and Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki.

In-person programming featured 84 panelists at over 60 sessions, discussing science, writing, literature, and more, such as ‘‘Disease and Medicine: How ...Read More

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ICon: Tel Aviv 2022

This year’s ICon was the first major convention held in Israel with no COVID restrictions in force since the pandemic began, so it’s not surprising that it was themed “Awakening” – and it did indeed feel like things are back to what they used to be.

Browsing the program on the ICon website was a familiar experience, meaning that you had to open the browser window across the whole monitor ...Read More

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Summer Workshops

Taos Toolbox

The Taos Toolbox master class in writing science fiction and fantasy, delayed for two years by COVID-19, took place June 12-25, 2022. Because its normal site at Angel Fire NM was under threat by a massive forest fire, the workshop was moved to the Sonesta ES in Albuquerque. Taos Toolbox hopes to return to Angel Fire next year.

Launch Pad

The 2022 Launch Pad Astronomy Workshop for Writers ...Read More

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Pemmi-Con Announces First Nations Travel Fund

Pemmi-Con, the 15th North American Science Fiction Convention, has announced the First Nations Travel Fund.

The announcement says:

Pemmi-Con has committed to reserve 10% of their Adult Attending memberships, or CAD $4,000, whichever is greater, to assist indigenous science fiction and fantasy fans to travel to Winnipeg to attend Pemmi-Con.  This fund will be under the direction of indigenous groups who will contact Pemmi-Con to request funds for individuals whom ...Read More

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Swecon

For reasons of epidemiological microbiol­ogy there were no 2022 Swecon bids, but the minicon Ökon was happening anyway on August 13-14, 2022 and was upgraded to be the 2022 Swecon. Due to (partial) double booking, Ökon 3 had to move to the same site as last year’s Swecon, an old diesel workshop (Dieselverkstan) turned into an event venue just east of Stockholm. Friday had an informal warm-up in the Tolkien ...Read More

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Complete 2022 Hugo Voting

Chicon 8, the 80th World Science Fiction Convention, received 2,235 valid ballots (2,230 electronic, five paper), down from 2,362 at DisCon III, Worldcon 79. There were 1,368 valid nominating ballots (1,366 electronic, two paper), up from 1,249.

The procedure for counting nominations remains the ‘‘E Pluribus Hugo’’, or EPH, sys­tem. The rather complicated point system gives a single point to each voter’s ballot, dividing that point among the nominees. The ...Read More

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Photo Story: SerlingFest

The sixth annual SerlingFest was held August 12-14, 2022 in Bing­hamton NY, hosted by the Rod Serling Memorial Foundation to celebrate the life and work of the Twi­light Zone creator. Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo announced that the Foundation will received a grant of $50,000 to create and install a statue of Serling in Binghamton’s Recreation Park, to be unveiled in summer 2023. Guests included Serling’s daughter Anne, author Marc Scott Zicree, ...Read More

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Chicon 8 Report and 2022 WSFS Business Meeting

Chicon 8, the 80th World Science Fiction Convention, took place September 1-15, 2022 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago in Chicago IL. Guests of honor were Steven Barnes, Tananarive Due, and Erle Korshak (posthumous), with special guests Eve L. Ewing, Gene Ha, and Eric Wilkerson, plus fan guests of honor Edie Stern & Joe Siclari. There were 3,574 in-person warm bodies and 1,150 virtual members (whose memberships overlap with in-person attendees), ...Read More

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World Fantasy 2023 Guests of Honor

The 2023 World Fantasy Convention has announced Kij Johnson as author guest of honor, Vincent Villafranca and Elizabeth Legget as artist guests of honor, and Jonathan Strahan as editor guest of honor.

The convention will be held October 26-29, 2023 in Kansas City KS at the Sheraton Crown Center.

For more information, see the convention website.

While you are here, please take a moment to support Locus with a one-time ...Read More

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StokerCon 2023 Guests of Honor

StokerCon 2023 has announced new Guests of Honor joining the previously announced guests. Owl Goingback, Jewelle Gomez, and Alma Katsu will all be joining Stokercon as Guests of Honor, June 15-18, 2023 at the Sheraton Pittsburgh Hotel at Station Square in Pittsburgh PA.

For more information, see the official website.

While you are here, please take a moment to support Locus with a one-time or recurring donation. We rely on ...Read More

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NASFiC 2023 Site Selection

Winnipeg in 2023 has won the bid to host the next North American Science Fiction Convention (NASFiC). Pemmi-con 2023, the 15th NASFiC, will be held July 20-23, 2023 at the Delta Hotels Winnipeg and the RBC Convention Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Winnipeg ran unopposed after the Orlando FL bid withdrew in August.

Confirmed guests of honor include Julie Czerneda, Waubgeshig Rice, and Nisi Shawl, John Mansfield, Philip John Currie, ...Read More

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Worldcon 2024 Site Selection: Glasgow

Glasgow 2024 won the bid to host the 2024 Worldcon. The 82 World Science Fiction Convention will be held August 8-12, 2024 in Glasgow, Scotland.

Guests of honor announced so far include Chris Baker, Claire Brialey & Mark Plummer, Ken MacLeod, Nnedi Okorafor, and Terri Windling.

For more, see the Glasgow 2024 website.

While you are here, please take a moment to support Locus with a one-time or recurring donation. ...Read More

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Imaginales Festival Controversy

Imaginales, a major annual fantasy festival held in Epinal, France, has been embroiled in controversy recently. Founder and artistic director Stéphanie Nicot, who has worked on Ima­ginales since its founding 20 years ago, was removed from her position. Nicot’s firing set off a wave of resignations and withdrawals from the festival.

Authors Aliette de Bodard, Ellen Kushner, and Robin Hobb have all posted in support of Ni­cot, and withdrawn their ...Read More

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Ekpeki Will Attend Worldcon

Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki, a multiple Hugo Award finalist this year, has been granted a visa to attend Chicon 8.

As we reported earlier, the Nigerian editor and author was previously denied a visa. He posted this update on Facebook:

Visa got approved. Turns out there was a #VisaForEkpeki . And I’ll going to Chicon 8 – Chicago Worldcon 2022 #Chicon8. It’ll be my 1st international trip. First time flying in
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Ekpeki Denied Visa for Worldcon

Nigerian editor and author Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki, a multiple Hugo Award finalist this year, has been denied a visa by the US and will not be able to attend Chicon 8. He explained the situation in a post on Facebook:

Why I won’t be attending Chicon 8 – Chicago Worldcon 2022. I can’t. Got denied visa to the Worldcon by U.S. Mission Nigeria today. & it’s not the denial that’s ...Read More

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Chicon 8: Tamora’s Legends

Chicon 8 has partnered with author Tamora Pierce to bring children and teenagers to Worldcon in a program called Tamora’s Legends:

Ms. Pierce is sponsoring VIP ACCESS for 20 kids and teens ages 10-17 to Chicon 8: The 80th World Science Fiction Convention for the weekend of September 3rd-4th 2022! Half the sponsored VIPs will be chosen from a local Chicago community organization, and half via online application and lottery. ...Read More

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Baycon 2022

BayCon 2022 was held July 1-4 in person at the San Mateo Marriott San Francisco Airport. Steven Barnes, Galen Dara, and Jean Batt were guests of honor; Tananarive Due was a featured guest and Bonnie Gordon was toast­master. Over 700 memberships were sold, including 17 VIP memberships, with ~400-500 warm bodies. Programming offered 160 genre panels, 213 items total including gaming, maker’s workshops, and more. Panels covered topics such as ...Read More

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