October is very convention-heavy, and the programme assignments are starting to come in. On Sunday 12th I will be attending Octocon (virtually). Here’s what I will be up to:

11:30 – Historical Myths and How to (Not) Use Them

When writing a story based on a myth or legend or on ‘true’ history, how do you resist the temptation to pull it forward to the current day in the hope of making it new and fresh? And when you do want to set your story in its original time period, how do you make it your own while keeping it relevant and interesting for a modern audience, at the same time as staying true to the source?

With Jean Bürlesk (moderator), Finn McLellan and Gillian Polack

16:00 – Small Press, Big Books!

Often the most beloved and most surprising works come from small press publishers. These are the folks who bring forth unique books in some of the hardest to find subgenres. Join us as we celebrate the tiny mighty publishers of the world.

With Francesca T Barbini, Catherine Sharp (moderator), Khan Wong and Jo Zebedee

Online memberships for Octocon are still available at a mere €20. Full details here.