Novacon

[nwhyte]

Simply tremendous to get together with a lot of fen at Novacon this weekend, in the somewhat old-fashioned Palace Hotel in Buxton. I am a huge fan anyway of Guests of Honour Christopher Priest and Claire North, both of whom gave amusing speeches detailing their problems with the publishing industry; a surprise appearance from Booker Prize winner Bernardine Evaristo, whose husband has just published a science fiction novel; a recording of the Octothorpe podcast with Marguerite Smith standing in for absent Liz Batty; and much planning ahead for next year's Hugo administration and for the ever more energetic Glasgow 2024 Worldcon bid. And the delight of just hanging out in the many public seating areas with old friends, and even new friends. Many many thanks to the organisers for bringing us all back together.

Phryne the basset hound has decided that I am her friend. pic.twitter.com/5F4pq6XEOU
- 𝙉𝙞𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙖𝙨 𝙒𝙝𝙮𝙩𝙚 🇪🇺 🇧🇪 (@nwbrux) November 13, 2021

“I rather guiltily enjoyed lockdown. For fifty years I’ve been sitting in a room on my own, and all of a sudden it’s legal” - Christopher Priest pic.twitter.com/NZ1ut7iTm3
- 𝙉𝙞𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙖𝙨 𝙒𝙝𝙮𝙩𝙚 🇪🇺 🇧🇪 (@nwbrux) November 14, 2021

“The Sunday Times said that my book 84k was a comedy of manners about religion! It isn’t! There is no religion in it! And it isn’t funny!” @ClaireNorth42 pic.twitter.com/Xe23HNR4Po
- 𝙉𝙞𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙖𝙨 𝙒𝙝𝙮𝙩𝙚 🇪🇺 🇧🇪 (@nwbrux) November 14, 2021

(This last is the first of a thread.)

Recording of @OctothorpeCast with @BohemianCoast @JohnCoxon and guest @MargueriteS_IE standing in for @lizbatty at @Novacon50. pic.twitter.com/WjUtBE34fZ
- 𝙉𝙞𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙖𝙨 𝙒𝙝𝙮𝙩𝙚 🇪🇺 🇧🇪 (@nwbrux) November 14, 2021

Let's hope this is the first reunion of many.