P-CON III

Well, well, this is my 50th post - and frankly I'm amazed I've managed to post 50 days in a row ! There have been days when I've been preparing to sit down and write, and I've wondered what I was going to talk about until my fingers hit the keyboard... With so many books (and other Blogs) to read and so many other demands on my time outside of my writing, I wasn't convinced I would manage to post 5 times, let alone 50, but here I am...

Anyway, enough of that. I wanted to give notice of a Convention next spring which people might want to attend, if they can get to Dublin in mid-March. The Con is The Phoenix Convention, or P-CON for short, and it's a science fiction, fantasy, and horror convention, with an emphasis towards the literary ends of the genres. P-CON III, the third Phoenix Convention, will be taking place at the Ashling Hotel, Parkgate St, Dublin 8 on March 11 & 12, 2006. The guests include: Susanna Clarke (Guest of Honour and Hugo 2005 winner for Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell), Paul Cornell (author of numerous SF/F TV related books as well as some SF fiction, and a genuinely nice bloke), Diane Duane (author of the Young Wizards (TM) series, amongst others), Maggie Furey (whose intriguing 'Artefacts of Powers' series I'm almost half-way through reading), Paul Kearney Ian McDonald Juliet E McKenna (whose books I never seem to stop recommending to fantasy fans everywhere !), Colin Smythe (Terry Pratchett's first publisher and now his agent), and others.

Details on how to join and where to stay are available on the P-CON III website. I'm hoping to go myself, but attendance will depend on whether or not I can find better paid employment before then (or buying a winning Lotto ticket, and frankly, I might as well save the £1 a week and use that money towards the cost of attending !)