World Science Fiction Convention

We Egobooers are excited about Australia’s biggest SF event for a decade. For the first time since 1999, the World Science Fiction Convention is to be held in Australia!

From September 2-6, Melbourne will be awash with visitors from interstate and overseas, who will flood to the Melbourne Convention Centre to network, attend panels, talk, drink, play dressups and generally have and all round Good Time. There will be many noteworthy guests, including Guests of Honour Kim Stanley Robinson, Shaun Tan and Robin Johnson.

Kim Stanley Robinson from America, author of twenty books, has won the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus awards for his internationally bestselling novels. His work incorporates themes of ecology, environmentalism and social justice. In his Martian trilogy (Red Mars, Green Mars, and Blue Mars), the terraforming and colonization of Mars provide an exploration of sustainability, ethics, corporate greed, and the value of scientific pursuit.

Shaun Tan, an Australian writer and artist, is the author of five books and is an award winning illustrator. His numerous awards include the World Fantasy Award for Best Artist. His illustrations have been included in a number of exhibitions around the world, and he was a concept artist for the hit movies Horton Hears a Who and Pixar's Hugo-winning WALL-E.

Robin Johnson has worked tirelessly for many years to promote and organize science fiction conventions in Australia. He was chairperson of the 33rd Worldcon in 1975, the first Worldcon to be held in Melbourne. He has three times been co-chair for the Australian National Science Fiction Convention. In 2007, he was the winner of the Big Heart Award, the highest honour the science fiction community gives to one of its own.

Other guests of note will include Alan Baxter, Gregory Benford, Jenny Blackford, Russell Blackford, Trudi Canavan, Bill Congreve, Alison Croggon, Jack Dann, Ellen Datlow, Marianne de Pierres, Cory Doctorow, Kate Elliott, Jennifer Fallon, Dirk Flinthart, Bernadette Foley, Kate Forsyth, Dave Freer, Pamela Freeman, Laura E. Goodin, Tim Holman, Robert Hood, Ian Irvine, Trent Jamieson, Deborah Kalin, Ellen Kushner, Glenda Larke, Martin Livings, Juliet Marillier, George RR Martin, Sean McMullen, China Miéville, Karen Miller, Lara Morgan, Nicole Murphy, Garth Nix, Andrew Porter, Michael Pryor, Alastair Reynolds, Lezli Robyn, John Scalzi, Joel Shepherd, Robert Silverberg, Stephanie Smith, Cat Sparks, Jonathan Strahan, Charles Stross, Lucy Sussex, Kaaron Warren, Kim Wilkins and Sean Williams and many others.

These guests and many other authors, editors and agents from Australia and overseas will be featured on panels encompassing an array of topics drawn from the areas of young adult literature, science fiction, fantasy, horror, academic papers, TV shows, science, ecology, and other genre-related topics. Some items will feature more direct contact with industry professionals, such as kaffeeklatsches (small group gatherings with authors for a coffee and a chat), author readings, and signings.

It’s going to be fabulous. Go check it out at http://www.aussiecon4.org.au/