A symposium on the 8th of May:
Speaker(s): Neal Stephenson, John Clute, Dr Roger Luckhurst, Andy Sawyer, Dr Martin Willis, Professor Tim Connell
Date/Time: 08/05/2008, 13:30–17:30
Venue: Royal College of Surgeons, Lincoln’s InnThe programme will be:
13.30 — Introduction (Professor Tim Connell, Fellow of Gresham College)
13.40 — ‘The Fork: Science Fiction versus Mundane Culture’ (Neal Stephenson)
14.20 — ‘The overlap between Science Fiction and other genres’ (Andy Sawyer, Librarian of the Science Fiction Foundation Collection, The University of Liverpool)
15.00 — ‘Horror motifs’ (John Clute, Editor of The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction)
15.40 — Break
15.50 — ‘Science Fiction in the Nineteenth Century’ (Dr Martin Willis, University of Glamorgan)
16.30 — ‘Modern British Science Fiction’ (Dr Roger Luckhurst, Birkbeck, University of London)
17.10 — Summary (Professor Tim Connell, Fellow of Gresham College)Followed by a drinks reception until 6.30pm.
It’s a Thursday, but as Liz nearly put it, that lineup is worth a day off, so Nic and I have signed up for tickets (which are free, but need to be reserved). Anyone else interested?
vector-bsfa.com 
nice title.
I’m there :-)
I will go I think, assuming the book is on track.
I think I’ll be submitting a leave request this afternoon …
Ooh and oooh. The chance to see 40 minutes of Neal Stephenson has made me feel dizzy.
It’s very tempting indeed, but I think I’m heading to ATP that same evening and so will have to give it a miss.
I admire anyone who will voluntarily spends a weekend at Pontins Camber Sands instead of watching Neal Stephenson.
OMG Shanu – I may be going to ATP also. I see no reason we cannot … [dramatic intake of breath] TOTALLY DO BOTH!
Liz – Pontins is actually a very funny place to spend the weekend when Jagermeister is a mere 50p a shot. The journey home is rarely quite so nice, though.
The journey home is always diabolical. It helps if you stop off in Dungeness to eat fish and chips and brood at the apocalyptic landscape. What could be a better aid to Monday morning coming down than Derek Jarman and a nuclear reactor? Appropriately science fictional too.
Tickets for Nic and me arrived today. Huzzah!
Me too! An actual paper invite and everything.
I HAZ AN INVITE