Tag: BSFA news

Fission

The BSFA publishes Vector (the critical journal), Focus (the magazine for writers), and The BSFA Review (reviews of the latest SFF). This year we’ll also launching something new: Fission, an anthology of original SFF.

Submit your short stories of up to 3,000 words to Allen Stroud at chair@bsfa.co.uk. This submission window closes 15 February 2021. The anthology will focus on science fiction; other than that, there are no particular constraints as to theme or style, so go wild!

Fission is something of an experiment: let’s see where it leads. The plan is to publish on an annual basis. Fission will also be a collaboration with Celsius 232: it will bring work of Spanish SFF writers to an Anglophone audience, and one story from the Fission anthology will be chosen to be translated into Spanish and published in Celsius.

Multiple submissions and simultaneous submissions are just fine, but please mention it in your email.

You don’t need to be a member of the BSFA to submit a story.

Submissions of reprints are also welcome.

Fission is not currently a paying market.

2015 BSFA Lecture

The 2015 BSFA Lecture at Dysprosium (the 2015 Eastercon) will be given by Dr Simon Trafford (Institute of Historical Research), and is entitled ‘“Runar munt þu finna”: why sing pop in dead languages?’ The lecture will be given at 5.30 pm on Saturday April 4th, in the Discovery room of the Park Inn, Heathrow. The lecture is open to any member of Dysprosium.

Simon Trafford is Lecturer in Medieval History and Research Training Officer at the University of London’s Institute of Historical Research. He specialises in the history and archaeology of the later Anglo-Saxon period in the north-east of England. He completed his undergraduate studies and his D.Phil. at the University of York, where his supervisor was Professor Edward James, who sf fans know as current Chair of the Science Fiction Foundation. Simon has a particular interest in the depiction of Vikings in popular culture. His talk for us develops this, with a special focus upon the use of dead ancient and medieval languages in pop and rock songs.

The BSFA Lecture is intended as a companion to the George Hay Lecture, which is presented at the Eastercon by the Science Fiction Foundation. Where the Hay Lecture invites scientists, the BSFA Lecture invites academics from the arts and humanities, because we recognise that science fiction fans aren’t only interested in science.  The lecturers are given a remit to speak “on a subject that is likely to be of interest to science fiction fans” – i.e. on whatever they want!  This is the eighth BSFA Lecture.

Frances Hardinge interview and panel now online

0330519735.02.LZZZZZZZEarlier this month Frances Hardinge was the BSFA’s guest at the AGM/Minicon jointly held with the Science Fiction Foundation. Transcripts of her interview with Tom Pollock and a panel item with Frances, Niall Harrison, Farah Mendlesohn and Virginia Preston are now online at Strange Horizons. Thanks to Niall and his SH team for arranging the transcription and hosting these, and thanks of course to Frances for being an excellent guest.

May BSFA London Meeting: Alex Dally MacFarlane and Tori Truslow Hosted by Tony Keen

Location: Upstairs, The Artillery Arms, 102 Bunhill Row, London, EC1Y 8ND

AlexDallyMacFarlane-headshotAlexDallyMacFarlane-headshot

On Wednesday 28th of May 2014, Alex Dally MacFarlane (writer, including a story in The Year’s Best Science Fiction & Fantasy: 2014 and more, editor and historian) and Tori Truslow (writer, editor, and the recipient of a special commendation from the James White Award) will be in discussion, hosted by Tony Keen.

 

ALL WELCOME – FREE ENTRY (Non-members welcome)

The interview will start at 7 pm. We have the room from 6 pm (and if early, fans are in the ground floor bar from 5ish).

There will be a raffle (£1 for five tickets), with a selection of sf novels as prizes.

Map is here.

FUTURE EVENTS:

Saturday 7th June 2014 – BSFA/SFF AGM, BSFA Guest of Honour Francis Hardinge, interviewed by Tom Pollock

25th June 2014 – Stephanie Saulter, interviewed by Kate Keen

30th July 2014* – Geoff Ryman, interviewed by Graham Sleight

Date and Location TBA August- Ian MacDonald interviewed by Tony Keen

* Please note that this event is taking place on the fifth Wednesday of the month.

April BSFA London Meeting: Lavie Tidhar interviewed by Edward James

Lavie Tidhar
Photo (c) 2012 Future Publishing (www.sfx.co.uk)

Location: The Cellar Bar, The Argyle Public House, 1 Greville Street (off Leather Lane), London EC1N 8PQ

On Wednesday 24th April 2013, Lavie Tidhar (author of the BSFA Award shortlisted Osama, and The Bookman Chronicles, and editor-in-chief of the BSFA Award-winning World SF Blog) will be interviewed by Edward James (Chair of the Science Fiction Foundation).

ALL WELCOME – FREE ENTRY (Non-members welcome)

The interview will start at 7 pm. We have the room from 6 pm (and if early, fans are in the ground floor bar from 5ish).

There will be a raffle (£1 for five tickets), with a selection of sf novels as prizes.

Map is here. Nearest Tube: Chancery Lane (Central Line).

FUTURE EVENTS:
22nd May 2013* – Janet Edwards;** interviewer TBC
26th June 2013 – Catherynne M. Valente, interviewed by Farah Mendlesohn
24th July 2013*  – Cory Doctorow, interviewed by Tom Hunter

* Note that this is a month with five Wednesdays. The meeting will be on the fourth, not the last, Wednesday of the month.

** Due to personal reasons, Aliette de Bodard is no longer able to attend.  We hope to invite her at a future date.

2013 BSFA Lecture at Eastercon

The 2013 BSFA Lecture at Eastercon will be given by Dr Louise Livesey (Ruskin College Oxford), and is entitled ‘A Highly Political Act: speech, silence, hearing and sexual violence′. The lecture will be given at 5.00 pm on Saturday March 30th, in the Main Programme Room of the Cedar Court Hotel, Bradford. The lecture is open to any member of Eastercon.

Dr Louise Livesey is Tutor in Sociology and Women’s Studies at Ruskin College Oxford.  She is an activist as well as an academic and works hard to bring the two activities together as much as possible.  Mostly recently she has been working on activist/academic engagement with Oxford Brookes University’s Tale of Two Cultures conferences and speaking at events as diverse as Slutwalk Oxford, Oxford Reclaim the Night  and One Billion Rising Oxford.  She is also a playwright, performer and former blogger at The F Word.

The BSFA Lecture is intended as a companion to the George Hay Lecture, which is presented at the Eastercon by the Science Fiction Foundation. Where the Hay Lecture invites scientists, the BSFA Lecture invites academics from the arts and humanities, because we recognise that science fiction fans aren’t only interested in science.  The lecturers are given a remit to speak “on a subject that is likely to be of interest to science fiction fans” – i.e. on whatever they want!  This is the fifth BSFA Lecture.

February BSFA London Meeting: Elizabeth Hand interviewed by Farah Mendlesohn

ImageLocation: The Cellar Bar, The Argyle Public House, 1 Greville Street (off Leather Lane), London EC1N 8PQ

On Wednesday 27th February 2013, Elizabeth Hand (author of, among others, Waking the Moon, Black Light, Mortal Love, and Radiant Days) will be interviewed by Farah Mendlesohn (Professor of Literary History at Anglia Ruskin University).

ALL WELCOME – FREE ENTRY (Non-members welcome)

The interview will start at 7 pm. We have the room from 6 pm (and if early, fans are in the ground floor bar from 5ish).

There will be a raffle (£1 for five tickets), with a selection of sf novels as prizes.

Map is here. Nearest Tube: Chancery Lane (Central Line).

FUTURE EVENTS:
20th March 2013* – BSFA Awards discussion
24th April 2013 – Lavie Tidhar; interviewer TBC
22nd May 2013** – Aliette de Bodard; interviewer TBC

* Note that due to the proximity of Easter to the fourth Wednesday of the month, this meeting will be held on the third Wednesday.

** Note that this is a month with five Wednesdays. The meeting will be on the fourth, not the last, Wednesday of the month.

January BSFA London Meeting: Dave Hutchinson interviewed by Ian Whates

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Location: The Cellar Bar, The Argyle Public House, 1 Greville Street (off Leather Lane), London EC1N 8PQ

On Wednesday 30th January 2013, Dave Hutchinson (writer, editor and journalist; author of The Villages, 2001, and The Push, 2009) will be interviewed by Ian Whates (chair of the BSFA).

Please note the change of date – this meeting is taking place on the fifth Wednesday.

ALL WELCOME – FREE ENTRY (Non-members welcome)

The interview will start at 7 pm. We have the room from 6 pm (and if early, fans are in the ground floor bar from 5ish).

There will be a raffle (£1 for five tickets), with a selection of sf novels as prizes.

Map is here. Nearest Tube: Chancery Lane (Central Line).

FUTURE EVENTS:
27th February 2013 – Elizabeth Hand, interviewed by Farah Mendlesohn
20th March 2013** – BSFA Awards discussion
24th April 2013 – Lavie Tidhar; interviewer TBC

* Note that this is a month with five Wednesdays. The meeting will be on the fourth, not the last, Wednesday of the month.
** Note that due to the proximity of Easter to the fourth Wednesday of the month, this meeting will be held on the third Wednesday.

2013 London BSFA meeting schedule

We’ve now got the details for the first six months of the 2013 programme for the BSFA London meetings, and it looks really strong to our eyes:

23rd January 2013* – Dave Hutchinson, interviewed by Ian Whates
27th February 2013 – Elizabeth Hand, interviewed by Farah Mendlesohn
20th March 2013** – BSFA Awards discussion
24th April 2013 – Lavie Tidhar – interviewer TBC
22nd May 2013* – Aliette de Bodard – interviewer TBC
26th June 2013 – Catherynne M. Valente – interviewer TBC

* Note that this is a month with five Wednesdays. The meeting will be on the fourth, not the last, Wednesday of the month.
** Note that due to the proximity of Easter to the fourth Wednesday of the month, this will be held on the third Wednesday.

November BSFA London Meeting: Paul Cornell interviewed by Roz Kaveney

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Author photo by Rob Monk, copyright SFX Magazine, 2012

Location: The Cellar Bar, The Argyle Public House, 1 Greville Street (off Leather Lane), London EC1N 8PQ

On Wednesday 28th November 2012, Paul Cornell (novelist, and comics and TV writer) will be interviewed by Roz Kaveney (critic and author), mostly about his new novel, London Calling.

ALL WELCOME – FREE ENTRY (Non-members welcome)

The interview will start at 7 pm. We have the room from 6 pm (and if early, fans are in the ground floor bar from 5ish).

There will be a raffle (£1 for five tickets), with a selection of sf novels as prizes.

Map is here. Nearest Tube: Chancery Lane (Central Line).

FUTURE EVENTS:
(There is no BSFA Meeting in December).
23rd January 2013* – Dave Hutchinson, interviewed by Ian Whates
27th February 2013 – Elizabeth Hand, interviewed by Farah Mendlesohn
20th March 2013** – BSFA Awards discussion

* Note that this is a month with five Wednesdays. The meeting will be on the fourth, not the last, Wednesday of the month.
** Note that due to the proximity of Easter to the fourth Wednesday of the month, this will be held on the third Wednesday.