British Science Fiction Association: News

BSFA/SFF Joint AGM - 27th June 2009

2009-06-23T11:39:18Z

BSFA/SF Foundation joint AGM day, featuring talks, panels, and the AGMs for both organisations.

The guests for the BSFA/SFF AGM will be Nick Harkaway for the BSFA, and Paul Kincaid for the SFF.

Venue:
Brockway Room
Conway Hall
25 Red Lion Square
London
WC1R 4RL
United Kingdom

Map here.

The programme will be:

10:00 Welcome by the SFF
10:05 BSFA Panel - Launch of the British Science Fiction and Fantasy Survey 2009: chaired by Niall Harrison, and featuring Nick Harkaway, Paul Kincaid, Juliet McKenna, Kit Whitfield, and Paul McAuley
11:00 SFF Guest - Paul Kincaid
12:00-12:30 BSFA AGM
12:30-13:30 lunch break
13:30-14:00 SFF AGM
14:00 BSFA Guest - Nick Harkaway
15:00 SFF Closing Panel - tba
16:00 Closing remarks by the BSFA

All welcome, but only BSFA and SFF members may attend the respective AGMs.

Directions:
Underground: Nearest station is Holborn (Central and Piccadilly lines) approx 3 min walk. Also within reasonable walking distance are Chancery Lane and Russell Square. London Underground Infoline: 020 7222 1234.

Buses: The following buses pass through or near Holborn stopping just a few minutes walk to the Hall: from Oxford Street: 8, 25, 55; 98 (terminates in Red Lion Square) from Euston Station: 59, 68, 91, 188 from Waterloo Station: 1, 59, 68, 188, 521, 243 from Victoria: 38 (Theobalds Rd, rear side of Hall). London Buses Infoline: 020 7222 1234.

24th June 2009 - BSFA Monthly Meeting - Ian Whates interview

2009-06-23T10:41:57Z

Ian Whates (short story writer and editor of NewCon Press anthologies) will be interviewed by Simon Gilmartin.

Venue:
Upstairs Room
The Antelope Tavern
22, Eaton Terrace
Belgravia
London
SW1W 8EZ

Nearest Tube: Sloane Square (District/Circle)

Map: here.

All welcome! (No entry fee or tickets. Non-members welcome.)

Interview will commence at 7.00 pm, but the room is open from 6.00 (and fans in the downstairs bar from 5).

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

27th May 2009 - BSFA Monthly Meeting - Jaine Fenn interview

2009-05-15T12:11:17Z

Jaine Fenn (author of Principles of Angels and Consorts of Heaven) will be interviewed by Kari Sperring (author of Living with Ghosts)

Venue:
Upstairs Room
The Antelope Tavern
22, Eaton Terrace
Belgravia
London
SW1W 8EZ

Nearest Tube: Sloane Square (District/Circle)

Map: here.

All welcome! (No entry fee or tickets. Non-members welcome.)

Interview will commence at 7.00 pm, but the room is open from 6.00 (and fans in the downstairs bar from 5).

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

Jaine will also have copies of Consorts of Heaven for sale.

Future meetings:

24th June 2009 – Ian Whates

22nd April 2009 - BSFA Monthly Meeting - Amanda Hemingway interview

2009-04-14T21:21:56Z

Amanda Hemingway (author of the Sangreal trilogy, also writing as Jan Seigel), will be interviewed by Roz Kaveney (popular culture critic and author).

Venue:
Upstairs Room
The Antelope Tavern
22, Eaton Terrace
Belgravia
London
SW1W 8EZ

Nearest Tube: Sloane Square (District/Circle)

Map: here.

All welcome! (No entry fee or tickets. Non-members welcome.)

Interview will commence at 7.00 pm, but the room is open from 6.00 (and fans in the downstairs bar from 5).

There will be a raffle, with a selection of sf novels as prizes.

Future meetings:

27th May 2009 – Jaine Fenn interviewed by Kari Sperring

25 March 2009 - BSFA Monthly Meeting - BSFA Awards Meeting

2009-03-11T08:44:13Z

A discussion panel featuring Jon Courtenay Grimwood, Alastair Reynolds, Adam Roberts.

Venue:
Upstairs Room
The Antelope Tavern
22, Eaton Terrace
Belgravia
London
SW1W 8EZ

Nearest Tube: Sloane Square (District/Circle)

Map: here.

All welcome! (No entry fee or tickets. Non-members welcome.)

Interview will commence at 7.00 pm, but the room is open from 6.00 (and fans in the downstairs bar from 5).

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

Future meetings:

22nd April 2009 * – TBC
27th May 2009 – Jaine Fenn interviewed by Kari Sperring
24th June 2009 – TBC

Full programme for 2009 will be announced soon.

* Note that this is a month with five Wednesdays

BSFA tomorrow

2009-02-24T16:50:10Z

Don't forget.

25 February 2009 - BSFA Monthly Meeting - Nick Lowe Interview

2009-02-15T20:54:06Z

Nick Lowe (film reviewer for Interzone) will be interviewed by Graham Sleight (editor of Foundation).

Venue:
Upstairs Room
The Antelope Tavern
22, Eaton Terrace
Belgravia
London
SW1W 8EZ

Nearest Tube: Sloane Square (District/Circle)

Map: here.

All welcome! (No entry fee or tickets. Non-members welcome.)

Interview will commence at 7.00 pm, but the room is open from 6.00 (and fans in the downstairs bar from 5).

There will be a raffle, with a selection of sf novels as prizes.

Future meetings:

25th March 2009 – BSFA Awards meeting
22nd April 2009 *- TBC
27th May 2009 – Jaine Fenn interviewed by Kari Sperring

Full programme for 2009 will be announced soon.

* Note that this is a month with five Wednesdays

28th January 2009 - BSFA Monthly Meeting - Michael Swanwick Interview

2008-12-28T20:47:34Z

Michael Swanwick (award-winning author of novels (The Dragons of Babel, Bones of the Earth) and short stories) will be interviewed by Roz Kaveney (popular culture critic and author).

Venue:
Upstairs Room
The Antelope Tavern
22, Eaton Terrace
Belgravia
London
SW1W 8EZ

Nearest Tube: Sloane Square (District/Circle)

Map: here.

All welcome! (No entry fee or tickets. Non-members welcome.)

Interview will commence at 7.00 pm, but the room is open from 6.00 (and fans in the downstairs bar from 5).

There will be a raffle, with a selection of sf novels as prizes.

Future meetings:

25th February 2009 – Nick Lowe, interviewed by Graham Sleight

Full programme for 2009 will be announced soon.

BSFA November meeting - 50th Anniversary Party

2008-11-10T19:30:56Z

On Wednesday 26th November 2008, from around 7pm

in

The Melton Mowbray

18, Holborn, London, ec1n 2le (map opposite)

BSFA 50th anniversary party

Including the announcement of the winner of the BSFA Short Story competition

Future events:

(No meeting in December)

ALL WELCOME

(No entry fee or tickets. Non-members welcome. There will be a raffle.)

(Note one-time only change of venue.)

For further information about the London meetings, contact Tony Keen, London Meetings Organizer, keentonyuk@yahoo.co.uk

22nd October 2008 - BSFA Monthly Meeting - John Clute Interview

2008-10-15T09:07:14Z

John Clute (the most influential sf critic in the UK) will be interviewed by Andrew McKie (SF reviewer for The Daily Telegraph).

Venue:
Upstairs Room
The Antelope Tavern
22, Eaton Terrace
Belgravia
London
SW1W 8EZ

Nearest Tube: Sloane Square (District/Circle)

Map: here.

All welcome! (No entry fee or tickets. Non-members welcome.)

Interview will commence at 7.00 pm, but the room is open from 6.00 (and fans in the downstairs bar from 5).

There will be a raffle, with a selection of sf novels as prizes.

Future meetings:

26th November 2008 – BSFA 50th anniversary party, The Melton Mowbray, Holborn, London

24th September 2008 - BSFA Monthly Meeting - Farah Mendlesohn Interview

2008-09-15T07:15:57Z

Farah Mendlesohn, academic, critic, author (The Rhetorics of Fantasy, Diana Wynne Jones: Children's Literature and the Fantastic Tradition), and others), etc., will be interviewed by Tony Keen (London Meetings Organizer).

Venue:
Upstairs Room
The Antelope Tavern
22, Eaton Terrace
Belgravia
London
SW1W 8EZ

Nearest Tube: Sloane Square (District/Circle)

Map: here.

All welcome! (No entry fee or tickets. Non-members welcome.)

Interview will commence at 7.00 pm, but the room is open from 6.00 (and fans in the downstairs bar from 5).

There will be a raffle, with a selection of sf novels as prizes.

Future meetings:

22nd October 2008 – John Clute interviewed by Andrew McKie
26th November 2008 – BSFA 50th anniversary party, venue TBC

27th August 2008 - BSFA Monthly Meeting - Gwyneth Jones Interview

2008-08-15T09:34:45Z

Gwyneth Jones, author of the Bold as Love sequence, and many others, and winner of the 2008 Pilgrim Award for sf criticism, will be interviewed by Tanya Brown (former Clarke Award judge and reviewer for Vector and other venues)

Venue:
Upstairs Room
The Antelope Tavern
22, Eaton Terrace
Belgravia
London
SW1W 8EZ

Nearest Tube: Sloane Square (District/Circle)

Map: here.

All welcome!

Interview will commence at 7.00 pm, but the room is open from 6.00 (and fans in the downstairs bar from 5).

There will be a raffle, with a selection of sf novels as prizes.

Future meetings:

24th September 2008 – Farah Mendlesohn interviewd by Tony Keen
22nd October 2008 – John Clute interviewed by Andrew McKie
26th November 2008 – BSFA 50th anniversary party, venue TBC

23rd July 2008 - BSFA Monthly Meeting - Christopher Priest Interview

2008-07-16T16:28:45Z

Christopher Priest, author of The Separation, The Prestige, The Extremes, Fugue for a Darkening Island, and many others, will be interviewed by Paul Kincaid (leading UK critic, and author of What It Is We Do When We Read Science Fiction).

Venue:
Upstairs Room
The Antelope Tavern
22, Eaton Terrace
Belgravia
London
SW1W 8EZ

Nearest Tube: Sloane Square (District/Circle)

Map: here.

All welcome!

Interview will commence at 7.00 pm, but the room is open from 6.00 (and fans in the downstairs bar from 5).

There will be a raffle, with a selection of sf novels as prizes.

August's guest will be Gwyneth Jones, interviewed by Tanya Brown.

Reminder: 25th June 2008 - BSFA Monthly Meeting - Terrance Dicks Interview

2008-06-24T18:08:31Z

Details here.

25th June 2008 - BSFA Monthly Meeting - Terrance Dicks Interview

2008-06-16T22:43:45Z

Terrance Dicks, Script Editor (Doctor Who), writer of several Doctor
Who scripts and numerous Doctor Who novelizations and original novels, and producer
of the BBC Classic Serial, will be interviewed by Tim Phipps.

Venue:
Upstairs Room
The Antelope Tavern
22, Eaton Terrace
Belgravia
London
SW1W 8EZ

Nearest Tube: Sloane Square (District/Circle)

Map: here.

All welcome!

Interview will commence at 7.00 pm, but the room is open from 6.00 (and fans in the downstairs bar from 5).

There will be a raffle, with a selection of sf novels as prizes.

BSFA/SFF Joint AGM meeting, 7th June

2008-06-03T18:34:51Z

For anyone who has lost track of their notice (or didn't get it - or even isn't a member), the details are:

Date: Saturday 7th June
Venue: Conway Hall, Red Lion Square (nearest underground: Holborn)
From: 10am to 5pm.

Detailed programme:

1000 Doors Open
1030 Opening, then Guest - Geoff Ryman
1130 Panel: The BSFA - Historical Footnote or Force for the Future?
1230 SFF AGM
1300 Lunch break
1400 BSFA AGM
1430 Guest - Peter Weston
1530 Break
1545 Panel: Fan Media in the Dock - the legal status of fan art and fiction.
1645 Close
1700 Pub

As usual, this event is free, and open (except for the formal AGMs) to anyone interested - whether or not a member of either the BSFA or the SFF (though both organisations will be taking the opportunity to try to recruit new members).

28 May 2008 - May 2008 BSFA Monthly Meeting - Andrew J. Wilson Interview

2008-05-27T08:17:46Z

Author, editor (Nova Scotia), playwright (The Terminal Zone) and critic (The Scotsman), will be interviewed by Tony Keen (academic and aspiring critic).

Venue:
Upstairs Room
The Antelope Tavern
22, Eaton Terrace
Belgravia
London
SW1W 8EZ

Nearest Tube: Sloane Square (District/Circle)

Map here.

All welcome!

Interview will commence at 7.00 pm, but the room is open from 6.00 (and fans in the downstairs bar from 5).

23 April 2008 - April 2008 BSFA Monthly Meeting - Ken Slater Commemoration

2008-04-23T11:47:32Z

Remembering a significant figure in the BSFA and British SF fandom, and commemorating the 50th anniversary of the BSFA. Peter Weston, Bridget Wilkinson and Rob Hansen will talk about their memories of Ken. Other attendees are encouraged to contribute.

Venue:
Upstairs Room
The Antelope Tavern
22, Eaton Terrace
Belgravia
London
SW1W 8EZ

Nearest Tube: Sloane Square (District/Circle)

Map here.

All welcome!

Meeting will commence at 7.00 pm, but the room is open from 6.00 (and fans in the downstairs bar from 5).

26 March 2008 - March 2008 BSFA Monthly Meeting - Paul Kincaid Interview

2008-03-26T11:28:01Z

Leading UK critic, and author of What It Is We Do When We Read Science Fiction. Interviewed by Graham Sleight (editor of Foundation).

Copies of Paul's new collection of essays, What It Is We Do When We Read Science Fiction, will be available for purchase; this event will function as an unofficial launch for the work.

Venue:
Upstairs Room
The Antelope Tavern
22, Eaton Terrace
Belgravia
London
SW1W 8EZ

Nearest Tube: Sloane Square (District/Circle)

Map here.

All welcome!

Interview will commence at 7.00 pm, but the room is open from 6.00 (and fans in the downstairs bar from 5).

Brian Aldiss at ICFA

2008-03-23T02:59:24Z

Thanks to Graham Sleight who sent me the results of the BSFA retro award: we nipped out and bought a very nice bottle and as Brian hadn't been on-line, we caught him unawares. We'll have some very nice photos for you, courtesy of Cheryl Morgan.

Vector 255 mailing

2008-03-21T01:08:16Z

Vector 255 and the first of the BSFA special edition chapbooks were posted to BSFA members on Wednesday - delivery is likely to be delayed by Easter weekend but, assuming you are a member, you should receive your copy early next week.

As usual, we would welcome reports that your mailing has arrived. Or if it hasn't arrived by the middle of next week (at least if you are a BSFA member in the UK - a bit later if you're a member outside the UK), we may not exactly welcome your telling us but please let us know anyway.

Matrix now online

2008-03-20T01:49:29Z

As of a few hours ago, Matrix 187 has now been published online at Matrix Online).

If you are not a BSFA member, you can see the front page and a few others - but most of the contents are passworded and available only to members.

BSFA members who have already registered on the BSFA Forum can use their existing Forum username and password to access Matrix online. Any members who haven't registered on the Forum should create a user account, and then email the webmaster Del, at webadmin@bsfa.co.uk quoting their username and BSFA membership number.

Vector 255 has arrived at our distributors and should either have been mailed out yesterday afternoon or be going sometime today - which, given Easter, probably means that most UK members will receive it early next week. I will confirm this once I know for certain that it is in the post.

27 February 2008 - Feb 2008 BSFA Monthly Meeting - Chris Beckett Interview

2008-02-27T10:15:02Z

Author of The Holy Machine, and forthcoming works The Turing Test, Marcher and Dark Eden

Venue:
Upstairs Room
The Antelope Tavern
22, Eaton Terrace
Belgravia
London
SW1W 8EZ

All welcome!

Interview will commence at 7.00 pm, but the room is open from 6.00 (and fans in the downstairs bar from 5).

Ken Slater, 1917-2008

2008-02-19T09:26:59Z

It is with very deep regret that we report the death at the weekend of Ken Slater. Ken was one of the last three people alive who had been members of the BSFA continuously from its inception in 1958. He had accepted an invitation to be guest at the April London meeting, celebrating 50 years of the BSFA, and it is a source of great sadness that this will now not happen. Instead, the April meeting will be a tribute to Ken and his importance to science fiction fandom. Further details will follow.

A brief obituary can be found here.

23 January 2008 - Jan 2008 BSFA Monthly Meeting - Rob Holdstock Interview

2008-01-22T21:35:21Z

Author of The Merlin Codex series, Mythago Wood, Lavondyss, and many other novels. Rob Holdstock, will be interviewed by Paul Kincaid.

Venue:
Upstairs room, The Star Tavern
6 Belgrave Mews West
Belgravia
London
SW1X 8HT

All welcome!

Interview will commence at 7.00 pm, but the room is open from 6.00 (and fans in the downstairs bar from 5).

As previously announced, this will be our last meeting in the Star. There will be a card for people to sign, thanking the management and staff at the Star for everything that they've done for us over the past few years.