Will you be in London next month for Loncon 3, the 72nd World Science Fiction Convention? I’ll be there from Thursday, August 14 through Monday, August 18—along with (if estimates are correct) more than 10,000 others.

The programming committee has just released the final schedule, so if you’d like to track me down in that wretched hive of scum and villainy, take note of my official appearances.

Don’t Tell Me What To Think: Ambiguity in SF and Fantasy
Friday 10:00 – 11:00, Capital Suite 1 (ExCeL)
What does ambiguity (of setting, plot, identity, and so on) bring to a work of fantastic fiction? How is ambiguity created, and what effect does it have? Does it always work? Can a story be too ambiguous? The panel will discuss stories by [THIS WILL BE SHARED LATER], exploring exactly how they achieve their effects, and asking what divides a satisfyingly ambiguous story from an unsatisfying one.
with David Hebblethwaite (M), Nina Allan, and Patrick Nielsen Hayden

Stroll with the Stars
Saturday 09:00 – 10:00, Front of Aloft (ExCeL)
This will be a nice morning stroll with some of our favourite Authors, Artists and Editors. (And we stress, “stroll” – def: a leisurely walk. This will not be a heart-pounding aerobic activity, it will be a stroll). Join us for some fresh air, a healthy stroll and some good conversation. A leisurely mile – which will take a little more than a half hour but less than an hour. Strolls will leave at 9AM from in front of the Aloft Hotel, and will return by 10AM, rain or shine.
with Edward James, Robin Hobb, John Chu, Bill Fawcett, Thomas Olde Heuvelt, Jody Lynn Nye, Jeff VanderMeer, Ann Vandermeer

Old New Classics: The Off-Beat and Indie Comics of Yore
Saturday 13:30 – 15:00, Capital Suite 14 (ExCeL)
When people discuss the Golden Age and Silver Age of Comics the conversation is often dominated by the emergence of the superhero in both DC and Marvel. However, from its inception comics were always a fertile breeding ground for fun, weird, and alternative stories. What influential, under-appreciated comics from the past deserve a higher profile today? What kind of comics would people like to see more of now, that were plentiful in the past? Are we more progressive in comics today, or re-learning to embrace the medium?
with Smuzz, Allan J. Sim, Peter Sutton, Barbara G.Tarn

In Space No One Can Hear You Ink: The Best SF Comics
Sunday 12:00 – 13:30, London Suite 2 (ExCeL)
What science fiction comic book titles have expanded the genre, given us gorgeous visuals, and memorable story lines How have sf comics developed from Flash Gordon, Dan Dare, Astro Boy, through to Akira, and The Ballad of Halo Jones, and what’s currently revving everyone’s rocket ship: Saga, Ghost in the Shell, 2000AD, Lazarus, etc.
with Jon Wallace, Adrian (Ade) Brown, Phil Foglio, Anne Ghesquiere Sakuya

Literary Beer: Scott Edelman
Monday 10:00 – 11:00, The Bar (ExCeL)

And as for my unofficial appearances … just keep trolling the bar and wandering the parties, and you’re sure to find me!