The programme for Continuum X has been released,
and all I can say is: Holy Crap, Friday, is going to be a long day.
First up, I’ll be getting up at 3am NZ time on Friday the 6th of June, which will be 1am Melbourne time, to make it to a plane, which will take me to Sydney and then another on to Melbourne. I’ll arrive, get settled with my fantastic friends who are letting me crash in their spare room for the duration of the con, and then I’ll be heading down to the hotel to make my presence known. I’ll be appearing at:
Friday
5-6pm
We Do This Stuff So You Can Write About It: People with unusual jobs or hobbies are invited to come talk about them and answer questions, so writers (and the simply curious) know more about what they’re like and what pitfalls to avoid when writing about them. For my part, I’ll be there to talk about working with electricity, and surviving in the film industry. With Amanda Elliott, Alex Matti, Gillian Polack, Fran La Fontaine.
Straight over to:
6-7pm
The Writing’s on the Tablet – Technology for writers: How do tablets, smart phones and other gadgets change the way we write and what are the most effective ways to work with them? How can writing software help writers plan out their work and keep track of themes, character development, time lines, etc? With Adam Brymora, J. R.Hargenrader, Tracy Joyce, Andrew Macrae.
7.30pm
Opening Ceremony!
Saturday
4-4.30pm
In Conversation – FFANZ Delegate Dan Rabarts: New Zealand author and fan Dan Rabarts is interviewed by PRK about New Zealand fandom, writing, spec fic, and sailing.
9-10pm
The Dark Arts: What makes magic “black magic”? From mind control to the power of love, a look at the way fantasy tends to differentiate the magic of villains from that of heroes. What are the cliches and what do they say about how we differentiate “good” from “evil”? With Darren Sanderson, Tracy Joyce, Leisl Leighton, Norman Cates.
Sunday
3-4pm
Lost Origins: Plato’s Atlantis was a warning of a corrupt society, but Atlantis is often depicted as a lost paradise. Stoker’s Dracula was a terrifying monster, but modern vampires are often romantic figures. Shelley’s Frankenstein’s monster was a thinking creature, but horror movies made him a
mindless monster. Why do we evolve old mythologies to suit modern tastes, instead of just creating new ones? And do the originals lose out or gain something in being reimagined? With Jason Nahrung, Amanda Pillar, Leisl Leighton, Norman Cates
Monday
10.00-11.00am
Romanpunk: Why should the Victorians have all the anachronistic fun? Let’s conquer the moon and build aqueducts on Mars. With Liz Barr, Tansy Rayner Roberts
With any luck, I’ll have something useful to contribute to one or more of these panels. The rest of the time, I’ll either by slipping into panels and workshops that spark my interest, or I’ll be looking for coffee, or I’ll be in the bar, or something. Probably buying more books than I can carry home and scrounging around for autographs. If you’re going to be there, come find me. Looking forward to meeting a whole bunch of fine new people across the ditch!
You can find the full programme, with all the panels and workshops and all the excellent folk who will be attending and partaking, over here.
