Octothorpe

John is going to Smofcon, Alison has FOMO, and Liz is a horrible person. An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on Bluesky or on Mastodon) when you post about the show on social media. Content warnings this episode: None Letters of comment Andreas Davour (email) Chris Garcia (email) Ed Morland (BlueSky on 147, 148) Cyclo-cross Mathmo.org Emily January (email) Karen Schaffer (email) Literal antivirus Paul Weimer (email) Centrale Montemartini We also heard from Alan Fleming, Ali Baker Brooks, Andrew Thompson, Brian Nisbet, Bridget Bradshaw, DC, Duncan MacGregor, Ivan Sinha, Jan Harley, Kev McVeigh, Malcolm Hutchison, Mike Scott, Neil Ottenstein, Shi Lala, and Tommy Ferguson Famous Belgians: Simon Stevin Smofcon 2025: Smofcon 42 in Stockholm, Sweden Smofcon Q&As Salute of the Jugger How to stream it in the UK John would like to thank Glasgow 2024 for a travel bursary allowing him to attend! Novacon 2026: Novacon 55 in Buxton Una McCormack Picks John: The Truman Show Alison: Pluribus Liz: The Summer War by Naomi Novik Credits Cover art: ”Archaeologists“ by Alison Scott Alt text: John and Alison, dressed in clothes reminiscent of The Mummy, look down some stairs upon Liz’s tomb, in which her skeleton still holds her Hugo Award, framed by stonework. The words “Octothorpe 149” appear at the top of the image. Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)

John, Alison, and stunt Liz Emily Tesh are live from Novacon 54! An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on X or on Mastodon or on Bluesky) when you post about the show on social media. Content warnings this episode: It’s a live recording! Thanks to Emily Tesh for being our stunt Liz! You can find Emily at her website, with links to socials at the bottom of the page Eight Days of Diana Wynne Jones Visit Stow Shirts for all your Octothorpe merchandise needs Picks John: The Life Impossible by Matt Haig Alison: Where the Axe is Buried by Ray Nayler Emily: The Sorcerer of the Wildeeps by Kai Ashante Wilson Credits Cover art: “Live from Novacon” by Steven Cain and Alison Scott Alt text: Emily Tesh, John, and Alison stand in front of a suspiciously purple background which may indicate that the real background has been subtracted by nefarious photo editing. The words “Octothorpe 148 Live from Novacon” are overlaid. Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)

John is ready, Alison had forgotten, and Liz is surprised. An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on Bluesky or on Mastodon) when you post about the show on social media. Content warnings this episode: Animal torture (letters of comment) Letters of comment Chris Garcia (email) Ed Morland (BlueSky) Farah Mendlesohn (Facebook) Pictcon 2026: PictCon 2 in Perth, 17 October Finbarr O’Reilly (email) Kev McVeigh (Facebook) Kin-Ming Looi (Facebook) Paul Weimer (BlueSky, email) Tammy Coxen (Facebook) Terry Gibbs (Facebook) Raj (Mastodon) We also heard from Mike Scott, Neil Ottenstein and Tammy Coxen 2025 Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction Ebon Moss-Bachrach on the red carpet Event broadcast on YouTube LAcon V opens Hugo Awards Base Contest 36th Galaxy Awards Roderick Leeuwenhart Tianwen Awards Ersatz Culture on Mastodon BKK Comics Art Festival #4 The Blaft Book of Anti-Caste SF Belgian comics Asian Board Games Festival (ABGF) “Walking The Walk With RPGs In Malaysia” (paywalled on Rascal) Picks John: The Lord of the Rings: Fate of the Fellowship Shut Up & Sit Down’s review Board Game Arena The dice tower Alison: The Word for World exhibition at the Architectural Association Secret Maps at the British Library Liz: Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman Star Wars is being properly remastered? Credits Cover art: “Nepal Spotter’s Guide” by Paul Weimer (text by Alison Scott) Alt text: A photograph of the mountains of Nepal with text overlaid, reading “Octothorpe 147 Official Octothorpe Nepal Identification Guide* (*apparently never gets old)** (** Liz might like to go to a comics con there)”. Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)

John is on holiday, Alison said she’d have T-shirts ready, and Liz is back! An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on Bluesky or on Mastodon) when you post about the show on social media. Content warnings this episode: None Letters of comment Doug Faunt (Facebook) Corflu 2026: Corflu Pickled in Santa Rosa, CA, USA Ian Hillman (DM) Jonny Baddeley (Facebook) Eastercon 2026: Iridescence in Birmingham Hotels are open: Check your emails for the link Merch should be available by the time you read this   Bursaries are open for applications, deadline of 31 October The volunteer form is open Haruhicon 2026: Birmingham Carrots, vitamin A, radar, and British propaganda BristolCon 2025 World Fantasy Con 2025: Brighton Armadacon 2025: Plymouth British Firework Championships Novacon 2025: Novacon 54 in Buxton Pictcon 2025: Pictcon1 in Perth Satellite 2026: Satellite 9 in Glasgow Worldcon finances Worldcon 2013: LoneStarCon 3 in San Antonio, TX, USA Worldcon 2015: Sasquan in Spokane, WA, USA Worldcon 2016: MidAmeriCon II in Kansas City, MO, USA Worldcon 2020: CoNZealand in Wellington, New Zealand (but mostly online) Worldcon 2023: Chengdu, China Worldcon 2024: Glasgow, UK Smofcon 2025: Smofcon 42 in Stockholm, Sweden Picks John: Tactical Breach Wizards Alison: Here East Conrad Shawcross – Umbilical (The Nervous System) V&A East Storehouse Liz: The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson Credits Cover art: “Treasures of the V&A Storehouse” by Alison Scott Alt text: The Torrijos Ceiling at the Victoria & Albert East Storehouse. An elaborate, gilded and octagonal ceiling. Why yes, Alison has a new phone, how could you tell? Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)

John might, Alison won’t, and Tommy would (in a heartbeat). An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on Bluesky or on Mastodon) when you post about the show on social media. Content warnings this episode: Animal torture (aftershow) Letters of comment Brian Nisbet (Bluesky) Chris Garcia (email) Jonathan Baddeley (Facebook) Paul Weimer (Bluesky) Scott Edelman (Bluesky) Tommy Ferguson (email) We also heard from Caroline Mullan, DC, Farah Mendlesohn, Ivan Sinha, and Neil Ottenstein Octocon 2025 in Dublin Tommy’s fanzines: TommyWorld Götterdämmerung Götterdämmerung Redux Prolapse’s issue for Irish Fandom Day James Bacon’s article on the fan history starts on page 5! Corflu 2023 in Belfast: Corflu Craic Corflu Craic’s programme book Including the con report of the Leeds Corflu that Tommy mentions Marcin Kłak’s con report Eastercon 2025 in Belfast: Reconnect Eastercon 1986 in Glasgow: Albacon III Previous Belfast conventions: Nicon MeCon TitanCon Replay is not quiiiiite ready yet, sorry listeners, it’ll be there soon! Pictcon 1 in Perth (8 November 2025) Novacon 54 in Buxton (7–9 November 2025) Norncon 2026 in Belfast (8–9 May) GoHs: Anna Smith Spark and Adrian Tchaikovsky The Norn Scene from Wagner’s Götterdämmerung Eastercon 2027 in Glasgow: Unconfined Tommy is working on Communications Worldcon bid for 2029 in Dublin Picks John: Spirit Island App Store Steam Alison: Strong Message Here Tommy: Sleeper Beach by Nick Harkaway The sequel to Titanium Noir Cahokia Jazz by Francis Spufford Credits Cover art: “Norns Weaving the Rope of Fate” by Alison Scott Alt text: John, Alison and Tommy are weaving ropes of fate as norns. The ropes lead to little spools, above their heads, reminiscent of a sculpture called Umbilical by Conrad Shawcross which Alison will explain in more detail in Octothorpe 146. The words “Octothorpe 145” appear at the top, and “Looking forward to Norncon” at the bottom. Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)

John, Alison and Liz watch Dredd (2012). An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on Bluesky or on Mastodon) when you post about the show on social media. Content warnings this episode: Justice. Things that happened since we recorded: Going Rogue released an episode about Dredd Taika Waititi is making a Judge Dredd movie Credits Cover art: “Judge Coxon Pain Scale” by Alison Scott Alt text: Six cartoons of John as a Judge from MegaCity One with the Clarke Award logo on his helmet, all of which are identical. Beneath them follows text. 0: NO HURT. 1: HURTS A LITTLE. 2: JUST A FLESH WOUND. 3: MINOR GUNSHOT. 4: BULLET THROUGH GUT. 5: FALL OFF SKYSCRAPER. The JUDGE COXON Pain Scale™. The words “Octothorpe 144” appear at the top of the cover. Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)

John skips leg day, Alison skips art day, and Liz skips opinions. An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on Bluesky or on Mastodon) when you post about the show on social media. Content warnings this episode: None Letters of comment Alan Fleming & David Bamford (email) Eastercon 2027: Unconfined in Glasgow Christopher J Garcia (email) Doug Faunt (Facebook) Fredrik Coulter (Facebook) Jake Casella Brookins (email) Jesi Lipp (Facebook) Meg MacDonald (Facebook) Paul Weimer (Bluesky) Raj (Bluesky) Sari Polvinen (email) Shi Lala (Facebook) Next episode, we are going to watch Dredd! 2025 Worldcon: Seattle Seattle apologised after we recorded The Hugo Awards longlist is now out! Donald E Eastlake III at the MPC 2026 Worldcon: LAcon V in Los Angeles ‪Weyodi OldBear‬: first post, second post Apology from the chair 2027 Worldcon: Montréal Old bid site Jeph Jacques’s Questionable Content Picks John: FlickFleet Eurydice Games Alison: Slay the Spire again Liz: Luminous by Sylvia Park “More Real Than Him” Credits Cover art: “Inside Coverage” by Arthur Thomson Alt text: An abstract, geometric figure stands, their torso through a panel which has various trailing wires. There is a radio or walkie talkie on the floor and a textured background which is also geometric. The words “Octothorpe 143” appear at the top, “Walt Willis” appear at the right, and “Inside Coverage” appear at the bottom. Explanation: This is a previously unused piece of art by Atom (Arthur Thomson), originally intended for a Walt Willis column in Hyphen that never happened. Alison wants to use it as an Octothorpe cover to make Atom eligible for Best Fanzine Cover in the FAAn awards. Except, you know, not. Theme music: “Surf Shimmy” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)

John is going to have lunch, Lori is going to brunch, and Liz is not hungry? An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on Bluesky or on Mastodon) when you post about the show on social media. Content warnings this episode: Mispronounced names (chapter 4), class structures (chapter 7) Worldcon 2025: Seattle Hugo Awards The ceremony Pronunciations Grigory Lukin Nisi Shawl on Bluesky: first, second K Tempest Bradford on X in 2020: first, second K Tempest Bradford on Bluesky The winners Billy on the Street “For a dollar, name a woman!” Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes Worldcon 2030: Edmonton bid Picks John: The Sentence by Gautam Bhatia The Wall and The Horizon Andrew Openshaw’s review Lori: The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson Liz: The Friend Zone Experiment by Zen Cho Credits Cover art: “Ceremony Script Revealed” by Alison Scott Alt text: A picture of a book entitled “Hugo Award Pronunciation Guide” written by George R R Martin. The cover design is in the style of the A Song of Ice and Fire series, with an Iron Throne made of Hugo Awards. The words “Octothorpe 142” are at the top in a Game of Thrones-y typeface. Theme music: “Surf Shimmy” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)

John is worried, Alison volunteers, and Liz is warm. An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on Bluesky or on Mastodon) when you post about the show on social media. Content warnings this episode: None Letters of comment Chris Hurley (email) Dave O’Neill (Bluesky, DM) Ivan Sinha (Facebook) Jesi Lipp (email, Facebook) John Hertz (typewritten letter with pasted image from File 770 scanned by Fedex and sent by email) Mike Glyer (email) Neil Ottenstein (Facebook) Nicholas Whyte (email) Nuala (Bluesky) Paul Weimer (Bluesky) Rory Hennell James (Bluesky) Tammy Coxen and Jesi Lipp (Bluesky) We also heard from Doug Faunt and Farah Mendlesohn Worldcon 2025: Seattle Business Meeting Jesi Lipp posted some excellent infographics on JOF Jesi also posted a small table on our Facebook of attendances back to 2014 and John made them into a graph NASFiC is gone The USA has a national con now and it’s Dragon Con, so why compete? We will return to this question… The end of fan-run conventions in the USA NASFiC is gone, leaving Dragon Con as the de facto national convention The Westercon by-laws have been repealed Wiscon has not got enough volunteers to run an in-person convention Gallifrey One is coming to an end, Showmasters Events are running a commercial replacement GeekGirlCon and Penguicon are struggling Arisia, Baycon, Boskone, Loscon have all shrunk (anecdotally) The end of fan-run conventions more widely? New Zealand: Fan-run conventions have been struggling since CoNZealand Finland: SMOF News recently reported that Finncon is not running due to lack of volunteers More widely to do with volunteering? Maybe more true in the UK? Picks John: The Tyrant Philosophers by Adrian Tchaikovsky Alison: Control Room B at Battersea Power Station (and Battersea Power Station Station) Liz: Woodworking by Emily St. James Credits Cover art: “Mildly Wes” by Alison Scott Alt text: A photograph of a cocktail bar at Battersea Power Station. The words “Control Room B” are above the cocktail bar, and the words “Octothorpe 141” overlaid in similar style. Theme music: “Surf Shimmy” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)

John is laughing, Alison is coughing, and Liz has already eaten. An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on Bluesky or on Mastodon) when you post about the show on social media. Content warnings this episode: Coughing (aftershow) Letters of comment Ali Baker Brooks (Facebook) Constanze Hofmann (Facebook) David Bamford (Bluesky) Farah Mendlesohn (Facebook) Jake Casella Brookins (Bluesky) Jonathan Baddeley (Facebook) Tommy Ferguson (email) We also heard from Olav Rokne, Shi Lala, Tammy Coxen 2025 Worldcon: Seattle Business Meeting Business Meeting Agenda and Recaps File 770 reporting: 4 July, 19 July, 25 July YouTube recordings: 4 July, 19 July, 25 July 13 July was not reported/recorded because of executive session Trial Committee Doctor Science, España Sheriff, Ian Stockdale, Kat Kourbeti, Kris “nchanter” Snyder Mark Protection Committee Nicholas Whyte, Alan Bond, and Chris Rose have benefitted quite massively from shortcomings in the WSFS voting mechanism, reports Nicholas Whyte University of Cambridge’s Single Transferable Vote regulations There’s a new way to remove MPC members Ben Yalow jumped before being pushed E.2 got ratified and then un-ratified again Andrew January visualised what the changes imply Nicholas Whyte pointed out this would accidentally hugely disenfranchise Attending Memberships Meg MacDonald pointed out in the Business Meeting that Glasgow had 1390 “First Worldcon” members We should vote with “Everybody Votes” style Smofcon 42 bursaries are available 2027 Worldcon: Montreal bid The prospective co-chairs have been announced Picks John: One Soul by Ray Fawkes Alison: Bitter Liz: Superman Credits Cover art: “WSFS Everybody Votes Channel” by Alison Scott Alt text: Three Miis in the style of John, Alison and Liz on a background reminiscent of the Everybody Votes Channel from the Nintendo Wii. The words “Octothorpe 140” appear at the top and “WSFS Everybody Votes Channel” at the bottom. - Theme music: “Surf Shimmy” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)