Octothorpe

John thought of something, Alison is educational, and Liz reads contracts. 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 Mastodon or on Bluesky) when you post about the show on social media. Content warnings this episode: Money (chapter 3) Please remember that we have recused from consideration for the 2025 Hugo Awards Letters of comment Chris Garcia DC On Blind Chance (skeet, requires sign-in) On picking books (skeet, requires sign-in) Doug Faunt Farah Mendlesohn (Facebook) Eastercon 2025: Reconnect in Belfast Cancelling non-refundable hotel rooms does not net one a refund We get ourselves into knots trying to work out what’s happened here and we’re not sure Alison taught John and Liz about complaining about cancellations Cancelling goods or services Make a court claim for money Worldcon 2025: Seattle Virtual Business Meeting details Lumi Global The meetings are all at 09:00–12:30 (PDT/UTC-7) on 4, 13, 19, 25 July Hugo nominations are open How to nominate Picks John: Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge: The Official Black Spire Outpost Cookbook by Chelsea Monroe-Cassel and Marc Sumerak Alison: The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley Liz: Nova by Samuel Delany John Nielsen-Hall’s article, “Running up that Hill: or Life with the Brunners” appears in Prolapse #7 Prolapse Motorway Dreams, a collection of Nielsen-Hall’s writing which includes the article Credits Cover art: “Thailand Positioning Service” by Alison Scott Alt text: Words read “Octothorpe 129: Can you pin Thailand on the map?” above a black-and-white world map. The backs of John, Alison and Liz’s heads are shown. John is thinking “Yup!”, Liz is thinking “100%”, and Alison is holding Thailand and thinking “???”. Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)

John picks too soon, Alison is fully paid-up, and Liz found the comment. 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: COVID (chapter 7) Letters of comment Andreas Davour (toot) Bridget Bradshaw (skeet) Chris Garcia David Bamford (skeet) DC (skeet, requires sign-in) Przypadek/Blind Chance Farah Mendlesohn (Facebook) Karen Schaffer Meg MacDonald (Facebook) Raj (toot) Short story: “Bond, Bond, and James Bond” by Eric Molinsky Novelette: “Lake of Souls” by Ann Leckie (from her new collection, Lake of Souls) Novella: Last Stop by Django Wexler Tammy Coxen (skeet) Eastercon 2025: Reconnect in Belfast John has been asked to head up the Discord Bursaries Deadline is noon on 16 February Email finance@easterconbelfast.org with as much or as little detail as you like Eastercon 2026: Iridescence, a bid for Birmingham BSFA BSFA Award Longlist Octothorpe 122 has been nominated, thank you very much! Review policy rumours Steven French’s comment on Camestros Felapton’s blog New chair: Stewart Hotson Picks John: Severance S2 Alison: The Brutalist Liz: Lady Eve’s Last Con by Rebecca Fraimow Credits Cover art: “Live From Minidisc” by Alison Scott Alt text: A blue Sony MiniDisc Walkman shows, on its LCD screen, “Now playing: Octothorpe_128”. Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)

John is incoherent, Alison is excited, and Liz is romantic. 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: None Letters of comment Abigail Nussbaum Ali Baker Brooks Andy Openshaw Chris Garcia Claire Brialey David Salter Ed Morland Farah Mendlesohn Irwin Hirsh Jonny Baddeley Neil Ottenstein Roseanna Pendlebury We also heard from: Fiona Moore, Ivan Sinha Readers’ recommendations Best Novel Private Rites by Julia Armfield I’m Afraid You’ve Got Dragons by Peter S Beagle Metal from Heaven by August Clarke In Universes by Emet North The West Passage by Jared Pechaček Three Eight One by Aliya Whiteley Someone You Can Build a Nest in By John Wiswell Best Dramatic Presentation (Long Form) Deadpool and Wolverine Tim Travers & the Time Travelers Paradox Best Game or Interactive Work: Tactical Breach Wizards Best Fancast Eight Days of Diana Wynne Jones by Emily Tesh and Rebecca Fraimow Lady Eve’s Last Con by Rebecca Fraimow Astounding Award The End of Nobility by Michael Green Briardene Books Preorders for Colourfields by Paul Kincaid are now open! Eastercon 2025: Reconnect in Belfast Picks John: Sliding Doors Alison: Three Men in Orbit by Sandra Bond Liz: Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean Credits Cover art: “Availability Flowchart” by Alison Scott Alt text: A flowchart entitled “How to meet John, Alison and/or Liz at Eastercon”. The boxes culminate in “console yourself with Octothorpe 127”, and the various options are listed below, but the original file is here in case that’s more helpful to the partially sighted. How to meet John, Alison and/or Liz at Eastercon Are you going to Reconnect? Of course!/Not sure Oh go on it will be a laugh Oh all right then/No… Are they in the bar? Yes! I can’t see them Are you quite sure? Check again Oh wait… there they are No sign Is there another bar? Yes! Nope Are they on programme? Yes! No Wait till the moderator asks for questions But it’s Octothorpe Live! Is your joke very funny? Obviously! Excellent! Good to know. COME AND SAY HELLO until then… Are they asleep or on the loo? No, they look chill Er, yes? Oh, that’s a shame Console yourself with Octothorpe 127 Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)

John is a thief, Alison plays games, and Liz is bullied. 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: None Letters of comment Andreas Davour Bella Garcia Constanze Hoffman Farah Mendlesohn Jonathan Cowie June Young Mike Scott Neil Ottenstein Raj Tammy Coxen Zoe O’Connell We also heard from Bridget Bradshaw, Colin Harris, Meg MacDonald, and Shi Lala Fan funds The 2025 TAFF race has begun Zi Graves, Mikołaj Kowalewski, Jan Vaněk jr. CUFF comes to an end Fowler Award Hugo Awards 2025 spreadsheet of doom Novels T**he Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett The Sentence by Gautam Bhatia The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley The Life Impossible by Matt Haig Jumpnauts by Hao Jingfang The Siege of Burning Grass by Premee Mohamed Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky House of Open Wounds by Adrian Tchaikovsky Absolution by Jeff Vandermeer We Are All Ghosts in the Forest by Lorraine Wilson Novellas A Mourning Coat by Alex Jeffers North Continent Ribbon by Ursula Whitcher Short Stories Grottmata by Thomas Ha Five Views of the Planet Tartarus by Rachael K Jones Related Works Track Changes: Selected Reviews **by Abigail Nussbaum Speculative Whiteness: Science Fiction and the A**lt-Right by Jordan S. Carroll Series The Horus Heresy The Southern Reach The Tyrant Philosophers Graphic Stories Warp Your Own Way by Ryan North and Chris Fenoglio Abigail Nussbaum’s review at Strange Horizons Dramatic Presentations All of Us Strangers Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga I Saw the TV Glow Late Night with the Devil My Old Ass A Quiet Place: Day One The Substance Timestalker Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl The Wild Robot Games Tabletop Arcs City of Six Moons Mothership Undaunted 2200: Callisto Video Animal Well Caves of Qud Dragon Age: The Veilguard The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdo**m Slice and Dice 3.0 Star Wars: Outlaws Tale of the Golden Idol UFO50 Other Bridge Command Poems Sandra Bond Fan categories Artists Alison Scott España Sheriff Podcasts Fanac Fan History Zooms Going Rogue Hugo, Girl! A Meal of Thorns Writers Camestros Felapton Ersatz Culture Roseanna Pendlebury Fanzines Ancillary Review of Books Banana Wings Ornithopter Unofficial Hugo Book Club Debut authors Moniquill Blackgoose [Alison did not write any of her selections into the show notes and I was sorely tempted not to go through and write them all down for her but I did it for you, listener. I did it for you—John] Picks [isn’t this a whole episode of picks?—Liz] John: Earthborne Rangers Alison: The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Liz: Horizon Zero Dawn Sorry Mark Credits Cover art: “Waffle of comment” by Bella Garcia Alt text: A picture of a Belgian waffle that looks like an octothorpe, on a white background, with the words “Octothorpe 126” above and “now with added waffle” below. Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)

John is travelling, Alison is coding, and Liz is faithful. 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: Death (chapter 6) Letters of comment Chris Garcia The Beef and Dairy Network Podcast Jt Raj Rotsler Award España Sheriff is this year’s winner Seattle 2025 Virtual Business Meeting announcement Reportage on File 770 Unofficial WSFS Business Meeting Discord Upcoming Worldcons Vince Docherty reports from Smofcon 41 There are many links to convention bid websites contained within Montréal are continuing for 2027, but Tel Aviv have suspended Conventions on cruise ships BGG@SEA JoCo Cruise Vanessa May Vanessa was an integral part of the very beginning of Glasgow 2024 Picks John: EXIT: The Game: Advent Calendar: The Missing Hollywood Star Alison: Advent of Code Liz: The Muppet Christmas Carol Credits Cover art: “Christmas Hats” by Alison Scott Alt text: John wears an Octothorpe Christmas jumper and a green and red hat with elf ears, Alison wears a red Christmas jumper and a moose/reindeer hat, and Liz wears a blue jumper and a Christmas tree hat. The words “Octothorpe 125” appear at the top in a Christmassy font that looks like it has snow on the letters. Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)

John is horrified, Alison is spelunking, and Liz is detecting. 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: Letters of comment Ali Baker Brooks Andrew Hogg 4D Golf Braid Archipelacon 2 Caroline Mullan Chris Garcia Some accusations against Ekpeki have been disproved Farah Mendlesohn Ivan Sinha Jonny Baddeley June Young Aurora Australis Alerts Aurora Now AuroraWatch UK SpaceWeatherLive MonkeyKing Roseanna Pendlebury Shia Lia Tommy Ferguson Reconnect Upcoming conventions Eastercon 2026: Iridescence at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole Bid chaired by Phil Dyson Eastercon 2027: Glasgow Bid chaired by Alan Fleming and David Bamford Eastercon 2028: Gateshead? Novacon 2025 Conrunner 2026 To be chaired by Esther MacCallum-Stewart in February WisCONline 2025 Edmonton 2030 Picks John: Mothership Mothership Month Alison: Caves of Qud Liz: Rise of the Golden Idol (Sorry that they’re all games, Mark) Credits Cover art: “Ohmudillo” by Sophie van Setten Alt text: The Glasgow 2024 logo drawn in pencils and crayon, but across the middle there is a segmented creature with eight eyes and mandibles. At the top, the words “Octothorpe 124” appear in blue. Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)

John is going to Seattle, Alison is going to the Åland Islands, and Liz is going to Belfast. 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: Money, grim darkness Belfast Eastercon Seattle 2025 Archipelacon 2 Back to Our Futures The Dark Room Liz’s Adrian Tchaikovsky scoop Edmonton Worldcon bid Picks John: Wrath and Glory Alison: Timestalker Liz: The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett Goodie from Goodreads Credits Cover art: “Fully Caffeinated” by Alison Scott Alt text: A coffee stain on a piece of paper on which are written the words “Octothorpe 123” and “fully caffineated”. Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)

John is on the periphery, Alison is carving, and Liz went to Japan. 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: con artistry, privilege, racism Letters of comment Jake Casella Brookins Sankey diagrams on the Ancillary Review of Books Ali Baker Brooks I’m a Fan of That Christopher J Garcia Emily January Kat Kourbeti SH@25 is a new, year-long interview and feature series that will delve into the archives, celebrate the work of past contributors and staff, and highlight the contributions of Strange Horizons to SFF publishing and the wider community. Caroline Mullan Zoe O’Connell Roman Orszanski Booking flights on a phone Awards World Fantasy Awards The Kitschies Ursula K LeGuin award Strange Horizons review in two parts: one, two Oghenochovwe Donald Ekpeki Erin Cairns has reported that Ekpeki stole a story and passed it off as his own On Bluesky On Google Drive File 770 report Cairns tried to sound this alarm on X in June Reactions Gautam Bhatia L D Lewis (requires Bluesky login) Ekpeki’s response Jason Sanford talks about his reaction to the news: one, two Picks John: Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah Alison: Bridge Command Alison was given free tickets by the venue’s PR team Liz: Japan Neat effects like Tokyo Disneyland’s Pepper’s ghost or Shiriki Utundu Liz was not given free tickets but if anyone wants to give me free tickets to Disney parks please get in touch Credits Cover art: “Octothorpe, Octothorpe, Octothorpe” by Alison Scott Alt text: A pumpkin carved with an image of Beetlejuice, with the words “Episode 122” at the top of the image and “Octothorpe, Octothorpe, Octothorpe” at the bottom. Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)

John, Alison and Liz read Grass by Sheri S Tepper. 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: Rape, consensual interspecies sex, murder, classism, plague/disease Adam Roberts’ review of Grass Credits Cover art: “Three Little Hippae” by Alison Scott Alt text: Three hippae stand on a landscape of alien grass and plants in blue, purple, red, teal, and orange underneath a pinkish sky. The words “Octothorpe 121” appear at the top and the words “Grass Sheri S Tepper” appear at the bottom. Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)

John does a funny voice, Alison recoils, and Liz loves big stats and she cannot lie. 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: Death (chapter 5) Letters of comment Abigail Nussbaum Chris Garcia Alison closing a parenthesis Emily January España Sheriff Farah Mendlesohn Ivan Sinha Nicholas Whyte Upcoming eclipses Tammy Coxen 2024 Hugo Voting Statistics 2024 Sankey diagrams 2020 Sankey diagrams Picks John: The Substance Definitely not Subterranea Alison: UFO 50 Liz: Alien Clay Credits Cover art: “Judge Coxon” by Alison Scott Alt text: Words read ‘Octothorpe 120: Introducing Judge Coxon. “I am the lore”’. They are around a picture of John as a Judge in the style of 2000AD, holding a big stack of books. The logo of the Clarke Award may or may not appear in the artwork. Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)