The Panellist’s Life
Continuum 8, Australia’s National science fiction and fantasy convention commences on 8 June in Melbourne. I’m participating in these panels:

  • Backyard Speculation – Saturday 10:00
  • Independent Publishing And Speculative Fiction – Monday 11:00
  • Everyone Loves A Good Murder – Sunday 10:00
  • Crossing The Divide: Writing In Different Genres – Monday 14:00
  • Beyond Paranormal Romance In YA Speculative Fiction – Monday 15

and I’m doing a reading on Sunday at 5pm.

I wanted the preparation for the panels to be enjoyable so I set myself a task of reading as much of the other panellists’ writing as I could. I began with books and stories by my fellow panellists on “Independent Publishing and Speculative Fiction”. I read The Obituarist, which is a short novel by Patrick O’Duffy, Elemental, a story for young adults by Steven O’Connor and Jubilee, which is a story by Jack Dann.

Next I read for “Beyond Paranormal Romance in Young Adult Speculative Fiction”. Kelly Link is one of Continuum’s special guests and she is on this YA panel. I have already ready quite a bit of her amazing short fiction so instead I’ve focused on the other panellists’ writing. I’ve now read 10 Futures by Michael Pryor and Wolfborn by Sue Bursztynski.

Next on the list is When We Have Wings by Claire Corbett as I begin reading for “Backyard Speculation”.

I’ve got to say, this is the sort of preparation I really enjoy. Can’t complain about reading lots of speculative fiction!