There are some amazing bookish events happening in response to our strange times, and I’m delighted to announce I’ll be helping serve up a SF-themed virtual mini-con to divert you this Saturday afternoon. Got plans? You do now…

WiFi SciFi is the brainchild of author Anne Corlett: one of those fleeting bright ideas that got grabbed, shared and grew into a Thing in a scant few days. A week later, we’ve got a line-up, panel topics, a Plan and even a flyer – and you, my SF-loving friends – are in for a treat. So, what can you expect from WiFi SciFi?

First up, we have two panels:

• Fear, Hope and Speculative Fiction – what is it that we’re looking for in fictional futures?
• The Plague-Writer’s Tale – How will the pandemic affect the stories we tell?

The panellists: Anne Corlett, M R Carey, Adrian Walker, Patrick Edwards, Kim Lakin-Smith, Gareth L Powell, Jonathan Pinnock, Aliette de Bodard, Tade Thompson, Michael Rowley, Dave Hutchinson, Derek Künsken and Premee Mohammed

…moderated by Kevlin Henney and yours truly (eek!)

Next up, socially distant socialising!

• Kaffeeklatsch – a chance for a casual chat with panellists and authors
• A quiz – mass mayhem, but no con is complete without a quiz…

WiFi SciFi will be hosted on Zoom, starting from 3pm (UK time) on Saturday 4th April. Numbers are limited, so pre-registration is essential. Visit the official webpage to get the full details on how to participate and sign-up.

(yes, we’re really doing this. It’s not an elaborate April Fool)