FRI 18:30 - 10 SAT 10 - 00 SUN 10 - 19
Code of Conduct Rules of Octocon These rules are in addition to the laws of Ireland, and the rules of the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Breaches of these rules may lead to the removal of your Octocon badge and banning from future Octocons.
Badges Octocon is a membership-only event. All members must wear their membership badges at all times. A badge is valid only for the person to whom it was issued; badges may not be shared under any circumstances. Octocon requires that any children 13 or older have a purchased membership for the convention. Octocon also requires that children under the age of 12 be registered, and be in the company of a guardian. We cannot take responsibility for minors.
General Rating of the Convention All convention areas are open to members of all ages, with the exception of events or exhibits that are specifically noted to be inappropriate for minors and access to which is controlled.
Respect for Others Octocon wants all of its members to enjoy themselves at its events. As such, we ask that you respect each other. All Octocon events should be a space where everyone feels welcomed and comfortable. Discrimination is not tolerated. Harassment of any kind is not tolerated. If someone tells you “no” or asks you to leave them alone, your business with them is done. If you feel that you are being discriminated against or harassed, or if you notice anyone behaving inappropriately (such as violating hotel or convention policies), we respectfully suggest the following: 1. If you feel comfortable doing so, point out the inappropriate behaviour to the person(s) involved. Often this will solve the problem immediately. 2. If you do not feel comfortable talking with the person(s) involved, or if talking to them does not resolve the issue, please report the situation immediately to any Octocon Committee Member, or Designated Staff.
Privacy, Photographs, and Recording Electronic Information Octocon event attendees and members should be aware that photography and video and/ or audio recordings are frequently made by Octocon during events and that their likenesses may appear in those recordings. If you’d rather not be filmed or photographed, please let the recorder/photographer know at the time.
Personal Photography / Recordings: Please be polite and ask before taking photographs or recordings of attendees and members whenever possible. Photography for personal archival use only is generally acceptable, unless individuals make it clear that they do not wish to be photographed, in which case taking any photographs of them is expressly forbidden.
Cosplay is not Consent. In general, please request permission from a panellist before taking photographs. Video and Audio recording of panels by members is not allowed.
Weapons No actual weapon or any item that can be mistaken for one may be carried either openly or concealed at any time on properties being used for Octocon, regardless of any government permits which you may possess, unless it has been peace bonded by Registration.
Sales of Merchandise The offering for sale of any merchandise at the convention may be undertaken only in designated spaces with permission from the convention.
Non-convention Guests/General Public: Please remember that the convention is held in an area where we will come into contact with non-fans. Please try and be respectful of the hotel’s other guests and use common sense, especially in the public areas of the hotel. The full Octocon code of conduct can be found here: https://2018.octocon.com/code-of-conduct/
Cover art by Oisín McGann, adapted from The Ryus Conflict books by Mike Marisco
A welcome from the chair Welcome to this year’s Octocon! The year has been one of change and challenges, but here we all are, we did it, we have reached Octocon 2018. What is a convention? Well, it can take many forms. For much of the year it exists in potenia, in a very nebulous form carried about in the hearts and minds of us all. Eventually it begins to take shape in so many documents and spreadsheets and eventually all the elements come together. This year, we are in a new venue which will affect the shape of the convention, much like a cake tin affects the shape of the cake. Octocon as a cake is a fun idea, especially as we celebrate so many things each year. This year we are delighted to be celebrating the work of our two Guests of Honour, Pat Cadigan and Colleen Doran, as well as The Best of the Best of the Golden Blasters, and much more. So grab a fork, sorry I mean timetable, and dig in. Thank you to all of our guests, my enduring committee and Dublin 2019, an Irish Worldcon, for their support this year.
Make sure you pop along to the Dublin 2019 meet and greet on Saturday evening, and have a wonderful weekend. Happy Octocon!
Janet O’Sullivan
Special Thanks to our Super Friends:
Garth Nix • James Shields • Fionna O’Sullivan Paul Mara • Catherine Sharp • Gareth Kavanagh Gerard Cunningham • Kevin Lyda • Jack Fennell Marguerite Smith • Janet O’Sullivan Raissa Perez • Tyler Kerr • JC to our Friends:
James Bacon • MaryBrigid Turner • Philip Kehoe • Paul Taylor Phil Dyson • Virginia Preston And to everyone who contributed to our GoFundMe campaign Thank you all!!
PAT CADIGAN Pat Cadigan sold her first professional science fiction story in 1980 and became a full-time writer in 1987. She emigrated to England with her son in 1996. She is the author of fifteen books, including two nonfiction books on the making of Lost in Space and The Mummy, a young adult novel, and the two Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning novels Synners and Fools. She has also won the Locus Award three times, as well as a Hugo Award and a Seiun. Pat lives in gritty, urban North London with the Original Chris Fowler and Gentleman Jinx, coolest black cat in town. She can be found on Facebook and tweets as @cadigan. Most of her books are available electronically via SF Gateway, the ambitious electronic publishing program from Gollancz. In late December, 2014, she was diagnosed with terminal cancer and given two years to live. Notorious for missing deadlines, however, Cadigan missed that one, too. Cadigan believes she was put here to accomplish a certain number of things and she is now so far behind, she can never die. She still has cancer but cancer still doesn’t have her. Find Pat at: Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/cadigan Website: http://patcadigan.wordpress.com/
Colleen Doran is the New York Times bestselling artist for the Neil Gaiman graphic novel Troll Bridge, and Stan Lee’s autobiography Amazing, Fantastic, Incredible Stan Lee which received a Young Adult Library Services Great Graphic Novels for Teens nomination. Books she has illustrated have won Eisner and Harvey Awards, and the International Horror Guild Award. Art from the Troll Bridge graphic novel was selected for the Spectrum annual collection featuring the best science fiction and fantasy art of the year. Doran’s A Distant Soil was published by Image Comic’s Shadowline imprint. Vector: The Journal of the British Science Fiction Association declared it “groundbreaking science fiction comics…ahead of its time.” Doran created the series when she was 12 at a time when women artists/writers rarely had autonomy over their material. She does all creative work, including the lettering, by hand. Colleen also worked as a lobbyist for creator rights, and served on the advocacy committee of the Graphic Artist Guild. She spoke in Washington DC to Senators and Congressman and participated in lectures on copyright and digital policy at the Newseum. Recent works include American Gods with Neil Gaiman, The Clock with Matt Hawkins for Top Cow at Image Comics, Finality from Line Webtoon with Warren Ellis, and several soon to be announced projects. She also worked with Alan Moore on an experimental animated webcomic Big Nemo based on the classic Winsor McCay comic strip. On The Vampire Diaries she contributed as writer and artist for the comic based on the hit television show, and was artist on the award-winning graphic novels Mangaman and Gone to Amerikay. Clients include Lucasfilm, Random House, Scholastic, Houghton Mifflin, Simon and Schuster, and Disney. She has illustrated a wide array of projects including Amazing Spider-Man, The Teen Titans, Wonder Woman, Gotham City Garage, Scooby Apocalypse, Captain America, Superman, Sandman, and Guardians of the Galaxy.
Edmond Barrett
Other Guests
Edmond Barrett, originally from the North-West of England (though he moved to Ireland before Brexit made it fashionable), is the author of the military science fiction series The Nameless War, the urban fantasy novella The Job Offer and most recently the time travel novel Out of Era. A civil servant by profession as well as an amateur student of history, Edmond is a keen wargamer, an avid reader and a devotee of low tech science fiction who has happily ways to combined most of these together. However as a result of his most recent title he now tends to wince when he hears the word ‘causality’. Website: https://edmondbarrett.wordpress.com/
Michael Carroll Irish-born writer Lord Michael Carroll is the author of Judge Dredd: Every Empire Falls (the #1 best-selling cult graphic novel on Amazon.co.uk) and loads of other comics, thirtyish books including the internationally acclaimed New Heroes series of young adult superhero novels, and the screenplay for the award-winning short film Judge Minty. In the past Michael has dabbled in both horror and romance, as well as writing in those fields. Michael and his wife Leonia used to live in Dublin, Ireland, and they still do. Michael owns an LP called “Earth” and currently holds the world record. He likes puns and corny jokes, and some of his favourite punchlines are “Douglas,” “Pink fluff,” “It’s deep, too,” “After that he went downhill very quickly,” and “Yeah, and it’s the *widest*!”.Visit his awesome hand-made website at:
which, among many other works, she was recently awarded the Grand Master / lifetime achievement award of the International Association of Media TieIn Writers. She is presently working on completing the epic fantasy series begun almost forty years ago with The Door Into Fire, and hopes to publish book 4, The Door Into Starlight, in the near future. Twitter: http://twitter.com/dduane Website: http://www.dianeduane.com/
Sarah Maria Griffin Sarah Maria Griffin’s first novel, Spare & Found Parts, was released in February 2018 by Titan Books, after a 2016 release in North America by Greenwillow Books, an imprint of Harper Collins. Her nonfiction has appeared on Buzzfeed, The Rumpus, Guts, Winter Pages and she writes a weekly podcast column for The Irish Times. Her collection of essays about emigration, Not Lost, was published by New Island Press in 2013. She was the recipient of the European Science Fiction Awards Chrysalis Award in 2017 and was the recipient of an Arts Council Bursary for Literature in Spring of that year. She was NUI Maynooth’s Writer in Residence for 2017/18 and is currently in residence at the DLR Lexicon Library. Her second novel, Other Words For Smoke, will arrive in Spring 2019. Twitter: http://twitter.com/griffski
Claire Hennessy
Claire Hennessy is a writer, editor, book reviewer, and creative writing teacher based in Dublin, Ireland. She has written several books for teenagers, and regularly dewww.michaelowencarroll.com livers author visits and writDiane Duane ing workshops for schools, libraries and festivals. Claire’s most recent YA novels Like Other Girls and Diane Duane has been a Nothing Tastes As Good are published by Hot Key science fiction and fantasy Books. Her short fiction has most recently apwriter for nearly forty years. peared in Reading The Future (Arlen House) and Her best known works inAutonomy (New Binary Press). clude her long-running (since 1983) “Young Wizards” seShe has received three Arts Council bursaries ries — its (sort of) eleventh (for both short fiction and YA) and holds masters’ and twelfth novels Young Wizards: Lifeboats and In- degrees in popular literature and creative writing terim Errantry 2: On Ordeal, having come out in 2017 from Trinity College Dublin. She reviews YA fiction — and the nine bestselling Star Trek novels for for The Irish Times and occasionally elsewhere.
Claire is a co-director and co-founder of the Big Smoke Writing Factory creative writing school in Dublin, and co-founder and co-editor of Banshee, a literary journal. She is powered mostly by tea. Website: http://clairehennessy.com/
Ruth Frances Long Ruth Frances Long writes dark young adult fantasy, often about scary fairies, such as The Treachery of Beautiful Things, A Crack in Everything, A Hollow in the Hills and A Darkness at the End. (O’Brien Press, 2016). As R. F. Long, she also writes fantasy and paranormal romance. As Jessica Thorne she writes commercial fantasy/Space Opera. The first book in the series is The Queen’s Wing (Bookouture, 2018), with a sequel to follow in early 2019. In 2015 she won the European Science Fiction Society Spirit of Dedication Award for Best Author of Children’s Science Fiction and Fantasy. Twitter: http://twitter.com/RFLong / http://twitter.com/JessThorneBooks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RuthFrancesLong Instagram: http://instagram.com/RuthFrancesLong Website: http://www.rflong.com/
Oisín McGann Oisín McGann lives in Ireland and works full time as an author and illustrator. He has written and illustrated numerous books for young children, including the Mad Grandad series, The Forbidden Files series, and two short retellings of Irish legends, The Goblin of Tara and The Evil Eye. He has also produced eleven novels, including The Gods And Their Machines, The Harvest Tide Project, Small-Minded Giants, Rat-Runners and The Wildenstern Saga, as well as two books, War’s Harvest and Cruel Salvation, set in the world of the MMO game Kings of the Realm. Twitter: http://twitter.com/OisinMcGann Website: http://oisinmcgann.com/
Peter Morwood Peter Morwood left pilot training in the RAF and a job in the UK civil service that he’s not allowed to talk about to become a full time SF and fantasy writer in 1986.
Beside the Book of Years, Clan Wars and Tales of Old Russia epic fantasy series (currently being re-released as new, revised ebook editions from Venture Press in the UK) he’s added screen work ranging from animated series like Gargoyles and Batman: The Animated Series to the award-winning SyFy miniseries Dark Kingdom: The Dragon King, which he cowrote with Diane. From their cottage in the wilds of County Wicklow, Peter consults extensively on modern militaria and medieval European weapons, and handles half the cooking and all the photography for his and Diane’s hobby/foodblogging website EuropeanCuisines. com. (“Food temperatures are easy, colour temperatures are hard.”) Website: http://petermorwood.tumblr.com/
C.E. Murphy C.E. Murphy is the Alaskan-born, Ireland-dwelling author of some 25 books (The Walker Papers series, The Negotiator Trilogy, The Inheritor’s Cycle, The Strongbox Chronicles), comics (Take a Chance), and short stories. Catie is a crowdsourcing funding pioneer, having run a number of highly successful Kickstarter, Indiegogo and Patreon campaigns in recent years. Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ce_murphy Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cemurphywriter Website: http://mizkit.com/cemurphy/
Garth Nix New York Times bestselling novelist Garth Nix has been a fulltime writer since 2001, but has also worked as a literary agent, marketing consultant, book editor, book publicist, book sales representative, bookseller, and as a part-time soldier in the Australian Army Reserve. Garth’s many books include the Old Kingdom fantasy series, five books beginning with Sabriel; SF novels Shade’s Children and A Confusion of Princes; and novels for children including The Ragwitch; The Seventh Tower sequence; The Keys to the Kingdom series; and Frogkisser! which is now in development as a feature film with Fox Animation/Blue Sky Studios. Garth has written numerous short stories, some of which are collected in Across the Wall and To Hold the Bridge. He has also co-written several children’s book series with fellow Octocon guest Sean Williams, including Troubletwisters and Have Sword, Will
Travel. John Vaughan More than six million copies of his books have been John Vaughan is an award-winsold around the world and his work has been trans- ning screen- writer and film lated into 42 languages. maker, and a devotee of genre cinema. He will watch Twitter: http://twitter.com/garthnix anything once (and the poor Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/garthnix fellow has seen some very Website: http://www.garthnix.com bad things once). Peadar Ó Guilín John wrote and directed Victory, an alien invasion Peadar is the author of five drama pilot, which aired on RTE’s Storyland website YA novels, including The in Spring 2012. He’s also the founder of the Golden Call, which is a bit like a Blaster Awards (which this year will be revisiting and Harry Potter book where re-viewing previous winners), dedicated to the art everybody dies. The sequel, of the short film in the genres of sci fi, horror, and The Invasion, is out now. He fantasy. has also published dozens of short stories and is one of the newest group of If you meet John at the con, just keep looking him in the eye… he can smell fear you know! Wildcards authors. Twitter: http://twitter.com/TheCallYA Instagram: http://instagram.com/TheCallYA Website: http://www.peadar.org/
Robert JE Simpson Robert JE Simpson is a freelance writer, broadcaster, publisher, artist and cultural historian from Belfast. Formerly the official archivist for Hammer Films, he was founding editor of Diabolique magazine. He has written for magazines, is a regular contributor to BBC Radio Ulster on cultural matters, and is co-founder and host of CinePunked – a group dedicated to the exploration of film via live events and podcasts. He’s currently working on books about Hammer Films and the Titanic. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robertjesimpson
Deirdre Sullivan Deirdre Sullivan is a writer and teacher from Galway. Her most recent book, Tangleweed and Brine, is a collection of dark fairy-tale retellings. She is currently working on something terrifying. https://www.facebook.com/DeirdreSullivanWriter https://twitter.com/propermiss http://gunstreetgirls.blogspot.ie/ http://girlsheartbooks.com/author/deirdresullivan/
Congratulations, Juliet E. McKenna Judge for the 2018 World Fantasy Awards A best seller with The Green Man’s Heir
Sean Williams
Sean Williams is a #1 New York Times-bestselling author of over forty novels and one hundred and twenty short stories for adults, young adults and children. Recent releases include the Twinmaker trilogy for YA readers (which takes his love of matter transmitters to terrible extremes) and the Astropolis space opera series (featuring a character who speaks solely in the lyrics of Gary Numan). As well as his original fiction, he has contributed to shared universes such as Star Wars and Doctor Who. Normally, he lives in South Australia with his wife and family, just up the road from a chocolate factory, but 2018 has seen him living in Dublin and loving everything about it. Have Sword, Will Travel and Let Sleeping Dragons Lie, to be launched in Ireland in October, are the first adventures in a new middle-grade series co-written with fellow Octocon guest Garth Nix. Twitter: http://twitter.com/adelaidesean Websites: http://www.seanwilliams.com and http://twinmakerbooks.com
“It’s one of my favorite books so far this year.” — Charles de Lint “I read this last night and thoroughly enjoyed it, more please!” — Garth Nix “I really enjoyed this novel!” — Kate Elliott “So far up my street it could be my house.” — K.J. Charles
Nearby Places of Note
N OCTOCON
The Crowne Plaza Hotel is located right next to Blanchardstown Centre, full of shops and food places. Most of the restaurants are accessible from street entrances, so there is plenty of hoiceeven after the centre itself is closed.
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For those who want to dine in town, the 37, 39 and 39a (express) buses leave from a few dozen metres down the road and will take you right into the centre of Dublin - and bring you back again too! The Crown Plaza hotel will also be serving food for the convention, please check at the venue for more details. press. Italian food with an emphasis on pizza but also some pretty nice salads and other mains.
2. Wagamamas Mostly Japanese asian food, good variety for people with dietary needs, plus awesome smoothies. (12 - 9:30, 10 Sat)
16. TGI Friday’s American restaurant and bar chain, free refills on soft drinks, open late, good lunch prices, OTT cocktails.
3. Starbucks for all your PSL needs.
17. Starbucks again, because there’s never just one.
4. Ginzeng fresh food prepared fast! Panasian street food, perfect if you need to grab a quick bite (open 9-7) 5. Kay’s Kitchen family friendly, sandwiches and hot food.
8. BB’s Coffee & Muffins everything you need to know is in the name! Well, almost, they do sandwiches too. Breakfast: sorted. 9. Jump a tasty juice bar to help you feel healthy and nourished. Good for when you’ve had a late night and the coffee isn’t working anymore. 10. KFC chicken in various configurations (southern/fried).
n tow 39a bus to
18. Dante Pizza Classic italian food from a small chain bravely competing with Milano across the road. 19. McDonalds cheap fast burgers from the archetypal evil megacorporation. You already know what it tastes like. 20. Ming Court full chinese restaurant open late. Bring on the dim sum! 21. Krispy Kreme as featured heavily in the Power Rangers movie (seriously, check it out it was pretty good), this brand new store was so overwhelmed by late night customers that it had to shut its 24 hour drive through! Still open pretty late though. Also, doughnuts, mmmm.
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22. KFC Drive-Thru chicken in various configurations (I eat chicken in my car, beep beep).
11. Burger King burgers, fries, and probably one of those soda machines where you get to pick the flavours.
23. The Great Wood a Wetherspoons pub, with classic pub food options and a decent selection of beers and cocktails. Good fallback pub if you need a change from the hotel bar.
12. Eddie Rockets Ireland’s favourite american diner. Come for the tatertots, stay for the malts because you’re too full to move.
24. Chopped these are everywhere now, huh? Filling salads for various dietary requirements, chopped into tiny bits right in front of you.
13. Subway build your own sandwich, then cover it in a sauce that makes everything taste of sauce.
25. Costa a pretty good chain, but you need to walk past 2 Starbucks to get here. They do better tea though.
14. Nando’s chicken in various configurations (spicy/cheeky).
26. Costa Ah go on, take a walk and try their Bonfire Spiced Latte (which actually sounds quite nice).
15. Milano the Irish brand name for Pizza Ex-
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7. Mooch frozen yoghurt, as featured in the Hugo award winning TV show The Good Place.
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6. Bagel Factory Sandwiches in bagels! A variety on the menu, and you can build your own too.
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1. Captain Americas The classic burger joint; come in and see the reproduction of Jim Fitzpatrick’s amazing mural! (12 - 10, 11 Sat)
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ATM Shops
Golden Blaster: ON/OFF
2014
When Meredith an astronaut on spacewalk receives a mysterious message seconds before disaster strikes, she is left fighting for her survival in a story that asks “What does it mean to be Human?”
Silver Blaster: Steadfast Stanley When Stanley a Welsh Corgi is left behind in the middle of a Zombie Apocalypse , he decides he is going to find his owner, a little boy, and bring him the shoe they left behind. Thrilling, original and funny, Steadfast Stanley was one of our most popular winners.
2010
Silver Blaster: The Astronomers Sun Winner of the very first Silver Blaster, this tells the story of a man’s quest to be re-united with his father aided with the help of his loyal childhood friend, a clockwork teddy bear. We dare you not to cry.
Golden Blaster: the Shoreditch Slayer
Silver Blaster: Cryo With most of the crew of the Sleeper Ship Noah1 dead, it is up to the survivors to save its cargo... Humanity! Winner of the tightest audience vote ever, this tense thriller from Australia won by a single vote.
It asks the question, what is a dream and what is reality in this disturbing vision of the way people are used as playthings.
Silver Blaster: The Detectives of Noir Town A bizarre and funny film set in a world of puppets and the not so bright detective who has to solve a murder.
Golden Blaster: The Way Back When a scientist builds a time machine to discover the truth behind the disappearance of her sister, she is not prepared for the horrifying truth. The Way Back is a study of loss and regret and how the repercussions of events can carry on down through the decades like a stream, never stopping.
Silver Blaster: They Will All Die In Space Alex a subspace technician and a passenger on the Starship Tantalus is woken up from suspended animation by two crewmen for his expertise as they desperately try to repair the damage to the ships navigation system. If Alex can’t fix the damage then...
Gold and Silver Blaster Winner: Einstein-Rosen
2017
2013
Silver Blaster: Sleepworking
A funny short about dance and the question of free will.
2016
2012
Filmed in the style of a public health warning, it asks the question “In the age of Twilight, what is a real vampire to do?”
Golden Blaster: C.T.R.L
2015
The 2018 Golden Blaster Festival will be a best of the best competition. All of the previous Golden and Sliver Blasters winning films will be screened, and compete for the best over all film of the last 10 years!
Only the second film to ever take both awards. A heartwarming and very funny look at quantum mechanics, wormholes and pet turtles and how the past can always catch up to you when you least expect it.
Panels and Events
200 Years and Counting: Women Creators
Women have been writing books and working in comics from before the Golden Age and onwards in increasing numbers. We are honoured to have industry veterans share their experiences with us.
Book Launch: LET SLEEPING DRAGONS LIE
Garth Nix and Sean Williams hold the Ireland & UK launch of Have Sword,Will Travel and Let Sleeping Dragons Lie at Octocon, ahead of the worldwide publication of Let Sleeping Dragons Lie at the end Colleen Doran, Diane Duane, C.E. Murphy, Brian Nisbet (m) of October.
Pat Cadigan, Colleen Doran, Diane Duane, Garth Nix, Sean Williams Ruth Frances Long, Jo Zebedee (m)
A Breath of Fire: Everything is Better with Dragons
example when you are working on someone else’s project in a universe which is their intellectual property? How much is still yours and how much should be? What historically are the benefits and pitfalls?
Build-a-Monster
Crossing Neil Gaiman’s TROLL BRIDGE
Colleen Doran, illustrator of ‘Troll Bridge’, presents the process and development of a graphic novel adaptation, from conception to final art.
Ever wanted to play at being Frankenstein? Create your very own special monster using our Is there anything that can’t be selection of parts. (Electricity not made better with dragons? Our supplied.) All ages and abilities Colleen Doran panellists discuss the popularity of welcome. dragons.Why do they feature in so Dinosaurs at the Movies: many different mythologies, what CinePunked: Brewing Up The Good, The Bad and a New Kind of Monster are the best recent depictions, Rocky Horror Picture Show. The Raptorous! and how do they fly anyway? Diane Duane, Gerry Mc Evoy, Peter Frankenstein and The Monster Did you know that there have Morwood, Clare O’Beara, Catherine From Hell. Young Frankenstein. been movies about dinosaurs In the mid-1970s, Mary Shelley’s for over a hundred years? At Sharp (m) most famous creation saw a Dinosaurs at the Movies, the new lease of life - and a radical Dino Guy takes you on a whistleA TARDIS Full of… Doctor Who is back with a makeover. Join CinePunked’s stop tour all the way back to ‘the very new look, and we explore Robert JE Simpson and Dr Rachael stoopid ages’ of dinosaur cinema whether all the rules have Kelly for an interactive discussion and right up to the Jurassic World changed. What comes next after about cinematic homage, parody era, checking out everything in more regenerations than any of us and reworking. And monsters in between – hold on to your butts, because this one gets a bit zany! expected - including the Doctor? stilettos. James Brophy (m), David Ferguson, Dr Rachael Kelly, Robert JE Simpson Robert JE Simpson, Jo Zebedee
Author Readings Saturday
Closing Ceremony
Another Octocon is over. We look back on this year’s Guest authors Peadar Ó Guilín convention and forward to what and Sarah Maria Griffin read from 2019 will bring to Dublin. their recent work. Sarah Maria Griffin, Peadar Ó Guilín
Author Readings - Sunday
Guest authors C.E Murphy and Michael Carroll read from their recent work. Michael Carroll, C.E. Murphy
Being Human
Dublin 2019 Meet and Greet
Dublin 2019 hosts a very casual environment to chat, ask questions, and meet others with an interest in Worldcon, the Hugo Awards, etc. Here’s your chance Cosplay Strut to talk to other volunteers, up to Show off your cosplay skills and and including the Chair! strut your stuff on the Octocon red carpet! All ages and skill Dublin 2019: Pitch Your levels welcome to participate, Ideas including commissioned and Dublin 2019’s Programme Team homemade costumes. First prize: is here and they want to hear a membership for Octocon 2019! from you. What’s the wildest and Sign up to take part. NOTE: wackiest thing you’ve never seen Cosplay is always encouraged and would like to have as a panel at Octocon, particularly at the at Dublin 2019? What clever and Monster’s Ball; this event is for cool idea do you have to share? the full the red carpet treatment! This is an audience participation panel, so we’re counting on you!
Do Frankenstein’s monster, the hosts of Westworld, and the X-men fit our ever-expanding definitions of what makes someone ‘human’? How far can / we/ be changed before we are no Creative Control and Rights Ethics in Speculative longer considered human? Ruth Frances Long (m), Juliet McKenna, Who determines what’s fair in Fiction Garth Nix, Karina Steffens, Sean Williams creative control and rights, for Plenty of science fiction and
fantasy has a strong ethical or philosophical core. When this becomes explicit, as in The Good Place, does it ask too much of its audience? Is it better to make your sources obvious or leave them for the reader/watcher to discover?
Pat Cadigan, Garth Nix, Fionna O’Sullivan, Janet O’Sullivan (m), Jan Siegel
Fan Chat: Read Anything Good Lately?
What are your favourite recent reads? Discuss the latest award winners, potential Hugo nominees, and oldies-but-goodies that you’ve only recently discovered. Fionna O’Sullivan
Fan Chat: Tabletop Game Recommendations
Tabletop gamers WTLM new fun games! Your chance to give and gather recommendations, and share tips and tricks with other players.
as the highest budget piece of fan fiction ever, The Orville - cited by many fans as their new favourite Star Trek show - plus what could possibly be the new Picard show. A Golden Girls reboot perhaps? James Brophy
Finding the Fantastic in your Fiction
Using folklore, fairytale and supernatural elements in your fiction, from fantasy to contemporary. In this 90 minute workshop, Ruth Frances Long will explore different ways of using myths and folktales to flesh out your writing and inject some magic. Suitable for all ages. Places limited – sign-up required (at convention). Ruth Frances Long
Finding the Write Balance
No one is ever just one thing. Writers may choose to find complementary and supplementary ways of supporting James Sihields, Paul Anthony Shortt their creative endeavours. Our Fan Chat: The Evolution of panellists discuss what works for Disney Princesses them. From Snow White, based Edmond Barrett, Claire Hennessy, Juliet physically on a real woman but E McKenna, C.E. Murphy, Robert JE highly conservative in its message Simpson (m) about marriage and appearance, to the hyper-stylised Elsa with Frankenstein’s Legacy a message about mental health Is there life in the old monster and self-sacrifice for those we yet? We look at the legacy of love, Disney Princesses have FRANKENSTEIN, whether it still changed with the times. But what influences us 200 years after it remains is our love for them. Can was written, and how important these movies fit in with modern and relevant it is to modern science fiction and horror. feminist values? Sakura Perez
Fan Chat: The Marvel Cinematic Universe
After 10 years and 20 movies (plus some TV shows), the Marvel Cinematic Universe is still going strong. What’s working, what’s not, and what’s next? Tendai Muzwidzwa
Fan Chat: Where is Star Trek Going Exactly?
Without the guiding hand of Gene Roddenberry, his creation has become a multiplicity of properties: the Abrams films universe, the Discovery universe, and what can only be described
Robert JE Simpson, John Vaughan
Guest Chat: Diane Duane and Peter Morwood
Join former Octocon Guests of Honour Diane Duane and Peter Morwood for an informal chat about whatever takes their (and your) fancy. Places limited – signup required. Diane Duane, Peter Morwood
Guest Chat: Pat Cadigan and Peadar Ó Guilín
Join the Toastmutant of Eurocon 2019, Pat Cadigan and Peadar Ó Guilín, to chat about… who knows? Places limited – sign-up required. Pat Cadigan, Peadar Ó Guilín
Guest Chat: Ruth Frances Long and C. E. Murphy
Bring along your elevenses for a chat with local authors Ruth Frances Long and C.E. Murphy! Places limited – sign-up required. Ruth Frances Long, C.E. Murphy
Guest of Honour Interview: Colleen Doran Pat Cadigan, Janet O’Sullivan
Guest of Honour Interview: Pat Cadigan Colleen Doran, Janet O’Sullivan
Hand-to-Hand Combat: the Fantasy of the One Heroic Punch
People don’t go out like a light when you hit them in the head Jack Fennell (m), Sarah Maria Griffin, and fists aren’t the most efficient way to cut wood. The fighting Robert JE Simpson we see on screen might often From Hammer to look breathlessly energetic and effective. Our martial arts and Blumhouse Blood, fright and fear bring in self-defense experts are here to audiences like nothing else.Where sort fact from fiction. massive corporations are failing Karina Coldrick (m), Gerry Mc Evoy, to make an impact in the current Oisin McGann, Juliet E McKenna, Peter market, Get Out’s production Morwood company Blumhouse established itself with small to medium budget How Far Can a Story Go? films and built themselves into It is said that only those who an industry powerhouse whose go too far can understand how impact can’t be ignored. Join us far one should go, but does that as we compare and contrast the really justify writing about hot rise of Blumhouse to the almost pterodactyl boyfriends? We’re genre-defining Hammer horror used to taboo and difficult topics in genre fiction being couched films of the 1960s and 70s. in sometimes heavy or comedic
metaphor but what happens when trademark of the LEGO Group, we choose to be more direct and who do not authorise, sponsor or more explicit in our writing? And endorse this event. do some topics cross the line? Claire Hennessy, Ruth Frances Long, Tendai Muzwidzwa, Robert JE Simpson, MaryBrigid Turner (m)
How to Cheat at Drawing
Oisín McGann presents a quick, easy and lively crash course in some basic drawing techniques, with a talk on how illustration is as much a language as it is a skill in making pretty pictures. Oisín will show some of the techniques, tricks and cheats that illustrators use to get the job done when that deadline is looming. Suitable for age 10 and up. Places limited – sign-up required (at convention). Oisin McGann
How We Tell Stories About Consent
A discussion about bodily autonomy in genre fiction; how we depict good examples of consent; and how we handle stories where consent, autonomy and safety are absent or ignored.
What makes a Worldcon Irish? Involving loads of local volunteers and attendees! Come talk to Michael Carroll’s Secret Dublin 2019 about why you Panel should join now, and how to We’re once again letting one of put your stamp on the first Irish our favourite frequent guests, Worldcon. Michael Carroll, loose on an unsuspecting Octocon. Who Right to Reply: Time knows what might happen? Travellers Answer Back Michael Carroll Would any time travellers in the audience please step forward? Myths, Legends and Our panel would like to address Fairytales: Reshaping and any grievances on how you have Retelling been represented. In the absence Many writers have mined the rich of any raised issues we will seams of folklore, fairytales and discuss if the grandfather paradox myths to create new stories and really exists, what happens when retell old favourites in their own you step on an ant, and if there way.Why are some source stories actually are fixed points in time. used more than others, and is it Edmond Barrett, Kerry Buchanan, John possible to change something so JC Clarke, Edmund Schluessel (m), John completely from the original that Vaughan it can no longer be considered a Seasons, Series and retelling? Ruth Frances Long, Gerry Mc Evoy, Endings Karina Steffens, Deirdre Sullivan, Deirdre ‘To everything there is a season.’ Thornton (m) Some TV shows and novel series
Opening Ceremony
Octocon, the Irish National Science Fiction convention, opens its doors for 2018 and welcomes Is It Getting Hot in Here? this year’s Guests of Honour Pat Fiction is traditionally a way of Cadigan and Colleen Doran. conveying ideas to the masses scifi often does so from an alien Playing Nicely Together: point of view. How can writers Shared Universes best address climate change and Many creators work in a world other environmental issues? that’s built by or shared with S.C. Flynn, Oisin McGann, C.E. Murphy, others such as the Star Wars Catherine Sharp (m), James Shields and Star Trek universes, Marvel, DC, and George R R Martin’s LEGO Workshop Wildcards. What are the pros and Saturday cons of sharing your work and We’ve got LEGO! Come and your worlds? build a model inspired by your Pat Cadigan, Michael Carroll (m), Colleen favourite comics, TV show or Doran, Peadar O’ Guilin, Sean Williams book – the only limit is your imagination! All ages and abilities Plotting for NaNoWriMo welcome. LEGO® is a registered November is National Novel trademark of the LEGO Group, Writing Month, when thousands who do not authorise, sponsor or of people challenge themselves to write like never before. Join your endorse this event. local NaNoWriMo coordinators LEGO Workshop - Sunday to find out more, and then learn We’ve got LEGO! Come and how to outline your plot with build a model inspired by your author and creative writing favourite comics, TV show or teacher Claire Hennessy. book – the only limit is your Paul Carroll, Kat Dodd, Claire Hennessy imagination! All ages and abilities welcome. LEGO® is a registered Putting the “Irish” into An James Brophy, Claire Hennessy, Janet O’Sullivan (m), Deirdre Sullivan
Irish Worldcon
seem likely to go on forever while others finished after just a couple of seasons or books – perhaps too soon. How can creators and writers find the right balance between the demands of the material, the network or publishers, and the audience?
Melanie Boylan, Gareth Kavanagh, Mikaela Lind, Peter Morwood, Paul Anthony Shortt (m)
So You Want to Be a Wikipedia Editor
There have been calls to make wikis more diverse; not just in content but also in editors. Wikimedia Community Ireland and experienced wiki editors present the basics of wiki editing, along with how to create entries which highlight the lives and works of SFF authors from a range of different backgrounds. Antiqueight, Juliet E McKenna, Rebecca O’Neill
Sunday Service with John and James
Sunday morning, and some of us are still recovering from the delights and horrors of the Monster’s Ball. John Vaughan
needs to vent about the many bad films he’s seen this year, while James Brophy can’t wait to enthuse about all the television he’s enjoyed. James Brophy, John Vaughan
That Fan You Can’t Stand
Brian Nisbet (m), Peadar O’Guilin, Jan Siegel
The Octocon Book Club
The Emerging Comics Scene in Ireland
There’s always been a fantastic range of homegrown Irish comics, and now Irish artists are being taken seriously by American comics companies like never before. Irish creators talk about the development of this new culture. James Bacon, Daniella Bella (m), Paul Carroll, David Ferguson, Leeann Hamilton
The Golden Blasters
The Golden Blasters (the National Irish Science Fiction Film Awards) is a film festival dedicated to short science fiction, fantasy and horror stories. We aim to bring the best speculative fiction around and expose more people to the wonderful art of the short film. This year we present the Best of the Best from previous years.
The Monster’s Ball
We’ve caught up to the future predicted by science fiction: advanced computing power at our fingertips and instant communication with anyone across the globe. But where are the flying cars? What did creators get right, what did they get badly wrong, and what did they never dream of?
Join us to discuss ‘The Stress of Her Regard’ by Tim Powers. A Locus Fantasy and World Fantasy Awards nominee in 1990, and winner of the 1990 Mythopoeic Fantasy Award, it tells a story of mythic creatures and Romantic writers – including Lord Byron, Keats and Mary Shelley, author of ‘Frankenstein’ (200 years old, this Eemeli Aro (m), Edmond Barrett, Kerry Buchanan, Pat Cadigan, John Vaughan year).
Each of us has the potential to add fuel to a fire; idle questions can become a torrent of outrage if everyone is confused in the same way; and a single bad day can turn any one of us into the type of fan we would avoid. How can we become better fans and foster a Fionna O’Sullivan better community? James Brophy, Michael Carroll, Carol Connolly (m), Gareth Kavanagh, Tendai Muzwidzwa
Was It Wrong to Promise Flying Cars?
The Stuff About the Thing: Toys, Novelizations, Collectibles and Tie-ins
Merchandise celebrates what we love. Before we could own film and tv personally we had to rely on our memories, trading cards toys and novelisations to allow us to hold on to our favourite moments? How have the gaps between those tent poles created strange lore and impressions. What do a story’s peripherals tell us? Do they add to it and its universe, or result in strange contradictions? Edmond Barrett, James Brophy (m), Pat Cadigan, Sakura Perez, James Shields
The Trance Mission Diaries
THE TRANCE MISSION DIARIES is a performance art piece about life, the universe and everything. It tells the cosmic tale of a ruined lightship, a lost crew, a forgotten mission. With creator/narrator O.R. Melling, electronic sound artist Cha Krka, and vocalist Sylvia Teva.
Electrofunk and cyberpunk the night away with Octocon’s finest The Vault of Horror monsters! Costumes encouraged. The Vault is back for Octocon Disco and bar till late. 2018 as John Vaughan presents a carefully curated selection of The Monster’s horrifyingly bad films. Beware: Perspective no genre is spared - and neither Often fiction is an exploration of is the audience - from the moans the human condition as written and groans which can be heard from the perspective of the when the Vault opens. monster, the outsider, the other the one who is different and so Upcoming Events questions things which we may Make sure you don’t miss out on have taken for granted. But who what’s next for SFF fans in Ireland defines who is the monster? and beyond! Michael Carroll, Sarah Maria Griffin, Carol Connolly, David Ferguson
Whose Canon Is It Anyway?
“Love is not love when it alteration finds - and that’s why I’m boycotting this new series!” We’ve seen some of our bestloved universes change with time, different creators or shifts in perspective - should we still be fans? How kind should we be to new versions of old familiar things?
Noelle Ameijenda, C.E. Murphy, Phazedout, Catherine Sharp (m), Paul Anthony Shortt
Wikipedia Editathon
Join other wiki editors in exercising your skills to create and update new entries. Please bring a suitable computing device – wifi is available. Antiqueight, Rebecca O’Neill
Worth a Thousand Words
What sort of differences are there between creating magic in comics as opposed to other types of media? What different types of tools or skills do you need, and how much crossover is there? Colleen Doran, Michael Carroll, Paul Carroll, David Ferguson (m), C.E. Murphy
Writing for the Next Generation
Best-selling children’s authors talk about the unique challenges and pleasures of writing for the toughest critics of all.
Diane Duane, Oisin McGann, Garth Nix, MaryBrigid Turner (m), Sean Williams
Crown Plaza Blanchardstown 1st Floor
Lobby & Bar
Guests of Honour Honour Jocelyn Bell Bell Burnell Burnell Ginjer Buchanan Buchanan Mary & Bill Burns Burns Diane Duane Diane Duane Steve Steve Jackson Jackson Ian Ian McDonald McDonald
Room 1
Heather A Room 3
Trade Hall Heather B2
Janet O’Sullivan Dav Waldron Joanna Schaffalitzky Raissa Perez Martin Hoare Kath O’Meara Catherine Sharp James Brophy Fionna O’Sullivan James Shields Eric Gallagher Shevaun Frazier
Convention Chair Hotel Liaison Treasurer Volunteer Co-ordinator Technical Manager Dealers Co-ordinator Programme Manager & Guest Wrangler Programme Team Membership Webmaster Promotions Publications and Octo creator
Artwork by IAin Clark Artwork by IAin Clark
The Octocon 2018 Committee
August August15 15--19, 19,2019 2019 Convention Centre Dublin Convention Centre Dublin www.dublin2019.com www.dublin2019.com facebook: facebook:dublin2019 dublin2019 twitter: dublin2019 twitter: dublin2019 info@dublin2019.com info@dublin2019.com “World Science Fiction Society”,“WSFS”,“World Science Fiction Convention”,“Worldcon”,“NASFiC”“Hugo Award”, the Hugo Award Logo, and the distinctive design of the Hugo“WSFS”, Award Trophy Rocket are Fiction serviceConvention”, marks of the“Worldcon”, World Science Fiction “Hugo Society,Award”, an unincorporated literaryLogo, society. “World Science Fiction Society”, “World Science “NASFiC” the Hugo Award and the distinctive design of the Hugo Award Trophy Rocket are service marks of the World Science Fiction Society, an unincorporated literary society.
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