As announced last week on Torque Control, the BSFA is carrying out a survey of British
science fiction and fantasy writers, updating an earlier survey carried out in conjunction with the Mexicon III convention twenty years ago.

As a sort of launch for the survey, at the BSFA/Science Fiction Foundation joint AGM event on Saturday 27th June, there was a panel to discuss some of the questions asked in the survey, chewing over how writers perceive their work -- in terms of genre, and in terms of
Britishness -- and how others perceive it. The panelists were Nick Harkaway, Paul Kincaid, Paul McAuley, Juliet McKenna, and Kit Whitfield, with Niall Harrison moderating. We're pleased to be able to present a recording of the panel, which you can listen to below, or download as an mp3 file from http://www.frequency-response.com/audio/survey.mp3



Any writers who are interested in participating in the survey should contact Niall Harrison.
The deadline for responses will be August 16th, 2009.
 

The 2009 BSFA AGM will be held on 27th June 2009 at midday at Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London.

The guests for the BSFA/SFF AGM will be Nick Harkaway for the BSFA, and Paul Kincaid for the SFF.

Ian Whates (short story writer and editor of NewCon Press anthologies) will be interviewed by Simon Gilmartin.

The 2009 BSFA AGM will be held on 27th June 2009 at midday at Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London.

The files found here (BSFA members only) are the proposed final financial statements for the year ended 30 September 2008, the AGM 2008 minutes and a voting proxy form for use by members eligible to attend.

If you are unable to attend and wish to appoint a proxy to vote in your place, please print out the proxy form, complete it with the name of an attending member, sign it and send to the registered office: 61 Ivycroft Road, Warton, Nr. Tamworth, Staffordshire B79 0JJ to arrive no later than 20th June 2009.

If you require a hard copy of any of these documents please write to the BSFA Treasurer at the Registered Office above, including a self addressed envelope. Please allow seven days for return postage.

If you have any queries please email: bsfatreasurer@googlemail.com

Jaine Fenn (author of Principles of Angels and Consorts of Heaven) will be interviewed by Kari Sperring (author of Living with Ghosts)

LiveAudioCast: BSFA Awards Ceremony:

Photo by Tom Hunter all rights reserved

Event:The BSFA Awards ceremony is held every year at Eastercon. This years event featured Kim Newman and Paul McAuley hosting a very entertaining ceremony.
Date of recording: Saturday April 11th 2009.
Place of recording: Eastercon LX
The Cedar Court Hotel
Bradford
Duration: 26 minutes

Download: http://www.frequency-response.com/audio/BSFA_Awards.mp3 (26mb)

Amanda Hemingway (author of the Sangreal trilogy, also writing as Jan Seigel), will be interviewed by Roz Kaveney (popular culture critic and author).

As the main event of the British SF scenes approaches (yes Eastercon is nearly upon us once again) we are providing a live stream of Twitter updates for you who cannot be there. If you want to add to the stream, simply tag your tweet with #eastercon and it will automatically update the feed.

LiveAudioCast: BSFA Awards Panel Discussion:

Event:This was a discussion panel featuring Jon Courtenay Grimwood, Alastair Reynolds and Adam Roberts who mulled over the question “What do the BSFA Awards mean to me?” moderated by Donna Scott.
Date of recording: Wednesday, March 25, 2009.
Place of recording: The Antelope Tavern
22, Eaton Terrace
Belgravia
London
SW1W 8EZ
Duration: 1 hr 24 minutes
Download: http://www.frequency-response.com/audio/BSFA Awards Discussion.mp3 (right click and Save As) but beware it is 80mb.

Ian R. MacLeod, Paul McAuley, Alastair Reynolds, Neal Stephenson, Sheri S. Tepper and Mark Wernham are the six authors shortlisted for the Arthur C. Clarke Award 2009, the UK’s premier prize for science fiction literature.

The six shortlisted books are:
Song of Time: Ian R. MacLeod - PS Publishing
The Quiet War: Paul McAuley – Gollancz
House of Suns: Alastair Reynolds – Gollancz
Anathem: Neal Stephenson – Atlantic
The Margarets: Sheri S. Tepper – Gollancz
Martin Martin’s on the Other Side: Mark Wernham – Jonathan Cape