Picocon 36: 'Intrigue'

Picocon 36 will be held on Saturday 16th February 2019, in Imperial College's Blackett Building.

Andrew Bannister grew up in Cornwall and spent far too much time reading science fiction. He studied Geology at Imperial College and went to work in the North Sea before becoming an environmental consultant. He now pretends to work in the construction industry while spending far too much time writing science fiction.
He lives in an ancient cottage in the middle of nowhere, next door to an abandoned iron mine. He has an excessive collection of vinyl records. He also likes cheese very much.
Andrew's Spin Trilogy (Creation Machine, Iron Gods and Stone Clock) is published in the UK by Bantam Books, in Germany by Piper and (from March 2019) in the USA by Tor in print and ebook formats, and by MacMillan as audiobooks. He finds all this rather exciting and is currently working on a novella and on his next trilogy.
Andrew is represented by the John Jarrold Literary Agency.

Lottie Bevan & Alexis Kennedy
- Lottie’s a producer and big advocate for women in games. She started out working on client-led indie titles and went on to join Alexis at Failbetter in 2015. She worked there on Fallen London, Sunless Sea‘s Zubmariner expansion and Sunless Skies. She’s spoken internationally on production and game development.
  She’s been a games consultant for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and is now a BAFTA Crew member, a STEM Ambassador and a WISE Awards finalist for women in STEM.
- Alexis is an acclaimed writer and game designer. He founded Failbetter Games, where he built Fallen London and was creative director on Sunless Sea (plus StoryNexus, Machine Cares!, Night Circus, Black Crown et al). He speaks internationally at conferences and universities on interactive writing and narrative design.
Simon Morden, based in Gateshead, trained as a planetary geologist, realised he was never going to get into space, and decided to write about it instead. His writing career includes an eclectic mix of short stories, novellas and novels which blend science fiction, fantasy and horror, a five-year stint as an editor for the British Science Fiction Association, a judge for the Arthur C Clarke Awards, and regular speaking engagements at the Greenbelt arts festival.
Simon has written ten novels and novellas. The wonderfully tentacular Another War (2005), was shortlisted for a World Fantasy Award, and 2007 saw the publication of The Lost Art, which was shortlisted for the Catalyst Award. The first three books starring everybody's favourite sweary Russian scientist, Samuil Petrovitch (Equations of Life, Theories of Flight, Degrees of Freedom) were published within three months of each other in 2011, and collectively won the Philip K Dick Award - the fourth Petrovitch, The Curve of the Earth, was published in 2013. In a departure from the usual high-tech mayhem, 2014 saw the arrival of Arcanum, a massive (and epic) alternate-history fantasy, which not only has flaming letters on the cover, but the story inside is "enthralling", "intelligent", "impeccably rendered" (Kirkus), and "engrossing", "satisfying" and "leaving the reader craving for more (Publishers' Weekly). Which was nice.

Gavin Smith hates writing about himself so he has chosen not to-to preserve the mystery. Only you can decide if it’s working. Turn to page 80. He also misses Fighting Fantasy novels, though Deathtrap Dungeon was too hard.
Other than that he was born in Dundee in the same year that Iron Butterfly recorded Inna-Gadda-da-Vida. He has also lived in Camberley, Hayling Island, Portsmouth, Hull, Leamington Spa and is currently living a near feral existence in Leicester (if you see him in the streets he will write science fiction for sweeties). Anyone who has been to any of these places will understand why his fiction is like it is.
He has a degree in writing for film and a Masters in medieval history. Veteran is his first novel but he is patiently waiting for one of the 2.5 scripts that have been optioned to be turned into films.
He likes to travel and dive when he can afford it and in his free time he enjoys getting the s**t kicked out of him whilst practicing Silat. He is hoping that the book does well so he can buy a motorbike.
- He should not be approached after 8pm at conventions.
- It is true that he has never seen The Great Escape.
- His power animal is also a penguin.

Provisional Timetable

09:00	Front Desk/registration opens
09:30	Guest Talk 1: Lottie Bevan & Alexis Kennedy Blackett LT1
10:00	Guest Talk 1: Lottie Bevan & Alexis Kennedy Blackett LT1
10:30	Guest Talk 2: Gavin Smith Blackett LT1
11:00	Guest Talk 2: Gavin Smith Blackett LT1
11:30	Guest Talk 3: Andrew Bannister Blackett LT1
12:00	Guest Talk 3: Andrew Bannister Blackett LT1
12:30	Lunch Imperial College Union, Beit Quad Destruction of Dodgy Merchandise Queen's Lawn – To start 13:15
13:00
13:30
14:00	Guest Talk 4: Simon Morden Blackett LT1
14:30	Guest Talk 4: Simon Morden Blackett LT1
15:00	Guest Panel Blackett LT1
15:30	Guest Panel Blackett LT1
16:00	Turkey Readings & Silly Games Tabletop & Video Games Blackett: LT1 – Silly Games 1004 – Video Games & Tabletop
16:30
17:00
17:30	Harmless Fun (definitely not a fish duel) Queen's Lawn
18:00	Pub quiz Blackett LT1 (Probably)
18:30	Pub quiz Blackett LT1 (Probably)

Prices

Entry:

£8 for ICSF members;
£10 concessions (with valid ID) - students/DWP/OAP/children;
£12 full price;
FREE for past Guests of Honour.

You can buy tickets here.

Discounts for large parties (e.g. other University SF societies) are potentially available (email the Picocon Sofa).

Please note that neither ICSF nor Union membership is required to attend Picocon – all are welcome.

Food will be served from 12:30-13:30, at Imperial College Union. If you are not an Imperial student or staff member, make sure to let the serving staff know you're attending Picocon and show your Picocon wristband.

Directions to Picocon

Here's a general map of the area, pointing at the entrance to Beit Quad (which houses the Union) off Prince Consort Road.

By London Underground

The tube is probably easiest way to get to Picocon; both Gloucester Road Station and South Kensington Station are within easy reach.

Both stations are served by the Circle, District, and Piccadilly lines. There are planned engineering works on some other Underground lines .

These maps show the routes we suggest from both Gloucester Road Station and from South Kensington Station.

By Public Bus

Both the Royal Albert Hall and the South Kensington bus stop groups are nearby - the Royal Albert Hall itself is next door to the Union. From South Kensington stops, follow the route map from South Kensington Station.

These stops are served by buses C1, 9, 10, 49, 52, 70, 74, 345, 360, 414, 430, and 452.

By Bike

There are three hire cycle docking stations on Prince Consort Road, which also houses the Union. Search for 'SW7 2BB' on the Cycle Map.

Note: If you get lost around South Kensington trying to find Beit Quad, ask for directions to the Royal Albert Hall, and once there, Beit Quad is the building on the left of the RAH as you face its main entrance (if you arrive from the Hyde Park side, you will be at the rear of the RAH).

Contact Us

For more information, please contact Edward Pickup, the Picocon Sofa (comfier than a chair), at icsf.picoconsofa@gmail.com.

Our mail address is the following:

ICSF
Student Activities Centre
Imperial College Students' Union
Beit Quad
Prince Consort Road
London
SW7 2BB
UK

Picocon 36 — ‘Intrigue’ 16th February 2019

What is Picocon?

Guests of Honour