Sessions Timetable for Friday
Time	Conference 1	Conference 2	Conference 3	Foyer
Fri 19:00
Fri 19:10
Fri 19:20			Opening night ceremony Isobelle Carmody Fred Gallagher Cath Ortlieb Dave Freer committee
Fri 19:30
Fri 19:40
Fri 19:50
Fri 20:00				Kitsune Press Paul Kidd launches Kitsune Press, his new print-on-demand publishing effort. His novels Lilith, Dreamscape, Petal Storm, Mus of Kebridge and Neu Europa will all be hot off the press. Food and drinkies provided! Fortify yourself for the night's panels! Paul Kidd
Fri 20:10
Fri 20:20
Fri 20:30
Fri 20:40
Fri 20:50			Great Debate - Mainstream media is killing science fiction Mainstream media is killing the science fiction and fantasy genre. Is "the same only better" a path to excellence or just endless repetition? Dianne de Bellis, Rob Hood, Cat Sparks, Ian Nichols, Rose Michael, Dave Freer, Jack Dann. Rated M.
Fri 21:00
Fri 21:10
Fri 21:20
Fri 21:30
Fri 21:40
Fri 21:50
Fri 22:00
Sessions Timetable for Saturday
Time	Conference 1	Conference 2	Conference 3	Foyer
Sat 10:00	A second life - why would I want one? Second Life, World of Warcraft, Everquest... what's the attraction of these burgeoning virtual worlds? What do people do there? Who's making a living from them - and in them? What does this mean for real-world economics, human relationships and our very notion of what is real? Russell Blackford Dave Cake Paul Poulton Multimedia= AV	What are the big cliches of fantasy? What are the big cliches of fantasy? Do you avoid them, use them or exploit them? Jane Routley Jenny Blackford Pamela Freeman Richard Harland	Harry Potter - hero or zero? Is JK Rowling's creation the gold standard of YA fiction, or just another hack-written burnt offering? Lucy Zinkiewicz Sue Bursztynski Ian Irvine Chris McMahon
Sat 10:10
Sat 10:20
Sat 10:30
Sat 10:40
Sat 10:50
Sat 11:00	History of imaginative fiction for YA/children Richard Harland	Where are the new dangerous visions? Have SF and fantasy gone safe and sound to avoid alienating the mainstream audience? Where are the risky, edgy works in the fields of politics, sexuality, racism and real-world issues? Jack Dann Lucy Sussex Gillian Polack	Zombie Flesh Eaters Ate my Baby! The many forms of zombiism. Are they just misunderstood souls with a penchant for long pig? Robert Hood Robert Stephenson Kirsytn McDermott Alan Stewart
Sat 11:10
Sat 11:20
Sat 11:30	"The Stone Key" - Isobelle Carmody A sneak preview of the next Obernewtyn book The Stone Key, due out at the end of the year, and a confession from the author, Isobelle  Carmody. A must for fans of the Obernewtyn Chronicles. To be filmed. Isobelle Carmody
Sat 11:40
Sat 11:50	"Son et Lumiere" - Ian Nichols Reading. Complete short story from Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine (2007). Does a person choose to live without joy, without all the things which give him pleasure, which make him what he is, or to die as a whole person? The choice is light, then dark, or dwindling grey for much longer. How much is colour worth to you? Music? Taste? How much? Ian Nichols
Sat 12:00		Fannish Auction Items on auction will be sold by individuals or by the Fan Funds: GUFF, DUFF, FFANZ and NAFF. Justin Ackroyd as auctioneer.	Are we just the 51st state? Is there such a thing as a distinctive Australian voice in speculative fiction? And if so, what in tarnation is it? Russell Blackford Jack Dann Donna Hanson Stuart Mayne
Sat 12:10	Blank
Sat 12:20
Sat 12:30
Sat 12:40
Sat 12:50
Sat 13:00			How to Create a Comic Strip Presentation. Craig Hilton takes you from an idea, a blank sheet of paper. and a fat texta to a finished strip. (Dealers room.) Craig Hilton Multimedia= FC
Sat 13:10
Sat 13:20
Sat 13:30
Sat 13:40
Sat 13:50
Sat 14:00	Isobelle Carmody Guest of Honour Speech Isobelle Carmody	Blank	Blank
Sat 14:10
Sat 14:20
Sat 14:30
Sat 14:40
Sat 14:50
Sat 15:00	World building 101 Ready to create new worlds? Great! But are you sure you've thought of everything? Ian Irvine Gillian Polack Robert Stephenson Keith Stevenson	Is fantasy really about good verus evil? Tansy Roberts Glenda Larke Pamela Freeman Richard Harland	Wild Palms A Brian de Palma TV series made in the 1980s set in 2007. Its reaction to Reagonomics in the 80s is a powerful message in post 9-11 America. Bizarre and studied madness. Terry Frost Dave Cake Multimedia= AV	Megatokyo Q&A (Dealers room.) Fred Gallagher
Sat 15:10
Sat 15:20
Sat 15:30
Sat 15:40
Sat 15:50
Sat 16:00	Creativity - the Improbable Aircraft - Mark Shirrefs and Jack Dann A discussion about creativity as it applies to science fiction and fantasy in film and novels. A screening of the Academy Award nominated film The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello from Mark Shirrefs, a reading from Jack Dann's bestseller The Memory Cathedral. Mark and Jack will also be discussing their exciting new projects. Plenty of giveaways. Jack Dann Mark Shirrefs Jenny Blackford Multimedia= AV	Eating Ancient Food: historical foodways for writers, readers, fans and chocolate lovers How can food hold societies together and split them asunder? Why should writers pay attention to it? Gillian illustrates her talk with anecdotes about butchers, suicidal ancient Roman gourmands, and a sample of medieval viagra. Gillian Polack	Digital Rights Free downloads of art, music, books and software. Is it a good thing? Trish Smyth Dave Cake Dave Freer Multimedia= AV
Sat 16:10
Sat 16:20
Sat 16:30		Fiddlin' with History Are alternative histories just parody, or are there some deeper literary or other purposes to them? Ian Nichols
Sat 16:40
Sat 16:50
Sat 17:00		Fandoms in Europe and Australia: Getting Up and Getting Down GUFF sends fans between Australia/NZ and Europe. Damien and Juliette tell of their adventures meeting fans across northern Europe in 2005. English fan Ang Rosin talks of her current trip to Australia to meet fans here. Angela Rosin Juliette Woods Damien Warman	Teen Angst Why can't kids be happy? Abuse, death, family separations, poverty, isolation and alienation. Why can't teenage YA characters have normal, fulfilling lives? Lucy Sussex Cath Ortlieb
Sat 17:10
Sat 17:20
Sat 17:30
Sat 17:40
Sat 17:50
Sat 18:00			I wish I'd thought of that! Just how difficult is it to be creative, to come up with something shockingly new? This is not a "seven-step plan", but it just might fan an ember or two out there. Keith Stevenson Multimedia= FC
Sat 18:10
Sat 18:20
Sat 18:30
Sat 18:40
Sat 18:50
Sat 19:00				Dark Space - Marianne de Pierres and The Darkness Within - Jason Nahrung Hachette Livre Australia invites you to celebrate the launch of two exciting new books. Refreshments will be provided. Marianne de Pierres Jason Nahrung Hachette Livre
Sat 19:10
Sat 19:20
Sat 19:30
Sat 19:40
Sat 19:50
Sat 20:00			The Australian SF (Ditmar) Awards recognise excellence in Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror by Australians for work published or released during 2006 Ditmar Awards Presentation Ceremony Isobelle Carmody Fred Gallagher Cath Ortlieb Dave Freer committee
Sat 20:10
Sat 20:20
Sat 20:30
Sat 20:40
Sat 20:50
Sat 21:00
Sat 21:10
Sat 21:20
Sat 21:30
Sat 21:40
Sat 21:50
Sat 22:00
Sessions Timetable for Sunday
Time	Conference 1	Conference 2	Conference 3	Foyer
Sun 10:00	Anthology of Interest and Dark Carnival Short Film Collection Brilliance on a budget! Shorts on a shoestring! Barnard's Star Productions proudly presents some of the best and most imaginative of recent Australian-made science fiction short films for your viewing enjoyment and critique. Graham Garfield Multimedia= AV	I hate my cover! What sells and what does not. What is "commercial art"? Isobelle Carmody Craig Hilton Dave Freer	Slippage on the Liminal True horror is found in those moments of spooky hesitation, where the familiar slips into something else. Rjurik Davidson Robert Hood Paul Haines Kirsytn McDermott
Sun 10:10
Sun 10:20
Sun 10:30
Sun 10:40
Sun 10:50
Sun 11:00	Fred Gallagher Guest of Honour Speech Fred Gallagher Multimedia= FC	Natcon Business Meeting concerned parties	Science Fiction and Fantasy in the School Curriculum Where and what is it? Should we be excited or disappointed? Ian Nichols Sue Bursztynski Cath Ortlieb
Sun 11:10
Sun 11:20
Sun 11:30
Sun 11:40
Sun 11:50
Sun 12:00	How to Promote your Book So, you sold your idea to the publisher and the book's in print. But there are thousands of new titles out there, so how do you make yours rise above the competition and generate some real sales? Ian Irvine Multimedia= AV	Lay down your mystical amulet and grab hold of this! Medieval battle, like life, was nasty, brutish and short. Learn what it was really like to lift a bloody big sword. Chris Barnes Paul Kidd Stuart Mayne	Making a Business from Comics Craig Hilton Fred Gallagher Avi Bernshaw Multimedia= AV
Sun 12:10
Sun 12:20
Sun 12:30	"The Dove Game" - Isobelle Carmody Reading. From Gathering the Bones (edited by Jack Dann, Ramsey Campbell and Dennis Etchison). Isobelle Carmody
Sun 12:40
Sun 12:50
Sun 13:00		Grumpy old fans Old fans talk about the fandom of today and what's wrong with it. In the style of the TV show Grumpy Old Men. Lucy Zinkiewicz Cath Ortlieb Terry Frost Ian Nichols		Piro - Megatokyo signings (Dealers room.) Fred Gallagher
Sun 13:10
Sun 13:20
Sun 13:30
Sun 13:40
Sun 13:50
Sun 14:00	What's Coming Up What movies are people looking forward to seeing soon? Trailers and teasers shown. Mitch Terry Frost Multimedia= AV	"Melded Child" - Jane Routley Reading - fantasy. Sequel to the Three Sisters published pseudonymously under the name Rebecca Locksley. Yani, eldest of the Three Sisters, has been kidnapped and the trial leads back to Necromancers in Miraya. But is the trail too obvious? Jane Routley	Awards - not worth the gilded plastic they're stamped from It's a thrill to get one, or to appear in a year's best, but isn't it all just a non-representative wank? Robert Stephenson Claire Brialey Dianne de Bellis Paul Haines Keith Stevenson
Sun 14:10
Sun 14:20		"Nigella and the Clockwork Man" - George Ivanoff Reading - horror. From Shadow Plays (edited by Elise Bunter). George Ivanoff
Sun 14:30
Sun 14:40		"Pyramid Power" - Dave Freer Reading - humour. "My Kingdom for a Norse." The alien Krim battle humanity in a world of Norse myth... with Thor on a 12-point plan, and the midgard serpent wrestling with anorexia. Mytholgy, misadventure and bad puns. Dave Freer
Sun 14:50
Sun 15:00	Approaching the craft Just how do you get from flash of inspiration to finished novel? The paths can be many and strange. Isobelle Carmody Dave Freer Kate Forsyth Paul Kidd Ian Irvine	Inspirational Journeys Fans and writers talk about the stories they read in their early years which gave them their sense of wonder, and how those tales inspired their own work in the field. Jane Routley George Ivanoff Richard Harland Stuart Mayne	Outland - "Max has a shameful secret... he's a science fiction fan..." The Ditmar-nominated short film Outland. A gay comedy of geek shame played at film festivals around the world. Followed by a Q&A with the film makers. Stars Adam Richard, Wes Snelling, Scott Brennan, Narrelle Harris and Anthony Menchetti. John Richards Multimedia= AV
Sun 15:10
Sun 15:20
Sun 15:30
Sun 15:40
Sun 15:50
Sun 16:00	Where the futurists got it wrong Aaah, the 21st century at last. But where's my personal rocket pack, and why doesn't my mobile work in Hall's Gap? Joel Shepherd Stuart Mayne Alessio Bresciani	A Tag-team, Create Your Own Space Opera Session Audience suggestions for a space opera. Narrated by Paul Kidd and illustrated by Craig Hilton. Wacky and zany fun. Paul Kidd Craig Hilton Multimedia= FC	A Talk with Isobelle Carmody Richard Harland talks with Isobelle Carmody about writing, fantasy and fiction for young readers. Plus anything else under the sun. A couple of readings are strongly predicted, and a cat's tail and ears are almost guaranteed! Isobelle Carmody Richard Harland
Sun 16:10
Sun 16:20
Sun 16:30
Sun 16:40
Sun 16:50
Sun 17:00	The lure of the apocalypse Whether it's The Rapture you're after or something darker, there's just something so nice about contemplating the "end times". Why? Andrew Macrae Cat Sparks Robert Hood Kirsytn McDermott	"A Mankind Witch" - Dave Freer Reading - humour. A pagan relic has been stolen. Princess Signy stands accused of magical murder and theft. Cair, captured and enslaved by the Norse, does not believe in this superstious claptrap. But he will rescue her, if he has to take on Grendel himself. Dave Freer	The YA format - shh, don't tell the parents Just what can you get away with in a YA novel, what is still "taboo", and should we be concerned? George Ivanoff Kate Forsyth Sue Bursztynski Richard Harland
Sun 17:10
Sun 17:20		"Doof Doof Doof" - Paul Haines Reading - fantasy/horror. From Doorways for the Dispossessed. Aurealis-nominated horror short story that follows the pitfalls of Wolf in his romantic pursuit of Red Riding Hood, while attempting to deal with his nemeses the Three Little Pigs. It sure ain't kosher. Rated R. Paul Haines
Sun 17:30
Sun 17:40		"Sasha" - Joel Shepherd Reading - fantasy. From Sasha Volume I of A Trial of Blood and Steel by Joel Shepherd. A sneak preview of this soon-to-be-released exciting new epic. Joel Shepherd
Sun 17:50
Sun 18:00
Sun 18:10
Sun 18:20
Sun 18:30
Sun 18:40
Sun 18:50
Sun 19:00				Orb issue #7 launch and The Liminal pre-movie cocktails Orb speculative fiction magazine is back, and The Liminal has arrived. Celebrate the launch of the starship issue #7 with its spaceworthy authors and artists, along with the cast and crew of the new film, over complementary drinks and nibbles. Sarah Endacott Claire McKenna authors actors and artists
Sun 19:10
Sun 19:20
Sun 19:30			The Liminal - twenty tentacles, a bucket of slime and a Handycam… Over a year in the making, using all the resources of Bunnings, Spotlight and eBay at her command, Claire McKenna is proud to bring you in glorious colour, the first-time screening of a man, a squid-girl, and technology gone wrong. Claire McKenna cast and crew Multimedia= AV
Sun 19:40
Sun 19:50
Sun 20:00
Sun 20:10
Sun 20:20
Sun 20:30
Sun 20:40
Sun 20:50
Sun 21:00
Sun 21:10
Sun 21:20
Sun 21:30
Sun 21:40
Sun 21:50
Sun 22:00
Sessions Timetable for Monday
Time	Conference 1	Conference 2	Conference 3	Foyer
Mon 10:00	Looking for the hook? Do authors consciously look for a hook to catch the reader? Can you have too many hooks? Authors and readers discuss. Isobelle Carmody Lucy Sussex Pamela Freeman Joel Shepherd	Orc Liberation Front Are the Orcs a racist stereotype? Jane Routley Dave Cake Dave Freer	Writing for the screen Why it's so different from writing for print. Charles Spiteri Paul Kidd Mark Shirrefs Claire McKenna
Mon 10:10
Mon 10:20
Mon 10:30
Mon 10:40
Mon 10:50
Mon 11:00	Cath Ortlieb Fan Guest of Honour Speech Cath Ortlieb	Blank	Themed or Unthemed - what is the better type of anthology? Are themed collections just gimmicks? Does a theme expand or limit a writer's outuput? Is "Australian" a theme? Authors, editors and readers discuss the relative merits of each approach, reflect on their experiences and show off some famous examples. George Ivanoff Sarah Endacott Robert Hood Nicole Murphy
Mon 11:10
Mon 11:20
Mon 11:30
Mon 11:40
Mon 11:50
Mon 12:00	The revenge of the past: Ghosts, Zombies and other Aesthetics of Horror "Horror" as a genre is a muddy concept. It's often discussed in terms of physical threat - violence, serial killers, lunatics, torture. Naturalistic "thriller" tropes are not the whole story. Maybe they're not the story at all. Robert Hood examines just how relevant the immaterial can be in a materialistic society. Robert Hood Multimedia= AV	Keeping it Real A talk focused on good characterisation. Speculative fiction sometimes favours world building over character building. But world building is only another kind of characterisation, and without good characters, there is no deep connection with a reader. Isobelle Carmody	Blacksmithing "Of the four elements, air, earth, water and fire, man stole only one form the gods: fire. And with it man forged his will upon the world." Where did the woodcutter get his axe? The carpenter his hammer and chisels? The farmer his hoe and plough? The soldier his armour and sword? The butcher and cook their knives? Stephen Gleeson Multimedia= AV
Mon 12:10
Mon 12:20
Mon 12:30	"A Guided Tour in the Kingdom of the Dead" - Richard Harland Reading - fantasy/horror. The Egyptians were the greatest navigators of the land that lies on the other side of death. The inspiration for this short story, to be published in Dreaming Again (edited by Jack Dann), was a map in an ancient tomb in the Valley of the Kings. Richard Harland
Mon 12:40
Mon 12:50
Mon 13:00			ASFF meeting Open meeting of the ASFF all welcome
Mon 13:10
Mon 13:20
Mon 13:30
Mon 13:40
Mon 13:50
Mon 14:00	Fantasy's dark cousin Dark fantasy - that's where the really innovative stuff in the genre is going on. Kirsytn McDermott Lucy Sussex Richard Harland Miranda Siemienowicz	Subvert the Dominant Paradigm Alternatives to epic Europe-derived fantasy can still be found. Which are the best and what can they teach us about breathing new life into the genre? Jenny Blackford Glenda Larke Joel Shepherd Gillian Polack	Otaku-Rama, Cool Japanese and Korean Madness Anime, film, TV, Japanese pop culture in general. Korean genre films. Terry Frost Avi Bernshaw Multimedia= AV
Mon 14:10
Mon 14:20
Mon 14:30
Mon 14:40
Mon 14:50
Mon 15:00	Closing ceremony Isobelle Carmody Fred Gallagher Cath Ortlieb Dave Freer committee
Mon 15:10
Mon 15:20
Mon 15:30
Mon 15:40
Mon 15:50
Mon 16:00