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Octothorpe
John Coxon, Alison Scott, Liz Batty
100 episodes
4 days ago
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Science Fiction
Fiction
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All content for Octothorpe is the property of John Coxon, Alison Scott, Liz Batty and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
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Science Fiction
Fiction
Episodes (20/100)
Octothorpe
141: A Whole Episode Without Business Meeting Content
John is worried, Alison volunteers, and Liz is warm. An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on Bluesky or on Mastodon) when you post about the show on social media. Content warnings this episode: None Letters of comment Chris Hurley (email) Dave O’Neill (Bluesky, DM) Ivan Sinha (Facebook) Jesi Lipp (email, Facebook) John Hertz (typewritten letter with pasted image from File 770 scanned by Fedex and sent by email) Mike Glyer (email) Neil Ottenstein (Facebook) Nicholas Whyte (email) Nuala (Bluesky) Paul Weimer (Bluesky) Rory Hennell James (Bluesky) Tammy Coxen and Jesi Lipp (Bluesky) We also heard from Doug Faunt and Farah Mendlesohn Worldcon 2025: Seattle Business Meeting Jesi Lipp posted some excellent infographics on JOF Jesi also posted a small table on our Facebook of attendances back to 2014 and John made them into a graph NASFiC is gone The USA has a national con now and it’s Dragon Con, so why compete? We will return to this question… The end of fan-run conventions in the USA NASFiC is gone, leaving Dragon Con as the de facto national convention The Westercon by-laws have been repealed Wiscon has not got enough volunteers to run an in-person convention Gallifrey One is coming to an end, Showmasters Events are running a commercial replacement GeekGirlCon and Penguicon are struggling Arisia, Baycon, Boskone, Loscon have all shrunk (anecdotally) The end of fan-run conventions more widely? New Zealand: Fan-run conventions have been struggling since CoNZealand Finland: SMOF News recently reported that Finncon is not running due to lack of volunteers More widely to do with volunteering? Maybe more true in the UK? Picks John: The Tyrant Philosophers by Adrian Tchaikovsky Alison: Control Room B at Battersea Power Station (and Battersea Power Station Station) Liz: Woodworking by Emily St. James Credits Cover art: “Mildly Wes” by Alison Scott Alt text: A photograph of a cocktail bar at Battersea Power Station. The words “Control Room B” are above the cocktail bar, and the words “Octothorpe 141” overlaid in similar style. Theme music: “Surf Shimmy” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)
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4 days ago
1 hour 2 minutes 50 seconds

Octothorpe
140: Nerdiest Nerds Who Ever Nerded
John is laughing, Alison is coughing, and Liz has already eaten. An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on Bluesky or on Mastodon) when you post about the show on social media. Content warnings this episode: Coughing (aftershow) Letters of comment Ali Baker Brooks (Facebook) Constanze Hofmann (Facebook) David Bamford (Bluesky) Farah Mendlesohn (Facebook) Jake Casella Brookins (Bluesky) Jonathan Baddeley (Facebook) Tommy Ferguson (email) We also heard from Olav Rokne, Shi Lala, Tammy Coxen 2025 Worldcon: Seattle Business Meeting Business Meeting Agenda and Recaps File 770 reporting: 4 July, 19 July, 25 July YouTube recordings: 4 July, 19 July, 25 July 13 July was not reported/recorded because of executive session Trial Committee Doctor Science, España Sheriff, Ian Stockdale, Kat Kourbeti, Kris “nchanter” Snyder Mark Protection Committee Nicholas Whyte, Alan Bond, and Chris Rose have benefitted quite massively from shortcomings in the WSFS voting mechanism, reports Nicholas Whyte University of Cambridge’s Single Transferable Vote regulations There’s a new way to remove MPC members Ben Yalow jumped before being pushed E.2 got ratified and then un-ratified again Andrew January visualised what the changes imply Nicholas Whyte pointed out this would accidentally hugely disenfranchise Attending Memberships Meg MacDonald pointed out in the Business Meeting that Glasgow had 1390 “First Worldcon” members We should vote with “Everybody Votes” style Smofcon 42 bursaries are available 2027 Worldcon: Montreal bid The prospective co-chairs have been announced Picks John: One Soul by Ray Fawkes Alison: Bitter Liz: Superman Credits Cover art: “WSFS Everybody Votes Channel” by Alison Scott Alt text: Three Miis in the style of John, Alison and Liz on a background reminiscent of the Everybody Votes Channel from the Nintendo Wii. The words “Octothorpe 140” appear at the top and “WSFS Everybody Votes Channel” at the bottom. - Theme music: “Surf Shimmy” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)
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2 weeks ago
1 hour 14 minutes 1 second

Octothorpe
139: Mostly Just a Wide Spot on the Road
John was at the business meeting, Alison was at the cricket, and Tammy is Liz. An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on Bluesky or on Mastodon) when you post about the show on social media. Content warnings this episode: None Find Tammy at her podcast, my tiny bottles Letters of comment Chris Garcia (email) Colette Reap (email) Farah Mendlesohn (email) Ivan Sinha (Facebook) Mike Glyer (email) Niall Harrison (email) Here are Niall’s 10 recommendations for you, listeners! [Interestingly, Niall did not mention any of the translators except for one, and so I had to go and look them all up—John] A Thousand Blues by Cheon Seon-ran, translated by Chi-Young Kim Vanishing World by Sayaka Murata, translated by Ginny Tapley Takemori Under the Eye of the Big Bird by Hiromi Kawakami, translated by Asa Yoneda Dengue Boy by Michel Nieva, translated by Rahul Bery Sea Now by Eva Meijer, translated by Anne Thompson Melo House of Day, House of Night by Olga Tokarczuk, translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones The Place of Shells by Mai Ishizawa, translated by Polly Barton Sympathy Tower Tokyo by Rie Qudan, translated by Jesse Kirkwood Blood for the Undying Throne by Sung-Il Kim, translated by Anton Hur Ice by Jacek Dukaj, translated by Ursula Phillips Raj (Mastodon) We also heard from Ali Baker Brooks, Brian Nisbet, Fredrik Coulter, Neil Ottenstein, and Sandra Bond 2027 Worldcon: Montreal bid The timeline so far: Terry Fong steps down, replaced by Darin Briskman CanSMOF adds Bruce Farr as bid co-chair Tammy writes “The Worldcon is in Trouble” on File 770 Site selection 2025 Worldcon: Seattle Business Meeting, part 1 Business Meeting, part 2: this was entirely in executive session and so none of it ended up on YouTube. Sorry, listeners! You had to be there… Further meetings will occur on 19 July and 25 July at 17:00 BST/09:00 PDT 2023 Worldcon: Chengdu Chris Barkley’s 100th column Picks John: DIE by Kieron Gillen, Stephanie Hans and Clayton Cowles Read the first issue free! Future issues will eventually be available on Sweet Shop My First Dungeon Alison: After Us, the Flood and We Are Aliens Tammy: The Nine Worlds by Victoria Goddard The Hands of the Emperor by Victoria Goddard The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison Credits Cover art: “Our Tiny Bottles” by Alison Scott Alt text: The words “Octothorpe 139” appear at the top and the words “…our tiny bottles…” appear at the bottom. Three bottles are drawn in the middle. The left-hand bottle is a Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge Coca-Cola bottle. The middle bottle is a bottle that looks a bit like a moose. The right-hand bottle is Bottle #18, “The Original Canton Delicate Ginger Liqueur”. Theme music: “Surf Shimmy” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)
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1 month ago
1 hour 15 minutes 12 seconds

Octothorpe
138: A Tedious Number of Questions About What It’s Like to Run a Games Shop
John chaired, Alison is off on holiday, and Liz has the agenda. An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on Bluesky or on Mastodon) when you post about the show on social media. Content warnings this episode: None Letters of comment Ang Rosin (Facebook) Andrea Bell and Derek Hockridge Bridget Bradshaw (Facebook) Chris Garcia (email) Farah Mendlesohn (email, Facebook) Jake Casella Brookins (Bluesky) Louise Hughes (Bluesky) Neil Ottenstein (Facebook) Paul Weimer (email) Roseanna Pendlebury (Bluesky) Shi Lala (Facebook) Worldcon 2027: Montreal bid Terry Fong has stepped down There has been some news since, but we’ll discuss it next episode… Worldcon 2025: Seattle The results of the consultative votes The Business Meeting agenda Instructions on how to attend the virtual Business Meeting Kate Secor’s annotated Business Meeting agenda Picks John: All the Ghosts in the Forest by Lorraine Wilson Alison: A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare Liz: Old Soul by Susan Barker Credits Cover art: “Whizz-Fizz Agenda Time” by Alison Scott Alt text: A famous photograph of Margaret Hamilton standing beside printed outputs of the code that took the Apollo spacecraft to the Moon, overlaid with the words “Octothorpe 138” and “Whizz-Fizz Agenda Time!”. Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)
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1 month ago
1 hour 5 minutes 16 seconds

Octothorpe
137: My Brain Automatically Goes to Sandwiches
John is well-read, Alison played a game, and Liz needs an Allen key. An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on Bluesky or on Mastodon) when you post about the show on social media. Content warnings this episode: None One hour of Mon Mothma dancing Letters of comment Andreas Davour (Mastodon and Mastodon) Andy Openshaw Jez Lowe Ang Rosin David Bamford (Bluesky) Ed Morland (Bluesky) Farah Mendlesohn (Facebook) Jake Casella Brookins Nuala Fahey (Bluesky) Raj (Mastodon) Roseanna Pendlebury (Bluesky) and replies by Niall Harrison Shi Lala (Facebook) Tammy Coxen (Facebook) “The Evolution of the Art Hugo Categories” on File 770 British Fantasy Society One-day convention called “BFS Online: World Fantasy Convention 2025” Saturday 21 June, 10:00–18:00 BST Free for BFS members, £5 otherwise World Fantasy Convention 2025: Brighton British Science Fiction Association/Science Fiction Foundation AGM Sunday 22 June SFF’s “Latest News” page has some details It’s also in the BSFA newsletter if you are a member Jake Casella Brookins suggests a Hugo Award for Best Translated Work at Ancillary Review of Books Hugo Award statistics from LAcon IV in 2006 William Weaver Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky Picks John: A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvie Cathrall Sylvie Cathrall’s website Alison: Sci-Fi London Blue Prince Liz: Wylding Hall by Elizabeth Hand Credits Cover art: “Ahmon Kwasson Incorporates” by Alison Scott Alt text: An image of the well-known fantasy hero Ahmon Kwasson, holding his trusty croissant-shaped sword and his trusty croissant-adorned shield, with his trusty croissant-coloured hair, which obscures the words “Octothorpe 137”. At the bottom is text: “Ahmon’s Quest: Your perfect cosy breakfast listen”. Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)
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2 months ago
1 hour 1 minute 16 seconds

Octothorpe
136: When Do You Not Want to Talk About Games?
John is ambivalent, Alison is against, and Liz is hangry. An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on X or on Mastodon or on Bluesky) when you post about the show on social media. Content warnings this episode: None Letters of comment Ali Baker Brooks (Facebook) Chris Garcia (email) 2008 Worldcon site selection Farah Mendlesohn (email) Dream Foundry The original announcement of the Carole Goldman Fund Con or Bust “If you are Palestinian, or identify as a member of the Palestinian diaspora … you may qualify for a larger grant from the [Carole] Goldman Fund.” The deadline for the 2025 round seems to have been October 2024, so it might be worth checking before October 2025 if you’re interested in the 2026 round 2026 Eurocon: Metropol Con in Berlin Jan Harley (Facebook) Kin-Ming Looi (Facebook) Looi Raj (Mastodon) Tammy Coxen (Bluesky) We also heard from Lynelle Howell, Peter Sullivan, Sam Skipsey, Sandra Bond, and Shi Lala Eastercon 2025: Reconnect in Belfast Rattlebag has won Best Bar in Northern Ireland at the CLASS Awards Worldcon 2025: Seattle Consultative votes on Retro Hugo Awards and Best Professional/Fan Artist New Business Meeting business had to have been submitted by 4 June 2025 Apparently WSFS is pronounced “whiz-fizz”?! “About Choosing Convention Program Participants” by Erin Underwood “Genre Grapevine’s Deep Dive into the Use of ChatGPT by Seattle Worldcon” by Jason Sanford Picks John: Welcome to Forever by Nathan Tavares Alison: Andor J Michael Straczynski is moving to the UK to write British TV shows Liz: The Incandescent by Emily Tesh Novacon 54 Credits Cover art: “Liz Hits the Smörgåsbord” by Alison Scott Alt text: Liz, depicted as the Incredible Hulk, comes across a table on which lie many items of food (sketched in black and white) including John (a sausage roll) and Alison (an almond croissant), rendered in colour. The words “Octothorpe 136” appear at the top and “You won’t like Liz when she’s hangry” appear at the bottom. Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)
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2 months ago
1 hour 8 minutes 56 seconds

Octothorpe
135: Very Slightly Soggier
Alison describes her perfect almond croissant. An uncorrected transcript of this episode will be available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on X or on Mastodon or on Bluesky) when you post about the show on social media. Content warnings this episode: None Idea, ed. Geri Sullivan Lune Croissanterie Chocolatine Blondies Ado Campeol died in 2021 Pink Lane Bakery Credits Cover art: “Almond Croissant Engineering” by Alison Scott Alt text: A blueprint of an almond croissant with “Octothorpe 135” written at the top and “almond croissant engineering” at the bottom. Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)
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2 months ago
15 minutes 24 seconds

Octothorpe
134: In the Framework of Linear Time
John has shortlisted, Alison has worked in large organisations, and Liz has done a spot-the-difference. An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on X or on Mastodon or on Bluesky) when you post about the show on social media. Content warnings this episode: LLMs Letters of comment Chris Garcia Clarrie Maguire Colette Reap Roseanna Pendlebury Her Death of Stalin review Tobes Valois We also heard from Ali Baker Brooks, Ang Rosin, Brian Nisbet, Caroline Mullan, DC, Doug Faunt, Ed Morland, Esther MacCallum-Stewart, Farah Mendlesohn, Gareth Kavanagh, Ivan Sinha, Jonathan Baddeley, Jonathan Cowie, Kin-Ming Looi, Lilian Edwards, Meg MacDonald, Neil Ottenstein, Phil Dyson, Raj, Sandra Bond, Shi Lala, Tammy Coxen, Tony Keen, TrishEM, ‪Zoë O’Connell‬ Corflu FAAn Award Winners Ada Palmer runs a class called “The Italian Renaissance: Dante, Machiavelli, and the Wars of Popes and Kings,” better known by students as “pope class” or “pope LARP” Archive.is Chris Barkley has sued Dave McCarty Shot Chaser Locus 2025 fundraiser Revenue is flat and costs are up 21% Clarke Award The shortlist has been announced Worldcon 2025: Seattle “Statement from the Worldcon Chair” “Apology and Response From Chair” “May 6th Statement From Chair and Program Division Head” Resignation statement from WSFS division Picks John: The Mark by Frìða Ìsberg Alison: Sinners Liz: Blue Prince Credits Cover art: “Sample FAAn Award” by Alison Scott Alt text: A photograph of a yellow square on a mantlepiece. On the yellow square is black text and a red shape with yellow text. The text reads “Corflu 42. 2025 FAAn Awards. Best Immutable Object: Octothorpe”. Text overlaid on the photograph reads ‘Octothorpe 134. “Don’t believe everything you read on ChatGPT.”’ Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)
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3 months ago
58 minutes 31 seconds

Octothorpe
133: I Understand That Alison Has Never Been Pope
John, Alison, and Liz are live from the Belfast Eastercon! An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on X or on Mastodon or on Bluesky) when you post about the show on social media. Content warnings this episode: It’s a live recording! Eastercon 2026: Iridescence in Birmingham Guests of Honour R J Barker Karen Lord Emma Newman John Wilson and Serena Culfeather Prices Adult: £80 Low income: £50 Child/teen: £20 Supporting: £40 Eastercon 2027: Unconfined in Glasgow Guests of Honour P Djeli Clark L R Lam Mark Meenan Tamsyn Muir Prices Adult £85 Discounted adult: £60 Young person: £20 Child: £5 No supporting rate has yet been announced Eastercon 2028: BSFA v Marcus Streets Eastercon 2029 and 2030: Rumours abound Picks John: Pan-Galactic Gargle Blaster Alison: Er. Steak? Spending too much? Unclear Liz: Karaoke and ThinkBox Belfast Credits Cover art: “Octothorpe at Reconnect” by Andrew Hogg Alt text: John, Alison and Liz are sat behind a table at Reconnect doing a live podcast. The words “Octothorpe 133” appear at the bottom. Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)
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3 months ago
1 hour 2 minutes 4 seconds

Octothorpe
132: Almost Everything Is Not Mac
John, Alison and Liz discuss this year’s Hugo Awards finalists. An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on X or on Mastodon or on Bluesky) when you post about the show on social media. Content warnings this episode: None A note from John: I’ve done my level best to find useful URLs and link them below. Please let me know if there are better links or things I’ve missed! Best Novel Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell A Sorceress Comes to Call by T Kingfisher The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett Best Novella The Brides of High Hill by Nghi Vo The Butcher of the Forest by Premee Mohamed Navigational Entanglements by Aliette de Bodard The Practice, the Horizon, and the Chain by Sofia Samatar The Tusks of Extinction by Ray Nayler What Feasts at Night by T Kingfisher Best Novelette “The Brotherhood of Montague St. Video” by Thomas Ha “By Salt, By Sea, By Light of Stars” by Premee Mohamed “The Four Sisters Overlooking the Sea” by Naomi Kritzer “Lake of Souls” by Ann Leckie “Loneliness Universe” by Eugenia Triantafyllou “Signs of Life” by Sarah Pinsker Best Short Story “Five Views of the Planet Tartarus” by Rachael K Jones “Marginalia” by Mary Robinette Kowal “Stitched to Skin Like Family Is” by Nghi Vo “Three Faces of a Beheading” by Arkady Martine “We Will Teach You How to Read | We Will Teach You How to Read” by Caroline M Yoachim “Why Don’t We Just Kill the Kid in the Omelas Hole” by Isabel J Kim Best Series Between Earth and Sky by Rebecca Roanhorse The Burning Kingdoms by Tasha Suri InCryptid by Seanan McGuire Southern Reach by Jeff VanderMeer The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson The Tyrant Philosophers by Adrian Tchaikovsky Best Graphic Story The Deep Dark by Molly Knox Ostertag The Hunger and the Dusk, Vol. 1 by G Willow Wilson and Chris Wildgoose Monstress, Vol. 9 by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda My Favorite Thing is Monsters, Vol. 2 by Emil Ferris Star Trek: Lower Decks: Warp Your Own Way by Ryan North and Chris Fenoglio We Called Them Giants by Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans Best Related Work “Charting the Cliff: An Investigation into the 2023 Hugo Nomination Statistics” by Camestros Felapton and Heather Rose Jones r/Fantasy’s 2024 Bingo Reading Challenge “The Spectacular Failure of the Star Wars Hotel” by Jenny Nicholson Speculative Whiteness: Science Fiction and the Alt-Right by Jordan S Carroll Track Changes by Abigail Nussbaum “The 2023 Hugo Awards: A Report on Censorship and Exclusion” by Chris M Barkley and Jason Sanford Best Dramatic Presentation (Long Form) Dune: Part Two Flow Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga I Saw the TV Glow Wicked The Wild Robot Best Dramatic Presentation (Short Form) “The Beginning” (Fallout) “Death’s Hand in Mine” (Agatha All Along) “Dot and Bubble” (Doctor Who) “Fissure Quest” (Star Trek: Lower Decks) “The New Next Generation” (Star Trek: Lower Decks) “73 Yards” (Doctor Who) Best Game or Interactive Work Caves of Qud Dragon Age: The Veilguard The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Lorelei and the Laser Eyes Tactical Breach Wizards 1000xRESIST Best Editor (Short Form) Scott H. Andrews Jennifer Brozek Neil Clarke Jonathan Strahan Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas Sheila Williams Best Editor (Long Form) Carl Engle-Laird Ali Fisher Lee Harris David Thomas Moore Diana M. Pho Stephanie Stein Best Professional Artist Micaela Alcaino Audrey Benjaminsen Rovina Cai Maurizio Manzieri Tran Nguyen Alyssa Winans Best Semiprozine The Deadlands Escape Pod FIYAH khōréō Strange Horizons Uncanny Magazine Best Fanzine The Ancillary Review of Books Black Nerd Problems The Full Lid Galactic Journey Journey Planet Unofficial Hugo Book Club Blog Best Fancast The Coode Street Podcast Eight of Dia
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4 months ago
42 minutes 9 seconds

Octothorpe
131: We’re Performance Before We’re Interest
John is moderating, Alison is auctioning, and Liz is lecturing. An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on X or on Mastodon or on Bluesky) when you post about the show on social media. Content warnings this episode: The situation in the USA Letters of comment Handwriting guesses! John, Alison, Liz: Ed Morland Alison, John, Liz: Chris Garcia Alison, Liz, John: Tammy Coxen Liz, John, Alison: Tammy has another go Liz, Alison, John: Ang Rosin, Niall Harrison John is the top one: Doug Faunt John is in the middle: Roseanna Pendlebury Alison is in the middle: Mike Scott (who is cheating) Liz is the top one: Bridget Bradshaw All handwriting fonts: Bridget Bradshaw You all have nice handwriting: Shi Lala [But mine’s nicest—John] Roseanna Pendlebury (email) Farah Mendlesohn (email) Chris Garcia (email) Ivan Sinha (Facebook) Renay (email) The 2026 Hugo spreadsheet is open Fredrik Coulter (Facebook) We also heard from Lilian Edwards Worldcon 2025: Seattle “Statement from Worldcon Chair” The SMOFcon bid in the USA has stopped bidding, and Seattle has filled its room blocks, reports File 770 Eastercon 2025: Belfast We have provisional programme schedules! John, Alison, and Liz: Monday 12:30: Octothorpe Live John and Liz: Sunday 17:00: Fandom, Politics, and Boycotts: What is the line and where do we draw it? John: Sunday 12:30: Is The Force With You? Sunday 15:30: “What does this card really mean?”: History in Board Games Alison: Sunday 20:00: Fan Fund Auction Liz: Saturday 15:30: Hay Lecture [SO EXCITED—John] Colourfields by Paul Kincaid This will be launched at the convention Adam Roberts reviews the collection Peter Mabey has passed away BSFA Awards File 770 reports the finalists Fan funds European Fan Fund Picks John: The Power Fantasy by Kieron Gillen, Caspar Wijngaard, Clayton Cowles, and Rian Hughes Roseanna Pendlebury’s review at NoaF Alison: The Death of Stalin [I’m off to represent the entire Red Army at the buffet—Liz] Tobes de Valois as played by Jason Isaacs Liz: The Tomb of Dragons by Katherine Addison [I also like Roseanna’s review at NoaF—Liz] Credits Cover art: “Happy Birthday to Us” by Alison Scott Alt text: A birthday cake with six layers, from purple to a dark orange, and then a red 5 and five red candles on top, with fireworks overhead. The words “Octothorpe 131” are at the top. Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)
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4 months ago
52 minutes 24 seconds

Octothorpe
130: I Am Scalison Ott
John is working, Alison is plugging and Liz is ghosting. An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on Mastodon or on Bluesky) when you post about the show on social media. Content warnings this episode: Capitalism, death (Chapter 8: Picks) Please remember that we have recused from consideration for the 2025 Hugo Awards Letters of comment Ali Baker Brooks (Facebook) Ang Rosin (Facebook) Christopher J Garcia Dave Langford Please do report issues in transcripts and we will fix them! DC (skeet, requires sign-in) Farah Mendlesohn (Facebook) “Know your rail rights” from the Office of Rail and Road Ivan Sinha (Facebook) Pat McMurray (Facebook) Shi Lala (Facebook) Simon Bubb BSFA If you attended please let us know what happened! Awards Hugo Award nominations close the day after this podcast drops (14 March 2025) Locus Award nominations are open until 15 April 2025 Oxford–Bloomsbury Fantasy Summer School Free to apply with limited in-person spaces Or, wait for the streaming link! (FAQ) GUFF: The Incomplete Chronicles Liz previously described a Pepper’s Ghost at Tokyo Disneyland “Disney’s Best Illusion Explained” by Zach Wally Picks John: Shroud by Gravity Well Brewing Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky “Sins of the Children” by Adrian Tchaikovsky in Asterisk Alison: Mickey 17 Liz: Hacks (Amazon Prime) Credits Cover art: “Handwriting Analysis Special” Alt text: The words “Octothorpe 130: Handwriting Analysis Special” appear three times in the three hosts’ handwriting. Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)
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5 months ago
55 minutes

Octothorpe
129: Deep in Annex A
John thought of something, Alison is educational, and Liz reads contracts. An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on Mastodon or on Bluesky) when you post about the show on social media. Content warnings this episode: Money (chapter 3) Please remember that we have recused from consideration for the 2025 Hugo Awards Letters of comment Chris Garcia DC On Blind Chance (skeet, requires sign-in) On picking books (skeet, requires sign-in) Doug Faunt Farah Mendlesohn (Facebook) Eastercon 2025: Reconnect in Belfast Cancelling non-refundable hotel rooms does not net one a refund We get ourselves into knots trying to work out what’s happened here and we’re not sure Alison taught John and Liz about complaining about cancellations Cancelling goods or services Make a court claim for money Worldcon 2025: Seattle Virtual Business Meeting details Lumi Global The meetings are all at 09:00–12:30 (PDT/UTC-7) on 4, 13, 19, 25 July Hugo nominations are open How to nominate Picks John: Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge: The Official Black Spire Outpost Cookbook by Chelsea Monroe-Cassel and Marc Sumerak Alison: The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley Liz: Nova by Samuel Delany John Nielsen-Hall’s article, “Running up that Hill: or Life with the Brunners” appears in Prolapse #7 Prolapse Motorway Dreams, a collection of Nielsen-Hall’s writing which includes the article Credits Cover art: “Thailand Positioning Service” by Alison Scott Alt text: Words read “Octothorpe 129: Can you pin Thailand on the map?” above a black-and-white world map. The backs of John, Alison and Liz’s heads are shown. John is thinking “Yup!”, Liz is thinking “100%”, and Alison is holding Thailand and thinking “???”. Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)
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5 months ago
49 minutes 21 seconds

Octothorpe
128: A Minidisc Player Will Do You No Good
John picks too soon, Alison is fully paid-up, and Liz found the comment. An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on X or on Mastodon or on Bluesky) when you post about the show on social media. Content warnings this episode: COVID (chapter 7) Letters of comment Andreas Davour (toot) Bridget Bradshaw (skeet) Chris Garcia David Bamford (skeet) DC (skeet, requires sign-in) Przypadek/Blind Chance Farah Mendlesohn (Facebook) Karen Schaffer Meg MacDonald (Facebook) Raj (toot) Short story: “Bond, Bond, and James Bond” by Eric Molinsky Novelette: “Lake of Souls” by Ann Leckie (from her new collection, Lake of Souls) Novella: Last Stop by Django Wexler Tammy Coxen (skeet) Eastercon 2025: Reconnect in Belfast John has been asked to head up the Discord Bursaries Deadline is noon on 16 February Email finance@easterconbelfast.org with as much or as little detail as you like Eastercon 2026: Iridescence, a bid for Birmingham BSFA BSFA Award Longlist Octothorpe 122 has been nominated, thank you very much! Review policy rumours Steven French’s comment on Camestros Felapton’s blog New chair: Stewart Hotson Picks John: Severance S2 Alison: The Brutalist Liz: Lady Eve’s Last Con by Rebecca Fraimow Credits Cover art: “Live From Minidisc” by Alison Scott Alt text: A blue Sony MiniDisc Walkman shows, on its LCD screen, “Now playing: Octothorpe_128”. Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)
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6 months ago
43 minutes 52 seconds

Octothorpe
127: Hello Buoys
John is incoherent, Alison is excited, and Liz is romantic. An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on X or on Mastodon or on Bluesky) when you post about the show on social media. Content warnings this episode: None Letters of comment Abigail Nussbaum Ali Baker Brooks Andy Openshaw Chris Garcia Claire Brialey David Salter Ed Morland Farah Mendlesohn Irwin Hirsh Jonny Baddeley Neil Ottenstein Roseanna Pendlebury We also heard from: Fiona Moore, Ivan Sinha Readers’ recommendations Best Novel Private Rites by Julia Armfield I’m Afraid You’ve Got Dragons by Peter S Beagle Metal from Heaven by August Clarke In Universes by Emet North The West Passage by Jared Pechaček Three Eight One by Aliya Whiteley Someone You Can Build a Nest in By John Wiswell Best Dramatic Presentation (Long Form) Deadpool and Wolverine Tim Travers & the Time Travelers Paradox Best Game or Interactive Work: Tactical Breach Wizards Best Fancast Eight Days of Diana Wynne Jones by Emily Tesh and Rebecca Fraimow Lady Eve’s Last Con by Rebecca Fraimow Astounding Award The End of Nobility by Michael Green Briardene Books Preorders for Colourfields by Paul Kincaid are now open! Eastercon 2025: Reconnect in Belfast Picks John: Sliding Doors Alison: Three Men in Orbit by Sandra Bond Liz: Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean Credits Cover art: “Availability Flowchart” by Alison Scott Alt text: A flowchart entitled “How to meet John, Alison and/or Liz at Eastercon”. The boxes culminate in “console yourself with Octothorpe 127”, and the various options are listed below, but the original file is here in case that’s more helpful to the partially sighted. How to meet John, Alison and/or Liz at Eastercon Are you going to Reconnect? Of course!/Not sure Oh go on it will be a laugh Oh all right then/No… Are they in the bar? Yes! I can’t see them Are you quite sure? Check again Oh wait… there they are No sign Is there another bar? Yes! Nope Are they on programme? Yes! No Wait till the moderator asks for questions But it’s Octothorpe Live! Is your joke very funny? Obviously! Excellent! Good to know. COME AND SAY HELLO until then… Are they asleep or on the loo? No, they look chill Er, yes? Oh, that’s a shame Console yourself with Octothorpe 127 Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)
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6 months ago
45 minutes 14 seconds

Octothorpe
126: I’ve Read Some Novels
John is a thief, Alison plays games, and Liz is bullied. An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on X or on Mastodon or on Bluesky) when you post about the show on social media. Content warnings this episode: None Letters of comment Andreas Davour Bella Garcia Constanze Hoffman Farah Mendlesohn Jonathan Cowie June Young Mike Scott Neil Ottenstein Raj Tammy Coxen Zoe O’Connell We also heard from Bridget Bradshaw, Colin Harris, Meg MacDonald, and Shi Lala Fan funds The 2025 TAFF race has begun Zi Graves, Mikołaj Kowalewski, Jan Vaněk jr. CUFF comes to an end Fowler Award Hugo Awards 2025 spreadsheet of doom Novels T**he Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett The Sentence by Gautam Bhatia The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley The Life Impossible by Matt Haig Jumpnauts by Hao Jingfang The Siege of Burning Grass by Premee Mohamed Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky House of Open Wounds by Adrian Tchaikovsky Absolution by Jeff Vandermeer We Are All Ghosts in the Forest by Lorraine Wilson Novellas A Mourning Coat by Alex Jeffers North Continent Ribbon by Ursula Whitcher Short Stories Grottmata by Thomas Ha Five Views of the Planet Tartarus by Rachael K Jones Related Works Track Changes: Selected Reviews **by Abigail Nussbaum Speculative Whiteness: Science Fiction and the A**lt-Right by Jordan S. Carroll Series The Horus Heresy The Southern Reach The Tyrant Philosophers Graphic Stories Warp Your Own Way by Ryan North and Chris Fenoglio Abigail Nussbaum’s review at Strange Horizons Dramatic Presentations All of Us Strangers Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga I Saw the TV Glow Late Night with the Devil My Old Ass A Quiet Place: Day One The Substance Timestalker Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl The Wild Robot Games Tabletop Arcs City of Six Moons Mothership Undaunted 2200: Callisto Video Animal Well Caves of Qud Dragon Age: The Veilguard The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdo**m Slice and Dice 3.0 Star Wars: Outlaws Tale of the Golden Idol UFO50 Other Bridge Command Poems Sandra Bond Fan categories Artists Alison Scott España Sheriff Podcasts Fanac Fan History Zooms Going Rogue Hugo, Girl! A Meal of Thorns Writers Camestros Felapton Ersatz Culture Roseanna Pendlebury Fanzines Ancillary Review of Books Banana Wings Ornithopter Unofficial Hugo Book Club Debut authors Moniquill Blackgoose [Alison did not write any of her selections into the show notes and I was sorely tempted not to go through and write them all down for her but I did it for you, listener. I did it for you—John] Picks [isn’t this a whole episode of picks?—Liz] John: Earthborne Rangers Alison: The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Liz: Horizon Zero Dawn Sorry Mark Credits Cover art: “Waffle of comment” by Bella Garcia Alt text: A picture of a Belgian waffle that looks like an octothorpe, on a white background, with the words “Octothorpe 126” above and “now with added waffle” below. Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)
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7 months ago
1 hour 20 seconds

Octothorpe
125: I’m Physically Present in This Hotel Room
John is travelling, Alison is coding, and Liz is faithful. An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on X or on Mastodon or on Bluesky) when you post about the show on social media. Content warnings this episode: Death (chapter 6) Letters of comment Chris Garcia The Beef and Dairy Network Podcast Jt Raj Rotsler Award España Sheriff is this year’s winner Seattle 2025 Virtual Business Meeting announcement Reportage on File 770 Unofficial WSFS Business Meeting Discord Upcoming Worldcons Vince Docherty reports from Smofcon 41 There are many links to convention bid websites contained within Montréal are continuing for 2027, but Tel Aviv have suspended Conventions on cruise ships BGG@SEA JoCo Cruise Vanessa May Vanessa was an integral part of the very beginning of Glasgow 2024 Picks John: EXIT: The Game: Advent Calendar: The Missing Hollywood Star Alison: Advent of Code Liz: The Muppet Christmas Carol Credits Cover art: “Christmas Hats” by Alison Scott Alt text: John wears an Octothorpe Christmas jumper and a green and red hat with elf ears, Alison wears a red Christmas jumper and a moose/reindeer hat, and Liz wears a blue jumper and a Christmas tree hat. The words “Octothorpe 125” appear at the top in a Christmassy font that looks like it has snow on the letters. Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)
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8 months ago
53 minutes 36 seconds

Octothorpe
124: The Third D Isn’t What You Think
John is horrified, Alison is spelunking, and Liz is detecting. An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on X or on Mastodon or on Bluesky) when you post about the show on social media. Content warnings this episode: Letters of comment Ali Baker Brooks Andrew Hogg 4D Golf Braid Archipelacon 2 Caroline Mullan Chris Garcia Some accusations against Ekpeki have been disproved Farah Mendlesohn Ivan Sinha Jonny Baddeley June Young Aurora Australis Alerts Aurora Now AuroraWatch UK SpaceWeatherLive MonkeyKing Roseanna Pendlebury Shia Lia Tommy Ferguson Reconnect Upcoming conventions Eastercon 2026: Iridescence at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole Bid chaired by Phil Dyson Eastercon 2027: Glasgow Bid chaired by Alan Fleming and David Bamford Eastercon 2028: Gateshead? Novacon 2025 Conrunner 2026 To be chaired by Esther MacCallum-Stewart in February WisCONline 2025 Edmonton 2030 Picks John: Mothership Mothership Month Alison: Caves of Qud Liz: Rise of the Golden Idol (Sorry that they’re all games, Mark) Credits Cover art: “Ohmudillo” by Sophie van Setten Alt text: The Glasgow 2024 logo drawn in pencils and crayon, but across the middle there is a segmented creature with eight eyes and mandibles. At the top, the words “Octothorpe 124” appear in blue. Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)
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8 months ago
47 minutes 48 seconds

Octothorpe
123: Infinite Amount of Annual Leave
John is going to Seattle, Alison is going to the Åland Islands, and Liz is going to Belfast. An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on X or on Mastodon or on Bluesky) when you post about the show on social media. Content warnings this episode: Money, grim darkness Belfast Eastercon Seattle 2025 Archipelacon 2 Back to Our Futures The Dark Room Liz’s Adrian Tchaikovsky scoop Edmonton Worldcon bid Picks John: Wrath and Glory Alison: Timestalker Liz: The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett Goodie from Goodreads Credits Cover art: “Fully Caffeinated” by Alison Scott Alt text: A coffee stain on a piece of paper on which are written the words “Octothorpe 123” and “fully caffineated”. Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)
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9 months ago
48 minutes 9 seconds

Octothorpe
122: Topical Pumpkin
John is on the periphery, Alison is carving, and Liz went to Japan. An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on X or on Mastodon or on Bluesky) when you post about the show on social media. Content warnings this episode: con artistry, privilege, racism Letters of comment Jake Casella Brookins Sankey diagrams on the Ancillary Review of Books Ali Baker Brooks I’m a Fan of That Christopher J Garcia Emily January Kat Kourbeti SH@25 is a new, year-long interview and feature series that will delve into the archives, celebrate the work of past contributors and staff, and highlight the contributions of Strange Horizons to SFF publishing and the wider community. Caroline Mullan Zoe O’Connell Roman Orszanski Booking flights on a phone Awards World Fantasy Awards The Kitschies Ursula K LeGuin award Strange Horizons review in two parts: one, two Oghenochovwe Donald Ekpeki Erin Cairns has reported that Ekpeki stole a story and passed it off as his own On Bluesky On Google Drive File 770 report Cairns tried to sound this alarm on X in June Reactions Gautam Bhatia L D Lewis (requires Bluesky login) Ekpeki’s response Jason Sanford talks about his reaction to the news: one, two Picks John: Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah Alison: Bridge Command Alison was given free tickets by the venue’s PR team Liz: Japan Neat effects like Tokyo Disneyland’s Pepper’s ghost or Shiriki Utundu Liz was not given free tickets but if anyone wants to give me free tickets to Disney parks please get in touch Credits Cover art: “Octothorpe, Octothorpe, Octothorpe” by Alison Scott Alt text: A pumpkin carved with an image of Beetlejuice, with the words “Episode 122” at the top of the image and “Octothorpe, Octothorpe, Octothorpe” at the bottom. Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)
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9 months ago
59 minutes 53 seconds

Octothorpe