Show Notes
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 [email protected], 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)
More from Octothorpe
John is at Fantasycon, Alison is wrong, and Liz is right. An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to [email protected], 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
John, Alison and Liz are live from Octocon! An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to [email protected], 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!
John parties, Alison queues, and Liz betrays. An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to [email protected], 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:
John is tired, Alison is listening to music, and Liz is catsitting. An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to [email protected], 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: Clowns (Chapter 1), Hugo Award statistics (Chapter 3)
John, Alison, and Liz fix the Hugo Awards once and for all. An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to [email protected], 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: