A new year, a new blog

Welcome one and all to the new look blog for the Alt.Fiction event (by that of course I mean I'm using a new template this time around).

For all the uninitiated, Alt.Fiction is an annual one-day literature event which takes place in Derby, aiming to bring together UK talent in the fields of science-fiction, fantasy and horror writing. The event typically takes place in late April/early May and our date for 2008 is Saturday 26th April, so get it in your diaries now!

Many of you may be aware that in 2007 I ran a not terribly good blog for Alt.Fiction with very sporadic updates. However my new year's resolution for 2008 is to keep a regularly updated and hopefully insightful blog into the runnings of the event, keeping you updated on the latest developments and also including any random thoughts that I happened to think of relevance.

I'll be able to reveal some of the participants in the 2008 event in the near future, but wanted first of all to say a little something about the shape of the day next year. Our main room, the Darwin Suite, will still be featuring mostly readings and Q+A sessions plus the ever-popular publishing panel, which is a great chance to find out about all the latest developments in publishing.

The workshops remain popular as sessions but we've not quite hit the magic formula for the perfect spot to hold them, so this year we'll be running workshops throughout the afternoon session in the '45 Suite and then switching to just the two rooms for the closing few sessions. The Reception Suite will remain as usual our spot for panel discussions, with the usual wide range of topics lined up for 2008.

So in the future, in this very spot, you can expect the latest news on programming, all the backstage/organisational aspects and plenty else beside. Feel free to add any comments or thoughts, and if you'd like to email me in the office the address to reach me is alex.davis@derby.gov.uk

Thanks a lot!

Alex