Edge-Lit reports

Hi Guys,

Apologies for not posting sooner after Saturday's event - it's been a very busy week all told, and still not quite sure I'm over the epic 16 hour day at Edge-Lit itself! In a nutshell I had an absolute blast, everything went really smoothly and people seemed to have a great day on the whole.

I'll be writing up my full report next week, but in the meantime you can check out a host of other reports and blog about the event from around the internet - really chuffed with the feedback so far, and looking forward to getting stuck into 2013 soon!

Just click on the links below to see what people made of the day!

http://www.theeloquentpage.co.uk/2012/07/15/edge-lit-2012-convention-report/

http://jameseverington.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/some-thoughts-on-edge-lit.html?spref=tw

http://vickyhooper.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/edge-lit-convention-report.html

http://terror-tree.co.uk/2012/07/edge-lit-2012/

http://girlycomic.livejournal.com/165465.html

Thanks a lot

Alex

Edge-Lit - two days to go!

Hi Guys,

We're well and truly on the final countdown to Edge-Lit now, with just two days to go until the big day, and things are coming together apace at this stage.

But of course proceedings kick off tomorrow night, where I'll be giving an introduction to THE CALL OF CTHULHU, which will be followed by a screening of the superb THE THING. If you wanted to pick up your tickets for our opening double-header, you can grab them at http://www.derbyquad.co.uk/film/thing-call-cthulhu-18. What better way to enjoy Friday 13th than to enjoy some superb horror screenings?

As for the day itself, we've got our wonderful team of volunteers ready for the day, goodie bags all set to be stuffed, and a top line-up of talent ready to descend upon QUAD for the event. Add into that a jam-packed programme of events, our fabulous raffle and the sparkling quiz, and this promises to be an event not to be missed.

So it's a random mixture of updates for this morning, just to keep everyone in the loop on what to expect!

Unfortunately Angry Robot publishers Marc Gascoigne has had to pull out of the event - but fear not, Marc will be replaced by Mike Shevdon on the 'The Writer and the Internet' panel, and Angry Robot Editor Lee Harris will be stepping onto the 'Breaking into Writing' panel.

Just sorting out for both raffle and quiz prizes, and we'll actually have 4 sets of PS Publishing books to give away at the raffle, plus I've added some new spot prizes to the quiz for those quick-fire answers!

Our registration desk will be upstairs, and as a little bonus for everyone I'll be keeping a steady supply of Haribo there throughout the day. As I'm sure you all know, any great event is founded on the twin pillars of sugar and caffeine... plus kids and grown-ups do love it so.

Each goodie bag will contain at least two books per person, plus our programme leaflet and a host of other flyers and information. By the time I sort through all of our fantastic books to give away, the early birds among you may even be getting three freebies (that rolls off the tongue...)

We'll have twelve tables in the dealers' room, as Exaggerated Press have swooped to claim our final table. Expect plenty of bargains and a great buzz throughout!

That's all for this morning - much more to follow later today, including our finalised raffle list! If you've still not got that ticket, you can pick one up at http://www.derbyquad.co.uk/special-event/edge-lit-day-ticket or pop along on the day and grab one from QUAD's Box Office on the ground floor of the building.

Cheers!

Alex

Edge-Lit Quiz - the prizes!

Hi Guys,

For anyone looking to rustle together a team for the Edge-Lit Quiz this Saturday (it runs from 9pm till about 10:30pm), I thought that you'd like to know exactly what we have to offer to our winners, and indeed spot prize winners. It's a maximum team size of four, but entry is included within your day ticket if you fancied coming down for a fun night that will also test the depth and breadth of your SF, fantasy and horror knowledge.

Our top prize for the winning team will be a complimentary ticket to Edge-Lit 2013 - and not just one to fight over, oh no, this is a ticket per person to next year's extravaganza! It's the first chance to get a hot ticket for next summer, so don't miss out!

We're also going to be giving away a range of spot prizes throughout the quiz - these will be quickfire answer questions with a prize to be dished out instantly! How very Family Fortunes of us - only you don't have to put up with Vernon Kay! Our spot prizes include books by Eoin Colfer and Brian Lumley, signed editions from Steven Erikson and Geoff Ryman (assuming Royal Mail does its job!) plus some great anthologies and even DVD sets to give away as well!

So don't, in the immortal words of Jim Bowen, wonder 'what you could have won' - get down for what should be a fantastic way to spend Edge-Lit evening...

I'm sure you all know how to get a ticket by now - either drop by QUAD Box Office on the day, give them a call on 01332 290606 or drop by our webpage at http://www.derbyquad.co.uk/special-event/edge-lit-day-ticket

Look forward to seeing you there!

(Quizmaster General) Alex




 

Edge-Lit - on the day info

Hi Guys,,

Just a few days to go until the big day, and a veritable whirl of activity here in the Davis household as we put the last-minute preparations on Saturday's event. Really looking forward to running things, and the whole thing should be a blast.

Today I thought it'd be a good idea to pass on what I've dubbed the 'Key Information' from our event guide - if you're heading down, this will be everything you need to know on the day to get around the event and make the very most of your time there. If you're yet to be persuaded to get a ticket, then maybe this will give you a bit of assurance you'll be in safe hands! :-)

Anyway, here goes...

Edge-Lit – key information

On arrival, head to the registration desk to collect your registration badge. Please keep this badge with you at all times, as you will need to access all the sessions and films at the event.

Our staff will be on hand throughout the day at the registration desk should you have any queries about the event, or about Derby. Please note that our staff are all volunteers, so please treat them with respect. Our staff will be wearing red t-shirts.

Staff will be checking badges as you head into sessions – please be ready to show these to access events and schedule items.

PLEASE NOTE that our writing workshops are all included within the price, but numbers are STRICTLY LIMITED. Please head to the QUAD Box Office (opposite the main entrance downstairs) to collect your free ticket to the workshops of your choice. Event staff will ask for your ticket as you head into the session.

PLEASE NOTE you will also have to collect tickets to our film screenings in the same way. Again tickets are STRICTLY LIMITED, and will be distributed on a first come, first served basis.

The Meeting Room (reading space) and Digital Suite (workshops) are both on the first floor, while Cinemas 1 and 2 and The Box (book room) are found on the second floor. The registration desk is also on the second floor.

A range of drinks and food are available at QUAD from the bar. There are also many places to eat around Derby – please visit out registration desk for an information sheet. There is a lunch break from 1pm-2pm, and a dinner break from 7pm-9pm.

A handout on local travel information is also available from the reception desk.

PLEASE NOTE that schedule items may be subject to change in case of unexpected circumstances. No refunds will be given in case of author absence or enforced schedule changes.

Raffle tickets are available from the reception desk throughout the day at a cost of £1 per strip. A list of prizes is displayed around the building, with a full list also available at the reception desk.

If you're looking to pick up a ticket, you can either get yours on the day, book online at http://www.derbyquad.co.uk/special-event/edge-lit-day-ticket or give QUAD Box Office a call on 01332 290606.

Thanks a lot, and see you there!

Alex

Random competition time!

It's Tuesday!
It's the 10th!
It's competition time, for no apparent reason!

Yes folks, today I have a pair of tickets to Saturday's Edge-Lit event in Derby to give away, just because I've woken up in a generous mood this morning really. All you need to do is check us out on Twitter @EdgeLitDerby, retweet our competition tweet and you'll be entered into a draw to win two tickets for Saturday's event. So don't miss out - get retweeting, as the competition closes at 6pm tonight.

Edge-Lit - The Dealers Room

Hi Guys,

 Well, the countdown is well and truly on to Edge-Lit now, and while I work on putting the finishing flourishes to the event, I'll be posting all manner of news in the final week before the event. Today's blog is all about or fantastic dealers' room, which will be offering a wide range of books, magazines and more for sale, as well as lots of information and flyers for you to take away.

 So who'll be there? Well, Waterstones Derby will be on hand as our official booksellers for the day, so if you've heard and enjoyed an author on the day, you'll be able to pick up a book to take away with you! As well as Waterstones, Edge-Lit will also be on hand with a range of new and second-hand titles at great prices. We'll also have tables from a fantastic range of independent presses, magazines and genre organisations, all of whom you can check out below:

The House of Murky Depths (http://www.murkydepths.com/)
Doghorn Publishing (http://www.doghornpublishing.com/wordpress/)
Haunted Magazine (http://www.haunted-magazine.co.uk/)
TTA Press (http://ttapress.com/)
British Fantasy Society (http://www.britishfantasysociety.co.uk/)

As always, you can book up your ticket for the event at http://www.derbyquad.co.uk/special-event/edge-lit-day-ticket - don't miss out on our dealers room, as well as a superb and packed programme of events! 

Thanks a lot
 Alex

Edge-Lit - final schedule!

Hi Guys,

Ooh, shiny... yes, here it is, all wrapped up in a neat bow and looking lovely and presentable, our final schedule for Edge-Lit! Of course this all comes with the usual note on changes due to unforeseen circumstances etc - I don't see anything like that happening, but that's why they call them unforeseen I suppose... anyway, if there are any late alterations, they'll be flagged up plenty on the day.

You'll also notice that we've been lucky enough to add IAN CULBARD to our line-up, and a great late addition it is as well! Ian is a freelance artist, animation producer and writer who has worked on a number of acclaimed comic books, including his recent work on Lovecraftian classics At the Mountains of Madness and The Case of Charles Dexter Ward, as well as adaptations of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories and Edgar Rice Burroughs' A Princess of Mars. Quite a CV, so we're delighted to have Ian on board for the day!

Anyhoo, enjoy... and any questions, as always, just drop them along to me at edgelit@hotmail.co.uk

Thanks a lot!

Alex

EDGE-LIT – THE SCHEDULE

CINEMA TWO

10am – What Makes a Great Short Story? (Panel)

Simon Bestwick, Christian Dunn, Andrew Hook, Marie O'Regan (moderator)

11am – Guest of Honour Christopher Fowler

Reading and Q+A

12pm – Are We Still Afraid of Monsters? (Panel)

Simon Bestwick (moderator), Ian Culbard, Paul Kane, Emma Newman, Niki Valentine

1pm – LUNCH BREAK

2pm – Have the Limits of SF Become Blurred?

Jaine Fenn (moderator) John Jarrold, Justina Robson

3pm – Guest of Honour Geoff Ryman

Reading and Q+A

4pm – Does Fantasy Need Archetypes? (Panel)

MD Lachlan, Anne Lyle, Gaie Sebold, Adrian Tchaikovksy, Mark Yon (moderator)

5pm – Ray Bradbury – A Retrospective

Christopher Fowler, Graham Joyce, Emma Newman, Sarah Pinborough, Mark Yon (moderator)

6pm – The Edge-Lit Raffle – fantastic prizes to be won!

Hosted by Lee Harris and Sarah Pinborough

7pm – DINNER BREAK

9pm – The Influence of HP Lovecraft

Simon Bestwick, Ian Culbard, Marie O'Regan, Adrian Tchaikovsky

10pm – Mayhem presents a Lovecraftian double-header:

Dreams in the Witch House (Stuart Gordon)

Introduced by Ian Culbard

followed by

House by The Cemetery (Lucio Fulci)

Introduced by Simon Bestwick

CINEMA ONE

11am – The Writer and the Internet (Panel)

Emma Newman, Anne Lyle, Mark Yon (moderator)

12pm – Publishing Today (Panel)

Christian Dunn, Lee Harris, John Jarrold, Sarah Pinborough

1pm – LUNCH BREAK

2pm – Breaking into Writing (Panel)

Anne Lyle, Rod Rees, Gaie Sebold

DIGITAL STUDIO

PLEASE NOTE THAT WORKSHOPS ARE STRICTLY LIMITED CAPACITY – YOU WILL NEED TO COLLECT A FREE TICKET TO EACH SESSION YOU WISH TO ATTEND FROM QUAD BOX OFFICE ON THE GROUND FLOOR.

10am – Adrian Tchaikovsky

on Worldbuilding

11am – Niki Valentine

on Suspense

12pm – Jaine Fenn

on Characters

1pm – LUNCH BREAK

2pm – Mike Shevdon

on Dialogue

3pm – Simon Bestwick

Subject TBC

4pm – Geoff Ryman

Subject TBC

5pm – MD Lachlan

A Novel in an Hour

MEETING ROOM

10am – Paul Kane and Niki Valentine (Reading)

11am – Andrew Hook and Rod Rees (Reading)

12pm – Anne Lyle and Mike Shevdon (Reading)

1pm – LUNCH BREAK

2pm – MD Lachlan and Adrian Tchaikovsky (Reading)

3pm – Emma Newman and Gaie Sebold (Reading)

4pm – Jaine Fenn and Justina Robson (Reading)

5pm – Simon Bestwick and Marie O'Regan (Reading)

THE BOX

10am-7pm – Dealers' Room, with a wide range of books and magazines on sale

9pm onwards – The Edge-Lit Quiz – great prizes to be won throughout!

Maximum team size 4

Edge-Lit - dining out

Hi Guys,

Continuing this week's ultimate guide to Edge-Lit and Derby itself, today I thought it'd be a good idea to post up some various options out and about for food and drinks. QUAD's cafe-bar will be open throughout the event for hot and cold food, and of course a range of drinks, so if you'd prefer to stay in the Edge-Lit zone then you'll be more than able to grab some grub!

However there are a host of restaurant and pub options around Derby, some of which are details below...

THE MARKET PLACE itself offers the recently opened Ask Italian, offering a range of pizza, pasta and other Italian dishes. You can check out there menu and contact details at http://www.askitalian.co.uk/restaurants/derby

On the market place you'll also find a range of quicker options, including Nando's and Walkabout. If you head slightly further towards the town centre onto Cornmarket, you'll also find Little Frankies, as well as a Greggs for all the pasty fans out there!

Just off of the marketplace, turning left at the Lloyds TSB, you'll come on to Sadlergate, which offers a different range of dining options including Mexico, which (surprise surprise) serves Mexican food. You can find out more at http://www.mexicoderby.co.uk/ There are also a number of other alternatives, including The Wonky Table (http://www.wonkytable.co.uk/) and The Black Rock Grill, a very new steak restaurant (http://sadlergates.co.uk/black-rock-grill)

Probably the biggest range of restuarants in Derby is on Friargate, which you can reach by turning left at the bottom of the Sadlergate and then turning right at the zebra crossing. There you'll find tapas at La Tasca, Indian food at The Spice Lounge, Italian at Zizzi and modern French cuisine at Bistrot Pierre. Their respective websites and details are at....

http://www.latascakitchen.co.uk/derby/
http://www.spicelounge-friargate.co.uk/
http://www.zizzi.co.uk/venue/index/derby
http://www.lebistrotpierre.co.uk/locations/derby

Those are just some of the options for eating out in Derby - as always, if you want any more information on Derby, I'd recommend visiting the Tourist Information site at http://www.visitderby.co.uk/ or giving the Tourist Information Centre a call at 01332 255802.

And as always, if there any further questions, feel free to drop me a line on email at edgelit@hotmail.co.uk!

Thanks a lot

Alex

Edge-Lit - About QUAD

Hi Guys,

To follow on from yesterday's post, I thought that it'd be good to give everyone a rough guide as to what to expect after you get there, and what you can find inside QUAD on the day of Edge-Lit.

QUAD itself is a really modern venue, and you can enter the building via either the revolving doors or the accessible entrance next to it. On the ground floor you'll see the box office right in front of you, where you can pick up your ticket for the day (if you haven't yet!) or collect your free workshop tickets. There's also the QUAD gallery on the ground floor, exhibitions in which are free to visitors, and the BFI Mediatheque, where you can check out a host of archive footage courtesy of the BFI.

Of course, there is also a bar on the ground floor, which will be serving food and drinks throughout the day. I hadn't forgotten about that :-)

On the first floor, you'll be confronted by a set of double doors, and heading through those you'll be very much heading into Edge-Lit territory. On the right you'll see the meeting room, which will  be hosting our readings throughout, and to the left you'll find the Digital Suite, where our workshops will be going on all day.

By the time you come to the second floor, you'll be well and truly into Edge-Lit land. Our registration desk will be up there, which will be your first stop after arrival to collect your name-badge and goodie bag ready for the day. We'll have a host of panels, readings and films in Cinema One, as well as our awesome raffle, and Cinema Two will also be holding a handful of panels in the late morning and early afternoon. The Box will be home to our dealers room, which will be offering a great range of books, magazines and much more on the day.

The second floor Orchid Bar will also be open on the day, so no need to head all the way downstairs to grab those drinks between sessions!

All shaping up to be a fabulous day - you can check out more info, and book your place, at http://www.derbyquad.co.uk/special-event/edge-lit-day-ticket

And any questions at all, feel free to send them my way at edgelit@hotmail.co.uk

Thanks a lot!!

Alex

Edge-Lit - getting there

Hi Guys,

With less than a couple of weeks to go until Edge-Lit, I thought it'd be a good idea to post some key information for our visitors, first and foremost how to actually get to the event!

In general, Derby is a town which is pretty easily accessed from a lot of places - there are regular buses from around Derbyshire, as well as locations like Stoke, Manchester, Nottingham and so on, as well as being reachable easily by train from all manner of locations.

QUAD itself is found on Derby Market Place, and the postcode is DE1 3AS for those of you looking to use the Sat-Nav. If you are driving, the best bet for parking would be the Assembly Rooms car park, which is directly opposite the venue on the Market Place. However there are charges to park at the Assembly Rooms.

For those of you coming by bus, if you come out of Derby Bus Station and turn right, you'll be able to see QUAD from there as a large wood and glass building. If you turn right and head down to the third zebra crossing, just outside the Council House (which is being redeveloped), and cross there you'll be right outside.

For those of you coming by train, a taxi to the Market Place would cost less than £5. If you'd prefer to walk down, the best bet will be to come out of the train station and head straight down Station Road. From there, turn right and basically keep going in a straight line all through the town centre. This will ultimately bring you to the Market Place, where you will see QUAD on the right hand side, near to the BBC Big Screen.

QUAD also has a getting there page on its site, which you can check out at http://www.derbyquad.co.uk/how-find-quad

I'll be posting some more information for anyone heading along as the week wears on - of course if there are any queries about the event at all, you can always drop me a line at edgelit@hotmail.co.uk - I'll be happy to help!

Thanks a lot!

Alex

Edge-Lit Quiz!

Hi Guys,

I have to ask - where did June go? Seriously? But of course that brings us into July, and officially the month of Edge-Lit taking place! 12 days and counting, so not long left to pick up those tickets...

I thought today would be a good opportunity to pass on the first details of our Edge-Lit quiz - this will be taking place from 9pm in the Box, on the second floor of QUAD. The theme for the Quiz will be 'THE A-Z OF SCIENCE-FICTION, FANTASY AND HORROR', so questions will be split up alphabetically according to author, or according to character, or according to book title - but rest assured each question will have some relation to the letter in question. We're arranging a great prize for our winning team, as well as a host of spot prize questions for throughout the quiz itself, so it should be fantastic fun!

Team size will be a maximum of four, just to give everyone a fair crack of the whip. So bring your thinking hats and a pint of beer along for what should be a great way to enjoy the evening at Edge-Lit!

With under a fortnight to go, expect the news to keep rolling in thick and fast this week!

Thanks a lot

Alex

Random Friday update!

Hi Guys,

It's Friday, and as such it can only be time for one thing - our staggeringly random mixture of news on Edge-Lit! We've had a lot of awesome updates in the last week, including the announcement that Graham Joyce will be taking part in the event, so here are a few more snippets that will hopefully whet your appetite for the event...

More additions to the raffle, including another fantastic HP Lovecraft prize and some signed Peter F Hamilton goodness. We should have at least 25 lots at the event, and of course you'll have to be in it to win it. For the superstitious among you, we'll have tickets available in a whole host of colours!

I've been arranging some books for sale, so if you swing by the dealers room you'll be able to get some superb bargains at the Edge-Lit table, which I am sure will be equalled by the remainder of our fantastic dealers.

Our four film screenings will each be having a speaker to introduce them and give some insight into both the work of HP Lovecraft and the films themselves. Thus far I can confirm that yours truly will be introducing THE CALL OF CTHULHU (quote possibly my favourite short story of all time) and horror author Simon Bestwick will be stepping to the plate for Lucio Fulci's THE HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY. More news on the other two intros to follow.

I'm working away at the Edge-Lit Quiz, and not only will there be a prize for the top scoring team, but also a host of spot prizes that will be given out throughout the event. It should be a blast if you're not heading into our superb HP Lovecraft screenings!

We're expecting plenty of interest over the next couple of weeks, including an interview and feature in the Derby Evening Telegraph in the near future. We're also featured in QUAD's July brochure, which you'll be able to pick up all around Derby and beyond.

With only two weeks to go, we're going to have lots of big updates in the next fortnight, including confirmation of who is going to be speaking on which panels, the full range of workshop subjects, the final list of raffle prizes, plus loads more! So be sure to head back here for all the latest, or check out the info and booking at our QUAD webpage at http://www.derbyquad.co.uk/special-event/edge-lit-day-ticket.

And don't forget to come and join us in Twitter - @EdgeLitDerby - where we'll be busy posting aplenty!

Thanks a lot

Alex

Trailers of Terror!

Hi Guys,

Thursday sure has rolled around quick, so it's an equally rapid post for today! If you were on the fence as to whether to check out our movie treats at Edge-Lit, I thought that the fantastic trailers for our fab four might just seal the deal. They all bring a unique interpretation of the great HP Lovecraft to the screen - all you need to do is click the links below! So without any further ado...

FRIDAY 13TH SCREENINGS:
The Call of Cthulhu:
http://www.cthulhulives.org/cocmovie/trailer.html

The Thing
http://www.zuguide.com/#The-Thing

SATURDAY 14TH SCREENINGS:
Dreams in the Witch House
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-qL_OI2sg4&noredirect=1

The House by The Cemetery
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbIiJeCpCgY

You can now book for our Friday launch screenings at http://www.derbyquad.co.uk/film/thing-call-cthulhu-18, and your tickets for Saturday's main event are available at http://www.derbyquad.co.uk/special-event/edge-lit-day-ticket

Thanks a lot!

Alex

Raffle goodness!

Hi Guys,

Tuesday has spun around pretty quickly, and we're into the last few weeks before Edge-Lit takes place! It's a really exciting phase of things as an event organiser, and there's plenty to look forward to getting the last details in place. Today's update focuses in on our raffle, with a list of all our goodies to give away so far. Swing by our registration desk on the day and pick up your tickets for just £1 a strip to be in with a great chance of winning all the prizes below, and more to be confirmed!

Thanks a lot

Alex

EDGE-LIT RAFFLE PRIZES - SO FAR!

Three copies of 'The Greatcoat' by Helen Dunmore

(Donated by Hammer Books)

A set of 3 Solaris Books

(Donated by Rebellion)

A set of 3 Solaris and Abaddon Books

(Donated by Rebellion)

A signed copy of 'The Haunted' by Niki Valentine

(Donated by Edge-Lit)

A signed copy of 'The Japanese Devil Fish Girl' by Robert Rankin

(Donated by Edge-Lit)

A copy of 'Necronomicon – The Best Weird Tales of HP Lovecraft' edited by Stephen Jones and illustrated by Les Edwards

(Donated by Edge-Lit)

A signed hardback copy of 'Surface Detail' by Iain M Baks

(Donated by Orbit Books)

A signed hardback copy of '2312' by Kim Stanley Robinson

(Donated by Orbit Books)

A signed, limited edition copy of 'Zoo City' by Lauren Beukes

(Donated by Angry Robot Books)

A signed, limited edition copy of 'Forever Twilight' by Peter Crowther

(Donated by Angry Robot Books)

A signed Richard Kadrey trilogy – Sandman Slim, Kill the Dead and Aloha from Hell

(Donated by Voyager)

3 sets of mixed PS Publishing books

(Donated by Edge-Lit)

Free admission to one of three upcoming genre writing weekends in Derbyshire (worth £150)

(Donated by Edge-Lit)

Details, details...

Hi Guys,

Hope everyone had a good weekend, despite some apparently unsatisfactory result in the football...

Last week saw our big logistics meeting with QUAD, which of course sees us arranging all the ins and outs of the event, and thought I'd pass on some of the salient points for those of you attending, or indeed considering attending the day!

The events for the day kick off at 10am, but we'll be opening doors at 9am so that you can get registered, grab yourself a drink and perhaps even bag some breakfast before you head into your first sessions. The Orchid Bar will also be open upstairs, so that will save too many trips up and down between sessions!

All our panels and readings will be completely free access, so just turn up and grab yourself a seat for those. Our writing workshops are always a hugely popular part of the day, and so to avoid any arguments you'll be able to collect a free ticket for the workshops of your choice from the QUAD box office. Maximum capacity will be 15, so these will definitely be useful and intimate sessions.

We'll have twelve tables in a packed dealers' room, which will be open from 10am-7pm on the day. A stop by will be an essential part of the day, so be sure to bring a bit of book money along :-)

We'll be having our lunch break at 1pm and a longer dinner break at 7pm, which will give you time to either get some food from the QUAD bar or pop into town to sort out some food. I don't want anyone fainting from hunger on my watch :-)

Just in case the weather turns against us, we'll be having a coat rail set up by our registration desk for the day. But hopefully, with it being mid-July, the sun will be out and everyone will be basking in the sunshine outside QUAD.

So that's a few key highlights from one of the exciting meetings leading into any event - now Edge-Lit is definitely feeling that bit more real!

More news to follow later this week.

Thanks a lot

Alex

Graham Joyce at Edge-Lit

Hi Guys,

Well, I did imply that I wouldn't be posting over the weekend, but I couldn't resist passing on the following news tidbit - I'm really pleased to confirm that multiple award-winning author GRAHAM JOYCE will be joining us for Edge-Lit. Graham's latest title, Some Kind of Fairy Tale, has just been released this week, with  really positive reviews already starting to come in. Graham's other titles include The Silent Land, The Tooth Fairy and The Limits of Enchantment.

We'll be announcing more details on the schedule next week, but in the meantime you can check out Graham's site at http://www.grahamjoyce.co.uk/ or of course head to the Edge-Lit page to book at http://www.derbyquad.co.uk/special-event/edge-lit-day-ticket


Thanks a lot, and have a good weekend y'all!

Alex

Friday news round-up

Hi Guys,

As the weekend looms large, I thought this'd be a good opportunity to share a final few news tidbits to hold you over until Monday! Of course, it's always possible I may feel compelled to blog over the weekend - who knows?

Anyway, here's all the very latest news on Edge-Lit:

Two more workshops subjects confirmed - Jaine Fenn's workshop will be called 'Building Character Through Questions', while Niki Valentine's session will be entitled 'Building Suspense'. Also, to add a bit more detail, Mike Shevdon sent us the following details about his workshop - 'The Dynamics of Dialogue: How to write engaging dialogue that pulls readers into the story, engages with plot, reveals character and delivers the punch that readers love. A workshop for aspiring writers who've struggled with who says what!'

The good folks at This is Horror (www.thisishorror.co.uk) will be running some interviews and features on Edge-Lit in the final few weeks leading up to the event. For those unfamiliar with the site, it's run by the marvellous Michael Wilson and features a whole host of news and interviews, as well as running events and the exciting new chapbook line. Well worth a look for any horror fan.

We're currently looking to arrange author introductions for our four superb Lovecraftian screenings over the weekend – Friday 13^th (why not?) sees the screening of the fantastic HP Lovecraft Historical Society version of The Call of Cthulhu, followed by a suitably rugged Kurt Russell in The Thing. Saturday night's double-header will see Stuart Gordon's Dreams in the Witch-House followed by Lucio Fulci's fabulous House by the Cemetery, and our introductions will be looking to add a little more insight into the life and work of HP Lovecraft, as well as these individual interpretations and inspirations.

The guys at Mayhem Horror Festival have generously supported the film angle of the event, and you can check out their Facebook event for these four screenings at http://www.facebook.com/events/347207348681987/ And you should most certainly check out the Festival's page itself at http://mayhemhorrorfest.co.uk/

And on the subject of Facebook, are you all signed up to our event and page? And if not, why not? We'll certainly have lots of news and updates there as the event closes in – check them out at http://www.facebook.com/EdgeLit and http://www.facebook.com/events/247277708699984/

So that's all for one week – expect another busy week of news to be flooding in next week!

Thanks a lot

Alex

Goodie bag update

Hi Guys,

A heartily rainy Thursday here in Derby, but not so much as to dampen my excitement as Edge-Lit continues to draw closer. Today it's a little update on our goodie bags, which will provide a rather tasty cherry on top of an already delicious cake. Each bag will contain at least two FREE books, and a lucky few among you might even get more than this. Our selection of titles so far include...

Wither by Lauren DeStefano (donated by Voyager)
The Mammoth Book of the Best of Best New Horror edited by Stephen Jones (donated by Constable and Robinson)
Mixed titles donated by Orbit
Mixed titles donated by Gollancz

Thanks to all of the publishers above for their generous donations towards the event.

Everyone who attends Edge-Lit will get one of our goodie bags, which will also contain a host of useful flyers and information, as well as all the relevant details on the event itself. Bags themselves have been generously donated by Waterstones, so a big thanks to them also.

Of course the only way to get one of our goodie bags is to come on down, so pick up your ticket at our webpage, http://www.derbyquad.co.uk/special-event/edge-lit-day-ticket

More news to follow as the big day approaches...

Thanks a lot

Alex

Assorted News...

Hi Guys,

A real mixed bag of announcements for Edge-Lit today - a pick and mix of news, only substantially cheaper than your usual pick and mix! So here goes with the rapid-fire news...

Our live raffle on Saturday night will be hosted by the glamorous duo of Sarah Pinborough and Lee Harris. This is bound to be a really entertaining part of the day, not to be missed!

Speaking of the raffle, I'm delighted to add some more top prizes to this, including signed books by Iain M Banks, Kim Stanley Robinson, Dave Hutchinson and many more... We're looking at around 25-30 lots, all there to be won by some lucky ticket-holder...

Jaine Fenn's workshop at 12pm will be on 'Building Character Through Questions'

Our dealers room will now also include a stand for the British Fantasy Society - if you're not already a member, be sure to check them out.

Andrew Hook will be reading with Rod Rees at 11am on the day - just one of many fantastic paired readings taking part at the event.

Doors for the event will be opening at 9am, giving you the chance to register nice and early before we kick things off at 10am. The famous redshirts will as always be on hand to help out!

I think that about covers everything for one day - expect more announcements to be following over the next few days! Remember to check out all the latest info and booking details at http://www.derbyquad.co.uk/special-event/edge-lit-day-ticket

Thanks a lot, and have a good day y'all!

Alex

Edge-Lit - final details on film programme

Hi Guys,


Absolutely delighted today to announce the full details of our film programme for Edge-Lit - as well as two films on the Saturday night, we'll also be hosting two films on the Friday night as a launch. All four of our films will be running on a HP Lovecraft theme, paying homage to one of the most legendary and influential horror writers of all time. 


I'd like to say a huge thanks to the guys at Mayhem Film Festival, who have made all the fantastic screening possible - we couldn't have done it without them! Your Saturday night films are included in your Edge-Lit ticket price, while our Friday double-header is just £10 for both films!


So without any further ado, let's introduce our fabulous four pieces of Lovecraftian goodness...


Friday 13th:


THE CALL OF CTHULHU. Directed by Andrew Leman. (USA, 2005. 50 mins). Dying a professor leaves his great-nephew a collection of documents on the dreaded Cthulhu Cult and slowly the nephew pieces together the full horror as his own mind begins to unravel. From the HP Lovecraft Historical Society comes this amazing anomaly - a film shot and made as if it were 1926 and Lovecraft had just signed a Hollywood deal to get the film made: a silent-movie take on Lovecraft's celebrated Mythos. "The Great Old One of Lovecraftian cinema... risen from the page onto the screen in all his belated glory." Horror Review

with

THE THING. Directed by John Carpenter. (USA, 1981, 109 mins). Remastered classic from cult director John Carpenter, reteaming with Kurt Russell after the classic Escape From New York to remake the classic The Thing From Another World, inspired by Who Goes There by John W Campbell. A twelve-man research team at a remote Antarctic station discover an alien, buried in the snow for over 100,000 years. Soon unfrozen, the shape-shifting creature wreaks havoc, creates terror and becomes one of them. A brilliant study in paranoia and tension clearly influenced by HP Lovecraft's At The Mountains of Madness. "I don't know what the hell's in there, but it's weird and pissed off, whatever it is."

Saturday 14th:


MASTERS OF HORROR: DREAMS IN THE WITCH-HOUSE. Directed by Stuart Gordon. (USA, 2005. 55 mins). Possibly Gordon's best adaptation of Lovecraft, more subtle than Re-Animator and darker than Dagon, this is a tight exercise in menacing, brooding fear. A student begins to question his own sanity after taking a room in a boarding house once said to be the residence a witch. "One of the most disturbing things I’ve ever seen put to film..." Dread Central



with


HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY. Directed by Lucio Fulci. (Italy. 1981. 86 mins) Part Lovecraft, part Henry James, Fulci's amazingly over the top, blood splashed HOUSE forms the final part of his infamous Gates of Hell Trilogy and has now been rescued and restored for your pleasure. If Witch-House is concerned with the terror in the attic, then this reminds us not to ever go in the cellar! "Gleefully gory... If you've never seen it and you're a fan of Italian genre film, do yourself a favor and seek it out." Twitch




Thanks a lot


Alex

First three workshop subjects confirmed

Hi Guys,

Hope the weekend treated you all well!

The programme for this year's Edge-Lit programme continues to come together apace, and I'm really pleased to be offering an active programme of seven writing workshops throughout the day. This afternoon I can announce our first three subjects:

10am, Adrian Tchaikovsky - Worldbuilding
2pm, Mike Shevdon - Dialogue
5pm, MD Lachaln - A Novel in an Hour

All sounds like great sessions on key areas of creative writing, and of course we have many more workshops on the day, so keep your eyes peeled here for the latest!

You can check out how to book your day ticket at http://www.derbyquad.co.uk/special-event/edge-lit-day-ticket

Thanks a lot!

Alex

Edge-Lit - first schedule announcement!

Hi Guys,

Wednesday is not normally a day I get terribly excited about - after all, it's still a fair way from the weekend - but today is a rather lovely exception as I can release the first schedule details for Edge-Lit. We'll be taking over five different spaces at the fantastic QUAD in Derby, and filling them jam-packed with panels, workshops, readings, films booksales and more! You can check out our provisional schedule below - there'll be a more detailed version coming out a little nearer the time, but hopefully this should whet your appetite for what should be an absolutely superb day. And remember - everything you see below is included within your £25 ticket price!

So without any further ado, here is our provisional schedule for Edge-Lit:

CINEMA TWO – PANELS, GUESTS OF HONOUR, RAFFLE, FILM

10:00am – What makes a great short story? (Panel)

11:00am – Guest of Honour Christopher Fowler (Reading and Q+A)

12:00pm – Are we Still Afraid of Monsters? (Panel)

1:00pm – LUNCH BREAK

2:00pm – Have the Limits of Science-Fiction Become Blurred (Panel)

3:00pm – Guest of Honour Geoff Ryman (Reading and Q+A)

4:00pm – Does Fantasy Need Archetypes (Panel)

5:00pm – Ray Bradbury – a Retrospective (Panel)

6:00pm – Edge-Lit Raffle – loads of great prizes to be won!

7:00pm – DINNER BREAK

9:00pm – The Influence of HP Lovecraft (Panel)

10:00pm – HP Lovecraft double-header screening, brought to you by Mayhem Film Festival – DREAMS IN THE WITCH-HOUSE & HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY

CINEMA ONE – PANELS

11:00am – The Writer and the Internet (Panel)

12:00pm – Publishing Today (Panel)

1:00pm – LUNCH BREAK

2:00pm – Breaking Into Writing (Panel)

DIGITAL STUDIO – WORKSHOPS

(Please note workshop leaders may be subject to change – workshop subjects TBC)

10:00am – Adrian Tchaikovsky

11:00am – Niki Valentine

12:00pm – Jaine Fenn

1:00pm – LUNCH BREAK

2:00pm – Mike Shevdon

3:00pm – Simon Bestwick

4:00pm – Geoff Ryman

5:00pm – MD Lachlan

MEETING ROOM – READINGS

(Please note that reading authors may be subject to change)

10:00am – Paul Kane and Niki Valentine

11:00am – Rod Rees and TBC

12:00pm – Mike Shevdon and Anne Lyle

1:00pm – LUNCH BREAK

2:00pm – MD Lachlan and Adrian Tchaikovsky

3:00pm – Gaie Sebold and Emma Newman

4:00pm – Jaine Fenn and Justina Robson

5:00pm – Marie O'Regan and Simon Bestwick

THE BOX – DEALERS ROOM AND EVENING QUIZ

10:00am-7:00pm – Our dealers room will be open for business, with a host of great books and more to be bought. Dealers currently confirmed:

Waterstones Derby

The House of Murky Depths

TTA Press

Haunted Magazine

British Fantasy Society

Doghorn Publishing

7:00pm-9:00pm – DINNER BREAK

9:00pm onwards – Science-Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Quiz – fantastic prizes to be won for our top teams!

New speakers confirmed

Hi Guys,

Hope that everyone had a fun weekend, and the new week is going well so far!

News continues to come in thick and fast for this year's Edge-Lit event, and I'm delighted to announce two new additions to our programme of speakers for the event. As if the line-up wasn't exciting enough already eh? We'll now be joined by slipstream and short story author ANDREW HOOK, as well as Angry Robot editor LEE HARRIS, both of whom will be lending their expertise to panels on the day. Whether you're a reader or a budding writer, these two new names really bring something extra to the event.

And of course don't forget we have the remainder of our line-up at http://edgelitderby.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/full-author-line-up-confirmed.html - with more than 20 participants, it's going to be an awesome day!

More of the latest news to follow this week...

Thanks a lot

Alex

Ray Bradbury panel confirmed

Hi Guys,

It's been a very busy week on the Edge-Lit front, and it seems fitting today to let slip the first item on our schedule. I'm looking to get the full details out at some point next week, and I'm delighted with how its come together, with some really exciting stuff going on throughout the day.

However, given the sad news that came through on Wednesday, I've decided to add a panel on one of the true greats of the field, Ray Bradbury.

I'm sure many have and will put it more eloquently than me, but Ray Bradbury was a key part of what got me interested in writing and interested in literature. His books and short stories were a huge influence and source of pleasure throughout my teen years - it remains my opinion that we'll never see the likes of Bradbury again. For me, this was as an author with an unrivalled imagination, a beautiful simplicity of expression and a way of infusing stories with wonder or terror with equal ease. Dandelion Wine has always been my favourite book, a fantastically bright and joyous novel that I always reach for when the outlook isn't looking so bright. I was delighted to see so many tributes pouring in, not only from greats in the world of writing, but also film, music and the US President himself.

As such, it seemed only fitting to devote at least part of our day at Edge-Lit to celebrating the life and work of one of the masters of the genre, an author whose influence and stories will surely live on forever.

More information on this - and the rest of the schedule - to follow.

Thanks a lot

Alex    

Full author line-up confirmed

Hi Guys,

Now that the traditional British summer has returned, it's time to get back indoors and get some serious work done on Edge-Lit. And I'm delighted that my first task of the day is to confirm the final author line-up for Edge-Lit - there's a chance I may be adding one or two more people to this as the event closes in, but if you've picked up or are about to pick up a ticket then these are the folks you can expect to see...

GUEST OF HONOUR Christopher Fowler
http://www.christopherfowler.co.uk/blog/

GUEST OF HONOUR Geoff Ryman
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoff_Ryman

Simon Bestwick
http://simon-bestwick.blogspot.co.uk/

Christian Dunn
http://www.blacklibrary.com/Authors/Christian-Dunn.html

Jaine Fenn
http://www.jainefenn.com/

Marc Gascoigne
http://angryrobotbooks.com/about-us/people/

John Jarrold
http://www.johnjarrold.co.uk/

Paul Kane
http://www.shadow-writer.co.uk/

MD Lachlan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MD_Lachlan

Anne Lyle
http://www.annelyle.com/

Emma Newman
http://www.enewman.co.uk/

Marie O'Regan
http://www.marieoregan.net/index.htm

Sarah Pinborough
http://sarahpinborough.com/

Rod Rees
http://www.thedemi-monde.com/

Justina Robson
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justina_Robson

Gaie Sebold
http://gaiesebold.com/

Mike Shevdon
http://shevdon.com/

Adrian Tchaikovsky
http://shadowsoftheapt.com/

Niki Valentine
http://nikivalentine.webeden.co.uk/

Mark Yon
http://www.sffworld.com/

I'm absolutely chuffed with the line-up for this one, and really looking forward to announcing the schedule, which should be forthcoming in the next week or two - some absolutely fantastic stuff on the bill.

More to follow soon anyway!

Thanks a lot

Alex

Edge-Lit film programme confirmed!!

Hi Everyone,

Hope this fine Wednesday finds everyone well, and recovered from their Jubilee celebrations or double Bank Holiday excesses...

Big news for today, and I'm delighted to confirm our film programme for Edge-Lit. With a double-header of Lovecraft-inspired goodness on both Friday 13th (what better night for a horror film?) and Saturday 14th July, this is one event that horror fans are distinctly not going to want to miss.

We begin on Friday 13th with the HP Lovecraft Historical Society's THE CALL OF CTHULHU - shot as it might have been in Lovecraft's time, this is a real must for Lovecraft afficianados. There will also be a feature film to follow this, which we are hammering out the details for right now.

On Saturday 14th, following our 'The Influence of HP Lovecraft' panel, we'll be launching into another double feature, kicking off with Stuart Gordon's DREAMS IN THE WITCH-HOUSE. Filmed for the Masters of Horror series, this is a fantastic take on the well-known Lovecraft tale from the man who brought us Re-Animator and Dagon. This will be followed by Lucio Fulci's hit HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY, the final part of the Gates of Hell trilogy. With healthy doses of Lovecraft and MR James among its influences, this is truly a film that needs to be seen to be believed.

These films are brought to us by our good friends at Mayhem Horror Festival (http://mayhemhorrorfest.co.uk/), so a huge thanks to them for their support of Edge-Lit and for sourcing some fine films. They've also provided us with more information on each of our cinematic treats, which you can see below.

Just another great reason to head down to Edge-Lit this year, and plenty more to come!

Thanks a lot

Alex



Friday 13th:

THE CALL OF CTHULHU. Directed by Andrew Leman. (USA, 2005. 50 mins). Dying a professor leaves his great-nephew a collection of documents on the dreaded Cthulhu Cult and slowly the nephew pieces together the full horror as his own mind begins to unravel. From the HP Lovecraft Historical Society comes this amazing anomaly - a film shot and made as if it were 1926 and Lovecraft had just signed a Hollywood deal to get the film made: a silent-movie take on Lovecraft's celebrated Mythos. 


"The Great Old One of Lovecraftian cinema... risen from the page onto the screen in all his belated glory." Horror Review

with

POSSESSION. Directed by Andrej Zulawski. (France/Germany, 1981. 119 mins). A cult cinema paranoid masterpiece of obsession, guilt, horror, explosive violence and tentacled monster love won Adjani best actress award at Cannes before the UK decided to consign it to video nasty status. 


"cComfortably rivalling Lars von Trier’s Antichrist, David Cronenberg’s The Brood and Ingmar Bergman’s Scenes from a Marriage." Sight and Sound.

Saturday 14th:
MASTERS OF HORROR: DREAMS IN THE WITCH-HOUSE. Directed by Stuart Gordon. (USA, 2005. 55 mins). Possibly Gordon's best adaptation of Lovecraft, more subtle than Re-Animator and darker than Dagon, this is a tight exercise in menacing, brooding fear. A student begins to question his own sanity after taking a room in a boarding house once said to be the residence a witch. 


"One of the most disturbing things I’ve ever seen put to film..." Dread Central

with

HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY. Directed by Lucio Fulci. (Italy. 1981. 86 mins) Part Lovecraft, part Henry James, Fulci's amazingly over the top, blood splashed HOUSE forms the final part of his infamous Gates of Hell Trilogy and has now been rescued and restored for your pleasure. If Witch-House is concerned with the terror in the attic, then this reminds us not to ever go in the cellar! 


"Gleefully gory... If you've never seen it and you're a fan of Italian genre film, do yourself a favor and seek it out." Twitch

Raffle latest!

RAFFLE UPDATE

Hi Guys,

In the midst of what has been a sweltering week or so, and a pretty hectic run on a whole host of fronts, I have still been quietly squirrelling away on Edge-Lit. And like a hibernating squirrel with a disturbing penchant for books, I have been collecting raffle prizes for our fabulous live draw on the Saturday night.

So here are just a few saucy highlights to get you excited about what will no doubt be one of the highlights of the festival...

3 copies of Helen Dunmore's THE GREATCOAT (donated by Hammer Books)

A collection of 6 books from Solaris and Abaddon (donated by Solaris and Abaddon)

A copy of THE NECRONOMICON (not the actual one, but the collected best of HP Lovecraft as edited by Stephen Jones and illustrated by Les Edwards – donated by Edge-Lit)

A signed copy of Robert Rankin's Japanese Devil Fish Girl (donated by Edge-Lit)

A signed copy of Niki Valentine's The Haunted (donated by Edge-Lit)

3 sets of PS Publishing books (donated by Edge-Lit)

I've also got a few other prizes up my sleeve that are rather special, and of course I shall be teasing everyone with those for a bit longer, or at least until the next raffle update! We're also expecting many more great book prizes to be confirmed, so keep your eyes peeled on this blog for all the latest.

Thanks a lot!

Alex

Edge-Lit - more authors and speakers confirmed!

Hi Guys,

I promised a whole host of announcements this week, and our Facebook and Twitter followers will already have picked up out HP Lovecraft theme for Saturday evening, including some fantastic screenings with Mayhem Film Festival - as a huge Lovecraft fan, I'm really excited about this, and also about working again with the guys from one of the region's top film fests.

I'm also very pleased to announce another batch of speakers and authors attending this event - this will all but complete the line-up, although I'm still hoping to announce another special guest or two as the event closes in! So today's fantastic five are...

Horror and dark fantasy writer MARIE O'REGAN
http://marieoregan.net/
Black Library author and editor NICK KYME
http://www.nickkyme.com/
Angry Robot Managing Director and Publisher MARC GASCOIGNE
http://www.angryrobotbooks.com/
Psychological horror author NIKI VALENTINE
http://nikivalentine.webeden.co.uk/
Black Library editor and author CHRISTIAN DUNN
http://www.blacklibrary.com/Authors/Christian-Dunn.html

As you can see, some more great names involved in a line-up that I must say I'm really excited about. Unfortunately I do also have to announce one cancellation, as horror author SIMON CLARK will no longer be able to attend the event. However we still have a wonderful line-up of horror talent, including not only those names above but also SARAH PINBOROUGH, SIMON BESTWICK and PAUL KANE.

Keep your eyes peeled on the blog, as I'll shortly be making the first announcement on our raffle shortly, plus fingers crossed some more news on special guests.

Cheers!

Alex

Edge-Lit Dealers Room

Hi Guys,

And a happy Friday to one and all! I'm delighted today to confirm not only that Edge-Lit will be having a dealers room, but also that we're going to be having a rather busy dealers room to boot!

We'll of course have our official Edge-Lit stall, which will  be selling a range of books by our participating authors and speakers, and our information area with a host of flyers and leaflets relevant to fans of genre writing. On top of this, we've got a great range of independent booksellers and magazines taking part:

Doghorn Publishing - http://www.doghornpublishing.com/wordpress/
Haunted Magazine - http://www.haunted-magazine.co.uk/
House of Murky Depths - http://www.murkydepths.com/
TTA Press - http://www.ttapress.com/

I do have a couple of table spaces left, so if anyone is interested, just drop me a line at edgelit@hotmail.co.uk and we'll  be able to fit you in!

Keep checking back for all the very latest news on Edge, including some more exciting author announcement in the next week!

Thanks a lot

Alex

Third author announcement

Well, we're over the Bank Holiday and back into the swing of things - after a very busy week last week, I'm looking forward to getting really stuck into Edge-Lit and making some really exciting announcements as the big day closes in! For today, I'm delighted to announce our next five participants for Edge-Lit - we're coming towards completing our final line-up, with one more exciting batch of authors and speakers to follow after this!

Today's fantastic five are...

SARAH PINBOROUGH

Horror and young adult author, writer of The Dog-Faced Gods Trilogy and The Nowhere Chronicles

PAUL KANE

Horror author and anthology editor (Hellbound Hearts, The Mammoth Book of Body Horror)

JULIET E MCKENNA

Fantasy novelist, author of the Chronicles of the Lescari Revolution and The Hadrumal Crisis

MARK YON

SFF reviewer and the man behind leading genre website, www.sffworld.com

EMMA NEWMAN

Author of 20 Years Later and audio book narrator

Edge-Lit - latest authors confirmed!

Hi Everyone,

It may be a wet Wednesday outside, but I'm still feeling pretty cheery, as today I get to announce our next five authors taking part in Edge-Lit! I'm chuffed with how the line-up for this one is taking shape, and we have yet more great authors and speakers to confirm in the near future! So here are today's latest participants - and we're barely halfway there!

Leading SF, fantasy and horror agent JOHN JARROLD
http://www.johnjarrold.co.uk/

MD LACHLAN - author of the WOLFSANGEL fantasy series
http://www.mdlachlan.com/

Horror and crime author SIMON BESTWICK
http://simon-bestwick.blogspot.co.uk/

Urban fantasy novelist MIKE SHEVDON, author of the COURTS OF THE FEYRE series
http://shevdon.com/

Fantasy novelist, short story writer and poet GAIE SEBOLD
http://gaiesebold.com/?page_id=24

We'll also have loads more announcements to follow, including more information on the Edge-Lit dealers room, raffle, schedule, film programme and much more...

Thanks a lot!

Alex

Edge-Lit - first author announcement!

Hi Everyone,

I'm delighted to announce our first batch of confirmed authors for Edge-Lit this year! We've got a great confirmed line-up for the event, including our Guests of Honour CHRISTOPHER FOWLER and GEOFF RYMAN, which we'll be passing on news of in the days and weeks leading up to the event.

So, here are our first five names for Edge-Lit, and I'm very pleased to have all of them on board for the day!

ROD REES - author of the DEMI-MONDE series.
http://www.thedemi-monde.com/

ADRIAN TCHAIKOVSKY - writer of the SHADOWS OF THE APT fantasy series
http://shadowsoftheapt.com/

JUSTINA ROBSON - acclaimed SF and fantasy author, writer of the QUANTUM GRAVITY series
http://justinarobson.blogspot.co.uk/

SIMON CLARK - leading UK horror novelist and short story writer, author of NIGHT OF THE TRIFFIDS
http://www.nailedbytheheart.com/home

JAINE FENN - author of the HIDDEN EMPIRE science-fiction series
http://www.jainefenn.com/

We'll be announcing loads more speakers and authors as the event closes in, so be sure to check back for all the very latest news!

Thanks a lot

Alex

Welcome to Edge-Lit!

Hi Everyone,

The first in what will be a long line of blogs on a brand new event for Derby, Edge-Lit. The event runs on Saturday 14th July at QUAD, and offers a range of workshops, panels, readings, films and more in the fields of science-fiction, fantasy and horror. We've just announced the first Guests of Honour, with tickets also having just gone on sale - a steal at £25!

So take a look at the first news at http://www.derbyquad.co.uk/edgelit, and expect loads more to follow here!

Thanks a lot

Alex Davis
Co-ordinator, Edge-Lit