Conflux 8

We are pleased to announce the availability of Progress Report 2.

Download and enjoy to find out more about what’s happening this year at Conflux.

Gillian Polack will be presenting another workshop this year on Friday afternoon 2 October 2009.  She has suggested several ideas for this year’s presentation – but asks what Conflux members might like?  So over to you – you can comment on this blog or write to Chair@conflux.org.au  by 17th July 2009.   If you would like to know more about Gillian – see her web page http://www.trivium.net/gillianpolack/

Thank you!

We are pleased to announce that this year’s Conflux Virtual Mini-Con will be held on Sunday 3oth August 2009.  The program (like most programs it is a moving feast – so note that things might change) is:

9am to 9.30am – Welcome, introduction and Conflux generally.

9.30 to 10.30am Liz Argall

10.30 to 11.30am Gillian Polack

11.30 to 12.30pm Richard Harland

12.30 to 1.30pm Jim Minz (10.30pm Saturday US time)

1.30 to 2.30pm Maxine McArthur

2.30 to 3.30pm Bruce R Gillespie

3.30 to 4.30pm Cat Sparks

4.30 to 5pm – Closure Gillian Polack and Stuart Herring

Of course, there will be other interesting forum.  We do hope that you will join us!

Sorry for the inconvenience, but we’ve had to swap two of the workshops. Jack Dann’s workshop “A Writer’s Guide to Dreaming” has moved back to 3pm, while Karen Herkes’ “Mental Magic” has moved forward to 12pm. If you want to book for any workshop, email workshops@conflux.org.au asap.

This is just a quick message to pass on some important announcements about Conflux 5.

First, and most importantly, we need to announce an identity change to our overseas guest. Sharon November, who had been scheduled as our international guest, has had to withdraw due to unavoidable circumstances. We are, of course, sorry to lose Sharon, but we’re very pleased to have arranged instead for Liz Gorinsky to attend in the capacity of overseas guest. Liz is an editor with Tor, in the US, and has worked extensively with both established big-name authors and up-and-coming writers. We’re very much looking forward to her involvement in the Con. You can find out more about Liz on the guests page

We’d also like to bring to your attention that Mark Shirrefs will also be attending Conflux, as a guest, and will be presenting a special screening of his BAFTA- and Oscar-nominated animated specfic short film, ‘The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello’. Mark has considerable experience in writing for TV and the big screen. You can also find out more about Mark on the guests page . There’ll be more about both Mark and Liz in the fourth and final Progress Report, which will be along soon.

Finally (for now), if you’re thinking of putting in an entry for the art show, laying claim to a dealers’ table, or booking for Saturday night’s Banquet, please don’t delay. We’re busy finalising the lists for all of these, so first in best dressed.

That’s it for now. Looking forward to seeing you in – what is it? – less than 20 sleeps now.

Some updates on Conflux for you all. For those who don’t know, Conflux will take place in Canberra at the Marque Hotel on October 3 to 6. All things going well, the program will be up on the website Monday of next week. So check www.conflux.org.au at that time to see the fun that will ensue.
 
In the meantime, bookings are now open for the workshops, and the Prohibition New York dinner. To attend the dinner, you need to book using the form on the website, and need to do so BEFORE the convention – we have to confirm numbers with the chef, so can’t take bookings at the con. To book into a workshop, you need to email workshops@conflux.org.au I’m replying to them as soon as I read them, so if you’ve sent an email and haven’t had a reply, I haven’t seen it and you’re not booked in. Please, send it again.
 
Workshops are:
Friday October 3
9am
Blogging with Gillian Polack (costs $10)
Caring for Your Collection with April Herzog (free for members)
The Business of Writing Comics with Liz Argall (free for members)
12pm
The noble and knightly art of the longsword with Chris Barnes (free for members)
A writer’s guide to dreaming: how to transform thoughts, ideas and dreams into fiction with Jack Dann (costs $55))
Finishing the first draft with Maxine McArthur (free for members)
3pm
Mental magic: illusions and tricks of the mind with Karen Herkes (free for members)
Emarketing for authors with Fiona McLennan (free for members)
Creating dynamic characters with Karen Miller (free for members)
 
Monday October 6 (all free for members)
1pm
Dream Magick, an experiential workshop with Margi Curtis and Leigh Blackmore
Grant Writing with Peter Strong
Writing the otherword with Felicity Pulman
Workshop 13 – superstition, with Nicole R Murphy
 
A day membership of $50 can get you into Friday or Monday of the con, so you can go to the workshop of your choice as well as take in other aspects of the con on that day. To book, email workshops@conflux.org.au Spaces in the workshop are limited to 15 people (except the sword workshop, which goes to 16) and they will go for 2 1/2 hours. And there won’t be any worksheets or notes for anyone not able to attend – sorry, but you have to be present to get the advantage of the expertise of the people involved.

It’s come to my attention that some people have sent in workshop bookings and not having heard anything, are assuming that it’s okay. It’s not – workshop bookings are being taken by The Programmer and she is replying immediately she reads them, so if you haven’t heard, you aren’t booked. Email workshops@conflux.org.au to book, or you might miss out. Go to www.conflux.org.au/2008/workshops.shtml for more info about the various workshops available.

1) The Conflux Virtual Mini-con is still up for people to read – go to www.conflux.org.au/forum and check out the fun that you may have missed. You can post questions if you like, but understand that not all the guests will recieve notification if you do so and therefore may not answer.

2) This Saturday night we’re holding a fundraising dinner for Conflux. For $12 you’ll get three courses – nibbles and soup for starters, then casseroles, followed by apple pie and icecream for desert. It’s at 6pm at St John’s Church hall in Reid (that’s in Canberra). To book call 62918009 (we need bookings for catering purposes). All the money is going towards the convention. Hope to see a whole lot of you there. 

3) The workshops are now open for bookings. Go to www.conflux.org.au/2008/workshops.shmtl and check out what you want to do, then email workshops@conflux.org.au to make a booking. Two of the workshops will cost extra on top of your membership, the rest are free for members. Spaces are limited, so make sure you get in early.

4) Look out for panel announcements soon. We’re close to developing a list of panels that we’ll then try to match to panellists. If you know you’ll be attending Conflux and want to be on a panel but haven’t sent in a membership form yet, email programme@conflux.org.au and let us know.

Please note that due to unforseen circumstances, we’ve had to do a swap. Cat Sparks will now be appearing at 4pm on Saturday, and Phill Berrie will be appearing at 1pm on Sunday. Sorry for the inconvenience, please notify anyone and everyone!

Conflux 5 invites you to the Wonderfully Warm Home-made Casserole dinner, to raise money for the convention. The dinner will take place on Saturday, August 16 at 6pm at the Robertson Room, St John’s Church Hall on Constitution Avenue in Reid. It costs $12 and for that, you get three courses – nibblies and soup to start, then a smorgasboard (yes, you heard right, a smorgasboard) of casseroles, ending with hot apple pie and your choice of cream or icecream. BYO drinks. People can, if they wish, then saunter next door after to see and take part in historic dancing with Earthly Delights and the Bordonian Dancers, or stick around and chat. For bookings, call Karen at Richardson Support House on 6291 8009. Hope to see you there!