11-13 September
Old Government House in Parramatta Park
A Sydney con for speculative fiction writers
Ghostly Gala Night
Friday 11 September
Doors open 6pm for a 6.30pm start. Ghost Tours start at 8pm.
Come join us for a truly spooktacular evening at the (maybe) haunted Old Government House in Parramatta Park.
Hear eerie poetry from National Youth Slam Poet BEA, a reading from Guest of Honour Siang Lu (author of Ghost Cities), a dark tale from storyteller Jo Henwood and an excerpt from the debut novel of Local Hero Garth Thomas, who will launch his book She Walks With Ghosts.
The gala concludes with a Ghost Tour at Old Government House* and includes drinks and nibbles.
*Please note that Old Government House is a heritage-listed building and its first floor is only accessible by stairs.
This evening is for all ages.
MC Adam Richard
The comedian and comedy writer is behind the ABC TV series Outland, Hard Quiz and the Mardi Gras broadcast, and has appeared on everything from Spicks and Specks to Celebrity Dog School.
BEA
BEA is a poet and multidisciplinary artist of subversion, survival, and sass living on unceded Dharug land. Their poetry collection i love you in the most platonic way possible was published with Illographo Press in 2024, and they’ve won various medals at Bankstown Poetry Slam’s Grand Slam and National Youth Poetry Slam.
Photo: Justin Cueno
Siang Lu
Siang Lu is the Miles Franklin-winning author of Ghost Cities and ABIA-winning author of The Whitewash. He is the co-creator of The Beige Index and the creator of #sillybookstagram.
Photo: Kirsty Iltners
Jo Henwood
Jo Henwood is an accredited storyteller with Australian Storytellers, tour guide, museum education officer, museum theatre creative, workshop leader, public speaker, and Ring Maiden of the Australian Fairy Tale Society since 2014.
Garth Thomas
Garth Thomas spent 35 years at the ABC working in news and current affairs (winning several awards, including an Ellie Award). Now in retirement, he wants to tell his own stories. Tonight he launches She Walks With Ghosts, his debut novel.
Panels
These sessions all take place in the Marquee.
Sessions are 50 minutes each.
Saturday 12 September
Doors open 9am for a 10am start.
- 10am: Guest of Honour Siang Lu in conversation with Parramatta Laureate Eda Gunaydin
- 11am: Getting Graphic | On writing for comics, manga and graphic novels with Adam Richard (m), Americo Alvarenga, Bogi, Karen Beilharz
- Noon: Spec Lit | On the emergence of literary techniques and craft in speculative fiction with Sheriden Goldie (m), Siang Lu, Tiffany Tsao, Zahid Gamieldien
- 2pm: Old Tales Reimagined | On retelling fairy tales, folk tales, myths and legends with Eleanor Cooper (m), Jo Henwood, Kell Woods, Theresa Fuller
- 3pm: YA Speculative Fiction | On writing spec fic for young people with Emma Clancey (m), Emma Lord, Garth Thomas, Zena Shapter
- 4.30pm: Blending Genres | On how to successfully combine two or more genres with Spencer Rose (m), Gautam Bhatia, Kell Woods, Tiffany Tsao
- 5.30pm: The Book Launch Hour with Zena Shapter, Emma Lord and Garth Thomas (free, no pass required)
Last session finishes 6.30pm. You should go home and rest.
Sunday 13 September
Doors open 9am for a 10am start.
- 10am: Local Hero: Garth Thomas in conversation with fellow author Emma Lord
- 11am: Speculative Publishing Insights | On the trends and challenges in the spec fic publishing space with Simone Corletto (m), Abigail Nathan, Gautam Bhatia, Veronica Holmes
- Noon: The Art of Researching | On how to research for worldbuilding purposes with Tina Faulk (m), Aggie Novak, Emma Rayward, Kell Shaw
- 2pm: Using and Abusing History | On alt-history, and how to use history in your writing with Sheriden Goldie (m), Gillian Polack, Imogen Cassidy, Stephanie Russo
- 3pm: Sometimes Speculative: Genre-switching in a body of work | On building a multidisciplinary, multigenre writing career with Emma Rayward (m), Adam Richard, Eleanor Cooper, Zahid Gamieldien
- 4.30pm: State of the Short Story | On how and why you should write short stories with Lana Graham (m), Aggie Novak, Guan Un, Imogen Cassidy
- 5.30pm: Open Mic with featured reader Jeff Clulow
Last session finishes 6.30pm.
Please join us in the Courtyard at the Woolpack Hotel for mutual collapsing in a heap.
You must be 18+ to attend this con.
Workshops
Please note these are in alphabetical order. Check date and time in the description.
All workshops take place in the Welcome Room.
Sessions are between 90 minutes and 2 hours.
Comic and manga scriptwriting for beginners
Saturday 12 September at 2pm
Have you ever wanted to write manga and comics but aren’t sure where to begin? Learn the basics in this brief workshop that covers terminology, structure, layout, formats and styles of scriptwriting, as well as some tips for writer/artist collaborations. Please note: this workshop is primarily about the writing side, though artists will find it helpful too.
Karen Beilharz is a writer, editor, comics creator and podcast producer. Her comics writing includes the comic anthologies Kinds of Blue and Monsters, and the science fiction graphic novel Eternal Life (with Paul Wong-Pan). Her comics editing includes Fabled Kingdom Volumes II and III (Queenie Chan), and Sneaky Goblins and Mythic Creature Trainer (René Pfitzner).
Edit Like An Expert
Saturday 12 September at 11am
Whether you’re writing sci-fi, fantasy or horror, you will need to edit your work before sending it out into the world. But good editing isn’t just about finding typos and fixing commas. It’s about clarity, structure, reader engagement, character voice and knowing what matters.
In this workshop, learn the editorial strategies your manuscript needs before going to publishers, agents and/or readers. From big-picture assessments to line-level decision-making, this insightful presentation will empower you to review your manuscript effectively, avoid pitfalls, and recognise passages that need further work, regardless of genre.
Zena Shapter is a multi-award-winning author of science fantasy, conjuring journeys into the beyond and unusual. Author of When Dark Worlds Rise, When Dark Waters Burn , When Dark Roots Hunt, Towards White, and more, she’s “one of Australia’s most exciting and inventive writers” and a “master of immersive worlds”.
Instagram @ZenaShapter
From the Page to the Stage
Saturday 12 September at 4.30pm
In this workshop, speculative writers will learn the skills they need to front up to a crowd. While writing may be solitary, the next steps are not: pitching, publicity, panels and public readings. Learn valuable lessons in how to calm the quivering, command the stage and turn readers into fans.
Adam Richard celebrates 30 years as a stand-up comedian this year, his career now older than he claims to be. He’s the writer behind the ABC TV series Outland, Hard Quiz and the Mardi Gras broadcast, and has appeared on everything from Spicks and Specks to Celebrity Dog School.
Publicity 101: A Beginner’s Guide to Book PR
Sunday 13 September at 2pm
Book launches, media training, #gifted ARCs – the world of publicity is one of the more nebulous aspects of publishing. Whether you’re a trad author trying to work with a publicist, or an indie trying to DIY a campaign, this workshop will help you understand the power of publicity, what it is, how it’s different from marketing, and what’s actually realistic for genre fiction in today’s market.
Simone Corletto is an Adelaide-born, Sydney-based YA sci-fi/fantasy writer and PR professional who spent four years toiling in the publishing mines at two of the largest publishers in Australia. She completed bachelor degrees in Science and Creative Writing (Honours), and has short fiction published in anthologies, Crush (2017) and Visible Ink (2017), and other writing published in Empire Times, Double Helix, Rip it Up, Tulpa, and Junkee. Her latest work will be included an upcoming anthology, Holometabola (2027).
Instagram @simonecorletto
Substack @simonecorletto
Short Story Essentials – From Idea to Publication
Sunday 13 September at 11am
In this workshop, learn how to go from getting an idea for a speculative short story, through to drafting, editing, and getting it out into the world. Along the way, we’ll answer common questions like dealing with rejection and where to send your story when it’s done. All stages welcome, whether you’ve never written a short story, or you have a few under your belt and are keen to learn more.
Guan Un is an Australian-Chinese speculative fiction writer. His short stories have been featured on LeVar Burton Reads and It’s Storytime with Wil Wheaton; nominated for an Aurealis Award; featured in Year’s Best Fantasy and the Locus Recommended Reading List; and translated into Mandarin and Estonian.
Story Matrices: Using History to Build Fantasy Worlds
Sunday 13 September at 4.30pm
Learn the cultural brickwork method of using history to build the right kind of world for your novel. The Middle Ages will provide a baseline, but other facets of history will be brought into play. Learn how different types of worldbuilding work for different kinds of story and how you can set up the world for the precise story you want to write.
Dr Gillian Polack is an award-winning Australian speculative fiction writer and also a Research Fellow at Deakin University. She is an ethnohistorian with a special interest in how story transmits culture. Her current research looks into how we worldbuild for fantasy novels and examines how contemporary speculative fiction novels serve as vectors for cultural transmission. Her most recent scholarly book is Story Matrices: Cultural Encoding and Cultural Baggage in the Worlds of Science Fiction and Fantasy.
Photo: Sanna Pudas
Workshops are add-ons. You must buy a pass for the con that covers the day of the workshop you want to book.
You must be 18+ to attend this con.