Get up close and personal with some of Australia’s finest spec fic authors this July, as Cat Sparks directs her second Speculative Fiction Festival. Alongside a genre-spanning program of panels, the popular kaffeekaltsches are back, giving attendees the opportunity to take part in intimate group chats with the likes of Sean Williams, Margo Lanagan, Garth Nix, Kaaron Warren, John Birmingham, Marlee Jane Ward and Angela Slatter.

Explore short fiction, genre-bending, and the influence of superheroes and legends. Hear from writers imagining future realities – from the ramifications of AI to the repercussions of climate change. Learn how to craft and sell stories from people who have done it successfully and gain direct advice from editors and publishers.

“Contemporary speculative fiction is a literature of ideas,” says Cat, and this is the perfect opportunity to engage with the ideas most relevant to spec fic writers today, alongside a community of peers both emerging and established.  Join us for an unforgettable day of fantasy, speculation, and know-how, where professional authors share their secrets and new authors are forged.