BFS In-Person Events: For All Humankind

To help us get the year started right, we’re highlighting some of the amazing work done by our BFS volunteers and the great opportunities our members can seize. Today, we meet our in-person events coordinators—and invite you to join them.

Introduction: PS Livingstone

Is my hat on? No, not that one, the other one! Right, good.

Hello, friends. Continuing our series about what’s going on in the BFS, our volunteers and all the cool things your membership enables, this blog is talking about in-person events. 

The BFS is all about community, in whatever form that takes. Online is great for regular meet-ups, staying in contact across distances, and for the wallet, but it’s also lovely to have the chance to meet other fans and creatives in person, especially close to where you live. Due to the immense and kindness and enthusiasm of three amazing people, we now have a programme for in-person events in London, Yorkshire, and Greater Manchester. Yes, actual humans you can touch and smell (this is a saying – you should not do these things without consent), but more importantly talk to, learn from, and celebrate with. 

These events, sponsored by the BFS, are to create opportunities for people to promote their work, share their amazing knowledge and creativity, make new friends and meet old ones, and (we hope) sell some books. In the coming months, we’ve got panels, book clubs and readings in various bookstores, as well as some BFS meets, where you can chat, snack and add to that TBR pile. 

BFS in-person events wouldn’t be possible without our local event organisers; our passionate volunteers who’re giving up their time and energy to bring SFFH to your area. All credit goes to them – I mostly just send some emails and take abuse (read down for details) – and they’ve been amazing. They’re always looking for new ideas and people interesting in participating. If you live in one of these areas (or are willing to travel), all you have to do is fill in the form.

• London 
• Yorkshire
• Greater Manchester

Of course, we’re always looking to expand our reach and hope some of you might consider becoming a local organiser. If you want to know more, you can email me at onlineevents@britishfantasysociety.org, and you can read down to see why it’s a great idea.

I hope many of you will attend our in-person events to support local authors, our hard-working organisers, and the BFS. In the meantime, here are Alexandra Beaumont, Katie Bruce, and Alethea Lyons to tell you how and why they got involved. Please join me in thanking them for all they do.

Alexandra Beaumont: Every Underdog has their day

I’ve been a perpetual underdog in my life, passionate about lots and trying my hand at them. It’s only recently I’ve started to feel like I’m getting good at anything. I know that sounds a bit ridiculous, but actually I think it has given me a sense of empathy and understanding for people feeling the same. 

This is why I wanted to volunteer for the BFS. I want to help other passionate underdogs have their day. So I signed up to run events, with the aim to open up panels to those who want to do them but don’t always get the opportunity.

Signing up to run MORE EVENTS – what am I even doing?

In my day job, I organise a lot of events and chair or partake in panels. When I joined the British Fantasy Society, I wanted to use these skills to help achieve something that I don’t see happen nearly enough:

Supporting new or less mainstream authors the space to speak on panels. 

I did slightly wonder whether I’d finally lost the plot by adding yet another commitment to my life, but it feels very worthwhile. As I’ve said above: I’m an underdog who loves an underdog story.

Let’s all smash up Imposter Syndrome

This means a lot to me, because I am a passionate advocate for everyone having a chance to shine. I think it is all too easy to give space to already best-selling authors, but if smaller or newer authors don’t get the opportunity to sit alongside these bigger names, how does anyone grow in reach?

That’s my mission, if you like. I think it is going to be harder to achieve than originally considered, but not for the reason I expected. The door is open for all authors to be on the events I am running, and I expected lots of authors would want to be on panels. However, I think systemically the perception that book events are for big authors is hard to break through. I think we all have imposter syndrome loitering inside us. 

But we all had to start somewhere. So, I ask: if you’re at all uncertain or don’t feel like you can, silence that uncertainty!

I’m nervous whenever I speak on stage, even though I’ve done it loads. It took me a little while to realise this, but I discovered that no one knew I was nervous if I smiled and believe in what I was saying. 

I want to help others do that too, so please do sign up and get involved. Again, in my day job I do training and coaching about how to be more confident in this sort of thing if people need it. I’ll happily chat to anyone about this. 

I’ve only recently managed to stop myself saying ‘oh I’m not a real author’ despite having two books published. I want us to all smash up Imposter Syndrome together. That’s what running events and volunteering is about for me.

Katie Bruce: Have Your Cake and Eat It

Hello! I’m Katie and I’m the BFS in-person event organiser for the Yorkshire and Humber region.

I originally volunteered because I wanted to get more involved in local events and meet more local SFFH folk and then Pam told me I was in charge of BFS in-person events for the biggest county in the country. I had a small moment of panic before she calmed me down and convinced me I absolutely could do this! And she’s right! 

So far, I’ve organised two informal meet ups for local BFS members and it’s been so much fun! We’ve gone on bookstore crawls (like pub crawls, but infinitely better, because books), we’ve had food, and we’ve talked for hours*. Going to a meet up like this is a really great way to meet your local SFFH folk (and also buy new books – I have told my local lovelies that they are absolutely welcome to blame me for any book buying that occurs. No such thing as a book buying ban when I’m around!)

I’m also in the process of arranging some more formal events throughout the year. I’ve got a couple of book launches booked in that I’m very excited about. I’m arranging a number of events I’m calling ‘A Conversation On…’ where I get a bunch of SFFH authors together to discuss a specific topic. It’ll be entertaining, you’ll get a chance to ask questions, get your books signed afterwards, maybe learn something new and, of course, it’s a chance to meet fellow SFFH fans*.

The BFS has been such an important community for me and I want to share it with as many people as possible! Fantasycon is my absolute favourite place and, whilst I cannot hope to plan anything on that scale, I hope these events will provide a small bite of that (yes, there will probably be cake) on a local scale so more people can experience the joy that is being part of the BFS. 

Mostly I understand how few SFFH events there are in Yorkshire and in the north (of England, before any of the Scots shout at me) and how many amazing authors and readers we have here that want to change that. And I’m nothing if not up for a challenge! So, keep an eye out for announcements coming very soon and come along and join in the fun*.

I shall mostly be focussing on the Leeds/York and surrounding areas, because that’s where I’m based, but I’m coordinating with some lovely folk in South Yorkshire and The Humber so I’m hoping we can get the whole of this glorious county packed with amazing SFFH events!

*I understand that events and socials can be intimidating and overwhelming, I’m AuDHD, I get it, and I will always try to make the events as accessible as possible so if you have any worries, you’re more than welcome to get in touch through the BFS Discord and I’ll do my best to help! 

Alethea Lyons: I Fell and the BFS Landed on Its Feet

It’s less that I volunteered to be an Events Organiser and more than I accidentally fell into the role. Alexandra Beaumont, who is the EO for London, is published through the same press I am, so I was aware of the idea and how well it was going down there.

Being from the North of two countries, I figure anything London can do, we can do, and I’ve always been on the lookout for more SFFH events in Manchester, especially indie-inclusive ones.

I’d recently been part of a Noir at the Bar night at a Romily-based indie bookstore, which was loads of fun but awkward transport-wise (twenty minutes by car, over two hours by bus, and I don’t drive). When the same store opened a second branch only half an hour away by bus, I immediately headed over to do all my Christmas shopping. While there (in between them serving customers and me wrangling a toddler), I pitched them the idea of a fantasy reading night. They were keen! There’s a lot of SFFH readers in that area and a huge geek culture to tap into.

So I came home, went on the BFS discord, and posted in my local area asking if anyone wanted to join in. Pam asked if she could have a zoom call with me. Um, what? Okay?

At 10:59, I was a bit worried I’d overstepped by asking for volunteers and had broken some BFS policy I’d missed.

By noon, I was an Events Organiser for Greater Manchester.

And it’s been so much fun.

So far, I’ve mostly been doing a lot of emailing with bookstores and with publishers/authors. I’ve also been going around city centre bookstores, introducing myself (still wrangling my two-year-old Sprite) and chatting about what kind of events they’d like to put on. I’ve had tea with the events coordinator at QueerLit (the biggest Queer bookstore in Europe, if you haven’t been, go, it’s awesome), and stood in the middle of the Arndale Waterstones with their events coordinator working out how to use the space best. It feels a bit unreal.

Some local press contacts have been keen to get their authors involved as well, so hopefully we’ll get a few new members joining the BFS. Membership isn’t compulsory to taking part, but c’mon, why wouldn’t you? We’re a great bunch and it’s only twenty quid.

At the moment, I’ve been asked specifically for queer writers for a reading event in May for QueerLit and Waterstones want to do some romantasy, YA, and horror events at Central Library. I’m also hoping to set up some other panels based on the forms members are sending, so if you have things you really want to talk about, please tell me.

If you’re Mancunian, or can come visit Manchester, please fill out the form and join in. It’s going to be exciting!

Want to volunteer to be an in-person events coordinator in your local area? Get in touch!