For all things fantasy, horror, and speculative fiction
For all things fantasy, horror, and speculative fiction
4 October, 2025
10:00 am BST
From the earliest days, when humans painted on cave walls and told stories round campfires, monsters have formed part of our narrative. Whether representations of our emotions and fears, cautionary tales, or opportunities to overcome, monsters are an essential component of the human condition. Join the BFS for ‘Something Monstrous’ and discuss the origins and evolutions of monsters in SFFH.
Introduction & Welcome (10am–10:10am)
Panel 1 (10:10am–11:10am): Monster Building. Monsters come in all shapes, sizes and forms, but how do you build the perfect one? What characteristics make them pop out of the page? Why do they stay in our consciousness long after we’ve closed the book? Join moderator Eleanor Pender and panellists M F Alfrey, Sarah Maria Griffin, and Catherine Yu as they discuss the best/worst monsters and their own Dr Frankenstein process. Find out more about our panel here.
Readings (11:15am–11:45am): Paul Dalton (11:15am–11:30am), Caroline Dowse (11:30am–11:45am)
Break (11:45am–12:10pm)
Book Party (12:15pm–1pm): The BFS celebrates the launch of The Daughters of Nicnevin (Flame Tree) by Shona Kinsella. Join interviewer David Green as he chats to Shona about witches, Jacobites and sisterhood. Find out more about Shona and Daughters of Nicnevin here.
Readings (1:05pm–1:35pm): TBC, Joseph Elliott-Coleman (1:20pm–1:35pm)
Lunch (1:35pm–2:10pm)
Reading (2:15pm–2:30pm): Alethea Lyons
Panel 2 (2:30pm–3:30pm): Creating Tension & Fear. Sometimes, you just need to put a book in the freezer, but what is it that creeps into our psyche and won’t let go? How do you create that perfect storm that keeps readers glued to the page, even when they want to hide under the covers? Join moderator David Green and panellists David Barnett, Lindz McLeod, and Ayida Shonibar for their insights on crafting tension and fear. Find out more about our panel here.
Reading (3:35pm–3:50pm): Sandhya Jain-Patel
Break (3:50pm–4pm)
Panel 3 (4pm–5pm): Dark Fantasy v Horror. SFFH fans are no strangers to genre bending, or arguments about what defines a genre. In this panel, we walk the line between dark fantasy and horror – asking what are the key components of each? Is it setting? Is it tone? Is it the big bad? Join moderator Lauren McMenemy and panellists Suyi Davies Okungbowa, Marko Hautala, and Lorraine Wilson as they debate the borders of dark fantasy and horror. Find out more about our panel here.
Reading (5:05pm–5:20pm): Susie Williams
Author Interview (5:30pm–6:30pm): TBC
Find more information on our fabulous readers and where to buy their books by clicking here.
Please note: You should receive a confirmation email when you buy your ticket, plus a second email with the Zoom link to join. If you don’t, please contact Pam via email: onlineevents@britishfantasysociety.org
You need a computer or device (phone/tablet) capable of using Zoom and an internet connection.
You will need a Zoom account to participate, but an account is free to create and use. Just go here to make one.
All our online events have closed captioning, enabling those with hearing difficulties to follow everything.
No. Everyone is welcome to attend our online events, although BFS members do get free entry. There are lots of great reasons to join, so we hope you'll consider it. You can join here.
Yes, we do. You can find our policy here.
Yes, the event will be recorded and will be available for ticket holders to view at a later date.
You should receive a confirmation from the BFS and then a second email from the website with the joining link. If you don't, please email onlineevents@britishfantasysociety.org as soon as possible.