FantasyCon 2011 was voted runner-up in the Event of the Year category of the This Is Horror 2011 Awards. The winner of Event of the Year was FrightFest 2011.

To see all the winners and runners-up in all twelve categories go HERE

The nominees for the This is Horror Awards include FantasyCon 2011 in the ‘Event of the Year’ category, and there are lots of other events, publications, films and TV series of particular interest to BFS members who lean toward the darker side too.

To vote for your choices, go to the This is Horror website HERE. Voting ends 30 December 2011.

New York Times best-selling horror and fantasy writer Tim Lebbon has been announced as Master of Ceremonies for the 2012 British FantasyCon in Brighton.

Award-winning horror/crime writer Joe R. Lansdale is the first Guest of Honour to be announced, with editor/ anthologist Mary Danby – best known as editor of The Fontana Book of  Horror Stories from 1970 to 1984 – as Special Editor Guest.

Further guests to be announced shortly. Full details at the FantasyCon website

Booking for FantasyCon 2012 (27 to 30 September 2012, Royal Albion Hotel, Brighton) is now live HERE

FantasyCon 2012 will take place from 27 September – 30 September 2012, at the Royal Albion Hotel, Brighton.

We are delighted to announce that  British FantasyCon will be returning to the historic seaside city of Brighton in 2012.

Membership rates and hotel booking details will be posted on the site in late November, while a rough programming grid is now available.

We will also be announcing an exciting range of Guests of Honour covering the entire spectrum and history of the fantastic arts in literature, publishing and the media.

Anyone who signed-up to the now-cancelled Corby event at this year’s FantasyCon will be offered the opportunity to convert their membership to Brighton 2012 or will receive a full refund. Please wait to be contacted.

The Awards Review.

I undertook to review and overhaul the BFS Awards. The old system that served us for such a long time had a hole punched in it this year. It was always a vulnerable system and with its weakness to “boosting” votes now only too exposed, it is in my view irreparable. I have consulted widely and I must say I have had terrific input and support from people connected with the Clarke Awards, the BSFA and SF Awards Watch. There appear to be more voting systems at large than there are denominations of the Protestant church but there are some great ideas around, even if some are contradictory. So here is the plan.

Stage 1: Before coming up with a new system I need to collect some hard data from the Society’s membership about your preferences. We will conduct an online survey of the Society’s membership and we will use the data returned to propose a new formulation.

Stage 2: The new formulation, whatever it is, will be put together by a small working group of “wise men and women” in response to the data.

Stage 3: That formulation will then be put to the EGM on December 9th. We will also collect votes electronically.

It won’t be possible to come up with a system that satisfies everyone. But it will be possible to come up with a system that has the consent of most of the Society.

The survey will also go to attendees of Fantasycon 2010, 2011 and 2012 who are not BFS members.

Why a survey not a vote? The logic of this is that Fantasycon attendees are entitled to vote on the awards and I feel they are entitled to express a preference. (Though of course Fcon attendees who are not BFS members are constitutionally not permitted to vote on EGM or AGM motions, so will not be able to vote on the final proposal.)

The survey will go out later this month and will close after a week. The motion for a new system will be assembled and published in readiness for the EGM. The proposed timetable for all this is as follows:

Monday 24 October: Post Survey online

Monday 31 October: Close survey

November 18: Working group makes recommendation. Recommendation posted.

December 9: Electronic ballot to close before EGM. Electronic votes and live votes tallied at EGM.

Graham Joyce

Following the recent public allegations made regarding this year’s British Fantasy Awards, The British Fantasy Society Committee would like to state for the record that it is our firm belief that no corruption or wrongdoing took place during the administration of the British Fantasy Awards, and that in this respect all awards should still stand as presented. We confirm that the summation of the votes cast was performed electronically and once the results were checked they were confirmed and verified by another member of the committee.

As Chairman of the Society, David’s responsibilities made him duty bound to fill in for committee members if they were unable to perform their nominated tasks, and in this case he was forced to step in when the actual awards administrator was unable to continue due to personal issues. Having to organise the awards at short notice, and with no-one else on the Committee able to assist due to time constraints, David was obliged to organise everything connected with the presentation of the Awards.

David did not have any involvement with the nominations, short listing or the voting process, other than the with the awards administration (procuring the statuettes, plaques, etc) and we are happy that the voting/counting process was 100% accurate within the scope of the current rules. We therefore completely exonerate David from any wrongdoing in the administration of the 2011 Awards.

David has worked extremely hard for the society this past year and has, we believe, raised the profile of the BFS significantly with the changes he has instigated and the work he has put in. We are very sorry, therefore that this situation, and the words of members of the society aimed personally at David, have forced him into a position to tender his resignation. The Committee regretfully respects his decision to stand down.

There are several issues, notably the awards procedure, that need to be addressed going forward in order to maintain the integrity of the society. These measures are already being discussed and will be announced and implemented as soon as practicable.

Ramsey Campbell
President, British Fantasy Society

If you missed this year’s awards the hardworking and talented Vincent Holland-Keen has recorded, edited and posted the entire ceremony (in bite sized chunks) on to YouTube for your viewing pleasure.

Please do leave your comments and thoughts.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL32260EBC2F88BAD1

Due to a last minute room change we can add an extra film screening from 8:00 pm on Friday 30 September in the Russell Room…

Charles Beaumont: The Short Life of Twilight Zone’s Magic Man (2010)

90 Mins

Directed by Jason Brock

Imagine becoming the top writer for Playboy in your twenties. Imagine being a mainstay for the ground-breaking Twilight Zone series.

Imagine verging on the cusp of a major film writing career. Then imagine a mysterious illness stealing your mind and youth …

ALSO (on a lighter note!):

On Saturday from 10:00 pm – Midnight in the Lounge

Spine-chilling, mouth-watering and rib-tickling amusements from …

TEATRO PROBERTO

Proudly Present..

Blood on Satan’s Claw: A Pantomime
&
Corruption

BURLESQUE FROM BEYOND

Performances by:
Miss Baby Bones & Alessa Dark
Bea Devile
Ruby Demure & Infinity Favour
(The Flirtinis)
Esmeralda Underwood

Warning!
Not for the faint of heart or those of a nervous disposition!

Important notice: From Wednesday 29 September we can no longer accept electronic or postal memberships to FantasyCon.

From the same date, we will also no longer be accepting registrations for the final few specialist Masterclasses that are still available. If you wish to attend any of these events, you can either book today on the website or enquire at the registration desk if any spaces are still available.

Note that membership for FantasyCon 2011 has now reached 500, which is very close to our limit.

A limited number of day memberships may still be available on the Saturday only for £40. These can be purchased at the registration desk in Brighton on a strictly first-come basis.