10 Authors Appearing at EDGE-LIT 8

_{By Alex Davis (Twitter: @AlexDavis1981)}

Everybody loves a list, right? RIGHT? Well I certainly hope so, because I’m going to be writing more than one in the lead-up to Edge-Lit 8!

My mission today – should I choose to accept it – is to highlight ten of the authors appearing for this year’s Edge-Lit event, and given the vast array of talent coming along for the day I can certify this one was NOT an easy task. Honestly every author taking part would have been worthy of their own spotlight, but I’ve never shied away from a challenge, so I’m going to tell you a bit more about all our Guests of Honour, our Special Guest and a few of the notable speakers and participants on the day.

I’ll also do this in alphabetical order to avoid any fights breaking out!

ANNE CHARNOCK
I’m a keen watcher where it comes to awards, and I love the Arthur C Clarke Award because it represents the full spectrum of science-fiction, which is a really broad genre and all the more exciting because of it. Anne was a much deserved winner of this award in 2018, and an absolutely fascinating voice within the genre – if you’ve not checked out here work before, it’ll still be well worth getting her along to speak.
When is she appearing at Edge-Lit?
1pm, Cinema 2 – Guest of Honour interview
2pm, Cinema 1 – Panel
6pm, Participation Space – Reading

ALIETTE DE BODARD
What was I just saying about awards? If you needed any further recommendation if Aliette’s work, I’m sure her practically groaning awards shelf would offer it – four BSFA awards, three Nebula awards, a Locus award and a European Science Fiction Society award. But then again, if you’ve read Aliette’s work, you won’t need any further recommendation – for me she’s among the most original and interesting writers working within the genre today.
When is she appearing at Edge-Lit?
11am, Cinema 1 – Panel
12pm, Cinema 2 – Guest of Honour slot
3pm, Digital Studio – Workshop

CHRISTOPHER GOLDEN
It was so exciting to have a US guest at Edge-Lit 7 in the shape of Paul Tremblay that I was a man on a mission to repeat the dose. Chris had been on a ‘wish list’ for a longer time than I can think to remember – probably way back when it would have seemed infeasible for us to have speakers from overseas – but as the event has grown it’s made this sort of thing a possibility. And where do you start with Chris’s staggering output of work? He has literally done it all, a New York Times Bestseller with a host of fantastic novels, short story collections, comics and more behind him. He’s also co-written a host of books with fellow Edge-Lit 8 guest Tim Lebbon, and their on-stage interview is sure to be a highlight of the day.
When is he appearing at Edge-Lit?
1pm, Cinema One – Panel
4pm, Green Room – Workshop
6pm, Cinema One – In Conversation with Tim Lebbon

TIM LEBBON
Tim is an author who has been turning out some superb work for a long time, be it his own original fantasy and horror work or excellent tie-in fiction from the Alien, Predator and Star Wars franchises to name but a few. But of course a movie adaptation never hurts an author’s profile, and it’s been great to see how Netflix’s The Silence has brought Tim’s work to a much wider audience. With that significant breakthrough behind him, you’re going to be seeing his the name Tim Lebbon a lot more in the future too.
When is he appearing at Edge-Lit?
10am, Cinema One – Panel
12pm, Meeting Room – Workshop
6pm, Cinema One – In Conversation with Christopher Golden
7:30pm, Cinema One – Raffle with Sarah Pinborough

SARAH LOTZ
I mentioned earlier that ‘wish list’ of Edge-Lit guests – yes, I do like to think ahead – and Sarah is another name who has been on there for some time, so it’s great to have her along in year eight! Sarah has an incredible skill of turning her hand to any number of genres brilliantly, and is renowned not only for her solo books but also a remarkable variety of co-written projects. The Three remains one of her most famous title, but her most recent book, The White Road, might just be her best yet.
When is she appearing at Edge-Lit?
12pm, Cinema One – Panel
2pm, Cinema Two – Guest of Honour slot

SARAH PINBOROUGH
Sarah has been such a key part of Edge-Lit over the year, and of course is our event patron, a title and role we’re delighted she was able to take on. Oh yeah, she also writes some rather good psychological thrillers and has done this bestseller thing a few times. In all seriousness, Sarah is a serious talent and it’s no surprise that she’s really taken her career to another level with recent books like Behind Her Eyes and Cross Her Heart. And I should add that she’s one hell of a raffle host too – that event closes out the day and is always an absolute blast.
When is she appearing at Edge-Lit?
12pm, Cinema One – Panel
7:30pm, Cinema One – Raffle with Tim Lebbon

NEIL SPRING
I’ve always been extremely partial to anything with a ghost in it, so to welcome such a great supernatural fiction author as Neil is a real pleasure. He’s quickly built up a reputation as one of the finest writers in the field, with first book The Ghost Hunters being made into an ITV drama as well as announcing him as a great new force in the field. With four books behind him now, Neil has really cemented his place and will bring a lot to the day.
When is he appearing at Edge-Lit?
10am, Cinema Two – Guest of Honour slot
1pm, Cinema One – Panel

ADRIAN TCHAIKOVSKY
I don’t use the term ‘disgustingly talented’ much, but I am going to apply it to one Adrian Tchaikovsky. I’ve panelled with Adrian a few times and he’s always got great insight into whatever subject you throw at him. As if that wasn’t bad enough, he not only wrote the wonderful Shadows of the Apt fantasy series, he then turned his hand to sci-fi with Children Of Time – and won the 2016 Arthur C Clarke Award with it! What I wouldn’t give for even a half of that sort of creative talent. Adrian will be panelling and workshopping on the day, so be sure to catch him at some point!
When will he be appearing at Edge-Lit?
11am, Cinema One – Panel
2pm, Meeting Room – Workshop
3pm, Cinema One – Panel

STEPHEN VOLK
A legend where it comes to screenwriting, Steve also has some serious chops where it comes to novel writing too – The Dark Master Trilogy was probably my favourite book of 2018, and at Edge-Lit 8 he’ll be going one further and launching his collection of non-fiction! I’ve heard Steve speak many times before at events and the insight and experience that he brings is really something – I’m chuffed to bits that he was able to join us as a Special Guest for the day.
When will he be appearing at Edge-Lit?
11am, Cinema Two – In Conversation with Kit Power
1pm, Cinema One – Panel
5pm, Green Room – Workshop

JEN WILLIAMS
There’s a serious swathe of fantasy writing talent in the UK right now – and honestly there’s a good handful of authors in that bracket I could have given this last slot too – but Jen is always a great speaker at any event, and she’s been at the forefront of an exciting generation of British fantasy fiction for a while now. The Copper Cat trilogy was a hard act to follow, but in moving onto The Winnowing Flame series I think she’s gone one better.
When will she be appearing at Edge-Lit?
3pm, Cinema One – Panel
5pm, Cinema One – Panel

Of course these ten are just a smattering of the fantastic talent appearing at Edge-Lit this year – you can check out the full line-up and schedule, as well as picking up your tickets, from https://www.derbyquad.co.uk/whats-on/events/edge-lit-8