John, Alison, and Liz discuss what they’re voting for in the Hugo Awards.

An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on X or on Mastodon or on Bluesky) when you post about the show on social media.

Content warnings this episode:

• Letters of comment
  • Ali Baker Brooks
  • Bridget Bradshaw
  • Chris Garcia
  • Colette Reap
  • Duncan MacGregor
  • Edward Morlund
  • Farah Mendlesohn
  • Mike Scott
  • Raj
    • Fantasy Book Swap
      • Alison Scott, Marianne Dreams and Tamarind and the Star of Ishta
      • ”More funny than Thomas Hardy”: John Coxon, Rebecca‘s World and Flora & Ulysses
• Hugo Awards:
  • Novella
  • Novelette
  • Short story
    • ”Gathered in Translation” by Ken Liu
    • “Disconnected Tales: Contrasting Ken Liu’s Original and Translated Works” by Stephanie Gao
  • Series
  • Graphic Story or Comic
  • Best Related Work
  • Best Dramatic Presentation (Long Form)
  • Best Dramatic Presentation (Short Form)
  • Fan Categories
    • The Midnight Pals that made Liz laugh
• Picks
  • John: Star Wars: Jedi: Survivor
  • Alison: Cinco Paus by Michael Brough
  • Liz: No pick
• Credits
  • Cover art: “Worldcon Community Group Bingo Card” by Alison Scott
    • Alt text: ”Octothorpe 114” is at the top, and the word ”Octothorpe” is written on a series of lottery balls. Below that, a bingo card, and below that, the words ”Worldcon Community Group Bingo Card". The items on the card are as follows:
      • Can I convert pounds to Scottish money?
      • Does anyone have any opinions on…?
      • Do you know my Scottish cousin?
      • This list is too long to read so can someone…
      • Is the programme out yet?
      • Can I swim in the Clyde?
      • Can I visit Stonehenge for the day?
      • Asks question answered in PR5
      • Does Glasgow Zoo have live haggis?
      • Volunteering is the best way to have fun
      • What’s with all the armadillos?
      • Shouldn’t the subway be a Digital Orange now?
      • Free!
      • Is the con organising an aurora viewing?
      • Is it too late to get on the programme?
      • Will Nessie be doing a signing?
      • Mention of Glasgow, England
      • Can anyone go to the Hugo Awards?
      • Why don’t we do this the way we did in 1956?
      • Can I fly from Glasgow to Edinburgh?
      • Will there be any authors there?
      • Can I bring my Emotional Support Moose?
      • Are tartan and/or kilts compulsory?
      • What I reckon…
      • Mention of deep-fried Mars Bar
  • Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)

John is doing Discord, Liz is doing programme, and Alison isn’t working on the Worldcon.

An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on X or on Mastodon or on Bluesky) when you post about the show on social media.

Content warnings this episode: None

• Letters of comment
  • Karen Schaffer
    • Peach and bourbon pie
  • Chris Garcia
  • Peter Sullivan
  • Kat Kourbeti
  • Facebook
    • Farah Mendlesohn
    • Mike Scott
      • The Great Paladin Hunt by Mike Brunton
    • Malcolm Hutchison
    • Jonny Baddeley
• Glasgow 2024
  • Glasgow 2024 Worldcon Community Group on Facebook
  • Cerebus
    • Humble Bundle
    • Reviews by Tom Ewing
  • Why is Alison collecting a big pile of con badges?
    • The Streisand Effect
      • (I know I got it slightly wrong in the episode!)
• Awards
  • 2024 Locus Award winners
  • 2024 Nebula Award winners
• Antipodes
  • Brisbane in 2028
    • File 770 report (with details of their socials/mailing list)
    • Worldcon 1939
    • Minneapolis in 2073: Progress Report 11
    • Torched by Alissa Walker
  • Continuity 2024
    • The 2024 New Zealand NatCon
    • John spent ages assuming that the above was just the online portal, but it is in fact the convention website
    • There is some backstory on this at SFFANZ
• Picks
  • John: Alan Wake 2
    • Saga Anderson’s sweater
    • I didn’t mention it on the podcast at all and it’s just for you, the show note reader, but I was watching this sketch when I was waiting for Alison and Liz this morning: ”Beavis and Butt-Head” from SNL
  • Alison: Animal Well
  • Liz: Will Anderson’s YouTube channel about Scrabble
• Credits
  • Cover art: “Massive Lizard” by Alison Scott
    • Alt text: Three stick figures run from Godzilla, who is depicted in the style of Godzilla Minus One. The words “Octothorpe 113” used to be at the top of the art, but Godzilla has knocked off the letters “O C T O”, is holding “H”, and is trying to eat “T”.
  • Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)

John was gaming, Alison was dancing, and Liz was batty.

An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, or tag @OctothorpeCast (on X or on Mastodon or on Bluesky) when you post about the show on social media.

Content warnings this episode: Wealth privilege (chapter 3)

• Letters of comment
  • Chris Garcia
  • Curt Phillips
    • Starter Villain review
  • David Ian Salter
  • Ersatz Culture
  • Peter Sullivan
  • Sandra Bond
• Levitation (Eastercon 2024)
  • Post-convention report
• FunCon
  • Alan Fleming’s report
• UK Games Expo
• Glasgow 2024 (Worldcon 2024)
  • Site selection is open for Worldcon 2026
  • Brisbane has (re-)announced their bid for Worldcon 2028
• Picks
  • John: The Beast
    • Spoilery interview with George MacKay
  • Alison: Baldur’s Gate 3
  • Liz: Godzilla Minus One (Netflix)
• Credits
  • Cover art: “That Octothorpe Series” by España Sheriff
    • Alt text: John, Alison and Liz stand in the transporter on a Constitution-class Federation starship. They are mid-transportation, made of sparkles instead of fully fleshed out. The words “Octothorpe 112” appear beneath them.
  • Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)