Pax Britannia at the Sci-Fi Weekender 5

I can't quite believe that the Sci-Fi Weekender is already over for another year. I had been looking forward to the event for a long time and then it was all over for me in somewhere around 48 hours. But what an intense 48 hours it was!

This time the Sci-Fi Weekender was a family affair, with the rest of Family Green accompanying me to furthest ends of the Earth to geek out for a solid two days with like-minded individuals. It began with an epic six-hour drive to the Hafan y Môr Holiday Park just outside Pwllheli on the Llyn Peninsula.

The Ends of the Earth.

Having arrived late Thursday night I had to be up early Friday morning to get set up for the onslaught of fans who would stop by my stand during the course of the weekend. And from there on in it was a blur of meeting people, selling and signing books, moderating panels (one of which was crashed by an Alien Xenomorph), partaking in interviews, eating pizza, and ending each evening relaxing at the bar with friends both old and new.

Highlights of the weekend included meeting Royd Tolkien, having people accuse me of being a very bad man for making them stay up until 4 in the morning reading The Ulysses Quicksilver Omnibus, having other people tell me how much they loved my stories (Thanks, Amy!), seeing a life-sized Night Lords Chaos Space Marine win the Cosplay competition (Aaron Dembski-Bowden would have been proud), and taking part in the panel show Just A Minute with my fellow authors Gareth L Powell (a worthy winner), Steve Lockley and David Tallerman.

J R R Tolkien's grandson meets Albert Green's grandson at the Sci-Fi Weekender 5.

David Tallerman and I having to concentrate far too hard during Just A Minute.

It was during Robert Rankin's introduction to Just A Minute that the author of far-fetched fiction christened me his "Evil Steampunk Nemesis" which is a badge I shall wear with pride, and a role I played up to during the show, even being booed by the audience at one point (much to my children's distress), proving that Panto is alive and well and living in an off-season holiday camp in North Wales!

To sum up, here's a slideshow of just some of things that happened over the course of the Weekender, and here's to the Sci-Fi Weekender 6 in 2015!

Alice on Mars - The Movie!

At the Sci-Fi Weekender 5, last weekend, film-maker Martin Gooch and author of far-fetched fiction Robert Rankin launched the Alice on Mars movie!

For the launch, Martin had prepared a teaser trailer, which you can watch by following this link. He also launched an Indigogo project to help get the film funded. If you would like to contribute (or even be in the film!) then click this link and check it out.

Film-maker Martin Gooch and Steampunk Parrot Wrangler Jonathan Green

at the Sci-Fi Weekender 5.

Pax Britannia at the Sci-Fi Weekender 5

I will be driving up to North Wales today to take part in the Sci-Fi Weekender 5 and I have some new badges to sell...

As well as selling my books and badges, I shall be taking part in the following panels:

Friday 28 March 2014

12:00pm - 1:00pm - Far Fetched fiction... From Steampunk to Dystopia. Why are satirical fantasies so appealing? David J Howe, Raven Dane, Jonathan Green, Danie Ware.

3:00pm - 4:00pm - Writing into known universes. Jonathan Green, Gareth Powell, Raven Dane, Sam Stone, Debbie Bennett, Dez Skinn.

Saturday 29 March 2014

5:00pm - 6:00pm - What makes Science Fiction Sci-Fi? An exploration of Science Fiction writing from Space Opera to Dystopian futures. Gareth Powell, Sam Stone, Jonathan Green, Bryony Pearce, Sara Jane Townsend, Simon Clark.

I shall look forward to seeing some of you there, as will Archimedes, the original Steampunk Parrot.

Win the chance to meet Jonathan Green at the Sci-Fi Weekender (sort of)

In just under five weeks time, I shall be appearing at the Sci-Fi Weekender 5 in North Wales. Archimedes the Steampunk Parrot will also be in attendance, as will other authors such as Gareth L. Powell, Sam Stone and Robert Rankin.

I shall be hosting various panels over the course of the weekend as well as selling my books, not to mention catching up with old friends (and probably making a few news ones, if previous years are anything to go by). I'll even have my young Pax Britannia companions in tow this time.

If you are thinking of attending, but haven't got tickets yet, might I direct you towards Nerd Vs World and the competition they are currently running?

Who knows, if you win I might see you there. ;-)

Punking the Steam in North Wales

So the news is out... I shall be attending Sci-Fi Weekender 5 that is taking place in North Wales at the end of March. Archimedes the Steampunk Parrot will also be in attendance, as will other authors such as Gareth L. Powell, Sam Stone and Robert Rankin.

I shall be hosting various panels over the course of the weekend as well as selling my writerly wares, not to mention catching up with old friends (and probably making a few news ones, if previous years are anything to go by).

So, maybe I'll see you there...

Pax Britannia and Nerd Vs World

I enjoyed a most pleasant evening on Tuesday, in Oxford, taking part in the recording of the latest Nerd Vs World podcast. I had been invited by Mr Simon 'Spindles' Potthast, whom I met at the Sci-Fi Weekender*. Also in attendance were Mr Brendan Gylee, whose baby Nerd Vs World really is (and master of the hot drinks cabinet), and Mr Ady Wilce, who supplied some most welcome Yum Yums that kept us** energised during the course of the evening.

We ended up talking for a good couple of hours about everything from Star Wars chopsticks and retro kids TV to the Clemency Slaughter Kickstarter, Pax Britannia (and Steampunk in general) and must-see movies***. You can listen to the podcast here.

The Nerd Vs World podcasters: (from l-r) Ady, Brendan and Spindles.

The guys have very kindly offered to have me back again, at some point in the future, an offer that I plan to take them up on.



The evening's musical interlude was provided by The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing, who also wrote this.


* In the video/slideshow, he's the one dressed as Professor Severus Snape.

** Well, me.

*** I was surprised none of the guys had seen Gareth Edwards' sublime Monsters. If you've not seen it, get hold of a copy and do so without further delay!

Meet Archimedes the Steampunk Robot Parrot

I popped along to the Second Surrey Steampunk Convivial, held at The Royal Oak in New Malden, today. As well as catching up with the likes of Mr Kit Cox and Herr Doktor, I got to meet Archimedes the Robot Parrot for the first time.

In case you're wondering (and you've read Pax Britannia: Time's Arrow already), yes, Archimedes is based upon Gustav Lumière's invention as he appears in the book.


He bent down and retrieved something that had rolled under the desk.

It was the golden parrot. It was still attached to its perch but it was badly dented, having been partially crushed.

Ulysses peered into the automaton bird’s glittering crystal eyes.

“Could this be repaired, do you think?” he asked. “I mean, I don’t know how much you know about electronics and audiology–”

“Enough,” she said, taking the broken object from him.

“What was it?” Ulysses asked. “His pet or something?”

Cadence shot him a scolding glance. “Archimedes is a state-of-the-art automaton.”

“Called Archimedes.”

“Yes, what of it? Uncle Gustav liked the company.”

“Well, when you start naming the state-of-the-art automaton that you keep around your apartment for company, it’s what we call a pet.”


Archimedes has been fabricated by the talented Herr Doktor himself, and caused quite a stir at the Convivial.

If you're going to the Sci-Fi Weekender (1-3 March) then you too will be able to meet Archimedes, and pick up a copy of Time's Arrow while you're about it. :-)