I Will Be A Guest Of Honour At ArmadaCon 2025
ArmadaCon is a multimedia SF/F convention that’s been held annually in Plymouth (UK) since 1988 (which was the 400th anniversary of an English fleet sailing out of Plymouth to defeat the Spanish Armada, and which I’m presuming was the inspiration behind the convention’s name). And I’m very proud and pleased to reveal that I will be a guest of honour at the convention’s next iteration later this year.
I’m following in some illustrious footsteps. Previous guests of honour have included: Brian Lumley, Anne McCaffrey, Adrian Cole, Sir Terry Pratchett, Danny John-Jules, Mary Gentle, Diane Duane, Jack Cohen, David Langford, David A. Hardy, Ken MacLeod, Stephen Baxter, Lionel Fanthorpe, Michael Sheard, Stephen Briggs, Paul Cornell, Jasper Fforde, James Swallow, Frances Hardinge, Philip Reeve, Liesel Schwarz, Robert Shearman, Jonathan Green, Jodi Taylor, Dominic Glynn, Beth Webb, and Jaine Fenn, to name just those I could find Wikipedia entries for (and this isn’t to throw any shade on other guests who, like me, don’t yet qualify for Wikipedia status).
I’ve never been to ArmadaCon before, mainly because I don’t go to many conventions and Plymouth is quite a long way away, but I’ve heard a lot of very good things about it over the years, so aside from being chuffed to bits about being a guest of honour, I’m really looking forward to the convention.
If you’ve never been to ArmadaCon, I’d love it if you could perhaps consider going, not simply because I’m going to be there (although if you want to lie, or at least embellish the truth, by telling me that I was a deciding factor, it would be much appreciated by my ego), but because you’ll hopefully have a really good time. (Although if you do come because you heard it from me, that would be very cool, as it would make me feel that I’m putting something back into the con).
As some background information, ArmadaCon describes itself as a “multimedia” convention which I understand means that they cover all areas of SF/F: books, tv, films, comics, etc. (You can find out more about this, and what sort of things go on, at the About page, or you can check out the many videos of panels and talks on their YouTube channel).
That covers why you should come. In terms of where you’d be going, were you to come, the convention’s held at Plymouth’s Future Inns hotel. I really like conventions that are held at a conference hotel (where the events of the convention are held in the hotel itself). It’s much more relaxing, since you can easily go back and forth between the convention and your room, don’t have to carry outdoor clothing around with you, and so on.
ArmadaCon’s a relatively small convention when compared with say, an Eastercon. But if you’re new to conventions that might make it the perfect introduction, and if you do go and you see me in the bar, please, please feel free to say hi to me — I’ll probably be looking for someone to chat to as much as you are.
You can register for the event here, with a full weekend’s membership currently costing £47 (this is just the convention itself, and doesn’t include hotel accommodation). I’d love to see some of you there, and if you do come on the basis of this post, please let me know.
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