Listen "145: James Bacon and His Enthusiasms"
Episode Synopsis
John might, Alison won’t, and Tommy would (in a heartbeat).
An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to [email protected], join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on Bluesky or on Mastodon) when you post about the show on social media.
Content warnings this episode: Animal torture (aftershow)
Letters of comment
Brian Nisbet (Bluesky)
Chris Garcia (email)
Jonathan Baddeley (Facebook)
Paul Weimer (Bluesky)
Scott Edelman (Bluesky)
Tommy Ferguson (email)
We also heard from Caroline Mullan, DC, Farah Mendlesohn, Ivan Sinha, and Neil Ottenstein
Octocon 2025 in Dublin
Tommy’s fanzines:
TommyWorld
Götterdämmerung
Götterdämmerung Redux
Prolapse’s issue for Irish Fandom Day
James Bacon’s article on the fan history starts on page 5!
Corflu 2023 in Belfast: Corflu Craic
Corflu Craic’s programme book
Including the con report of the Leeds Corflu that Tommy mentions
Marcin Kłak’s con report
Eastercon 2025 in Belfast: Reconnect
Eastercon 1986 in Glasgow: Albacon III
Previous Belfast conventions:
Nicon
MeCon
TitanCon
Replay is not quiiiiite ready yet, sorry listeners, it’ll be there soon!
Pictcon 1 in Perth (8 November 2025)
Novacon 54 in Buxton (7–9 November 2025)
Norncon 2026 in Belfast (8–9 May)
GoHs: Anna Smith Spark and Adrian Tchaikovsky
The Norn Scene from Wagner’s Götterdämmerung
Eastercon 2027 in Glasgow: Unconfined
Tommy is working on Communications
Worldcon bid for 2029 in Dublin
Picks
John: Spirit Island
App Store
Steam
Alison: Strong Message Here
Tommy: Sleeper Beach by Nick Harkaway
The sequel to Titanium Noir
Cahokia Jazz by Francis Spufford
Credits
Cover art: “Norns Weaving the Rope of Fate” by Alison Scott
Alt text: John, Alison and Tommy are weaving ropes of fate as norns. The ropes lead to little spools, above their heads, reminiscent of a sculpture called Umbilical by Conrad Shawcross which Alison will explain in more detail in Octothorpe 146. The words “Octothorpe 145” appear at the top, and “Looking forward to Norncon” at the bottom.
Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)
An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to [email protected], join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on Bluesky or on Mastodon) when you post about the show on social media.
Content warnings this episode: Animal torture (aftershow)
Letters of comment
Brian Nisbet (Bluesky)
Chris Garcia (email)
Jonathan Baddeley (Facebook)
Paul Weimer (Bluesky)
Scott Edelman (Bluesky)
Tommy Ferguson (email)
We also heard from Caroline Mullan, DC, Farah Mendlesohn, Ivan Sinha, and Neil Ottenstein
Octocon 2025 in Dublin
Tommy’s fanzines:
TommyWorld
Götterdämmerung
Götterdämmerung Redux
Prolapse’s issue for Irish Fandom Day
James Bacon’s article on the fan history starts on page 5!
Corflu 2023 in Belfast: Corflu Craic
Corflu Craic’s programme book
Including the con report of the Leeds Corflu that Tommy mentions
Marcin Kłak’s con report
Eastercon 2025 in Belfast: Reconnect
Eastercon 1986 in Glasgow: Albacon III
Previous Belfast conventions:
Nicon
MeCon
TitanCon
Replay is not quiiiiite ready yet, sorry listeners, it’ll be there soon!
Pictcon 1 in Perth (8 November 2025)
Novacon 54 in Buxton (7–9 November 2025)
Norncon 2026 in Belfast (8–9 May)
GoHs: Anna Smith Spark and Adrian Tchaikovsky
The Norn Scene from Wagner’s Götterdämmerung
Eastercon 2027 in Glasgow: Unconfined
Tommy is working on Communications
Worldcon bid for 2029 in Dublin
Picks
John: Spirit Island
App Store
Steam
Alison: Strong Message Here
Tommy: Sleeper Beach by Nick Harkaway
The sequel to Titanium Noir
Cahokia Jazz by Francis Spufford
Credits
Cover art: “Norns Weaving the Rope of Fate” by Alison Scott
Alt text: John, Alison and Tommy are weaving ropes of fate as norns. The ropes lead to little spools, above their heads, reminiscent of a sculpture called Umbilical by Conrad Shawcross which Alison will explain in more detail in Octothorpe 146. The words “Octothorpe 145” appear at the top, and “Looking forward to Norncon” at the bottom.
Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)
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