Next week I shall be at Loncon. That’s the 2014 World Science Fiction Convention, held in London this time. And as the venue is so relatively easy to reach – the last ones were in Texas or Japan or Australia etc. – I very much wanted to be there. I’m looking forward to this immensely and have been quietly bouncing with anticipation for weeks. Since the World Con is programmed by the input of the writing scene and the active fandom I have several “gigs” or engagements where I will sit not only sit in the audience but will actively contribute to the show. One concert (with Katy, my duo partner), a “Kaffeeklatsch” (which is a friendly meeting between writers and readers who want to get to know a certain writer personally) and three so-called “panels”. The latter are a kind of talk show for a specific topic with three…