Author: John Coxon

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Fanac Octothorpe

Octothorpe 116: I’m Not Absolutely Sure I Voted

John, Alison and Liz have won Hugo Awards.

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Fanac Octothorpe

Octothorpe 115: I Like the Way Glasgow Did It

A giant stripy purple bucket of popcorn on a cinema screen says “Octothorpe 115 WSFS Special”, and John, Alison and Liz sit in the audience, silhouetted in the style of *Mystery Science Theatre 3000*. John is saying “We’re gonna need a bigger box of popcorn.”
Art by Alison Scott.

John is a busy bee, something’s bugging Alison, and Liz meets a wasp.

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Fanac Octothorpe

Octothorpe 114: Tastemaker Batty

”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
Art by Alison Scott

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

Categories
Fanac Octothorpe

Octothorpe 113: I Realised Too Late What I Had Done

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”.
Art by Alison Scott.

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

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Fanac Octothorpe

Octothorpe 112: Ceilidhs I Have Been to Are Not, Generally Speaking, Competitive

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.
Art by España Sheriff

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

Categories
Fanac Octothorpe

Octothorpe 111: Slightly Lower Tolerance for Feelings

John is in the bottom-left, sitting in a chair, wearing a blue shirt and purple trousers, holding a can, and reading an ebook. Alison is in the upper-middle, lying down upside down, wearing a purple shirt and stripy trousers, and reading an ebook. Liz is in the bottom-right, wearing a pink shirt with green trousers, holding a mug of a hot beverage, and reading a physical book. They are surrounded by floating beer bottles, books, the Moon, a mug with a moose on it, and two cats. The text "Octothorpe 111" and "Hugo Novels 2024" appears to the top and the bottom of the image.
Art by Sue Mason.

John, Alison, and Liz read the Hugo Award finalists for Best Novel.

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Fanac Octothorpe

Octothorpe 110: Tom Hanks Bloody Loves the Moon

Three photographs of the night sky, labelled Newcastle, Bangkok, and “Quite near London” (the labels were written by a Londoner, which is why it doesn’t just say “London”). Text above reads “Octothorpe 110” and below reads “Local Aurora Snapshots”. The Newcastle and London images show photographs of aurora with some minor bits of vegetation intruding; the Bangkok picture shows a skyline of buildings underneath a thunderstorm.
Art by Alison Scott.

John is a professor, Alison doesn’t have a bucket list, and Liz is the country’s foremost fan historian.

Categories
Fanac Octothorpe

Octothorpe 109: But Also a Worrying One

The background is a starry, lightning-filled square in blues, purples, and yellows. Atop that, there is a spaceship, somewhat like a rocket, with engines coming out of the sides. There are yellow lights shining from it, and a ladder reaches up to a central archway. John, Alison and Liz are depicted as silhouettes, regarding it with wonder. Their shadows stretch off the canvas, and they look faintly alien or futuristic in a hard-to-define manner.
Art by Ulrika O'Brien.

John is middle, Alison is even sadder, and Liz is sorry.

Categories
Fanac Octothorpe

Octothorpe 108: Ramp is Not Ramp

A drawing of a blackboard with text that reads: “Octothorpe 108 guide to Glasgow street food.” A picture of a deep fried pizza with glasses is next to text reading ’The “Coxon” pizza crunch’, a picture of three pakora with glasses next to ‘The “Scott” haggis pakora’, and a picture of a deep fried Mars bar next to ‘The “Batty” deep fried Mars bar”. Stars also adorn the backboard, and bottles of red and brown sauce are in the bottom-left-hand corner.
Art by Alison Scott.

John is ignorant, Alison is first, and Liz is a trendsetter.

Categories
Fanac Octothorpe

DC’s loc from Octothorpe 108

An octothorpe (hash or pound symbol) made out of white octothorpes as ASCII art, on a purple background, with the word Octothorpe written at the bottom.
Octothorpe artwork by Alison Scott.

A letter of comment from noted Scottish fan DC on the accessibility of the Telford International Centre.