The Bath Festival of Children’s Literature is taking place at the moment. You don’t see much science fiction or fantasy at the main Bath festival, but when it comes down to books for kids there is plenty of it about. Not surprisingly, therefore, the audiences for the SF&F readings attract people of all ages, including me.

I was in Bath today because I wanted to meet Philip Reeve as he’s kindly agreed to attend BristolCon (apparently his first SF convention since going to Eastercon as a kid — so we need to make him very welcome). I’m delighted to say that he’s excellent on platform as well as being a fine writer. The draft programme has him on a panel I’m moderating, along with Al Reynolds and MD Lachlan. I’m looking forward to it.

On stage with Philip was his Scholastic stable-mate, Moira Young. She’s a debut YA novelist, and despite living in Bath turns out to be Canadian. While this might be her first published novel, it is by no means her first time on stage. She’s been an opera singer, and if I remember rightly a stand-up comic as well. I would have loved to get her to BristolCon, but she’s going to be touring North America in October. She told me that she will be in San Francisco, so BASFA folks should look out for her.

Moira’s book is Blood Red Road, and it is being marketed to the Hunger Games audience. While it does star a tough young girl, it is actually more of a post-apocalyptic Western. Moira cited John Wayne movies as an inspiration. The short section she read was very good, and I’m looking forward to the whole book. Heads up, Canada, you have a good one here.