John is moderating, Alison is auctioning, and Liz is lecturing.

An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on X or on Mastodon or on Bluesky) when you post about the show on social media.

Content warnings this episode: The situation in the USA

• Letters of comment
  
  
  
  • Handwriting guesses!
    
    
    
    • John, Alison, Liz: Ed Morland
    
    
    • Alison, John, Liz: Chris Garcia
    
    
    • Alison, Liz, John: Tammy Coxen
    
    
    • Liz, John, Alison: Tammy has another go
    
    
    • Liz, Alison, John: Ang Rosin, Niall Harrison
    
    
    • John is the top one: Doug Faunt
    
    
    • John is in the middle: Roseanna Pendlebury
    
    
    • Alison is in the middle: Mike Scott (who is cheating)
    
    
    • Liz is the top one: Bridget Bradshaw
    
    
    • All handwriting fonts: Bridget Bradshaw
    
    
    • You all have nice handwriting: Shi Lala
      
      
      
      • [But mine’s nicest—John]
      
      
      
      
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Roseanna Pendlebury (email)
  
  
  • Farah Mendlesohn (email)
  
  
  • Chris Garcia (email)
  
  
  • Ivan Sinha (Facebook)
  
  
  • Renay (email)
    
    
    
    • The 2026 Hugo spreadsheet is open
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Fredrik Coulter (Facebook)
  
  
  • We also heard from Lilian Edwards
  
  
  
  


• Worldcon 2025: Seattle
  
  
  
  • “Statement from Worldcon Chair”
  
  
  • The SMOFcon bid in the USA has stopped bidding, and Seattle has filled its room blocks, reports File 770
  
  
  
  


• Eastercon 2025: Belfast
  
  
  
  • We have provisional programme schedules!
    
    
    
    • John, Alison, and Liz:
      
      
      
      • Monday 12:30 : Octothorpe Live
      
      
      
      
    
    
    • John and Liz:
      
      
      
      • Sunday 17:00 : Fandom, Politics, and Boycotts: What is the line and where do we draw it?
      
      
      
      
    
    
    • John:
      
      
      
      • Sunday 12:30 : Is The Force With You?
      
      
      • Sunday 15:30 : “What does this card really mean?”: History in Board Games
      
      
      
      
    
    
    • Alison:
      
      
      
      • Sunday 20:00 : Fan Fund Auction
      
      
      
      
    
    
    • Liz:
      
      
      
      • Saturday 15:30 : Hay Lecture [SO EXCITED—John]
      
      
      
      
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Colourfields by Paul Kincaid
    
    
    
    • This will be launched at the convention
    
    
    • Adam Roberts reviews the collection
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• Peter Mabey has passed away


• BSFA Awards
  
  
  
  • File 770 reports the finalists
  
  
  
  


• Fan funds
  
  
  
  • European Fan Fund
  
  
  
  


• Picks
  
  
  
  • John: The Power Fantasy by Kieron Gillen, Caspar Wijngaard, Clayton Cowles, and Rian Hughes
    
    
    
    • Roseanna Pendlebury’s review at NoaF
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Alison: The Death of Stalin
    
    
    
    • [I’m off to represent the entire Red Army at the buffet—Liz]
    
    
    • Tobes de Valois as played by Jason Isaacs
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Liz: The Tomb of Dragons by Katherine Addison
    
    
    
    • [I also like Roseanna’s review at NoaF—Liz]
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• Credits
  
  
  
  • Cover art: “Happy Birthday to Us” by Alison Scott
    
    
    
    • Alt text: A birthday cake with six layers, from purple to a dark orange, and then a red 5 and five red candles on top, with fireworks overhead. The words “Octothorpe 131” are at the top.
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)