Bookish & Queer

Get your library card out and your tickets at the ready for Bookish & Queer, a two-day online convention brought to you by Siren Events. Immerse yourself in virtual panels where queer science fiction and fantasy authors, artists, booksellers, and more will share their stories and their insight. Among the many highlights are an exclusive conversation with Hugo Award winner Nghi Vo offering a sneak peek into her highly anticipated new book, The Scarlet Ball. As well as interviews and panels, attendees will also be able to enjoy online social events and have the chance to win a treasure trove of signed titles from selected panellists. 

Full Weekend Ticket Price: £65

Early Bird Ticket Price: £55 (valid until 23:59 31st July 2026)

Single Day Ticket: £35 (available for purchase mid-August)

View On Demand will be available for the whole event and single after the event, for purchase or rent. Event ticket holders will receive a 75% discount on View on Demand purchases.

Panels currently include…

The Curators: Booksellers of Queer SFF 

Join a panel of booksellers whose specialities are queer sci-fi and fantasy as they discuss how they curate the shelves of their stores, and share their favourite titles and hidden gems.

Featuring: The Portal Bookshop

Shades of Grey, Purple and Green: Asexuality and Aromanticism in SFF

Join a panel of authors as they discuss creating characters, relationships and narratives in queer sci-fi and fantasy that authentically represent asexual and aromantic stories.

Featuring: AK Faulkner

From Page to Print: How Queer SFF Books are Made

Join a panel of industry insiders and experts as they discuss how queer sci-fi and fantasy books go from the writer’s page to the reader’s hands.

From Dystopia to Utopia: Queer Normative Worlds

Join a panel of authors as they discuss the hows and the whys of creating queer normative worlds in sci-fi and fantasy, and how we view them.

Between Screen and Page: Graphic Novels of Queer Media

Join artists and writers as they discuss the joys and challenges of committing popular on-screen queer media to the page as graphic novels.

It’s Not About Narnia: Magic and Queerness in Historical Settings

Join a panel of authors as they discuss the popular and powerful parallels between hidden magic and queerness in Victorian, Edwardian and Georgian historical settings.

PWP: Plot and Spice in Queer Romantasy

Join a panel of authors as they discuss rise of popular romantasy and its impact on the expectations of narrative driven queer romantasy.

Illustrating the Rainbow: The Art of Queer SFF

Join artists and writers as they discuss the process, the benefits and the difficulties of bringing queer sci-fi and fantasy to life in graphic novels, comics and cover art.

PLUS!

The Scarlet Ball: In Conversation with Nghi Vo

Join us and Hugo winner Nghi Vo to discuss her book, The Scarlet Ball, publishing on 6th October 2026.

Featuring: Nghi Vo

And more to come…. 

* Panel titles and themes are subject to change based on guest availability.