As he explains on his blog, the instalments will be broadcast on Radio 4 this week as part of the Woman’s Hour programme at 10.45, with a repeat at 19.45 GMT, Monday 22nd to Friday 26th June, before being made available via the BBC’s iPlayer.

In an earlier blog post, Philip introduces the play and talks about some of the background ideas and major themes:

“It’s not science fiction – it’s a straight thriller set in the world of art forgery and art theft. It stars Indira Varma and David Schofield, and is directed by my long-time collaborator and dashed nice chap Toby Swift.”

Check out those blog posts for more information and tune in for drama all this week!

The panel will discuss the growing need need to “resist surveillance and ensure the integrity of your digital personality”. Entry is by Open Rights Group membership or £10 donation-on-the-door. Visit www.openrightsgroup.org for more information.

At 6.30 p.m. on Monday 6 April I’m giving a talk on robots and AI in SF at Heriot-Watt University, as part of the Edinburgh International Science Festival.

The University of Edinburgh is hosting lots of cool events, including guest appearances over Saturday and Sunday by ASIMO, ‘the world’s most advanced humanoid robot’, at the McEwan Hall.

Follow the embedded links for more information.

This award is given by the Libertarian Futurist Society in recognition of the best pro-freedom novel published during the previous year. The award will be presented during Anticipation, the 67th World Science Fiction Convention, which takes place from August 6-10, 2009, in Montréal, Quebec, Canada.

Best of luck to both!

Ken discusses the role that scientific theory plays within science fiction literature:

“Science fiction is the only form of literature that sets out to bring home to our imaginations the surprising universe that science has discovered. How well it does that job depends on its scientific accuracy – up to a point.”

And Iain talks about the degree of scientific reality that he tends to incorporate into his own science fiction writing:

“…in my science fiction, I merrily break as many laws as I can get my hands on. Especially faster than light travel – I have my starships going at unfeasibly high speeds. Sometimes I pay no attention whatsoever to what’s possible and realistic. It really depends on the novel.”

(Iain also lets slip some tantalising hints about his next novel, Transition…)

The piece also includes contributions from fellow UK SF stalwarts Paul Cornell and Ian Watson. Definitely worth a read-through.

• A Madness of Angels by Kate Griffin – Matthew Swift… murdered, resurrected, angry. A sorceror in life and now… something more? A tale of London’s seedy magical under-belly; one that’s sure to appeal to fans of Neil Gaiman, China Miéville or Mike Carey’s brand of dark, urban fantasy noir.
• Turn Coat by Jim Butcher – In the latest instalment of Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files, Harry Dresden is in trouble up to his neck as an old adversary turns to him for help: to clear his name and to save his life. But one false step could spell disaster for Chicago’s leading freelance wizard-for-hire.
• The Night Sessions by Ken MacLeod – A priest is murdered in Edinburgh: is this the first sign of a religious rebellion that’s about to sweep a world still trying to forget the dark days of The Faith Wars? A thought-provoking, near-future thriller from the author of The Execution Channel.
• Bloodheir by Brian Ruckley – The war between the Black Road and the True Blood clans is escalating as invading forces sweep down from the far north. But darker powers are growing and gaining influence in the second instalment of Brian Ruckley’s debut fantasy saga, The Godless World.
• Red-Headed Stepchild by Jaye Wells – Brand new urban fantasy from debut author Jaye Wells. In a world where being of mixed-blood is a major liability, Sabina doesn’t really fit in. And being an assassin – the only profession fit for an outcast – doesn’t help matters. But she’s never brought her work home. Until now …

You can also see a preview of Orbit UK’s March 2009 titles, or you can check out our UK publishing schedule for February to April 2009.

• This is Not a Game by Walter Jon Williams – In this near-future thriller, Alternate Reality Games take centre-stage as the coolest ARG of all becomes deadly serious for some and just plain deadly for others.
• Seeds of Earth by Michael Cobley – The first part of a brand new space opera series, in which the scattered remnants of humanity are forced to flee into space after Earth is devastated by a brutal alien invasion.
• Hand of Isis by Jo Graham – The new novel from the author of Black Ships explores the life of Charmian, handmaiden to Cleopatra of Egpyt at a time of great upheaval and change in the ancient world.
• Every Last Drop by Charlie Huston – In this, the latest Joe Pitt story, our anti-hero moves closer to the answers to some of the questions that have driven his vampyre existence, including the origin of the vyrus itself.
• Thicker Than Water by Mike Carey – The new Felix Castor book finds the London exorcist haunted by the ghosts of his Liverpudlian past as old, buried memories come calling, along with a visit from Fix’s holier-than-thou brother…

You can also see a preview of Orbit UK’s February 2009 titles, or you can check out our UK publishing schedule for January to March 2009.

It’s far too early for detailed programming, but as well as the traditional GoH interviews, Iain and Mike are bound to be involved in a number of panels, discussions and general bar-talk during the four-day convention, which in 2010 will return to the London Heathrow Radisson Edwardian; scene of this year’s Orbital 2008 event.

Other Guests of Honour announced for Eastercon 2010 include British SF authors Alastair Reynolds and Liz Williams, along with Artist Guest of Honour Carlos Ezquerra, and Fan Guests of Honour Jon and Fran Dowd (all Guest of Honour appearances are subject to work and other commitments).

For more information, see www.Odyssey2010.org.

Just a quick reminder that the public ballot to decide the finalists of the inaugural David Gemmell Legend Award for Fantasy opens on December 26th.

Following a recently announced change to the voting system, the five most popular fantasy titles of 2008 – as decided by the voters – will then be put forward to a second round of public voting in April 2009 (as opposed to the original panel of judges) for final consideration, with the winner announced on Friday 19th June 2009.

The final long-list of eligible nominated titles – including entries from Orbit authors Brian Ruckley, K.J. Parker, Brent Weeks, Kate Elliott, Jennifer Fallon, Karen Miller and Russell Kirkpatrick – has been made available via the DGLA website as a pdf download and an online voting form will be available from Thursday, with an additional incentive to participate early: the fist 100 voters will receive a limited edition DGLA wristband.

Visit www.gemmellaward.com for more information on the award, or to discuss the nominated titles. And don’t forget to vote, from December 26th onwards!

2008 has been another fantastic year for Orbit UK. In the past 12 months we’ve published a total of 80 books by no fewer than 43 different authors, including: Brent Weeks, Brian Ruckley, Celia Friedman, Charles Stross, Charlie Huston, Christopher Moore, David Farland, Drew Karpyshyn, Elizabeth Moon, Fiona MacIntosh, Glenda Larke, Iain M. Banks, Ian Irvine, J. V. Jones, Jacqueline Carey, Jeff Somers, Jennifer Fallon, Jennifer Rardin, Jim Butcher, Jo Graham, K. J. Parker, Karen Miller, Karen Traviss, Kate Elliott, Kelley Armstrong, Ken MacLeod, Laurell K Hamilton, Lilith Saintcrow, Marianne de Pierres, Marie Brennan, Pamela Freeman, Patricia Briggs, Philip Palmer, Raymond Benson, Robert Buettner, Russell Kirkpatrick, Sean Williams, Shaun Hutson, Tad Williams, Terry Brooks, Tom Holt and Trudi Canavan.

By our reckoning we’ve published 23 science fiction titles (including 4 sf tie-in novelisations), 35 fantasy or comic fantasy titles and 22 horror or urban fantasy titles. We also published 7 UK debuts, by Brent Weeks, Jo Graham, Marie Brennan, Pamela Freeman, Patricia Briggs, Philip Palmer and Robert Buettner.

So, head on over to that full 2008 publication list and double-check to see if there are any gaps in your to-be-read list that need filling! It’s not too late to add a few titles to your Christmas wish-list, or to buy a few last-minute presents for friends and loved ones. Or why not just treat yourself to some holiday reading matter (go on… you know you want to!)