A list of the program guests that appear on the program items for Fantasticon 2023.
Ali Riza Taskale is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Social Sciences and Business at Roskilde University. His research interests include theories of (neo)liberalism, contemporary forms of governance and rule, speculative finance/speculative fiction, and alternative futures.
Alex Mangor Grave is a Danish young adult and children’s author, who has written the series ‘Fyrtårn’. He uses both his passion for manga and gaming in his work, with a recurring theme of light vs darkness and angels vs demons, mixed with elements of mythology and whatever else he finds cool or interesting, as his characters fight across dimensions and alternate realities to save all of existence. Like the media he draws inspiration from, he aims to make his works as over-the-top crazy as possible, while hoping to give his readers a little food for thought.”
Anita Albæk Simonsen has published the two books in her easy-to-read dystopian science fiction series “Trinbyen“. The series centers around themes of climate and capitalism communicated for a child audience. Anita has a master degree in English from Copenhagen University, where she specialised in post colonialism and discourses of marginalization. Last year at Fantasticon she did the popular talk “Elevere som the other“
Anna Laurine Kornum (1978-) painter, illustrator, writer. Born i Aarhus, but mostly grew up in Southern Jutland. Briefly attended the Kolding School of Design but went on to graduate in philiosophy and biolog from the University of Copenhagen. She has worked mostly as a researcher and a semi-pro artist. In 2016 her first graphic short story appeared in Heavy Metal Magazine. In 2022 her debut novel in Danish was published. It was awarded best horror publication of the year by the Danish Horror Society.
Anne Katrine Spanget-Larsen is the author of the young adult high fantasy novel ‘Askenfjeld’. Her work focuses on unique creatures and charcters in a world filled with magic.
Annette Birch has a background in law and as a reporter. She made her debut with a self published novel, ‘Lilith’s Mirror‘, on Amazon. Alice in Wonderland has always fascinated Annette, and ‘Den røde dronnings hemmelighed‘ is her first story to be published by a publisher.
Boris Hansen is a danish fantasy and science fiction author of a number of novels including ‘Den Ældste Myte’, ‘Panteon-sagaen’ and his newest near future science fiction novel ‘Den Usynlige Krig’ in which agents travel into book universes to change them from within.
C. A. Wolters (f.1991) has written underground poetry for a number of years and blew people away in 2021 with their debut, a dark NA fantasy novel by the name of ‘Den som hvisker’. The author loves to mix complex romance with gore and asian inspired horror, and should you dare venture into their writings, be sure to pack a box of tissues and a sharp weapon.
Carolina Gomez Lagerlöf is a swedish fan, who is a very active part of the international fandom traveling to conventions all over the world. Caroline is part of the committee of this year’s Eurocon, Konflikt in Uppsala.
Claus Holm is the author behind books as diverse as the science fiction collection “The Tucson Time Traveler,” the supernatural trilogy “Tempus Investigations” and the Danish fantasy trilogy “Skyggefjenden,” among many others. He has published books in both Danish and English, and writes everything from horror to romance.
Chris Beckett (GoH) was a social worker prior to becoming a science fiction writer. He started writing short fiction in the 1990s. In 2004 he published his first novel, The Holy Machine, with themes of religion, science and rationality. His next two novels, Marcher and Dark Eden were both based on earlier short stories. The latter, a novel set on a far away colony planet, won the Arthur C. Clarke award for best science fiction novel of 2012. Beckett contiued to write short fiction while working on his later novels. His ninth novel Tomorrow is from 2021, about a man trying to write the ultimate novel.
Christian Engkilde has specialised in writing literature about the end of the world as we know it. He is the author of the apocalyptic YA novel ‘Noter om at overleve’, the dystopian series ‘PANDORA’ and the paranormal middle grade trilogy ‘Skygger i mørket’.
Denise Regitze, half human, half coffee. Has a master in communication design, specialising in interactive narratives. Reader and writer of fantasy and horror. Introverted but willing to discuss black magic, Star Trek and all kinds of mythology.
Dina Sjöblom is an author, wife, mother and physiotherapist. She writes books and storytelling have deep roots in her childhood, and she has always been fascinated with what could never be fully explained. She has a passion for Neolithic cultures and megalithic mysteries, and have research on everything from archaeological findings, trading routes and sagas to genetic ancestry and storytelling.
Fia Karlsson: Swedish fan, current administrator of the Trans-Atlantic Fan fund, past winner of the Swedish Alvar award, audiobook-ophile and dill chips addict.
Flemming R.P. Rasch is a science fiction fan and occasional writer of short stories. He has been involved in organizing Fantasticon in most years since 2006. Other fan-activity includes publishing a few anthologies, editing books and magazines and translating short stories. He has a broad interest in the genres, from cosmic horror to hard sf, and from new wave to new weird.
Freja Gyldenstrøm is a literary researcher who earns her living as an editor, book club coordinator, and games writer. Her research tends to focus on themes of mythological reinterpretation, the fantastical, and horror in history.
Helene Hindberg is a Danish writer of weird/horror fiction. She has contributed with short stories in several Danish horror anthologies (Fra Skyggerne, Grufulde Mørke, Lyden af Vanvid, Dystre Danmark 2). Her own short story collection is called Afkroge and has been available since 2018. “I want to disturb the reader and not necessarily gross them out…although I have been known to do that too”..
HH Løyche is the author of ‘Ingenmandsland’, ‘Mission til Schamajim’ and ‘Støj’. He has been active in the danish science fiction community for a long time and has worked as an editor.
Ian Sales is the award-winning author of the Apollo Quartet, a series of literary hard sf novellas, as well as short stories published in a variety of magazines and anthologies, both genre fiction and literary fiction. He is also an editor and reviewer, and he was behind the SF Mistressworks project about female SF writers of the 20th century.
Jane Mondrup, author of the novel Zeitgeist, that plays on the edge between science fiction and other genres. She has also published a number of SF- and horror short stories. This fall her first children’s book is published: Vattes vandring, which is based on norse mythology.
Jeppe Larsen is a science fiction fan and IT professional. His favourite subgenre is hard sf, and he is a subscriber and reader of several science fiction short story magazines. Has been acitive in organizing Danish fandom since the early 2000s and often reviews science fiction. Favourite authors are writers like Greg Egan, Iain M. Banks and Kim Stanley Robinson.
Jesper Riel (born 1990) is a danish author. He debuted in 2019 with the short story collection ‘Den 6. Dag‘ and in 2021 he published the novel ‘Uglemanden‘, which is the first novel in a fantasy trilogy. When Jesper isn’t writing he spend his time on small illustration jobs and hosting the podcast ‘Forfatterterapi‘.
Jesper Rugård Jensen is a writer, science fiction-, fantasy- and horror-fan.
Jonas Agaard Dinesen is the owner and editor of the danish horror publication read.die.repeat. He is also an author of the YA horror novel ‘Kirsebærplantagen’ and enjoys whisky.
Karsten Brandt-Knudsen is an author, illustrator and cartoonist. He works within the broader umbrella of speculative fiction with a focus on the dark and grotesk. Karsten Brandt-Knudsen made his debut at the end of 2019 with the science fiction horror short story Farmer. Since then, he has contributed short stories to a wide range of anthologies, magazines and websites. In 2021, his debut novel, Dan lærer at leve, was published by Enter Darkness.
Klaus Mølmer is professor at the Niels Bohr Institute at Copenhagen University where he works with quantum computing and other emerging quantum technologies. He has written a popular textbook in Danish on quantum mechanics and he has cofounded and contributed to a public lecture series that are live streamed to hundreds of movie theatres in Denmark. Klaus has also worked on “quantum music and quantum ballets” together with composers, musicians and choreographers.
Lars Ahn is the author of ‘E. Høj’, works as a journalist in Roskilde and writes fiction in his spare time. Since 2007 his short fiction has been published in more than 30 anthologies as well as a novel and two short story collections, including ‘Den nat, vi skulle have set Vampyros Lesbos’ which was named ‘Årets Danske Horrorudgivelse 2017’. His work has been translocated into multiple languages.
Lars E. Christiansen is co-founder of the publishing house E-Voke
Lars Konzack is the author of ‘Græskarmanden’, ‘Netgeneration og Nørdkultur’ and the cyperpunk novel ‘20.02.2020’. He has a masters in information science and has a ph.d in multimedia.
Lea Mejdahl Christiansen is co-founder of the publishing house E-Voke and translator of comics.
Malene Sølvsten (GoH) is best known for her young adult fantasy series Ravnenes Hvisken that takes its inspiration in Norse mythology and has won a number of awards for her work. She has a background in economy and worked as an artist before working as an author full time.
Mariane Mide has written a number of short stories for Danish Horror, Fantasy and Science Fiction magazines over the last couple of years, and last autumn her debut novel “Novice” was published by Krabat. Her passion is writing horror. It allows her to push the boundaries of others and question their morals through violence and morbid ideas.
Marie Howalt wrote a book about a fictional virus a month before the pandemic hit and thinks that the speculative genres always reflect contemporary concerns. Marie has written post-apocalyptic fiction with elements of solar punk (the Moonless-trilogy) and cozy space opera mysteries (the Colibri Investigations-series). In her work she balances societal critics and a much needed break from the everyday.
Martin Riel is the author of ‘Pax – Spillet ved verdens ende’, ‘Trippet’ and ‘÷ G’. He has worked in the British music industry as a press agent. He also produces radio drama, podcasts and audiobooks.
Matylda Naczyńska: Polish fan, current board member of Fantasy & SF Fans Association AVANGARDA based in Warsaw. This year delegate of European Fan Fund for Eurocon 2023 in Uppsala. Graphic designer and illustrator for conventions and zines. Introduced to fandom with the beginning of pandemic through tabletop RGP games and an active player until now. When there’s some time left – a sf literature fan and crazy cat person.
Mette Sejrbo is born and raised in Frederikssund. The viking age plays and important role in the cultural life of the town, which has inspired her novels ‘Ulfhedin-sagaen’. She is a trained animal behavioral therapist and uses her experience in the description of the supernatural creatures in her novels. A long time interest in herbal medicine, mythology, history and religion, had slso influenced her work. She is also the publicist of Falkenborg where she has published books outside the speculative genres.
Mikkel Laursen is a fantasy, science fiction and comics fan, who is particularly interested in the genres’ historical development. Recently he has written a series of articles for nummer9.dk about the super hero Captain Marvel’s long and confusing history. He has studied math and philosophy at Aarhus University and has written his thesis about parallel universes.
Mikołaj Kowalewski is an active fandom member as volunteer, conrunner, member of board of ESFS as ESFS Awards administrator, member of a nomination committee of Janusz A. Zajdel Award, polish most important sff award, and member of Avangarda Society, group of books, boardgames and rpg lovers from Warsaw. Mikolaj’s first convention was in 2015 and has since visited around 60 conventions. Currently he is a student at University of Copenhagen.
Morten Søndergaard aka Marvel-Morten worked for many years as a translator and editor for the danish publications of Marvel comics. He has also translated H.P. Lovecraft as well as many other things. Is a beloved face in the comic section of Fantask where he answers questions and recommendations.
Niels Dalgaard have been a part of Danish science fiction fandom for four decades. He have written numerous articles, reviews and books about science fiction, have translated more than 40 books and edits the science fiction magazine Proxima. Niels holds a Ph.D. in Nordic Litterature, and have done extensive research on science fiction litterature in Denmark.
Niels Søndergaard is a danish author, cartoonist and translator. He has written ‘Dimensionsdetektiven’ and ‘Superman og Fredsbomben’. He has done the danish translation for ‘Dune’, Narnia’, ‘ Foundation’ and the Earthsea trilogy by Ursula K. LeGuin as well as many other works.
Pernille Stenby has written the dystopian dark fantasy series ‘Mestenes’. Her work focuses on power, disenfranchised and LGBTQ+ themes. She also creates comics and loves taxidermy.
Regina Kanyu Wang is a multi-awarded writer, researcher, and editor born in Shanghai and currently pursuing her PhD under the CoFUTURES project at the University of Oslo. She writes science fiction, nonfiction and academic essays in both Chinese and English. She has published two story collections, Of Cloud and Mist 2.2 and The Seafood Restaurant, in Chinese, a novella in Italian, and a forthcoming story collection in German. Her stories can be found in English in Clarkesworld, Galaxy’s Edge, and various anthologies like Broken Stars, Sinopticon, Where the Stars Rise, and Best SF of the Year. She has also co-edited The Way Spring Arrives and Other Stories, New Voices in Chinese Science Fiction, The Routledge Handbook of The Wandering Earth, the Chinese SF special issue of Vector, and the bilingual special of Journey Planet on Chinese Science Fiction and Space. Regina will be joining us virtually this year.
Rikke Havner Alrø is a Danish author. She has written two volumes in her romantic fantasy series “De Underjordiske” which is aimed at adults. The series is inspired by Danish folklore. She is working on the third book in the series as we speak.
She has also written “Lygtemanden” which is a children’s fantasy book. She has a passion for fantasy, romance and science fiction.
Seb Doubinsky is an author of ‘Missing Signal’, ‘The Song of Synth’, ‘The Babylonian Trilogy’ and many more books. He was born in Paris and have lived in the US and Denmark.
Sidsel Pedersen is a science fiction and fantasy fan and active in the international con community. She has been part of the organisation of Fantasticon and is the chair of the con Vilde Universer in Aarhus. Sidsel has a cand. mag in history and social stories, which influences her reading of speculative fiction.
Sidsel Sander Mittet is the author of the fantasy trilogies Morika, Krøniken om Morika og Bjergtaget and the science fiction series Flammen og Bølgen. Her work centers themes of power, propaganda and discrimination. When Sidsel isn’t writing she is a firebreather at medieval reenactment events.
Simon Zander is a danish author and has published two fantasy books Sortørnens Øje and the more dystopian Når det blå lys falmer. He is also part of the group Dansk Fantasy that post on social media under the hastag #meredanskfantasy, where they promote danish fantasy works for all ages.
Thea Astrid is a danish author and has published the novel ‘Langt væk fra Midgård‘. Thea also works as an editorial consultant.
Tracy Fahey (GoH) is an Irish writer; her work was twice shortlisted for Best Collection for British Fantasy Awards in 2017 and 2022. Her short fiction is published more than thirty American, British, Australian and Irish anthologies. Fahey’s writing is informed by her PhD and postdoctoral research on folklore, domesticity and the uncanny. She has been granted residencies in Ireland and Greece. In 2022 she was awarded Saari Fellow status for 2023 by the Kone Foundation, Finland.
Troels Harmark is an associate professor and head of the “theoretical particle-physics and cosmology” at the Niels Bohr Institute at Copenhagen University where his research areas are theoretical high-energy physics and gravitational physics.
Tue Omø is best known for his urban dark fantasy novel Eternal DarkRay, but his first publishing was a poetry collection called Nano poet. With his wife he has had a collaboration with AOF, where they invited writers to tell about their books and about writing. Currently Tue Omø is writing a sequel with the name Evighedens passagerer.
Tue Sørensen is a lifelong fan of science fiction, movies and comics and has been a part of organized fandom for many years. He is an aspiring writer of fiction and non-fiction projects, where utopian and anti-capitalist visions are key. He is part of the organizer group for this year’s Fantasticon and the annual comics market Nørrebronx Tegneseriedage.
