Cymera 2026 highlights

It’s almost time for Cymera, Scotland’s festival of science-fiction, fantasy and horror writing!

Taking place 5th - 7th June, this is a yearly coming-together of authors, readers and folks from all over the industry for a three-day celebration of all things speculative and otherworldly, both online and in-person at Edinburgh’s Pleasance.

We’ve been rifling through this year’s spectacular program as a team (interrupted by regular squeals of excitement from various parties) and thought we’d share a wee round-up of the events we’re especially looking forward to.

Onward!

The first evening of the festival brings the brilliant Shannon Chakraborty and Katalina Watt in a panel about adventures on the high seas. Our Mairi, who’s chairing the event, is absolutely loving the prep work!

Also, on the first night, we’re more than intrigued by this panel on gothic hauntings with Amy Jane Stewart, Charlotte Cross and MK Hardy. Prepare for a queer gothic element in advance of our own event with Kat Dunn!

‘Epic Beginnings’ with Felix Mosse, V.L. Bovalino and Marvellous Michael Anson, whose novel ‘Firstborn of the Sun’ we’ve been eagerly awaiting, is happening on Saturday 6th at 11.45.

On Sat 6th at 5pm you can tune in for a foody digital panel with Annalee Newitz, whose ‘Automatic Noodle’ Noor is a big fan of, and Lavanya Lakshminarayan.

Speaking of excited squeals and Noor, she let out a considerable one when spotting Fonda Lee in the program. Her panel with Adrian Tchaikovsky and Claire North is on Sat 6th at 5pm in-person.

Saturday afternoon seems to be a time for difficult decisions and careful planning with another favourite contender: Deadly Alliances with Cassidy Ellis Salter and Lauryn Hamilton Murray.

Later that same night there’s the chance to see horror legend Stephen Graham Jones in conversation with MK Hardy - a rare visit from an Indigenous horror writer to Scotland!

Christina loved Chiara Bullen’s queer working class story The Inn at the Foot of Mount Vengeance. Chiara appears on a panel with Amy Coombe and Lucy Jane Wood on Sunday 7th at 11.45

Evergreen shop favourite C.L. Clark will be talking to Elian J. Morgan about stories of ruling and surviving on Sunday 7th at 1.30 pm.

Want to know what else Noor got very audibly excited about? The possibility of hearing Tasha Suri, of course - in conversation with Venetia Constantine on Sunday 7th at 3.15

Lastly, Jim is looking forward to diving into a conversation about consciousness and shared minds as he chairs a panel with Paul Tremblay and Sylvain Neuvel on Sunday 7th at 3.30 pm.

The program also offers a line-up of workshops. Tickets for all the events are available on the Cymera website here!