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paulmara.bsky.social
Paul Mara
@paulmara.bsky.social
64 followers 64 following 710 posts
PaulMara on Bluesky. PaulMaraIreland in other places. https://linktr.ee/paulmara
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paulmara.bsky.social
Paul Mara @paulmara.bsky.social · 9h
The 2025 @octocon.bsky.social, The National Irish Science Fiction Convention, just wrapped with the closing ceremony.

[ 2025.octocon.com ]

Had good fun with all the panels :-)

#Octocon #SciFi #Ireland
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paulmara.bsky.social
Paul Mara @paulmara.bsky.social · 9h
Oh no :-(

RIP Toni
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paulmara.bsky.social
Paul Mara @paulmara.bsky.social · 10h
Hilarious final @octocon.bsky.social Panel - Tropes? Or Expectations?

Incl awareness of tropes. Genre conventions. Controlling expectations. Fun vs Serious. Subverting forms. Retellings. Trope Lego Bricks. Tropes to timeout. Science Fiction vs Science Fantasy. Fav tropes.

#Octocon #SciFi #Ireland
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paulmara.bsky.social
Paul Mara @paulmara.bsky.social · 11h
Also enjoyed the @octocon.bsky.social Panel Control Your Fears: How Much Horror is Too Much?

Incl feelings, Deep discomfort, Tension, Intent, Jumpscares, Visuals, Lasting effect, Powerlessness, Choosing/sharing. Metaphor. Escapism. Mediums and imaginations. Authoring tips

#Octocon #SciFi #Ireland
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paulmara.bsky.social
Paul Mara @paulmara.bsky.social · 13h
Enjoyed the @octocon.bsky.social Panel The Space Race in Fiction

Included influences, Realism, Costs, Spaceships, Mining, Barbie, Competition, Sustaining Habitation, Collaboration, Disaster, Aliens, For all mankind, Alternative histories, Robert A. Heinlein and Solarpunk.

#Octocon #SciFi #Ireland
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Reposted by Paul Mara
adamroberts.bsky.social
Adam Roberts @adamroberts.bsky.social · 15h
"I've just come from Timbuctoo on my horse, Rumpelstiltskin."

"Your horse is called Rumpelstiltskin??"

"That's right. I've been through the desert on a horse with gnome-name."
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paulmara.bsky.social
Paul Mara @paulmara.bsky.social · 14h
Engaging perspective at the @octocon.bsky.social Panel on Hooked: Why Do Certain Stories Stay With Us?

Incl memorable stories, Reboots, Retellings. Beauty and/of the Beast. Taste and environment. Publishers. Harmful creators/legacies. Old vs new material. Easy reading.

#Octocon #SciFi #Ireland
paulmara.bsky.social
Paul Mara @paulmara.bsky.social · 16h
Cool photo from the @octocon.bsky.social Panel discussion on Historical Myths and How to (Not) Use Them

National Musem of the American Indian - Sarah Grandmother's Knife (Apsáalooke [Crow] age 10).. sticks her tongue out playfully

[ americanindian.si.edu/collections-... ]

#Octocon #SciFi #Ireland
National Musem of the American Indian - Apsáalooke (Crow/Absaroke) portraits - Sarah Grandmother's Knife (Apsáalooke [Crow], age 10), wears an elk-tooth dress and sticks her tongue out playfully toward the camera
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paulmara.bsky.social
Paul Mara @paulmara.bsky.social · 16h
Good online @octocon.bsky.social Panel discussion on Historical Myths and How to (Not) Use Them

1800s literacy. Myth vs Fact. Different times Myths Interpretations. Parts cut. Interpreted worlds and conveying basis. Silence of safety. Assumptions. Publishing. Persecutions.

#Octocon #SciFi #Ireland
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paulmara.bsky.social
Paul Mara @paulmara.bsky.social · 17h
First Sunday Panel for me! Enjoyed @octocon.bsky.social
Panel: #StarTrek: A New Hope

A nice discussion incl 60 Years of Canon, So many referencesm, What makes Kirk, Seriousness vs Levity, Crew as a Group stories vs Individual stories, Cultural Stereotypes, Representation.

#Octocon #SciFi #Ireland
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Reposted by Paul Mara
octocon.bsky.social
Octocon @octocon.bsky.social · 19h
Kicking off today, we have three panels - Perfect is the Enemy of Done - Star Trek: A New Hope - and Meet the Author: @shaunalawless.bsky.social

Find out more at prog.octocon.com

#Octocon #Octocon2025 #Fantasy #SciFi #OnlineConvention
Octocon 2025 Programme Guide
Octocon, the National Irish Science Fiction Convention, is a weekend celebration of our favourite stories from books, comics, TV, films and games; from science fiction, fantasy, horror and beyond.
prog.octocon.com
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Reposted by Paul Mara
octocon.bsky.social
Octocon @octocon.bsky.social · 19h
It's time to get ready for #Octocon again. This time, we're all online. Get your cupa whatever ready and favourite slippers on, and let's get cosy!

#Octocon2025 #OnlineConvention #Fandom #SciFi #Fantasy #Comics #ReadingCommunity #Booksky
octocon.bsky.social
Octocon @octocon.bsky.social · 1d
Wakey wakey, everybody. It's #Octocon time!

#Octocon2025 #Fantasy #Scifi #Fandom #Cosplay #ScifFiConvention #ReadingCommunity #WritingCommunity #comics
a penguin in a snowflake sweater is holding a mirror and spoon
Alt: a penguin in a snowflake sweater is holding a mirror and spoon
media.tenor.com
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Reposted by Paul Mara
lenazun.bsky.social
lena @lenazun.bsky.social · 1d
Abisal Colectivo, de Colombia
una structure when es como un barco con ruedas robóticas, con muchas cajas de libros y zines anarquistas
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Reposted by Paul Mara
lucavi.bsky.social
𝕃𝕦𝕔𝕒𝕧𝕚 𓅰 🐱 @lucavi.bsky.social · 1d
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paulmara.bsky.social
Paul Mara @paulmara.bsky.social · 1d
like sooo much..

Hard/soft power. Sentient spaceships. Otherness. Cyborgs. Animal -> human -> machine. Thinking vs Simulation. AI feeling pain? Non-human Experimentation. Colonialism. AI Nation States. Feeling in tune with Machines like Cars. Cyberpunk. Solarpunk. Optimism for the future.
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paulmara.bsky.social
Paul Mara @paulmara.bsky.social · 1d
The Other Skies, Same Airspace: Military Uses of the Nonhuman in Speculative Fiction @octocon.bsky.social talk with Cristina Diamant and Iuliia Ibragimova was really cool

Beserkers! Sentient ships. Post-human. Cyborgs. AI. Cloned intelligence. Chrono-normativity ..more

#Octocon #SciFi #Ireland
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paulmara.bsky.social
Paul Mara @paulmara.bsky.social · 1d
He is the one! :-)
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paulmara.bsky.social
Paul Mara @paulmara.bsky.social · 1d
The online Many Shades of Villainy @octocon.bsky.social
panel discussed a lot incl Certified comfortable villains. Charisma. Old vs new worse villains. Humanising. Redeeming. Endings. Character Journeys. Ascended villains. Antagonists. For/against world orders. Antiheroes.

#Octocon #SciFi #Ireland
paulmara.bsky.social
Paul Mara @paulmara.bsky.social · 1d
A quick google for info websites:

[ uberheroes.co.uk ]

and

[ hope4lifeni.org.uk/uberheroes-y... ]
paulmara.bsky.social
Paul Mara @paulmara.bsky.social · 1d
Inspiring @octocon.bsky.social talk on The Power of Comics to Start the Conversation by Dee Nixon & Holly O'Brien of UberHeroes NI

Incl Supporting Children & Young People, Mental health, Trauma, resilience, Physical activity, hope, processing time, 2nd-order false beliefs

#Octocon #SciFi #Ireland
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paulmara.bsky.social
Paul Mara @paulmara.bsky.social · 1d
The @octocon.bsky.social What If... panel had some cool discussions on Freewill/determinism, History as a river/stream, Tailoring a What If to an audience, Empire, Handling big changes, Losing meaning, Overdone What Ifs, Socialising, Lost lands and Reality perceptions.

#Octocon #SciFi #Ireland
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paulmara.bsky.social
Paul Mara @paulmara.bsky.social · 1d
Enjoyed the @octocon.bsky.social talk: Not the Usual Tricksters: Starting with the Middle Ages with Gillian Polack @gillianpolack.bsky.social

Incl lewd buffoons/fart Jokes, criticising establishments, Robin Hood, cultures/religions, Irish tricksters, behaviour versus acts

#Octocon #SciFi #Ireland
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Reposted by Paul Mara
octocon.bsky.social
Octocon @octocon.bsky.social · 1d
Wakey wakey, everybody. It's #Octocon time!

#Octocon2025 #Fantasy #Scifi #Fandom #Cosplay #ScifFiConvention #ReadingCommunity #WritingCommunity #comics
a penguin in a snowflake sweater is holding a mirror and spoon
Alt: a penguin in a snowflake sweater is holding a mirror and spoon
media.tenor.com
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Reposted by Paul Mara
csmfht.bsky.social
Classical Studies Memes for Hellenistic Teens @csmfht.bsky.social · 3d
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paulmara.bsky.social
Paul Mara @paulmara.bsky.social · 2d
:-D
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