Adrian Tchaikovsky is a British writer of science fiction and fantasy, winner of the Hugo Award for Best Novel (Children of Time, 2016). Known for his creative worlds, complex plots and innovative ideas, especially in the areas of evolution, artificial intelligence and interstellar civilizations.

Born on 16 June 1972 in Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire, England, he currently lives in Leeds, Yorkshire, England.

Among his most popular works are:

Children of Time – an epic story of humanity and an arachnid-evolving civilization.

Shadows of the Apt – a fantasy series inspired by insects and technology.

Czajkowski often explores themes such as adaptation, extraterrestrial life and social evolution, combining scientific rigour with captivating storytelling.

Alex Schwartzman is an American science fiction and fantasy writer, translator, and editor, known primarily for his humorous works.

Born on November 19, 1975 in Odessa, Ukraine, he currently lives in Brooklyn, New York, USA.

Author of novels such as Kakistocracy (2023), The Middling Affliction (2022), and Eridani’s Crown (2019), as well as over 120 short stories published in Analog, Nature, and Strange Horizons.

Winner of the WSFA Small Press Award (2014) for the story Explaining Cthulhu to Grandma and three-time finalist for the Canopus Award.

Creator of the humorous anthology series Unidentified Funny Objects and editor of The Cackle of Cthulhu.

Translates Russian-language fiction for Clarkesworld and Tor.com, nominated for a BSFA Award as a translator.

Former professional Magic: The Gathering player with 21 Grand Prix finals played.

Neil Clarke – American publisher, editor and award-winning author of science fiction and fantasy. Founder and editor-in-chief of the prestigious Clarkesworld Magazine, which publishes high-quality works.

Born on August 17, 1963 in New Jersey, USA.

Clarkesworld Magazine was founded in 2006, and has won numerous Hugo and Nebula awards.

Contributions:

Discovery and support of many new talents;

Three-time winner of the Hugo Award for Best Magazine;

Nebula Award for outstanding contributions to the genre.

Other projects:

Guest editor of anthologies;

Organizer of writing workshops;

Frequent speaker at science fiction conventions.

Neil Clarke is considered one of the most influential figures in modern science fiction, whose work significantly contributes to the development of the genre.

Francesco Verso is a contemporary Italian science fiction writer, known for his innovative and socially engaged works.

Born on March 29, 1973 in Bologna, Italy, he currently lives in Rome, Italy.

Style: contemporary science fiction with an emphasis on social and technological change.

Famous works:

Nexhuman (2011) – examines questions about the post-human future;

Bloodbusters (2014) – a critique of the modern healthcare system;

I camminatori (2015) – an exploration of urban dystopias.

Winner of the Urania Mondadori Award for best Italian science fiction novel;

Founder of the publishing initiative Future Fiction, promoting international science fiction, publishing works in 11 languages;

Frequent guest at international science fiction festivals and conventions.

Francesco Verso is among the leading voices in contemporary European science fiction, whose works often challenge readers to think critically about technological progress and its social consequences.

Li Jun (pen name Baoshu), born in Shanxi, China, is a celebrated Chinese science fiction author.

He gained international recognition with his sequel to Liu Cixin’s The Three-Body Problem, titled The Redemption of Time (《三体X·观想之宙》), which became a bestseller.

His other notable works include The Age of Ruin (《废墟时代》),

The Games We Play (《时间之墟》), and The Last Savior (《最后一个人类》).

Baoshu has won multiple awards, including the Chinese Nebula Award and the Galaxy Award.

In 2024, he was a Hugo Award Finalist for Best Novelette with his short story "The Last Save" (《最后的存档》), further cementing his global influence in sci-fi literature.

He has been active in promoting Chinese sci-fi worldwide through international collaborations and conferences.

Erik Simon (born 1950 in Dresden, Germany) is a renowned German science fiction writer, critic, editor, and translator. 

A key figure in East German (GDR) SF literature, his influence persists post-reunification.

Works and Contributions

Early Career: Debuted with "The First Journeys Through Time" (1977, co-authored with Reinhard Heinrich), followed by "Foreign Stars" (1979) and "Moon Phantoms, Earth Visitors" (1987).

Anthologies: Edited the "Lichtjahr" almanac and co-authored a definitive GDR SF encyclopedia.

Later Works: Published 100+ stories, including the "Sternbilder" series (2002–2014) and the novel "Die Wurmloch-Odyssee" (with the Steinmüller family).

Awards

Eurocon Award (1987) for "Lichtjahr".

Three Kurd-Laßwitz-Preises (1992, 1994, 2002) for stories and translations, including Vernor Vinge’s "A Fire Upon the Deep".

Special Honors: "Dream Maker" (1990) and "Bulgacon" (2004) for promoting SF globally.

Recent Activities

Post-retirement (2016), Simon continues translating (e.g., Sergei Lukyanenko, Strugatsky brothers) and engages in international collaborations.

Claudia Rapp is a German author, translator, and key figure in science fiction circles. She serves as Vice-Chair of the ESFS (European Science Fiction Society) for 2025 and is actively involved in Eurocon.

Key Roles & Contributions

Leadership: Elected ESFS Vice-Chair in 2025, fostering European SF communities.

Literary Work: Translates and edits SF works (English to German).

"Whalefall - Im Wal gefangen" by Daniel Kraus

"Das Schmetterlingsmädchen" by Rene Denfeld

"Wonderland - Ein Albtraum" by Zoje Stage

Contributed to collective projects like "GERMAN KAIJU - verDAMNt!" (co-authored anthology)

"Zweiundvierzig - Ein Uni-Thriller"

Conventions: Regular participant at Eurocon and international SF events.

Affiliated Projects

Member of „Wir erschaffen Welten“ (German SF authors’ network).

Collaborates with publishers to promote SF in Europe.