An announcement from this year’s World Fantasy Convention:

As Oscar Wilde might have said…

To lose one Guest of Honour may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose two looks like carelessness. So, to lose a third is a tragedy . . .

Unfortunately, this is now the case. We were informed this week by our Artist Guest of Honour, Alan Lee, that as a result of the second Hobbit movie running over schedule, he would now be unable to leave New Zealand when he had planned:

“Now that the picture here, and our schedule for delivering it, has become clearer, it is going to be impossible to get back to the UK for the convention. I’ll be returning closer to the end of November, or early December—after the vfx work on The Desolation of Smaug is completed. I’m so sorry to let you and the other participants down at this stage, and sorry that I’ll miss seeing my friends who will be there. I wish you and all the other guests and attendees an exciting and brilliant convention, and that the launch of Fearie Tales will be a success.”

Previously, Master of Ceremonies China Mieville had to cancel his appearance, saying “I’m deeply sorry to have to say that due to circumstances completely beyond my control, I have had to cancel or postpone all my current commitments, and this unfortunately includes my presence at WFC. I hugely regret that I will be unable to meet up with friends and colleagues as planned, and I offer my sincere apologies to attendees, and above all to WFC’s organisers. I’m currently working with them in an effort to minimise the inevitable disruption and inconvenience this will cause, as far as I am able. I will also be putting together a small gesture of apology for all WFC attendees. My most sincere apologies again to all.”

And Guest of Honor Richard Matheson died at the end of June.

The World Fantasy Convention will be held in Brighton, England, from 31 October to 3 November.