Sci Fi Fans Input Wanted

Passing on a post from here: http://wellingtonnz.livejournal.com/723090.html?style=mine

"I'm working on a project with an outside organisation, and I need some feedback from devoted SciFi readers.

If a SciFi author were to be brought here to Wellington, who would you most like to hear speak or talk to?

It can be an emerging author (with, say, two or three successful books published), or an established author. It also needs to be someone who has been reviewed well in either general reviewing sources, or in specialist magazines like Locus.

Please give me your suggestions and the reason why they appeal to you, or might appeal to others. I have a few suggestions of my own, but I'd really love to hear yours."