Aurealis Awards 2018 Call for Judges

Posted on April 9, 2018 by Tehani

Applications are now closed for the 2018 Aurealis Awards judging panels. 

we want you

Please read the following information carefully before submitting your application as we cannot make exceptions to the requirements.

We are seeking expressions of interest from Australian residents who would like to judge for the 2018 Aurealis Awards. Judges are volunteers and are drawn from the Australian speculative fiction community, from diverse professions and backgrounds, including academics, booksellers, librarians, published authors, publishing industry professionals, reviewers and enthusiasts. The only qualification necessary is a demonstrated knowledge of and interest in their chosen category (good time management skills and an ability to work in a team in an online environment are also essential).

All judges must be willing and able to read electronic entries in either mobi or epub format, which we accept in all categories. Graphic Novel entries may also be submitted in PDF. Print is still sometimes sent by entrants but we do not require it.

Panel sizes may vary among categories – and from year to year – depending on the perceived workload required and the availability of judges for a particular category. However, each panel will consist of at least three judges, one of which will be the panel convenor.

Being an Aurealis Awards judge involves reading entries for one panel (which may comprise more than one category). This may consist of several dozen novels and/or more than a hundred short stories / novellas in the process of evaluating the year’s entries. The reading load can become quite heavy at the end of the judging period although we endeavour to obtain works as soon as they are published. Judges may keep their reading copies of entries. Convenors of each panel are also required to participate in the judging of the Convenors’ Award for Excellence, which involves additional consumption of material.

We aim to offer judges complimentary or discounted entry to the annual Awards ceremony for current judges, but this cannot be confirmed at this stage.

Categories are: 

  • Science Fiction Novel
  • Science Fiction Short Story / Novella (two categories judged by one panel)
  • Fantasy Novel
  • Fantasy Short Story / Novella (two categories judged by one panel)
  • Horror Novel / Novella / Horror Short Story (three categories judged by one or two panel, depending on availability of judges)
  • Young Adult Novel / Young Adult Short Story (two categories judged by one panel)
  • Children’s Fiction
  • Collection / Anthology (two categories judged by one panel)
  • Illustrated Book / Graphic Novel

The Aurealis Awards accepts electronic entries in all categories. Judges must be willing to accept and read entries in this format. Willingness and ability to read electronically is an essential aspect of the judging role.

It is vital that judges be able to work as part of a team and meet stringent deadlines. Most of the judges’ discussions are conducted via a private online forum or email.

Entries to the awards close in early December, with all work published between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2018 eligible for entry. Shortlists from each panel will be required by February 2019 (firm dates will be advised), and prospective judges should be aware that this may be an intensive process.

Dates for Judging (to be confirmed):

  • May/June 2018 – entries open
  • Early December 2018 – entries close
  • December 31 2018 – final entries must be received by judges
  • February 2019 – shortlists and finalists must be decided
  • 2019 – Awards ceremony (details to be advised)

All discussions are confidential between the judges in each panel and the judging coordinator and/or the Aurealis Awards management team, as required. The Aurealis Awards judging coordinator will have no input into these decisions except to mediate panel issues.

Judges from previous Aurealis Awards processes are welcome – indeed encouraged – to re-apply. But, in the interests of transparency and impartiality, no one may judge the same category for more than two consecutive years, and a break of two consecutive years is required before a judge can reapply to be a judge in that particular category again.

Please complete the form below by 22 April, 2018. 

The judging positions are open to Australian residents only.

 

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2017 Judging Comments

Posted on April 1, 2018 by Tehani

BEST SCIENCE FICTION NOVEL

Panel members: Nola Cavallaro, Stephanie Gunn (convenor), Chris Lampard, Carol Ryles

Number of entries: 44

Judging criteria:

The Best Science Fiction novel panel judged the entries against several criteria. Of utmost importance was the literary value of the work and quality of the writing. Originality, especially in terms of use of science fictional tropes, was also valued, along with strong characterisation and interesting world building.

Overview of nominations:

The entries in this category were diverse in terms of sub-genre, representing alternate futures and histories, space opera, dystopia and romance, amongst others. Dystopia was strongly represented, especially Australian dystopias. Works were split between those published by traditional publishers and small presses and those which were self-published. The general quality of the works from larger and small presses was high, but the quality of the self-published works was uneven, especially in terms of writing quality. It is of especial note that the shortlist contained several debut novels.

Shortlist:

Closing Down, Sally Abbott (Hachette Australia)

Terra Nullius, Claire G Coleman (Hachette Australia)

Year of the Orphan, Daniel Findlay (Penguin Random House Australia)

An Uncertain Grace, Krissy Kneen (Text Publishing)

From the Wreck, Jane Rawson (Transit Lounge)

Lotus Blue, Cat Sparks (Skyhorse)

BEST FANTASY NOVEL PANEL

Panel members: Yvonne L Barrett, Astrid Edwards, Deb Gates, Russell Kirkpatrick (convenor), Ali MacGregor

Number of entries: 56

Judging criteria:

This year’s Fantasy novel shortlist is of an exceptionally high standard. We would have been happy to see any of the shortlisted novels declared the winner. The panel felt the eventual winner told a powerful and entertaining story with a great deal of skill.

We also noted the welcome incursion of literary novels into the genre, though a number of the panellists felt many of these lacked enough genre elements to be seriously considered. The entries also reflected greater diversity, both in the gender of authors and in characters and subject matter. What constitutes a fantasy novel is increasingly up for debate, and occupied much of our discussions.

BEST HORROR NOVEL

Panel members: Paige Belfield, Matthew R. Davis (convenor), Christine Yunn-Yu Sun, Thomas Woodward

Number of entries: 10

Judging criteria:

First and foremost, we were looking for works that provoked an emotional response in the reader – dread, unease, psychological discomfort, outright terror.  It’s highly unlikely that any such novel would be poorly written, so we were also looking at the standard of the craft itself.  We were less keen to consider cross-genre works, as they were more likely to dilute any inherent horror with the trappings of other fictional fields – so paranormal fantasy or romance, for example, would have to really pull out all the stops in order to make an impression; unfortunately, a number of entries had to be struck from contention for leaning too far in another direction.  Horror is incredibly flexible and fluid, and works very well in combination with other genres, but we wanted to keep in mind that this is a horror award – and to have a chance at the shortlist, works had to bring the scares.

Overview of nominations:

As is usually the case, nominations for Best Horror Novel were a mixed bag.  We had entries from all across the publication spectrum, top end to essentially self-published, and the selection proved once again that horror is fit and well but still generally regarded as the disreputable member of the fiction family unless it’s dolled up in more acceptable duds.  Some entries barely met the qualification stated in the title, with many being paranormal romance or urban fantasy with a gloss of horror on top or seeded in the foundations; some of these were quite enjoyable in their own right, but nonetheless, we had to put them aside.  And, of course, the low levels of craft and originality in some entries had us shaking our heads and wondering why on Earth anyone thought them worthy of a national award, but I’m happy to report that these were few in number.  In the end, few of the novel-length works evoked the kind of unease and dark interest befitting a work of true horror – but in our shortlist, we feel we have captured the best and strangest work submitted for this category, and look forward to further works by these authors.

Shortlist:

Aletheia, J S Breukelaar (Crystal Lake Publishing)

Who’s Afraid Too?, Maria Lewis (Hachette Australia)

Soon, Lois Murphy (Transit Lounge)

BEST ANTHOLOGY

Panel Members: Lorraine Cormack, Jenna O’Connell, Abigail Nathan, Cathie Tasker (convenor)

Number of Entries: 20

Judging Criteria:

Panellists were looking for anthologies with literary merit and which presented a cohesive collection of high quality stories. Production values were also highly important; those works which showed consistently high quality production, proofreading and editing were given more weight.

Individual stories were considered for their adherence to the aims of the anthology, age level, sophistication in writing and story development, and the degree to which they engaged in immersive world-building.

Overview of Nominations:

There were a few stand-out anthologies but there was a gulf between those and the other submissions. Only a very few anthologies presented a consistent and coherent range of strong and engaging stories.

A weakness in many submissions was thematic. Many did not provide a thematic link between stories, sometimes resulting in a group of stories which lacked cohesion — they did not have a strong reason to be together.

Some submissions had a low proportion of speculative fiction stories but  the judges considered a high proportion important in an award for speculative fiction.

The quality of editing and production of some anthologies was also patchy, with only a handful of works presenting consistently well edited and produced work.

Having said that, many submissions contained individual examples of excellent writing.

Shortlist:

Midnight Echo #12, Shane Jiraiya Cummings & Anthony Ferguson (eds.) (Australasian Horror Writers Association)

The Year’s Best Australian Fantasy and Horror 2015, Liz Grzyb & Talie Helene (eds.) (Ticonderoga Publications)

Dimension6: Annual Collection 2017, Keith Stevenson (ed.) (coeur de lion publishing)

Infinity Wars, Jonathan Strahan (ed.) (Rebellion/Solaris)

The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year: Volume 11, Jonathan Strahan (ed.) (Rebellion/Solaris)

BEST COLLECTION

Panel Members: Lorraine Cormack, Jenna O’Connell, Abigail Nathan, Cathie Tasker (convenor)

Number of Entries: 16

Judging Criteria:

Panellists were looking for collections with literary merit and which presented a cohesive collection of high quality stories that represented the full range of the author’s work and, ideally, provided insights that wouldn’t be apparent if read individually.  Production values were also highly important; those works which showed consistently high quality production, proofreading and editing were given more weight.

Individual stories were considered for their adherence to the aims of the collection, sophistication in writing and story development, and the degree to which they engaged in immersive world-building.

Overview of Nominations:

The standard of submissions was very good on the whole, with a few books creating genuine excitement among the judges.

While judges were aware that they had seen many individual stories before, drawing them together in a collection of the author’s work enabled them to be seen in a new light.  It had the potential to illuminate an author’s thematic pre-occupations, while also showcasing their range and talent. A few submissions suffered from the focus on a particular thematic interest at the cost of fully exploring an author’s range.

The best submissions gave the sense that they included stories which had been drawn together for a reason that went beyond being written by the same person(s).

Shortlist:

The Birdcage Heart & Other Strange Tales, Peter M Ball (Brain Jar Press)

The Silver Well, Kate Forsyth & Kim Wilkins (Ticonderoga Publications)

Beneath the Floating City, Donna Maree Hanson (self-published)

Singing My Sister Down and Other Stories, Margo Lanagan (Allen & Unwin)

Please Look After This Angel & Other Winged Stories, Tansy Rayner Roberts (self-published)

Perfect Little Stitches and Other Stories, Deborah Sheldon (IFWG Publishing Australia)

BEST ILLUSTRATED WORK / GRAPHIC NOVEL PANEL

Panel members: Lyn Battersby (convenor), Kimberley Gaal, Emilly McLeay, Jacqueline Wheadon, Cassandra White

Number of entries: 18

Judging criteria:

The Illustrated panel judged the entries against four criteria – originality, plotting, characterisation, and the balance between writing style and illustration quality.

Overview of nominations:

Despite the relatively few number of nominations, the entries in this category were incredibly diverse both in style and in quality. The shortlisted finalists rose to the top of the score sheet as they, by and large, managed to provide the judges with an entertaining plot, a modern approach to characterisation, an original way of retelling common tropes and themes and, most importantly, by finding a way to balance prose and illustrations. In the final judging, the difference within the six shortlisted works was marginal. The panelists would like to commend the six finalists for their contribution to Australian speculative fiction.

Shortlist:

Action Tank, Mike Barry (Mike Barry Was Here)

Changing Ways book 3, Justin Randall (Gestalt)

Dungzilla, James Foley (Fremantle Press)

Giants, Trolls, Witches, Beasts, Craig Phillips (Allen & Unwin)

Home Time, Campbell Whyte (Penguin Random House Australia)

Tintinnabula, Margo Lanagan & Rovina Cai (ill.) (Little Hare)

BEST CHILDREN’S FICTION 

Panel members: Kerry Armstrong, Caitlin Chisholm, Miffy Farquharson (convenor), Sharon Smith.

Number of entries: 34

Judging criteria:

The Children’s Fiction panel judged the entries against four criteria – originality, plotting, characterisation and writing style. Although these four elements were the primary criteria, consideration was also given to suitability for a Children’s audience.

Overview of nominations:

Entries in this category were exceptionally strong, and much robust discussion was had to decide the winner and the shortlist. The final list represents strong and entertaining work of an excellent standard of writing, and reflects a broad range of stories within the speculative sphere, from post-environmental disaster through to fantasy adventure, via traditional fantasy and contemporary speculative fiction. It is noted that there were a number of entries that did not meet the speculative brief, which excluded entries from consideration for these awards.

Shortlist:

How to Bee, Bren MacDibble (Allen & Unwin)

The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone, Jaclyn Moriarty (Allen & Unwin)

The Shop at Hoopers Bend, Emily Rodda (HarperCollins Australia)

The Exile, Jo Sandhu (Penguin Random House Australia)

Accidental Heroes, Lian Tanner (Allen & Unwin)

Nevermoor, Jessica Townsend (Hachette Australia)

BEST YOUNG ADULT NOVEL

Panel members: Laura Birch, Nicole Gosling, Jessica Harvie, Belle McQuattie (convenor), Kirsten Reim

Number of entries: 57

Judging criteria:

This year the panel looked for entries that pushed the boundaries of genre through their exploration of various themes and character development. Engaging and distinct writing styles were also highly regarded.

Overview of nominations:

The panel were very impressed with the overall strength of submissions, particularly those leaning towards science fiction. The majority of submissions were engaging, accesssible and not afraid to dive into some heavy topics, which continues to be a strength of Australian Young Adult fiction. While none made it to the shortlist, there was also a strong showing from self-published authors, and that was really great to see.

Shortlist:

In The Dark Spaces, Cally Black (Hardie Grant Egmont)

Ida, Alison Evans (Echo, Bonnier Publishing Australia)

Frogkisser!, Garth Nix (Allen & Unwin)

This Mortal Coil, Emily Suvada (Puffin UK)

Psynode, Marlee Jane Ward (Seizure)

The Undercurrent, Paula Weston (Text Publishing)

BEST YOUNG ADULT SHORT STORY

Panel members: Laura Birch, Nicole Gosling, Jessica Harvie, Belle McQuattie (convenor), Kirsten Reim

Number of entries: 50

Judging criteria:

Stories that were original, complete stories in themselves, and had an engaging writing style were highly regarded by the panel.

Overview of nominations:

The overall quality of short fiction was a little disappointing, with many stories failing to have a clear or believable plot, or were unable to resolve the storyline by the end of the work. That said, those works that did tickle the fancy of the panel were excellent examples of short form writing, and give great hope for the future of YA short fiction.

Shortlist:

“One Small Step”, Amie Kaufman (Begin, End, Begin: A #LoveOzYA Anthology,HarperCollins Australia)

“I Can See the Ending”, Will Kostakis (Begin, End, Begin: A #LoveOzYA Anthology, HarperCollins Australia)

“Competition Entry #349”, Jaclyn Moriarty (Begin, End, Begin: A #LoveOzYA Anthology, HarperCollins Australia)

“First Casualty” Michael Pryor (Begin, End, Begin: A #LoveOzYA Anthology, HarperCollins Australia)

Girl Reporter, Tansy Rayner Roberts (Book Smugglers)

“Oona Underground”, Lili Wilkinson (Begin, End, Begin: A #LoveOzYA Anthology, HarperCollins Australia)

BEST SCIENCE FICTION SHORT STORY AND NOVELLA

Panel members: Imogen Cassidy, Mark Fazackerley, Anna Hepworth, Fergus McCartan, Gene Melzack (convenor)

Number of entries: 37 (Novella), 131 (Short Story)

Judging criteria:

The judges were looking for a well-constructed story with good pacing that pulls a reader in, with strong characters, and a satisfying ending. They wanted originality, inventiveness, emotional and intellectual depth, humour, and some good rollicking fun.

Overview of nominations:

Entries to both categories came from a diverse range of publication modes, from magazines to anthologies to standalone publication. They were delivered by a variety of publishing models, from self-published to small press to big publishing houses. While there were exceptions, overall the anthologised works, particularly those whose publishers invested enough to fund hardcopy print runs, tended to be of higher quality. This speaks to the value of editors and the editorial process in tightening and honing shorter length fiction. A number of the strongest entries in both categories this year were YA fiction.

Shortlists:

Novella

“This Silent Sea”, Stephanie Gunn (Review of Australian Fiction Vol 24 Issue 6)

“I Can See the Ending”, Will Kostakis (Begin, End, Begin: A #LoveOzYA Anthology, HarperCollins Australia)

“The Wandering Library”, DK Mok (Ecopunk!, Ticonderoga Publications)

“Island Green”, Shauna O’Meara (Ecopunk!, Ticonderoga Publications)

Matters Arising from the Identification of the Body, Simon Petrie (Peggy Bright Books)

Girl Reporter, Tansy Rayner Roberts (Book Smugglers)

Short Story

“The Missing Years”, Lyn Battersby (Andromeda Spaceways Magazine #66)

“A Little Faith”, Aiki Flinthart (Like a Woman, Mirren Hogan)

“Cards and Steel Hearts”, Pamela Jeffs (Lawless Lands: Tales from the Weird Frontier, Falstaff Books)

“One Small Step”, Amie Kaufman (Begin, End, Begin: A #LoveOzYA Anthology,HarperCollins Australia)

“Conversations with an Armoury” Garth Nix (Infinity Wars, Solaris)

“Hurk + Dav”, Arthur Robinson (Breach Issue #01)

BEST FANTASY SHORT STORY AND NOVELLA

Panel members: Paula Boer, Maureen Flynn, Rob Porteous (convenor), Andrei Seleznev, Shel Sweeney

Number of entries: 123 (short story); 51 (novella)

Judging criteria: The panel looked for strong writing with beautiful use of language, efficiently supporting stories that pleased and surprised us. We liked stories with a satisfying resolution and appreciated the novelty of ideas or a clever twist. We wanted our hearts and minds to be engaged by characters whom we cared about and vivid, interesting worlds, economically rendered with a strong integral fantasy element. Above all, we were looking for stories and novellas that left us with a lasting impression.

Overview of nominations: The short-form fantasy nominations were diverse, spanning the wide range of fantasy sub-genres from traditional mediaeval adventure and fairy-tales through to gritty urban thrillers and alternate histories. The entries connected with their readers through a variety of media, from traditional publishing houses and magazines through to on-line sites and electronic self-publishing. The field of novellas was much larger than in previous years and included many works published stand-alone as well as those within collections and magazines.

The best stories were a pleasure to read, creating new worlds or taking a fresh approach to familiar settings. A very few broke out of the mould of European-centric settings to give us stories with a more Australian or Asian feel. However, for a genre that embodies imagination, the judges found too much repetition of standard fantasy tropes and story arcs. We would have liked to see more risk-taking and imagination, especially in the short stories.

Shortlist:

Novella

The Book Club, Alan Baxter (PS Publishing)

“Remnants”, Nathan Burrage (Dimension6 #11, Coer de Lion)

“The Cunning Woman’s Daughter”, Kate Forsyth & Kim Wilkins (The Silver Well, Ticonderoga Publications)

In Shadows We Fall, Devin Madson (self-published)

“Braid”, Kirstyn McDermott (Review of Australian Fiction Vol 24 Issue 1)

Humanity for Beginners, Faith Mudge (Less Than Three Press)

Short Story

“Hamelin’s Graves”, Freya Marske (Andromeda Spaceways Magazine #69)

“The Curse is Come Upon Me, Cried”, Tansy Rayner Roberts (Please Look After This Angel & Other Winged Stories, self-published)

“The Little Mermaid, in Passing”, Angela Slatter (Review of Australian Fiction Vol 22 Issue 1)

“Duplicity”, J Ashley Smith (Dimension6 #11)

“The Rainmaker Goddess, Hallowed Shaz”, Marlee Jane Ward (Feminartsy)

“Oona Underground”, Lili Wilkinson (Begin, End, Begin: A #LoveOzYA Anthology, HarperCollins Australia).

BEST HORROR SHORT STORY

Panel members: Holly Harper, Talitha Kalago, Emma Kate (convenor), Durand Welsh

Number of entries: 122

Judging criteria:

The Horror Short Story panel were looking for stories that were creepy, weird, and unsettling. We wanted to read stories that left us feeling uncomfortable and ones that stayed with us long after we had finished reading.

Overview of nominations:

The very large number of entries meant that we received a wide variety in settings, characters and monster/horror elements. It was great to see some Australian monsters get their own stories, as well as Australia itself used as a setting, both urban and rural, for a large percentage of the entries. We were also impressed with the number of truly excellent stories. Our long list was long, and we had a lot of discussion around narrowing it down and wished we could have had twice as many in the final shortlist.

The large number did mean, however, that we encountered some problems. There were more than a few stories that had no horror element to them at all. On a more aesthetic note, being mostly electronic copies, if the formatting was not right it made the story almost unreadable.

Overall, however, we were amazed at how many great stories and authors producing said stories there were. The breadth of talent in Australian horror writing right now is wonderful.

Shortlist:

“Reef”, Kat Clay (SQ Mag 31, IFWG Publishing Australia)

“Outside, a Drifter”, Lisa L Hannett (Looming Low, Dim Shores)

“Angel Hair”, Deborah Sheldon (Perfect Little Stitches and Other Stories, IFWG Publishing Australia)

“The Endless Below”, Alfie Simpson (Breach Issue #02)

“Old Growth”, J Ashley Smith (SQ Mag 31, IFWG Publishing Australia)

“On the Line”, J Ashley Smith (Midnight Echo 12, Australasian Horror Writers Association)

BEST HORROR NOVELLA

Panel members: Paige Belfield, Matthew R. Davis (convenor), Christine Yunn-Yu Sun, Thomas Woodward

Number of entries: 30

Judging criteria:

We were looking for darkly imaginative, interesting works that avoided cliché and contrivance.  A certain level of craft was expected, as well as the ability to draw in, engage, surprise and reward the reader.  Despite the shorter nature of novelettes and novellas, authors must still ensure they do not bore the reader or bog their work down with too much excess detail, so we were looking also for an innate sense of balance.

Overview of nominations:

The overall standard was gratifyingly high, even amongst works that we didn’t feel qualified – the panel had to push aside a number of fantastical tales that we all really enjoyed but didn’t believe could reasonably be called horror.  A few poor tales limped in on lame legs, somehow expecting to be taken seriously, but by and large, competition for the shortlist was strong – we could easily have expanded it to twice the number of works without including any weaker entries as padding.  The level of craft, originality and imagination was impressive, with only a handful of works failing to satisfy the base criteria.  As with Novels, we would have liked to have seen more outright horror stories, but the half-dozen we selected for consideration cover a broad spectrum that shows just how capable, supple and ubiquitous a field Horror is and always has been, and every one that didn’t win was only a hair away from doing so.  After this intensive course of reading, we are reassured that Australian short horror fiction remains in a state of rude health.

Shortlist:

The Mailman, Jeremy Bates (Ghillinnein Books)

Hope and Walker, Andrew Cull (Vermillion Press)

“Grind”, Michael Grey (Pacific Monsters, Fox Spirit Books)

“The Stairwell”, Chris Mason (Below The Stairs – Tales from the Cellar, Things In The Well)

“No Good Deed”, Angela Slatter (New Fears 1, Titan Books)

“Furtherest”, Kaaron Warren (Dark Screams Volume 7, Cemetery Dance)

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2017 Aurealis Awards Winners

Posted on March 31, 2018 by Tehani

The Aurealis Awards management team, on behalf of the Western Australian Science Fiction Foundation, would like to congratulate the winners of this year’s Awards. We also take this opportunity to thank the judging panels for all their hard work making the difficult decisions of shortlists and the winning works, the Swancon organising team for accommodating our High Tea ceremony event, and all the publishers and creators who continue to make the Aurealis Awards Australia’s premier speculative fiction award each year.

The winners of the 2017 Aurealis Awards are:

BEST CHILDREN’S FICTION

Nevermoor, Jessica Townsend (Hachette Australia)

BEST GRAPHIC NOVEL / ILLUSTRATED WORK

Changing Ways book 3, Justin Randall (Gestalt) 

BEST YOUNG ADULT SHORT STORY

Girl Reporter, Tansy Rayner Roberts (Book Smugglers)

BEST HORROR SHORT STORY

“Old Growth”, J Ashley Smith (SQ Mag 31, IFWG Publishing Australia) 

BEST HORROR NOVELLA

“The Stairwell”, Chris Mason (Below The Stairs – Tales from the Cellar, Things In The Well)

BEST FANTASY SHORT STORY

“The Curse is Come Upon Me, Cried”, Tansy Rayner Roberts (Please Look After This Angel & Other Winged Stories, self-published) 

BEST FANTASY NOVELLA

In Shadows We Fall, Devin Madson (self-published) 

BEST SCIENCE FICTION SHORT STORY

“Conversations with an Armoury”, Garth Nix (Infinity Wars, Solaris) 

BEST SCIENCE FICTION NOVELLA

Girl Reporter, Tansy Rayner Roberts (Book Smugglers) 

BEST COLLECTION

The Silver Well, Kate Forsyth & Kim Wilkins (Ticonderoga Publications)

BEST ANTHOLOGY

Infinity Wars, Jonathan Strahan (ed.) (Rebellion/Solaris)

BEST YOUNG ADULT NOVEL

In The Dark Spaces, Cally Black (Hardie Grant Egmont) 

BEST HORROR NOVEL

Soon, Lois Murphy (Transit Lounge)

BEST FANTASY NOVEL

Godsgrave, Jay Kristoff (HarperCollins Publishers)

BEST SCIENCE FICTION NOVEL

From the Wreck, Jane Rawson (Transit Lounge) 

CONVENORS’ AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE

The Fictional Mother, Tansy Rayner Roberts (self-published)

Congratulations again to the winners. A full list of finalists for this year’s Awards is available here.

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Aurealis Awards ceremony live stream

Posted on March 29, 2018 by Tehani

Tune in on Saturday, 31 March, 2018 at 2.45pm Perth time (5.45pm AEDT) to our Facebook page to see the 2017 Aurealis Awards ceremony live stream. We can’t guarantee technical perfection, but it should be fun anyway! Frock up, grab a sparkly, post your photos with the hashtage #AurealisAwards and tag us while you watch and celebrate with our winners!

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Final Day for Aurealis Awards Ceremony Tickets!

Posted on March 26, 2018 by Tehani

Today is the final day to get your tickets to the Aurealis Awards Ceremony High Tea event taking place this Saturday in Perth. Tickets will NOT be available at the door and no entry will be given without a paid ticket to the ceremony.

The 2017 Aurealis Awards ceremony will be held in Perth as part of Swancon, and will take part during the course of ticketed High Tea at the Pan Pacific Perth.

Please note that due to catering, we are unable to sell tickets after today.

Time: 2.00pm

Date: Saturday 31 March, 2018

Venue: Meeting Room 5, Pan Pacific Perth, 207 Adelaide Terrace, Perth, WA.

Cost: $30.00

To book your ticket, please use the link below.

https://www.trybooking.com/UJLE

Please note, Swancon membership is not mandatory to attend the ceremony as this is a separately ticketed event. However, only Aurealis Awards ticket holders may attend the ceremony – attendance of this event is NOT included as part of Swancon membership.

Don’t miss out!

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Reminder: Aurealis Awards tickets are limited!

Posted on March 18, 2018 by Tehani

The 2017 Aurealis Awards ceremony will be held in Perth as part of Swancon, and will take part during the course of ticketed High Tea at the Pan Pacific Perth.

Ticket sales close MONDAY 26 MARCH. Please note that due to catering, we are unable to sell tickets past this date.

Tickets will NOT be available at the door and no entry will be given without a paid ticket to the ceremony.

Time: 2.00pm

Date: Saturday 31 March, 2018

Venue: Meeting Room 5, Pan Pacific Perth, 207 Adelaide Terrace, Perth, WA.

Cost: $30.00

To book your ticket, please use the link below.

https://www.trybooking.com/UJLE

Please note, Swancon membership is not mandatory to attend the ceremony as this is a separately ticketed event. However, only Aurealis Awards ticket holders may attend the ceremony – attendance of this event is NOT included as part of Swancon membership.

If you purchase a ticket to attend the Aurealis Awards ceremony, you are also eligible for discounted membership for the Swancon convention. Please see the following details for information about attending Swancon.

Guests attending the Aurealis Awards ceremony can receive a discount on their Swancon membership by entering the coupon code AAattendee when they begin to register for a Swancon membership, using the ‘Register Now’ button at www.swancon.com.au. The coupon code will give a discount on either a Saturday membership or a full convention membership, for both full and concession prices. Swancon has programmed a full day of writers’ workshops and panels on Saturday, to complement the Aurealis Awards.
If you have queries relating to ticketing, please contact aajudges@gmail.com
We look forward to seeing you on Easter Saturday for the Awards presentation!
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2017 Aurealis Awards Ceremony information

Posted on March 2, 2018 by Tehani

The 2017 Aurealis Awards ceremony will be held in Perth as part of Swancon, and will take part during the course of ticketed High Tea at the Pan Pacific Perth.

Time: 2.00pm

Date: Saturday 31 March, 2018

Venue: Meeting Room 5, Pan Pacific Perth, 207 Adelaide Terrace, Perth, WA.

Cost: $30.00

Please note, Swancon membership is not mandatory to attend the ceremony as this is a separately ticketed event. However, only Aurealis Awards ticket holders may attend the ceremony – attendance of this event is NOT included as part of Swancon membership. 

To book your ticket, please use the link below.

https://www.trybooking.com/UJLE

If you purchase a ticket to attend the Aurealis Awards ceremony, you are also eligible for discounted membership for the Swancon convention. Please see the following details for information about attending Swancon.
Guests attending the Aurealis Awards ceremony can receive a discount on their Swancon membership by entering the coupon code AAattendee when they begin to register for a Swancon membership, using the ‘Register Now’ button at www.swancon.com.au. The coupon code will give a discount on either a Saturday membership or a full convention membership, for both full and concession prices. Swancon has programmed a full day of writers’ workshops and panels on Saturday, to complement the Aurealis Awards.
If you have queries relating to ticketing, please contact aajudges@gmail.com
We look forward to seeing you on Easter Saturday for the Awards presentation!
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2017 Aurealis Awards shortlist announcement

Posted on February 15, 2018 by Tehani

2017 Aurealis Awards finalists announced

The Western Australian Science Fiction Foundation (WASFF), organisers of the 2017 Aurealis Awards, are delighted to announce the finalists for the Awards.

Judging coordinator Tehani Croft noted that entry numbers continue to be strong, with over 800 submissions in 2017. “We continue to be impressed by the breadth of entries, with publishers from all over the world ensuring the work of their creators is considered. This year the judges read more than 800 entries across the fifteen categories. It’s very pleasing to see publishers of all types featured among the finalists this year, with small publishers and self-published work finding a place alongside the majors.”

Winners of the 2017 Aurealis Awards and the Convenors’ Award for Excellence will be announced at the Aurealis Awards ceremony during the Easter long weekend as part of the Swancon convention at the Pan Pacific hotel, Perth. Details of the event and a link to the online ticketing options will be available soon.

For further information about the Awards please contact the Convenor, P R Khangure, at aurealisawards@gmail.com

2017 Aurealis Awards – Finalists

BEST CHILDREN’S FICTION

How to Bee, Bren MacDibble (Allen & Unwin)

The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone, Jaclyn Moriarty (Allen & Unwin)

The Shop at Hoopers Bend, Emily Rodda (HarperCollins Australia)

The Exile, Jo Sandhu (Penguin Random House Australia)

Accidental Heroes, Lian Tanner (Allen & Unwin)

Nevermoor, Jessica Townsend (Hachette Australia)

BEST GRAPHIC NOVEL / ILLUSTRATED WORK

Action Tank, Mike Barry (Mike Barry Was Here)

Changing Ways book 3, Justin Randall (Gestalt)

Dungzilla, James Foley (Fremantle Press)

Giants, Trolls, Witches, Beasts, Craig Phillips (Allen & Unwin)

Home Time, Campbell Whyte (Penguin Random House Australia)

Tintinnabula, Margo Lanagan & Rovina Cai (ill.) (Little Hare)

BEST YOUNG ADULT SHORT STORY

“One Small Step”, Amie Kaufman (Begin, End, Begin: A #LoveOzYA Anthology, HarperCollins Australia)

“I Can See the Ending”, Will Kostakis (Begin, End, Begin: A #LoveOzYA Anthology, HarperCollins Australia)

“Competition Entry #349”, Jaclyn Moriarty (Begin, End, Begin: A #LoveOzYA Anthology, HarperCollins Australia)

“First Casualty” Michael Pryor (Begin, End, Begin: A #LoveOzYA Anthology, HarperCollins Australia)

Girl Reporter, Tansy Rayner Roberts (Book Smugglers)

“Oona Underground”, Lili Wilkinson (Begin, End, Begin: A #LoveOzYA Anthology, HarperCollins Australia)

BEST HORROR SHORT STORY

“Reef”, Kat Clay (SQ Mag 31, IFWG Publishing Australia)

“Outside, a Drifter”, Lisa L Hannett (Looming Low, Dim Shores)

“Angel Hair”, Deborah Sheldon (Perfect Little Stitches and Other Stories, IFWG Publishing Australia)

“The Endless Below”, Alfie Simpson (Breach Issue #02)

“Old Growth”, J Ashley Smith (SQ Mag 31, IFWG Publishing Australia)

“On the Line”, J Ashley Smith (Midnight Echo 12, Australasian Horror Writers Association)

BEST HORROR NOVELLA

The Mailman, Jeremy Bates (Ghillinnein Books)

Hope and Walker, Andrew Cull (Vermillion Press)

“Grind”, Michael Grey (Pacific Monsters, Fox Spirit Books)

“The Stairwell”, Chris Mason (Below The Stairs – Tales from the Cellar, Things In The Well)

“No Good Deed”, Angela Slatter (New Fears 1, Titan Books)

“Furtherest”, Kaaron Warren (Dark Screams Volume 7, Cemetery Dance)

BEST FANTASY SHORT STORY

“Hamelin’s Graves”, Freya Marske (Andromeda Spaceways Magazine #69)

“The Curse is Come Upon Me, Cried”, Tansy Rayner Roberts (Please Look After This Angel & Other Winged Stories, self-published)

“The Little Mermaid, in Passing”, Angela Slatter (Review of Australian Fiction Vol 22 Issue 1)

“Duplicity”, J Ashley Smith (Dimension6 #11)

“The Rainmaker Goddess, Hallowed Shaz”, Marlee Jane Ward (Feminartsy)

“Oona Underground”, Lili Wilkinson (Begin, End, Begin: A #LoveOzYA Anthology, HarperCollins Australia).

BEST FANTASY NOVELLA

The Book Club, Alan Baxter (PS Publishing)

“Remnants”, Nathan Burrage (Dimension6 #11, Coer de Lion)

“The Cunning Woman’s Daughter”, Kate Forsyth & Kim Wilkins (The Silver Well, Ticonderoga Publications)

In Shadows We Fall, Devin Madson (self-published)

“Braid”, Kirstyn McDermott (Review of Australian Fiction Vol 24 Issue 1)

Humanity for Beginners, Faith Mudge (Less Than Three Press)

BEST SCIENCE FICTION SHORT STORY

“The Missing Years”, Lyn Battersby (Andromeda Spaceways Magazine #66)

“A Little Faith”, Aiki Flinthart (Like a Woman, Mirren Hogan)

“Cards and Steel Hearts”, Pamela Jeffs (Lawless Lands: Tales from the Weird Frontier, Falstaff Books)

“One Small Step”, Amie Kaufman (Begin, End, Begin: A #LoveOzYA Anthology, HarperCollins Australia)

“Conversations with an Armoury” Garth Nix (Infinity Wars, Solaris)

“Hurk + Dav”, Arthur Robinson (Breach Issue #01)

BEST SCIENCE FICTION NOVELLA

“This Silent Sea”, Stephanie Gunn (Review of Australian Fiction Vol 24 Issue 6)

“I Can See the Ending”, Will Kostakis (Begin, End, Begin: A #LoveOzYA Anthology, HarperCollins Australia)

“The Wandering Library”, DK Mok (Ecopunk!, Ticonderoga Publications)

“Island Green”, Shauna O’Meara (Ecopunk!, Ticonderoga Publications)

Matters Arising from the Identification of the Body, Simon Petrie (Peggy Bright Books)

Girl Reporter, Tansy Rayner Roberts (Book Smugglers)

BEST COLLECTION

The Birdcage Heart & Other Strange Tales, Peter M Ball (Brain Jar Press)

The Silver Well, Kate Forsyth & Kim Wilkins (Ticonderoga Publications)

Beneath the Floating City, Donna Maree Hanson (self-published)

Singing My Sister Down and Other Stories, Margo Lanagan (Allen & Unwin)

Please Look After This Angel & Other Winged Stories, Tansy Rayner Roberts (self-published)

Perfect Little Stitches and Other Stories, Deborah Sheldon (IFWG Publishing Australia)

BEST ANTHOLOGY

Midnight Echo #12, Shane Jiraiya Cummings & Anthony Ferguson (eds.) (Australasian Horror Writers Association)

The Year’s Best Australian Fantasy and Horror 2015, Liz Grzyb & Talie Helene (eds.) (Ticonderoga Publications)

Dimension6: Annual Collection 2017, Keith Stevenson (ed.) (coeur de lion publishing)

Infinity Wars, Jonathan Strahan (ed.) (Rebellion/Solaris)

The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year: Volume 11, Jonathan Strahan (ed.) (Rebellion/Solaris)

BEST YOUNG ADULT NOVEL

In The Dark Spaces, Cally Black (Hardie Grant Egmont)

Ida, Alison Evans (Echo, Bonnier Publishing Australia)

Frogkisser!, Garth Nix (Allen & Unwin)

This Mortal Coil, Emily Suvada (Puffin UK)

Psynode, Marlee Jane Ward (Seizure)

The Undercurrent, Paula Weston (Text Publishing)

BEST HORROR NOVEL

Aletheia, J S Breukelaar (Crystal Lake Publishing)

Who’s Afraid Too?, Maria Lewis (Hachette Australia)

Soon, Lois Murphy (Transit Lounge)

BEST FANTASY NOVEL

Crossroads of Canopy, Thoraiya Dyer (Tor Books)

Gwen, Goldie Goldbloom (Fremantle Press)

Cassandra, Kathryn Gossow (Odyssey Books)

Godsgrave, Jay Kristoff (HarperCollins Publishers)

Gap Year In Ghost Town, Michael Pryor (Allen & Unwin)

Wellside, Robin Shortt (Candlemark & Gleam)

BEST SCIENCE FICTION NOVEL

Closing Down, Sally Abbott (Hachette Australia)

Terra Nullius, Claire G Coleman (Hachette Australia)

Year of the Orphan, Daniel Findlay (Penguin Random House Australia)

An Uncertain Grace, Krissy Kneen (Text Publishing)

From the Wreck, Jane Rawson (Transit Lounge)

Lotus Blue, Cat Sparks (Skyhorse)

 

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2017 Convenors’ Award for Excellence entries

Posted on January 10, 2018 by Tehani

Although it hasn’t always been the case, we feel it is appropriate to make the entries for the annual Convenors’ Award for Excellence public. There are several reasons for this:

  • There is no shortlist announced, so it feels right to recognise the entries;
  • These are items you may not otherwise have come across, so we’d like to make sure you know about them;
  • It may help people figure out what might be eligible in future.

It is very important to note that this list is NOT a shortlist – it is simply a list of the eligible entries we received for the Award this year (please note also that these can be self-nominated). The convenors consider all eligible entries in deciding the winner, but there is no shortlist generated, and only the winner will be presented at the ceremony.

A reminder what this award is for:

The Convenors’ Award for Excellence is awarded at the discretion of the convenors for a particular achievement in speculative fiction or related areas in that year that cannot otherwise by judged for the Aurealis Awards. 

This award can be given to a work of non-fiction, artwork, film, television, electronic or multimedia work, or one that brings credit or attention to the speculative fiction genres.

This year’s entries are:

All the Delicate Duplicates by Mez Breeze and Andy Campbell [The Space, Mez Breeze Design and One to One Development Trust – Dreaming Methods]

John, a single father, inherits a collection of arcane objects from his mysterious relative named Mo. Over time, John and his daughter Charlotte begin to realise that these objects have unusual properties: the more they are exposed to them, the more their reality and memories appear to change. All The Delicate Duplicates is a work of fiction that narratively toys with the concept of time, offering a series of windows into the lives of its characters. Through a PC game and a web-based short story, All The Delicate Duplicates constructs a glimpsing storyworld where perceptions are stretched beyond the ‘real’ as you think you know it – exploring places where time no longer feels stable or linear.

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA Deadlock by Black Lab Games (Paul Turbett, Anthony Sweet, Anthony Carriero) [Slitherine Software UK Ltd]

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA Deadlock is a turn-based strategy war game based on the hit SyFy television series, Battlestar Galactica. It was written and developed by Black Lab Games, a small development team in Perth, Western Australia, and published by international wargame specialists Slitherine Software UK.

Deadlock tells a brand new canonical story set during the First Cylon War. We worked with NBC Universal to create an experience that is authentic and true to the existing Battlestar Galactica lore, while exploring and carving out our own place inside of the epic timeline. We have worked hard to make sure the visuals, the audio, the storytelling and the gameplay are all authentic to the franchise, from the shaky-cam of the full battle replays, to the energetic soundtrack scored by local composer, Ash Gibson Greig.

Choices That Matter: And Their Souls Were Eaten by Felicity Banks, KG Tan, Phill Berrie [Tin Man Games]

And Their Souls Were Eaten” is a steampunk fantasy tale set in 1830s Europe. It is an excellent immersive adventure which requires a digital format to host intricate details that change with the reader’s choices. The (unnamed and ungendered) main character must come to terms with their own path, make allies, and develop their own unique magic in order to stop the rise of inhuman soulless monsters.

 

“Crossing genre: exemplars of literary speculative fiction” by Eugen Bacon [Aurealis]

This work of non-fiction spotlights the author’s fascination with genre bending. Crossing genre is blending writings, subverting the reader’s expectations. It is writing differently, stepping out of your comfort zone. Genre bending allows experimenting with unfamiliar genres. In highlighting exemplars in the works of Douglas Adams, Margaret Atwood, Harlan Ellison, Ursula Le Guin, J.R.R. Tolkien, H.G.Wells and William Golding, some of whom refuse to be labelled genre writers, the article casts a gaze on inspirational authors who integrate the literary into their speculative fiction works. Overall, this article on crossing genre offers stimulus to experimental authors who seek to deviate from genre writing today.

Earl Grey Editing by Elizabeth Fitzgerald  [website]

In addition to editing, Earl Grey Editing serves the Australian SFF community in a number of ways. Through the blog at Earl Grey Editing, Elizabeth regularly reviews work of Australian speculative fiction. Fornightly, she also gathers together news about awards, competitions, diversity and the SFF community. These posts assist in boosting the profile of Australian SFF and have been featured on Hugo-Award-winning blogs like File 770 and Lady Business.

Luminescent Threads: Connections to Octavia E. Butler edited by Alexandra Pierce & Mimi Mondal [Twelfth Planet Press]

Luminescent Threads is a thorough and broad presentation of the legacy and impact of Octavia E Butler on the SF field, on Black writers and other writers of colour, and on female writers. In parts academic and others deeply emotional, Luminescent Threads is a significant contribution to the non fiction of our genre.

“Neuroscience in Science Fiction: Brain Augmentation in an Increasingly Futuristic World” by Claire Fitzpatrick [Aurealis]

I’ve always had an interest in neuroscience because of my epilepsy, and wanted to examine the mystery of the brain, the idea of the cognitive ‘veto’ of free will, and literature which explores scientific experiments concerning the enhancement and anomalies of the brain. I explore Mary Shelly’s ‘Frankenstein,’ Isobelle Carmody’s ‘Obernewtyn,’ and ‘Slan’ by A.W. van Vogt.

“New Writers Unearthed: An Interview with Maddison Stoff / New Writers Unearthed: An Interview with Faith Mudge” by Eugen Bacon [Andromeda Spaceways]

Eugen Bacon features two female voices in New Writers Unearthed for Andromeda Spaceways Magazine Issue #69 (December 2017). In the articles Bacon brings attention to Maddison Stoff, a transgender, autistic writer whose works are off-the-wall and entertaining while addressing real-world political or philosophical ideas, and to Faith Mudge, a writer with a penchant for queer writing and a passion for fantasy, folk tales and mythology. In her interview of these two artists, Bacon illuminates female writers of speculative fiction and exposes insights on approaches to writing from a gender perspective.

Non-fiction contributions by Matthew Cropley [Grimdark Magazine]

Matthew has been creating engaging non-fiction articles to help explore and expand the grimdark SFF sub-genre. He’s a young, intelligent, and generous young South Australian, always keen to delve deep into what makes our sub-genre so appealing to so many fans. Matthew engages experts in other fields to create stronger non-fiction, and has recently teamed up with another young South Australian, Victoria Bridgland, to match his writing skill (he’s the Program Assistant at the SA Writer’s Centre) and passion for the grimdark sub-genre to her studies in psychology (Bachelor of Psychology with Honours, Flinders University) to explore the psychology of those who enjoy grimdark fiction. Matthew is also currently working on a journalistic piece to explore the new relationship between self publishers, agents, and traditional publishers being created by author Mark Lawrence’s Self Published Fantasy Blog Off, which is creating new ways for fantasy authors (primarily dark and grimdark) to connect their works with traditional publishers, bloggers, and larger audiences. For such a young man, Matt’s infectious passion and ability is an inspiration. His work is engaging, insightful, and forward-looking. This young man is going to great things in this industry, built on an already glowing and growing foundation of work.

 

“Ray Bradbury: His Writings and Legacy” by Eugen Bacon [Aurealis]

This work of non-fiction brings to fore the prolific work of renowned American speculative fiction writer Ray Bradbury, who wrote across genres. Casting a spotlight on the inexhaustible writer and his infinite passion, notwithstanding his gradual rise to fame, the article heightens awareness of cross genre writing and non-conformism, themes that thrived in Bradbury’s notoriety. In highlighting how Bradbury broke from tradition, from established genre convention, to become a revolutionary author whose speculative fiction re-examined classical humanist themes, the article promotes the power of storytelling, ‘damn the rules, as Bradbury would put it. The article pays attention to the inexhaustible writer and his infinite passion, thus offering Bradbury’s sense of joy in his approach to speculative fiction as his grandest bequest to experimental authors who seek to deviate from genre writing today.

Red Blood on White Snow book trailer by Kiona DeSouza-McNamara

This work has been nominated because it has been soley filmed, edited, lighting and soundtrack all done by one person. She began doing it when she was 16 years and completed it at 17 years old. The clip accurately and cleverly depicts key themes in the book and emphasises metaphors used to depict emotional content of speculative fiction.

The Body Horror Book by Claire Fitzpatrick [Oscillate Wildly Press]

Drawing from horror visionaries such as Clive Barker, David Cronenberg, and Mark Powell, including introspective analysis of films such as ‘Tusk,’ ‘The Fly,’ ‘Hellraiser,’ and ‘Eat,’ The Body Horror Book is a non-fiction exploration of the monstrous aspect of the human form. By exploring the literary trope of the carnival and the grotesque, and how the state of cultural and political affairs dictate the monsters created within fiction and film, The Body Horror Book is designed to educate, terrify, intrigue, and beguile, if you dare to enter the rabbit hole…

The Dark of the City by Mark Healy and Rowan Salt [Hibernal]

Mark R. Healy is the Bestselling author of the ‘Distant Suns’ series and to date has published ten novels, as well as numerous short stories. He is also known as the creator of the sci-fi audio project ‘Hibernal’. Together with collaborator Rowan Salt, they have released four acclaimed albums. Hibernal combines elements of audiobooks, progressive rock and cinema to create a unique experience for the listener. With a strong focus on storytelling and atmosphere, Hibernal interweaves spoken word with instrumental music pieces to tell a compelling storyline that unfolds throughout the course of the album. Each Hibernal album features an original sci-fi story written by Mark and edited by Rowan. Mark and Rowan compose, record and produce the score; audition and direct the professional voice talent; develop sound effects and atmospherics to embellish the narrative; and coordinate associated album artwork.

On January 12, 2017, Hibernal released ‘The Dark of the City’, a tale that revolves around a cop who undertakes a relentless search for the creature that killed her partner. The album has been lauded as Hibernal’s most accomplished work to date.

The Fictional Mother by Tansy Rayner Roberts [self-published]

A collection of non-fiction essays combining personal memoir with pop culture and science fictional themes.

 

The Grief Hole Illustrated: An Artist’s Sketchbook Companion to Kaaron Warren’s Supernatural Thriller by Keely Van Order [IFWG Publishing Australia]

Keely Van Order was asked to provide artwork (internal and cover) and cover design for Kaaron Warren’s novel, The Grief Hole. It became evident early in this professional relationship that she wanted to capture the spirit and essence of Kaaron’s work to a very deep degree, and spent hours with Kaaron, and produced numerous alternative illustrations, variations of existing, and dozens of ‘mood illustrations’. Not only did this give us the enviable task of choosing among many illustrations for the six that would be published in The Grief Hole, but their insightful quality significantly enhanced Kaaron’s work. It did not take me long to decide to publish Keely’s journey – not just the illustrations. I wanted it in a large, hardback format, with approximately 75 high print quality pages. Nick Stathopoulos, award winning artist, was so taken by this project that he agreed to write an introduction, emphasising that a ‘journey book’ such as Keely’s, is a rare glimpse into the artistic process. Keely’s book isn’t just a set of wonderful, creepy illustrations, and a journal of Keely’s journey. It is also a unique insight into Kaaron Warren’s novel, and deservedly should be considered a ‘sketchbook companion’ to Kaaron Warren’s novel.

 

The Original Fantasy: A Practical Guide to Writing Genre by Emily Craven [Craven Publishing]

The guide aims to draw attention to honing SFF genre works using real-life examples from the mentorship and Isobelle Carmody’s razor sharp storytelling skills. The primary audience being emerging speculative fiction authors who have had dwindling opportunities to refine their skills (due to the cancelling of intensive workshops such as Clarion South) and hence get publication with polished works. Emily Craven details the lessons she learnt during her twelve-month mentorship with award-winning author Isobelle Carmody. Emily has included dozens of examples of her original passages, along with Isobelle’s insightful comments. An award-winning publisher and author in her own right, Emily simplifies and demystifies the complexities of writing and editing your novel.

“The Politics of Retelling NORSE MYTHOLOGY” by Lisa L. Hannett [The Atlantic]

This 2,500 word article, published in The Atlantic at the end of February this year, reviews Neil Gaiman’s NORSE MYTHOLOGY while also engaging with some of the controversies surrounding the publication of this book (e.g. cultural appropriation) and providing a thorough but accessible overview of the Old Norse sagas, myths, and the history that inspired Gaiman’s work. This piece weds discussions of historical research, popular culture, and mythology with a fair review of a highly-anticipated new book. In doing so, it succinctly tackles a few giant subjects in the field of speculative fiction – Gaiman, stories about Norse gods, and literary criticism – all in one very readable article. The Atlantic magazine has a long and prestigious history (it has been published in the United States since 1857); the print edition has over 500,000 subscribers, and the online edition several times that many readers. ‘The Politics of Retelling NORSE MYTHOLOGY’ was published late on a Friday night (Australian time) and in less than two days, it had been shared over 6,000 times on Facebook alone (Neil Gaiman even shared it himself, and had very nice things to say about it!).

 

 

 

 

“When Too Much Pleasure Is Never Enough: An Exploration Of Hedonism” by Claire Fitzpatrick [Aurealis]

My article explores the pursuit of pleasure using Clive Barker’s ‘The Hellbound Heart’, and HBO’s ‘Westworld’, ‘Lights Out In Wonderland’ by DBC Pierre – contrasting the texts against philosophical Epicureanism and John Stuart Mill’s Utilitarianism. The aim is to explore hedonism through a philosophical viewpoint in a contemporary, educational way.

 

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LAST DAY TO ENTER THE 2017 AUREALIS AWARDS!

Posted on December 7, 2017 by Tehani

This is it! Entries close at midnight TONIGHT! Final chance to enter (and your final reminder!)

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