SF Site News

British Fantasy Award Nominations

Steven H Silver — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:55:53 +0000

The nominations for the British Fantasy Awards have been announced. The winners will be announced at World Fantasy Con in Brighton on 3 November 2013.

Best Fantasy Novel (the Robert Holdstock Award)

Blood and Feathers, by Lou Morgan
The Brides of Rollrock Island, by Margo Lanagan
Railsea, by China Miéville
Red Country, by Joe Abercrombie
Some Kind of Fairy Tale, by Graham Joyce

Best Horror Novel (the August Derleth Award)

The Drowning Girl, by Caitlin R. Kiernan
The Kind Folk, by Ramsey Campbell
Last Days, by Adam Nevill
Silent Voices, by Gary McMahon
Some Kind of Fairy Tale, by Graham Joyce

Best Novella

Curaré, by Michael Moorcock
Eyepennies, by Mike O’Driscoll
The Nine Deaths of Dr Valentine, by John Llewellyn Probert
The Respectable Face of Tyranny, by Gary Fry

Best Short Story

“Our Island,” by Ralph Robert Moore
“Shark! Shark!” by Ray Cluley
“Sunshine,” by Nina Allan
“Wish for a Gun,” by Sam Sykes

Best Collection

From Hell to Eternity, by Thana Niveau
Remember Why You Fear Me, by Robert Shearman
Where Furnaces Burn, by Joel Lane
The Woman Who Married a Cloud, by Jonathan Carroll

Best Anthology

A Town Called Pandemonium, edited by Anne C. Perry and Jared Shurin
Magic: an Anthology of the Esoteric and Arcane, edited by Jonathan Oliver
The Mammoth Book of Ghost Stories by Women, edited by Marie O’Regan
Terror Tales of the Cotswolds, edited by Paul Finch

Best Small Press (the PS Publishing Independent Press Award)

ChiZine Publications
Gray Friar Press
Spectral Press
TTA Press

Best Non-Fiction

Ansible, by David Langford
The Cambridge Companion to Fantasy Literature, edited by Edward James and Farah Mendlesohn
Coffinmaker’s Blues, by Stephen Volk
Fantasy Faction, edited by Marc Aplin
Pornokitsch, edited by Anne C. Perry and Jared Shurin
Reflections: On the Magic of Writing, by Diana Wynne Jones

Best Magazine/Periodical

Black Static, edited by Andy Cox
Interzone, edited by Andy Cox
SFX, edited by David Bradley
Shadows and Tall Trees, edited by Michael Kelly

Best Artist

Ben Baldwin
David Rix
Les Edwards
Sean Phillips
Vincent Chong

Best Comic/Graphic Novel

Dial H, China Miéville, Mateus Santolouco, David Lapham, and Riccardo Burchielli
Saga, Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples
The Unwritten, by Mike Carey, Peter Gross, Gary Erskine, Gabriel Hernández Walta, M.K. Perker, Vince Locke, and Rufus Dayglo
The Walking Dead, by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard

Best Screenplay

Avengers Assemble, by Joss Whedon
Sightseers, by Alice Lowe, Steve Oram and Amy Jump
The Cabin in the Woods, by Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson, and Guillermo del Toro

Best Newcomer (the Sydney J. Bounds Award)

Alison Moore, for The Lighthouse
Anne Lyle, for The Alchemist of Souls
E.C. Myers, for Fair Coin
Helen Marshall, for Hair Side, Flesh Side
Kim Curran, for Shift
Lou Morgan, for Blood and Feathers
Molly Tanzer, for A Pretty Mouth
Saladin Ahmed, for Throne of the Crescent Moon
Stephen Bacon, for Peel Back the Sky
Stephen Blackmoore, for City of the Lost

For more information…

Obituary: Dennis Dolbear

Steven H Silver — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:33:06 +0000

Louisiana fan Dennis Dolbear died on June 17 from pneumonia and septicemia. Dolbear and Peter Bezbek took over as editors of NOSFAn after Guy Lillian stepped down as editor. Active in convention running, Dolbear was on the NOLAcon II staff in 1988. When not participating in fanac, Dolbear worked as an attorney.

Bram Stoker Winners

Steven H Silver — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 12:07:40 +0000

The Horror Writers of America announced the winners of the Bram Stoker Awards at the Stoker Weekend in New Orleans, Louisiana, on June 15.

Superior Achievement in a Novel: The Drowning Girl, by Caitlín R. Kiernan
Superior Achievement in a First Novel: Life Rage, by L.L. Soares
Superior Achievement in a Young Adult Novel: Flesh & Bone, by Jonathan Maberry
Superior Achievement in a Graphic Novel: Witch Hunts: A Graphic History of the Burning Times, by Rocky Wood and Lisa Morton
Superior Achievement in Long Fiction: The Blue Heron, by Gene O’Neill
Superior Achievement in Short Fiction: “Magdala Amygdala,” by Lucy Snyder
Superior Achievement in a Screenplay: The Cabin in the Woods, by Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard
Superior Achievement in an Anthology: Shadow Show, edited by Mort Castle and Sam Weller
Superior Achievement in a Fiction Collection: New Moon on the Water, by Mort Castle; Black Dahlia and White Rose: Stories, by Joyce Carol Oates
Superior Achievement in Non-Fiction: Trick or Treat: A History of Halloween, by Lisa Morton
Superior Achievement in a Poetry Collection: Vampires, Zombies & Wanton Souls, by Marge Simon
Lifetime Achievement Award: Robert R McCammon and Clive Barker
The Specialty Press Award: Jerad Walters of Centipede Press.
The Silver Hammer Award, for outstanding service to HWA: Charles Day
The President’s Richard Laymon Service Award: James Chambers.

For more information…

DUFF Is Wright

Steven H Silver — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 15:01:25 +0000

Bill Wright won DUFF (the Down Under Fan Fund) over Clare McDonald-Sims. In a close race, Wright received 66 votes to McDonald-Sims’s 64. A total of 133 votes were cast, with the remaining split between “No Preference” and “Hold Over.” Wright will travel to North America to attend LoneStarCon 3, this year’s Worldcon.

Campbell and Sturgeon Winners

Steven H Silver — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 12:29:24 +0000

The winners of the Campbell and Sturgeon Awards were announced on June 14 at the Campbell Conference in Lawrence Kansas. Both are juried awards, with the Campbell being presented for the Best SF Novel and the Sturgeon for Best Short Story. The presentation will be held at Lawrence, Kansas.

John W. Campbell Award: Jack Glass, by Adam Roberts
Theodore Sturgeon Award: “The Grinnell Method,” by Molly Gloos

For more information…

Lifeboat to the Stars Winner

Steven H Silver — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 12:21:32 +0000

The winner of the first Lifeboat to the Stars was announced on June 14 as part of the Campbell Conference in Lawrence, KS. Kevin J. Anderson and Steve Savile won the award, which is presented for the best work of science fiction of any length published in 2011 or 2012 contributing to an understanding of the benefits, means, and difficulties of interstellar travel, for their book Tau Ceti. The award was ~~created by Robert J. Sawyer~~ suggested by SFWA Grandmasters James Gunn and Frederik Pohl, and created by Eric Klien of the Lifeboat Foundation. Robert J. Sawyer served as coordinating judge.

For more information about the Lifeboat Foundation…
For more information about the Campbell Conference…

Edited: To correct the final statement per Rob Sawyer’s remarks in the comments.

Details of Gagarin’s Death Revealed

Steven H Silver — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 14:25:19 +0000

After many years of fighting with the bureaucracy over the official story regarding the death of Yuri Gagarin in 1968, Alexei Leonov has been given permission to discuss the formerly classified findings surrounding Gargarin’s death. The official story was that Gagarin, the first man in space, went into a tailspin while trying to avoid a foreign object during a training flight. According to Leonov, another pilot flew too close to Gagarin’s plane and Gagarin responded to avoid hitting the other pilot, which caused the fatal crash which killed Gagarin and flight instructor Vladimir Seryogi. Under the agreement Leonov has made to reveal what he has, he is not permitted to release the name of the other pilot, who is still alive.

For more information…

XB-1 Shuts Down

Steven H Silver — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 23:29:56 +0000

Czech SF magazine XB-1 has announced that it will cease publication with their June issue. XB-1 was founded in 2010 following the demise of Ikarie, however, it has fallen afoul of the current economic crisis, along with a lack of advertisers. The magazine published original stories as well as translations of English language stories.

For more information..

Obituary: Maxine Stuart

Steven H Silver — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 03:18:51 +0000

Actress Maxine Stuart (b. Maxine Shlivek 1918) died on June 6. Stuart may have been best known for her role of General Hospital, but she also appeared on Peyton Place, The Rousters, and Chicago Hope. She appeared in the “Eye of the Beholder” episode of The Twilight Zone and “The Man Who Was Never Born” episode of The Outer Limits. In the 1960s, she was friends with Helene Hanff, author of 84 Charring Cross Road and was portrayed in the film version by Jean De Baer.

Lambda Winners

Steven H Silver — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 18:34:40 +0000

The Lambda Award winners of LGBTQ fiction, were announced in New York on June 3. The following three categories had winners of genre interest.

LGBT Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror: Green Thumb, by Tom Cardamone
LGBT Anthology: No Straight Lines: Four Decades of Queer Comics, Edited by Justin Hall
LGBT Children’s/Young Adult: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, by Benjamin Alire Saenz

For more information…

The Wookiee Wins

Steven H Silver — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 18:27:55 +0000

Actor Peter Mayhew, who is best known for his role as Chewbacca in the Star Wars films, was recently stopped at a TSA inspection site at Denver and had his cane, designed to look like a light saber, examined by TSA Agents. According to the TSA, the cane deserved special attention because it was heavier than a standard cane. The cane was released back to Mayhew within five minutes, according to a TSA spokesperson.

For more information…

Obituary: Thomas Cockcroft

Steven H Silver — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 18:21:02 +0000

New Zealand Fan and bibliographer Thomas George Cockcroft (b.1926) died on April 12. Cockcroft published an index to the Weird Fiction Magazines in 1962 under the name T. G. L. Cockcroft. Cockcroft also wrote for fanzines and other magazines and corresponded with fans of weird fiction from around the world.

Obituary: Eileen Tuuri

Steven H Silver — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 18:07:22 +0000

Fan Eileen Tuuri (b.1959) died on April 30. Tuuri was active in Arizona and Canadian fandom and a frequent attendee at Westercon. She had a love of Star Wars, which drew her to fandom, and costuming. She also used her creative streak to knit and make dollhouse furniture.

Obituary: Iain M. Banks

Steven H Silver — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 20:03:54 +0000

Author Iain M. Banks (b.1954) died on June 9. Banks was diagnosed with terminal cancer at the beginning of April. Banks began publishing in 1984 with the novel The Wasp Factory and over several years published the Culture novels. His first science fiction novel, Consider Phlebas, was published in 1987. Banks won ther British Science Fiction Award for his novels Feersum Endjinn and Excession. He was announced as the Guest of Honor for Loncon 3. His final novel, The Quarry, will be published later this month.

Actress Charged in Ricin Attack

Steven H Silver — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 01:48:16 +0000

Actress Shannon Richardson, who also goes by the name Shannon Guess, has been charged in mailing ricin to President Obama, Mayor Bloomberg, and a gun-control group Bloomberg is involved with. Richardson originally called the FBI to inform that that her estranged husband had sent the ricin, but she was taken into custody recently and has apparently admitted to sending it herself. Richardson has appeared in episodes of The Vampire Diaries and The Walking Dead.

For more information…

Rabe Resigns

Steven H Silver — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 13:41:45 +0000

Jean Rabe has resigned as the editor of SFWA Bulletin. Rabe joined the Bulletin as its business manager during Russell Davis’s tenure and was promoted to editor after John Scalzi was elected president. Her resignation comes on the heels of a series of controversies concerning content of four consecutive issues. Even before Rabe resigned, Scalzi announced the formation of a task force to look at the Bulletin‘s content and purpose.

Obituary: John A. Ware

Steven H Silver — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 13:28:45 +0000

Agent John A. Ware (b. c.1942) died on April 27. He began his career as an editor at Doubleday for eight years before joining Curtis Brown as an agent. He left Curtis Brown in 1978 and formed his own agency, The John A. Ware Agency, which represented Tony Daniel and Jack Womack. Some of his non-fiction authors include Jon Krakauer and Jennifer Niven. While at Doubleday, Ware taught an industry-wide editorial workshop at NYU for seven years.

Obituary: Hugh Daniel

Steven H Silver — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 12:38:43 +0000

Fan Hugh Daniel died on June 3 of an apparent heart attack. Daniel had a strong interest in spaceflight and working in computers, trying to bring the future closer to the present. He worked on Project Xanadu, the first hypertext and helped set up the WELL. His interest in spaceflight led him to briefly work for Starstruck, which built three rockets and successfully launched one suborbitally. He was the fan guest of honor at Windycon 38 in 2011.

Matheson Skips WFC

Steven H Silver — Sun, 02 Jun 2013 00:30:23 +0000

Richard Matheson has announced that he will regretfully have to miss World Fantasy Convention
2013 because of ongoing health concerns. Matheson was named Honourary Guest of Honour for this year’s convention, which is scheduled to be held in Brighton, UK over the weekend of October 31-November 3. Matheson will remain a Honorary Guest of Honour at this year’s convention, and there will still be programming to celebrate his work.

For more information…

Matt Smith Regenerates

Steven H Silver — Sun, 02 Jun 2013 00:26:45 +0000

The BBC has announced that Matt Smith will be leaving Doctor Who during this year’s Christmas Special, shortly after appearing in the 50th anniversary episode in November. Rumors over a possible Smith departure have been rife for some time. Smith took over the role from David Tenant in 2010 and has appeared alongside companions played by Karen Gillan (Amy Pond), Arthur Darvill (Rory Williams), Alex Kingston (River Song), James Corden (Craig), and Jenna-Louise Coleman (Clara Oswin Oswald). Smith’s replacement has not yet been announced.

For more information…

Obituary: Jean Stapleton

Steven H Silver — Sat, 01 Jun 2013 22:51:44 +0000

Actress Jean Stapleton (b.1923) died on May 31. Best known for her portrayal of Edith Bunker on All in the Family, Stapleton had previously appeared in the original stage production and subsequent film of the musical Damn Yankees!. Other works of genre interest she appeared in include Michael, an episode of Ray Bradbury Theatre, Ghost Mom, and was executive producer of the SF film Seed.

Obituary: Gary Hayes

Steven H Silver — Fri, 31 May 2013 18:51:03 +0000

Tucson fan Gary Hayes died on May 29 following an heart attack. Hayes was active in the Arizona convention scene, creating several covers and badges for TusCon, the local convention. He also worked security for the convention. Hayes was a fan of steampunk, and one of his hobbies was creating steampunk artifacts and weapons.

Obituary: Andrew Greeley

Steven H Silver — Thu, 30 May 2013 15:12:05 +0000

Author Andrew Greeley (b.1928) died on May 29. Greeley, a priest, turned his attention to writing fiction, with a large oeuvre of mysteries as well as some novels and short stories classified as fantasy and science fiction. His novel God Game is about a priest who enters a fantasy world based on a computer game. His novel The Final Planet is a planetary exploration tale and he edited the anthology Sacred Visions with Michael Cassutt and Martin H. Greenberg.

Obituary: Howard Rosenblum

Steven H Silver — Thu, 30 May 2013 12:22:48 +0000

British fan Howard Rosenblum died on May 26 following a battle with pancreatic cancer. Rosenblum, the soon of Mike Rosenblum, is credited with being Britain’s first second-generation fan. he published the fanzine Son of New Futurian beginning in 1968 and running until 1977. Rosenblum was also an avid con attendee.

Obituary: Jack Vance

Steven H Silver — Wed, 29 May 2013 19:45:03 +0000

Author Jack Vance (b.1916, John Holbrook Vance) died on May 26. Vance debuted with the story “The World-Thinker” in Thrilling Wonder Stories in 1945. He went on to have a lengthy career, notable for his novels in the Dying Earth, Lyonesse, and Demon Princes cycles. He received the Hugo Award for his novella The Dragon Masters and for his autobiography This Is Me, Jack Vance!. His story “The Last Castle” won both the Hugo and Nebula Award. In 1992, Vance was the Guest of Honor at the Worldcon in Orlando and he was named an SFWA Grand Master in 1997. Vance has also received a Lifetime Achievement World Fantasy Award. In addition to his science fiction and fantasy, Vance published mysteries under his full name.

Obituary: Jerry Wright

Steven H Silver — Wed, 29 May 2013 19:11:57 +0000

Editor Jerry Wright (b.1946) died in May after a battle with cancer. Wright was one of the founding editors and publishers of the webzine Bewildering Stories in 2002. Wright has written poetry and reviews in addition to publishing Bewildering Stories.

Library Seeks Hulk

Steven H Silver — Wed, 29 May 2013 14:38:57 +0000

The Northlake (IL) Public Library is holding a crowdsourcing project to purchase and install a 9-foot tall statue of the Incredible Hulk at the library. The funds would also be used to increase the size of the library’s graphic novel collection and to build an interactive station that includes an iMac with a drawing pad, Cintiq interactive pen display, a 3D printer, and a Artograph Light Tracer Elite. The library’s goal is $30,000 by June 9.

For more information…

SuperInsulation

Steven H Silver — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:12:30 +0000

While fixing up a house he purchased in Elbow Lake, MN for $10,000, David Gonzalez ripped out a wall and discovered an original copy of Action #1, which introduced Superman being used for insulation. Although its condition has been ranked at only 1.5 on a 10 point scale, the comic has already achieved a bid of $127,000 with 19 more days to go before the auction ends. While most known issues of Action #1 have changed hands many times, this issue has not, which adds to its mystique. The auction ends on June 11.
For more information…

Obituary: Laurence Haddon

Steven H Silver — Thu, 23 May 2013 15:16:58 +0000

Actor Laurence Haddon (b.1922) died on May 10. Haddon appeared in episodes of Knight Rider, The Greatest American Hero, The Incredible Hulk, and the short-lived My Living Doll.

Obituary: Steve Forrest

Steven H Silver — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:47:09 +0000

Actor Steve Forrest (b.1924, as William Andrews) died on May 18. Forrest, the younger brother of actor Dana Andrews, appeared in several science fiction and horror television shows, including episodes of The Twilight Zone, Rod Serling’s Night Gallery, Circle of Fear, and Team Knight Rider. His films included Amazon Women on the Moon and Phantom of the Rue Morgue. He won a Golden Globe in 1954 for Most Promising Newcomer and in 1982, he “won” a Razzie for Worst Supporting Actor. He may have been best known for his role on S.W.A.T.

Doctor Who Wins Peabody Award

Steven H Silver — Thu, 23 May 2013 11:35:19 +0000

Doctor Who won a George Foster Peabody Award, one of the highest awards given for American television. The award, which was accepted by Steven Moffat, Matt Smith, and Jenna-Louise Coleman, was presented for “evolving with technology and the times like nothing else in the known television universe.”

For more information…

Compton Crook Winner

Steven H Silver — Thu, 23 May 2013 11:31:01 +0000

Myke Cole won this year’s Compton Crook Award for best first novel for his book Shadow Ops: Control Point. The award comes with a prize of $1,000 and the winner will be treated as a guest of honor for two consecutive Balticons. A plaque will be presented to Cole at Balticon at 8:00pm on Friday, May 24, 2013.

For more information…

Obituary: Richard Thorpe

Steven H Silver — Wed, 22 May 2013 14:26:45 +0000

Actor Richard Thorpe (b.1932) died on May 22. Thorpe is best known for his lengthy role on Emmerdale, but also appeared in an episode of Timeslip. He played Sir Gareth in the film Sword of Lancelot and also appeared in the horror film Melody in the Dark.

Obituary: Mike Gray

Steven H Silver — Mon, 20 May 2013 15:10:21 +0000

Producer Mike Gray (b.1935) died on April 30. Gray served as a producer and director for the 1986 television series Starman, based on the film of the same title. He also produced thirteen episodes of the series Star Trek: The Next Generation. In addition to writing for both of those series, Gray co-wrote the influential film The China Syndrome.

Obituary: Christine White

Steven H Silver — Mon, 20 May 2013 15:04:10 +0000

Actress Christine White (b.1932) died on April 14. White appeared in two episodes of The Twilight Zone, playing Kitty Cavanaugh in “The Prime Mover” and Julia Wilson, William Shatner’s seatmate, in “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet.” She also appeared in the Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond adaptation of The Haunting.

Asimov’s and Analog Poll Winners

Steven H Silver — Sun, 19 May 2013 07:49:26 +0000

The winners of the Analog Science Fiction and Fact Analytical Laboratory Winners and the Asimov’s Readers’ Poll were announced at the Dell Magazines breakfast on Saturday, March 18 in San Jose, CA as part of the Nebula Weekend.

Analog Science Fiction and Fact Analytical Laboratory Winners

Best Novella: “Nightfall on the Peak of Eternal Light,” by Richard A. Lovett & William Gleason
Best Novelette: “Ninety Thousand Horses,” by Sean McMullen
Best Short Story: “Titanium Soul,” by Catherine Shaffer
Best Fact: “Faster Than a Speeding Photon,” by Edward M. Lerner
Best Cover: October 2012 by Michael Whelan

Asimov’s Readers’ Poll

Best Novella: “Murder Born,” by Robert Reed
Best Novelette: “The Way of the Needle,” by Derek Künsken
Best Short Story: “Final Exam,” by Megan Arkenberg; “Sexy Robot Mom,” by Sandra McDonald
Best Poem: “Future History,” by Joe Haldeman
Best Cover Artist: Laura Diehl

Aurealis Awards

Steven H Silver — Sun, 19 May 2013 07:43:48 +0000

The Aurealis Awards winners were announced May 18, 2013 in North Sydney, Australia. Next year’s awards will be in Canberra.

Fantasy Novel: Sea Hearts, by Margo Lanagan
Fantasy Short Story: “Bajazzle,” by Margo Lanagan
Science Fiction Novel: The Rook, by Daniel O’Malley
Science Fiction Short Story: “Significant Dust,” by Margo Lanagan
Horror Novel: Perfections, by Kirstyn McDermott
Horror Short Story: “Sky,” by Kaaron Warren
Young Adult Novel: Dead, Actually, by Kaz Delaney; and Sea Hearts, by Margo Lanagan
Young Adult Short Story: “The Wisdom of the Ants,” by Thoraiya Dyer
Children’s Fiction (told primarily through words): Brotherband: The Hunters, by John Flanagan
Children’s Fiction (told primarily through pictures): Little Elephants, by Graeme Base
Illustrated Book/Graphic Novel: Blue, by Pat Grant
Anthology: The Best Science Fiction & Fantasy of the Year Volume 6, edited by Jonathan Strahan
Collection: That Book Your Mad Ancestor Wrote, by K. J. Bishop
2012 Peter McNamara Convenors’ Award for Excellence: Kate Eltham
2012 Kris Hembury Encouragement Awards: Laura Goodin

For more information…

Nebula Awards Presented

Steven H Silver — Sun, 19 May 2013 06:51:24 +0000

SFWA presented the 48th annual Nebula Awards in San Jose, CA on May 18. In addition to the Nebula Awards, SFWA also presented the Solstice Awards, the Kevin O’Donnell Service to SFWA Award, the Damon Knight Grand Master Award, the Andre Norton Award, and the Ray Bradbury Award.

Best Novel: 2312, by Kim Stanley Robinson
Best Novella: After the Fall, Before the Fall, During the Fall, by Nancy Kress
Best Novelette: “Close Encounters,” by Andy Duncan
Best Short Story: “Immersion,” by Aliette de Bodard
Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy: Fair Coin, by E. C. Myers
Ray Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation: Beasts of the Southern Wild, written by Lucy Alibar and Benh Zeitlin, directed by Benh Zeitlin
Solstice Award: Ginjer Buchanan and Carl Sagan
Kevin J. O’Donnell Service to SFWA Award: Michael H. Payne
Damon Knight Grand Master Award: Gene Wolfe

Changes at Spectrum

Steven H Silver — Fri, 17 May 2013 20:21:42 +0000

After twenty years of editing Spectrum Fantastic Art Annual, Cathy and Arnie Fenner have announced their plans to turn the book over to John Fleskes, of Flesk Publications, with volume 21. Fleskes will handle the judging process and publication of the annual book.

For more information…

Obituary: Aubrey Woods

Steven H Silver — Wed, 15 May 2013 13:26:40 +0000

Actor Aubrey Woods (b.1928) died on May 7. Woods is best known for his role as the candy store owner in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, but the following year, he also portrayed the Controller in the Doctor Who serial “Day of the Daleks.” He also appeared in an episode of Blakes 7 and the film The Abominable Dr. Phibes. In addition to his roles in film and television, Woods had a long career on the British stage.

Mythopoeic Nominees Announced

Steven H Silver — Tue, 14 May 2013 19:27:53 +0000

The nominees for the Mythopoeic Awards have been announced. In addition to fiction awards for adult and children’s literature, the awards also recognize scholarship in fantasy literature and Inkling studies. The winners of this year’s awards will be announced during Mythcon 44, during the weekend of July 12-15, in East Lansing, Michigan.

Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Adult Literature

Weirdstone trilogy, consisting of The Weirdstone of Brisingamen, The Moon of Gomrath, and Boneland, by Alan Garner
The Drowning Girl, by Caitlin R. Kiernan
Death and Resurrection, by R.A. MacAvoy
Hide Me Among the Graves, by Tim Powers
Digger, vols. 1-6, by Ursula Vernon

Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children’s Literature

Giants Beware!, by Jorge Aguirre and Rafael Rosado
Vessel , by Sarah Beth Durst
The Princess Curse , by Merrie Haskell
The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom, by Christopher Healy
The Spy Princess, by Sherwood Smith

Mythopoeic Scholarship Award in Inklings Studies

C.S. Lewis and the Middle Ages, Robert Boenig
C.S. Lewis, Poetry, and the Great War 1914-1918, by John Bremer
Tolkien and the Study of His Sources: Critical Essays, edited by Jason Fisher
Green Suns and Faërie: Essays on J.R.R. Tolkien, by Verlyn Flieger
Exploring J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, by Corey Olsen

Mythopoeic Scholarship Award in Myth and Fantasy Studies

Song of the Vikings: Snorri and the Making of Norse Myths, by Nancy Marie Brown
Fairy Tale Queens: Representations of Early Modern Queenship, by Jo Eldridge Carney
The Christian Goddess: Archetype and Theology in the Fantasies of George MacDonald, by Bonnie Gaarden
As If: Modern Enchantment and the Literary Prehistory of Virtual Reality, by Michael Saler
Critical Discourses of the Fantastic, 1712-1831, by David Sandner

For more information…

Campbell and Sturgeon Finalists

Steven H Silver — Mon, 13 May 2013 18:54:50 +0000

The nominees for the John W. Campbell, Jr. Memorial Award and the Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award have been announced. The Campbell award is given for a novel, the Sturgeon for a short story. Both awards will be presented during the Campbell Conference, to be held July 13-16, 2013 at the Oread Hotel in Lawrence KS.

John W. Campbell, Jr. Memorial Award Nominees

The Hydrogen Sonata, by Iain M. Banks
Any Day Now, by Terry Bisson
Existence, by David Brin
The Rapture of the Nerds, by Cory Doctorow & Charles Stross
Empty Space, by M. John Harrison
Intrusion, by Ken MacLeod
Railsea, by China Miéville
The Fractal Prince, by Hannu Rajaniemi
Blue Remembered Earth, by Alastair Reynolds
Jack Glass: The Story of a Murderer, by Adam Roberts
2312, by Kim Stanley Robinson
Slow Apocalypse, by John Varley
Alif the Unseen, by G. Willow Wilson

Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award Nominees

“Things Greater Than Love,” by Kate Bachus
“Immersion,” by Aliette de Bodard
“Scattered Along the River of Heaven,” by Aliette de Bodard
“The Grinnell Method,” by Molly Gloss
After the Fall, Before the Fall, During the Fall, by Nancy Kress
“The Weight of History, the Lightness of the Future,” by Jay Lake
“The Bookmaking Habits of Select Species,” by Ken Liu
“Mono No Aware,” by Ken Liu
“Nahiiku West,” by Linda Nagata
Eater of Bone, by Robert Reed
“The Peak of Eternal Light,” by Bruce Sterling
“(To See the Other) Whole Against the Sky,” by E. Catherine Tobler

For more information…

Aurora-Boréal Award Winners

Steven H Silver — Mon, 13 May 2013 18:43:41 +0000

The winners of the Aurora-Boréal, given out at the 30th Boréal convention in Montréal, were announced on May 5. The award honors speculative fiction works created by Canadians in French.

Aurora-Boréal Award for Best Novel: Transtaïga, by Ariane Gélinas
Aurora-Boréal Award for Best Short Fiction: “Le Chasseur,” [The Hunter] by Geneviève Blouin
Aurora-Boréal Award for Best Related Work: Solaris, edited by Joël Champetier
Boréal Award for Artistic and Audiovisual Achievement: Ève Chabot, for illustrations in the magazine Brins d’éternité
Boréal award for Best Fan Publication: Brins d’éternité
Boréal award for the one-hour writing contest at the convention (Professional): Geneviève Blouin for her short story “Trou noir de mémoire”
Boréal award for the one-hour writing contest at the convention (Rising author): Dave Côté for his short story “Brouillard”

For more information…

Obituary: Dan Adkins

Steven H Silver — Thu, 09 May 2013 14:40:32 +0000

Artist Dan Adkins (b.1937) died during the first week of May. When serving in the Air Force in the 1950s, he started the fanzine Sata as a way of getting rid of surplus funds each month. He later turned the zine over to his co-editor, Bill Pearson, but continued to provide illustrations for Amra, Vega, and Xero. In 1964, he got a job as Wally Wood’s assistant and went on to work on Doctor Strange, Aquaman, Batman, and numerous other titles for a variety of publishers, including more than 130 covers for Marvel.

Locus Finalists Announced

Steven H Silver — Thu, 09 May 2013 14:20:53 +0000

The finalists for this year’s Locus Award, based on votes from Locus readers, have been announced. The winner will be announced in Seattle during the weekend of June 28-30, 2013.

Science Fiction Novel

The Hydrogen Sonata, by Iain M. Banks
Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance, by Lois McMaster Bujold
Caliban’s War, by James S.A. Corey
2312, by Kim Stanley Robinson
Redshirts, by John Scalzi

Fantasy Novel

The Killing Moon, by N.K. Jemisin
The Drowning Girl, by Caitlín R. Kiernan
Glamour in Glass, by Mary Robinette Kowal
Hide Me Among the Graves, by Tim Powers
The Apocalypse Codex, by Charles Stross

Young Adult Book

The Drowned Cities, by Paolo Bacigalupi
Pirate Cinema, by Cory Doctorow
Railsea, by China Miéville
Dodger, by Terry Pratchett
The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There, by Catherynne M. Valente

First Novel

Throne of the Crescent Moon, by, Saladin Ahmed
vN, by Madeline Ashby
Seraphina, by Rachel Hartman
The Games, by Ted Kosmatka
Alif the Unseen, by G. Willow Wilson

Novella

“In the House of Aryaman, a Lonely Signal Burns,” by Elizabeth Bear
On a Red Station, Drifting, by Aliette de Bodard
After the Fall, Before the Fall, During the Fall, by Nancy Kress
“The Stars Do Not Lie,” by Jay Lake
The Boolean Gate, by Walter Jon Williams

Novelette

“Faster Gun,” by Elizabeth Bear
“The Girl-Thing Who Went Out for Sushi,” by Pat Cadigan
“Close Encounters,” by Andy Duncan
“Fake Plastic Trees,” by Caitlín R. Kiernan
“The Lady Astronaut of Mars,” by Mary Robinette Kowal

Short Story

“The Deeps of the Sky,” by Elizabeth Bear
“Immersion,” by Aliette de Bodard
“Mantis Wives,” by Kij Johnson
“Elementals,” by Ursula K. Le Guin
“Mono No Aware,” by Ken Liu

Anthology

After, edited by Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling
The Year’s Best Science Fiction: Twenty-ninth Annual Collection, edited by Gardner Dozois
The Future Is Japanese, edited by Nick Mamatas & Masumi Washington
Edge of Infinity, edited by Jonathan Strahan
The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year: Volume Six, edited by Jonathan Strahan

Collection

The Best of Kage Baker, by Kage Baker
Shoggoths in Bloom, by Elizabeth Bear
At the Mouth of the River of Bees, by Kij Johnson
The Unreal and the Real: Selected Stories Volume One: Where on Earth and Volume Two: Outer Space, Inner Lands, by Ursula K. Le Guin
The Dragon Griaule, by Lucius Shepard

Magazine

Asimov’s
F&SF
Tor.com
Clarkesworld
Subterranean

Publisher

Tor
Subterranean Press
Orbit
Baen
Angry Robot

Editor

John Joseph Adams
Ellen Datlow
Gardner Dozois
Jonathan Strahan
Ann & Jeff VanderMeer

Artist

Donato Giancola
Stephan Martiniere
John Picacio
Shaun Tan
Michael Whelan

Non-Fiction

An Exile on Planet Earth, by Brian Aldiss
Science Fiction: The 101 Best Novels 1985-2010, edited by Damien Broderick & Paul Di Filippo
Distrust That Particular Flavor, by William Gibson
The Cambridge Companion to Fantasy Literature, edited by Edward James & Farah Mendlesohn
Some Remarks, by Neal Stephenson

Art Book

Spectrum 19: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art, edited by Cathy Fenner & Arnie Fenner
Trolls, by Brian Froud & Wendy Froud
Tarzan: The Centennial Celebration, by Scott Tracy Griffin
J.R.R. Tolkien: The Art of The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, edited by Wayne G. Hammond & Christina Scull
Steampunk: An Illustrated History, by Brian J. Robb

For more information…

Obituary: Bryan Forbes

Steven H Silver — Thu, 09 May 2013 14:05:25 +0000

Actor, writer, and director Bryan Forbes (b.1926) died on May 8. Forbes started his career as an actor, appearing in films such as Quatermass II: Enemy from Space and Satellite in the Sky. He went on to become a director, whose films included The Stepford Wives. He wrote The Man Who Haunted Himself and as a screenwriter may be best known for Chaplin. In addition to his work in films, Forbes was also a photographer and helped create the album sleeve for Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. Forbes also wrote several novels.

Worldcon and NASFiC Options

Steven H Silver — Wed, 08 May 2013 01:11:24 +0000

LoneStarCon 3 has announced that three bids have filed the appropriate paperwork to host the 2015 Worldcon. Helsinki in 2015, Orlando in 2015, and Spokane in 2015 are running for the Worldcon. Detroit and Phoenix are both running to host NASFiC in 2014 when the Worldcon is being held in London. All Adult, Military, and Young Adult Attending and Supporting members of LoneStarCon 3 are eligible to take part in the site selection process.

For more information:
LoneStarCon 3
Helsinki in 2015
Orlando in 2015
Spokane in 2015
Detroit in 2014
Phoenix in 2014

Obituary: Deborah Miller

Steven H Silver — Wed, 08 May 2013 01:04:49 +0000

Author Deborah Miller died on May 7. Miller, who published under the name Miller Lau, founded and administered the David Gemmell Legend Award. A protege of Gemmell’s, she published The Last Clansman trilogy. More recently, she published the first volume of the Swarmthief Trilogy and the stand-alone novel The Sin Eater.

Obituary: Ray Harryhausen

Steven H Silver — Tue, 07 May 2013 17:26:33 +0000

Special effects wizard Ray Harryhausen (b.1920) died on May 7. Harryhausen created a type of stop-motion animation known as Dynamation and used it in films ranging from The Clash of the Titans to Mighty Joe Young to The 7th Voyage of Sinbad. Harryhausen was inspired by the film King Kong and became close friends with Ray Bradbury and Forrest Ackerman, joining the Los Angeles Science Fiction League. In later years, Harryhausen wrote several books showcasing his techniques and models. Harryhausen was a Worldcon Guest of Honor in 1987 in Brighton and in 2005, Harryhausen was inducted in to the Science Fiction Hall of Fame, one of the first non-authors so honored.

FAAN Awards Announced

Steven H Silver — Tue, 07 May 2013 15:04:00 +0000

The FAAN Awards were announced at Corflu XXX on May 5 in Portland, OR.

Best Genzine: Chunga, edited by by Andy Hooper, Randy Byers, and carl juarez
Best Personal Fanzine: A Meara for Observers, edited by Mike Meara
Best Single Issue: Trapdoor #29, edited by Robert Lichtman
Best Website: eFanzines.com
Best Fanzine Cover: Dan Steffan, Banana Wings #50
Best Fan Artist: Dan Steffan
Best Fan Writer: Andy Hooper
Harry Warner Jr. Memorial Award for Best Letterhack: Robert Lichtman

For more information…