The winners for this year’s Aurealis Awards, presented for excellence in Australian speculative fiction, have been announced. The awards were presented on May 21 at a ceremony held at the Independent Theatre in Sydney.
- Children’s Fiction (told primarily through words): The Keepers, by Lian Tanner
- Children’s Fiction (told primarily through pictures): The Boy and the Toy, by Sonya Hartnett (writer) & Lucia Masciullo (illustrator)
- Young Adult Short Story: “A Thousand Flowers, Margo Lanagan, Zombies Vs Unicorns, Allen & Unwin
- Young Adult Novel: Guardian of the Dead, by Karen Healey
- Best Illustrated Book/Graphic Novel: Changing Ways Book 1, by Justin Randall
- Best Collection: The Girl With No Hands, by Angela Slatter
- Best Anthology: Wings of Fire, edited by Jonathan Strahan & Marianne S. Jablon
- Horror Short Story:”The Fear,” by Richard Harland
- Horror Novel: Madigan Mine, by Kirstyn McDermott
- Fantasy Short Story: “The February Dragon,” by LL Hannett & Angela Slatter
- Fantasy Novel: Power and Majesty, by Tansy Rayner Roberts
- Science Fiction Short Story: “The Heart of a Mouse,” by K.J. Bishop
- Science Fiction Novel: Transformation Space, by Marianne de Pierres
For more information…
In addition to the Ditmar Awards, the Australian national award, several other Australian awards were presented during the Ditmar ceremony at Swancon 36. They include:
- A. Bertram Chandler Award: Paul Collins
- Norma K. Hemming: Diamond Eyes, by Anita A. Bell
- Peter McNamara Award: Lucy Sussex
- William Atheling Jr Award for Criticism or Review: Tansy Rayner Roberts for A Modern Woman’s Guide to Classic Who
The A. Bertram Chandler Award is presented for outstanding achievement in Australian science fiction.
The Norma K. Hemming Award is presented for excellence in the exploration of themes of race, gender, class and sexuality. This is the first time this award has been presented.
The Peter McNamara Award is presented to a professional in the field of Australian science fiction.
The William Atheling Jr. Award is presented for criticism and reviews.
The Ditmar Awards were presented at Swancon during the weekend of April 22-24. The Ditmars are selected by Australian fans.
- Best Novel: Power and Majesty, by Tansy Rayner Roberts
- Best Novella or Novelette: “The Company Articles of Edward Teach,” by Thoraiya Dyer
- Best Short Story: (tie) “All the Love in the World,” by Cat Sparks; “She Said,” by Kirstyn McDermott
- Best Collected Work: Sprawl, by Alisa Krasnostein
- Best Artwork: The Lost Thing, by Andrew Ruhemann and Shaun Tan
- Best Fan Writer: Alexandra Pierce for body of work including reviews at Australian Speculative Fiction in Focus
- Best Fan Artist: Amanda Rainey for Swancon 36 logo
- Best Fan Publication in Any Medium: Galactic Suburbia, podcast by Alisa Krasnostein, Tansy Rayner Roberts, and Alex Pierce
- Best Achievement: Alisa Krasnostein, Kathryn Linge, Rachel Holkner, Alexandra Pierce, Tansy Rayner Roberts, and Tehani Wessely for Snapshot 2010
- Best New Talent: Thoraiya Dyer
The Australian Horror Writers Association has announced the winners of the 2010 Australian Shadow Awards. The award is presented for overall effect – the skill, delivery, and lasting resonance – of horror fiction written or edited by an Australian. Beginning in 2011, the three existing categories will be joined by awards for novel and collections.
- Long Fiction winner: Under Stones, by Bob Franklin
- Edited Publication winner: Macabre: A Journey through Australia’s Darkest Fears, edited by Angela Challis & Marty Young
- Short Fiction winner: “She Said,” by Kirstyn McDermott
For more information…
David Cake and Paula McGrath have been announced as the nominees for this year’s DUFF (Down Under Fan Fund) race. The winner of the race will travel to North America to attend Renovation and also tour North America. Anyone who were active in fandom before January 1, 2011 may vote. The voting deadline is March 31.
For more information…
The finalists for this year’s Aurealis Awards, presented for excellence in Australian speculative fiction, have been announced. The awards will be presented on May 21.
Children’s Fiction (told primarily through words)
- Grimsdon, by Deborah Abela
- Ranger’s Apprentice #9: Halt’s Peril, by John Flanagan
- The Vulture of Sommerset, by Stephen M Giles
- The Keepers, by Lian Tanner
- Haggis MacGregor and the Night of the Skull, by Jen Storer & Gug Gordon
Children’s Fiction (told primarily through pictures)
- Night School, by Isobelle Carmody (writer) & Anne Spudvilas (illustrator)
- Magpie, by Luke Davies (writer) & Inari Kiuru (illustrator)
- The Boy and the Toy, by Sonya Hartnett (writer) & Lucia Masciullo (illustrator)
- Precious Little, by Julie Hunt & Sue Moss (writers) & Gaye Chapman (illustrator)
- The Cloudchasers, by David Richardson (writer) & Steven Hunt (illustrator)
Young Adult Short Story
- “Inksucker, Aidan Doyle, Worlds Next Door, Fablecroft Publishing
- “One Story, No Refunds, Dirk Flinthart, Shiny #6, Twelfth Planet Press
- “A Thousand Flowers, Margo Lanagan, Zombies Vs Unicorns, Allen & Unwin
- “Nine Times, Kaia Landelius & Tansy Rayner Roberts, Worlds Next Door, Fablecroft
Publishing
- “An Ordinary Boy, Jen White, The Tangled Bank, Tangled Bank Press
Young Adult Novel
- Merrow, by Ananda Braxton-Smith
- Guardian of the Dead, by Karen Healey
- The Midnight Zoo, by Sonya Hartnett
- The Life of a Teenage Body-Snatcher, by Doug MacLeod
- Behemoth (Leviathan Trilogy Book Two), by Scott Westerfeld
Best Illustrated Book/Graphic Novel
- Shakespeare’s Hamlet, by Nicki Greenberg
- EEEK!: Weird Australian Tales of Suspense, by Jason Paulos et al
- Changing Ways Book 1, by Justin Randall
- Five Wounds: An Illustrated Novel, by Jonathan Walker & Dan Hallett
- Horrors: Great Stories of Fear and Their Creators, by Rocky Wood & Glenn Chadbourne
Best Collection
- The Library of Forgotten Books, by Rjurik Davidson
- Under Stones, by Bob Franklin
- Sourdough and Other Stories, by Angela Slatter
- The Girl With No Hands, by Angela Slatter
- Dead Sea Fruit, by Kaaron Warren
Best Anthology
- Macabre: A Journey Through Australia’s Darkest Fears, edited by Angela Challis & Dr Marty Young
- Sprawl, edited by Alisa Krasnostein
- Scenes from the Second Storey, edited by Amanda Pillar & Pete Kempshall
- Godlike Machines, edited by Jonathan Strahan
- Wings of Fire, edited by Jonathan Strahan & Marianne S. Jablon
Horror Short Story
- “Take the Free Tour” by Bob Franklin
- “Her Gallant Needs,” by Paul Haines
- “The Fear,” by Richard Harland
- “Wasting Matilda,” by Robert Hood
- “Lollo,” by Martin Livings
Horror Novel
- After the World: Gravesend, by Jason Fischer
- Death Most Definite, by Trent Jamieson
- Madigan Mine, by Kirstyn McDermott
Fantasy Short Story
- “The Duke of Vertumn’s Fingerling,” by Elizabeth Carroll
- “Yowie,” by Thoraiya Dyer
- “The February Dragon,” by LL Hannett & Angela Slatter
- “All the Clowns in Clowntown,” by Andrew McKiernan
- “Sister, Sister,” by Angela Slatter
Fantasy Novel
- The Silence of Medair, by Andrea K Höst
- Death Most Definite, by Trent Jamieson
- Stormlord Rising, by Glenda Larke
- Heart’s Blood, by Juliet Marrilier
- Power and Majesty, by Tansy Rayner Roberts
Science Fiction Short Story
- “The Heart of a Mouse,” by K.J. Bishop
- “The Angaelian Apocalypse,” by Matthew Chrulew
- “Border Crossing,” by Penelope Love
- “Interloper,” by Ian McHugh
- “Relentless Adaptations,” by Tansy Rayner Roberts
Science Fiction Novel
- Song of Scarabaeous, by Sara Creasy
- Mirror Space, by Marianne de Pierres
- Transformation Space, by Marianne de Pierres
For more information…
Following the sale of the Griffith University facilities Clarion South used up until 2009, the writers workshop has had difficulty finding a suitable venue at a reasonable cost to hold the intensive writers program. The organizers had hoped to hold it again in 2012, but have determined that they won’t be able to and have placed the program on hold indefinitely, with the hope that it will continue at some point.
For more information…
The call for nominations for the 2011 National Australia Fan Fund (NAFF) has opened. NAFF sends one fan each year to the current National Science Fiction Convention, which this year will be held in Perth at Swancon Thirty Six | Natcon Fifty. Any active fan living outside Western Australia is eligible to nominate.
For more information…
DUFF administrators John Hertz and Emma Hawkes have called for candidates to stand for the 2010 GUFF race to bring a fan from Australasia to North America for the 2011 Worldcon, Renovation. Candidates need to have five nominators (3 Australians or New Zealanders, 2 North Americans), a short written platform, post a $25 bond, and a pledge to make the trip if they win.
For more information…
Queensland fans Jean Weber and Eric Lindsay have reported that they and their home have weathered cyclone Yasi safely. Weber told Bruce Gillespie that the winds were destructive, but not as bad as elsewhere and that there didn’t seem to be flooding in their immediate area. Weber also noted that internet and mobile phone service were not available. The storm has headed in-land and been downgraded to a category two storm.
