Australian fan Alf van der Pooten (b.1942) died on October 9. Van der Pooten was active in Sydney (and later Melbourne) fandom in the 1970s and 80s. He attended the first Syncon in Sydney and later became friends with Locus publisher Charles Brown, who he helped at the first three Aussiecons.
Australian author Donald H. Tuck (b.1922) died on October 13. Tuck was Australia’s first Hugo Award winner for his the third and final volume of his study The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy in 1984. Tuck was the Australia Guest of Honor at Aussiecon I in 1975, but failed to show up.
In addition to the Ditmar Awards, the Australian national award, several other Australian awards were presented during the Ditmar ceremony at Aussiecon 4 on September 4. They include:
- A. Bertram Chandler Award: Damien Broderick
- Norma K. Hemming: The Gene Thieves, by Maria Quinn
- Peter McNamara Award: Janine Webb
- William Atheling Jr Award: The Secret Feminist Cabal: A Cultural History of Science Fiction Feminisms, by Helen Merrick
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 Aussiecon 4 on the evening of September 4. The Ditmars are selected by Australian fans.
- Best Novel: Slights, by Kaaron Warren
- Best Novella or Novelette: “Wives,” by Paul Haines
- Best Short Story: “Seventeen,” by Cat Sparks
- Best Collected Work: Slice Of Life, by Paul Haines
- Best Artwork: Cover art, Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine #42, by Lewis Morley
- Best Fan Writer: Robert Hood for Undead Backbrain
- Best Fan Artist: Dick Jenssen for body of work
- Best Fan Publication in Any Medium: Steam Engine Time, edited by Bruce Gillespie and Janine Stinson
- Best Achievement: Gillian Polack et al for the Southern Gothic banquet at Conflux
- Best New Talent: Peter M. Ball
For more information…
The Nominations for the 2010 Ditmar Awards, presented for excellence in Australian science fiction, have been announced. This year’s ceremony will take place on Friday,September 3 at 7pm at Aussiecon 4 in Melbourne, Australia.
Best Novel
- Leviathan, by Scott Westerfeld
- Liar, by Justine Larbalestier
- World Shaker, by Richard Harland
- Slights, by Kaaron Warren
- Life Through Cellophane, by Gillian Polack
Best Novella or Novelette
- “Siren Beat,” by Tansy Rayner Roberts
- “Black Water,” by David Conyers
- “After the World: Gravesend,” by Jason Fischer
- “Horn,” by Peter M. Ball
- “Wives,” by Paul Haines
Best Short Story
- “The Piece of Ice in Ms Windermere’s Heart,” by Angela Slatter
- “Six Suicides,” by Deborah Biancotti
- “Black Peter,” by Marty Young
- “Seventeen,” by Cat Sparks
- “Tontine Mary,” by Kaaron Warren
- “Prosperine When it Sizzles,” by Tansy Rayner Roberts
Best Collected Work
- The New Space Opera 2, edited by Jonathan Strahan and Gardner Dozois
- New Ceres Nights, edited by Alisa Krasnostein and Tehani Wessely
- Slice Of Life, Paul Haines, edited by Geoffrey Maloney
- A Book of Endings, edited by Deborah Biancotti, Alisa Krasnostein and Ben Payne
- Eclipse Three, edited by Jonathan Strahan
Best Artwork
- Cover art, New Ceres Nights, by Dion Hamill
- Cover art, The Whale’s Tale, by Eleanor Clarke
- Cover art and illustrations, Shards: Short Sharp Tales, by Andrew J. McKiernan
- Cover art, Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine #42, by Lewis Morley
- Cover art, Horn, by Dion Hamill
- Cover art, Masques, by Mik Bennett
Best Fan Writer
- Tansy Rayner Roberts for body of work
- Chuck McKenzie for work in Horrorscope
- Robert Hood for Undead Backbrain
- Tehani Wessely for body of work
- Bruce Gillespie for work in Steam Engine Time
Best Fan Artist
- Dave Schembri for work in Midnight Echo
- Kathleen Jennings for body of work
- Dick Jenssen for body of work
Best Fan Publication in Any Medium
- Interstellar Ramjet Scoop, edited by Bill Wright
- A Writer Goes on a Journey, edited by Nyssa Pascoe et al
- ASif!, edited by Alisa Krasnostein, Gene Melzack et al
- Australian Science Fiction Bullsheet, edited by Edwina Harvey and Ted Scribner
- Steam Engine Time, edited by Bruce Gillespie and Janine Stinson
Best Achievement
- Alisa Krasnostein, Liz Grzyb, Tehani Wessely, Cat Sparks and Kate Williams for the New Ceres Nights booklaunch
- H. Gibbens for the Gamers’ Quest CGI-animated book trailer
- Ruth Jenkins and Cathy Jenkins-Rutherford for the children’s program at Conjecture
- Amanda Rainey for the cover design of Siren Beat/Roadkill
- Gillian Polack, et al. for the Southern Gothic banquet at Conflux
Best New Talent
- Pete Kempshall
- Kathleen Jennings
- Thoraiya Dyer
- Jason Fischer
- Simon Petrie
- Christopher Green
- Peter M. Ball
William Atheling Jr Award for Criticism or Review
- Chuck McKenzie for “The Dead Walk! … Into a Bookstore Near You”
- Ian Mond for reviews on his blog
- Grant Watson for reviews and articles for Eiga: Asian Cinema
- Helen Merrick for The Secret Feminist Cabal: A Cultural History of Science Fiction Feminisms
For more information…
Aussiecon 4, this year’s Worldcon, has announced the winners of their short story contest around the theme “Make Ready.” The contest, which was sponsored by the Australian Science Fiction Foundation, was meant to encourage the creation and appreciation of Australian science fiction.
- Winner: “The Perforation,” by Helen Stubbs
- 1st Runner Up: “The Rise & Fall of a Fair Dinkum Superhero,” by Aidan Doyle
- Highly Commended: “The Promotion,” by Brooke Maggs
- Highly Commended: “The Bicycle Rebellion,” by Laura E Goodin
For more information…
Author Dave Freer is moving his family from South Africa to Australia. Because of the worldwide economy, however, he discovered that he suddenly doesn’t have enough to pay the quarantine fee for their dogs and cats. Freer will be posting his novel Save the Dragons on his website, continuing when certain fund-raising thresholds are reached. Currently, Freer has raised enough to post the first ten chapters.
For more information…
Science fiction novel Things We Didn’t See Coming, by Steven Amsterdam won The Age Book of the Year, and the prize of A$20,000.
For more information…
Australian fan David McDonnell died on July 21. McDonnell was active in Melbourne fandom, including Trek, filking, and gaming.
Australian fan Kris Hembury died on July 23. Hembury was an active member of the Fantastic Queensland project and the Visions Writers group. He was awarded an emerging mentorship from Fantastic Queensland and State Development and was mentored by Marianne de Pierre.
