29 January 2007

Eddings Office Fire
David Eddings accidentally lit his garage on office fire while trying to drain the gasoline from a broken down car. When some fluid leaked onto the ground, he lit a piece of paper and tossed it into the puddle to see if it was flammable. Nobody was injured in the blaze.

Denvention Names Artist
Rick Sternbach has been named the Artist Guest of Honor for Denvetion 3, the 2008 Worldcon. Sternbach will join Lois McMaster Bujold and Tom Whitmore as Worldcon Guests of Honor in Denver. Sternbach's career dates back to the early 1970s and in addition to print work includes work on films such as "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" and "The Last Starfighter." He also worked on the Carl Sagan television serties "Cosmos" and the rebirth of Star Trek with "Star Trek: The Next Generation."

Aurealis Awards
The Australian Science Fiction awards, the Aurealis, have been presented. This year's winners are listed below.
Science Fiction Novel: K-Machines, by Damien Broderick
Science Fiction Short story: "The Seventh Letter," by Sean Williams
Fantasy Novel: Wildwood Dancing, by Juliet Marillier
Fantasy Short story: "A Fine Magic," by Margo Lanagan
Horror Novel: (tie) The Pilo Family Circus, by Will Elliott and Prismatic, by Edwina Grey
Horror Short Story: "Dead of Winter," by Stephen Dedman
Young Adult Novel: Monster Blood Tattoo, by DM Cornish
Young Adult Short Story: "The Arrival," by Shaun Tan
Childrens Novel: Melissa, Queen of Evil, by Mardi McConnochie
Childrens Short story: (tie) "The True Story of Mary Who Wanted to Stand on Her Head," by Jane Godwin and "Woolvs in the Sitee," by Margaret Wild, Anne Spudvilas
Golden Aurealis Novel: The Pilo Family Circus, by Will Elliott
Golden Aurealis Short Story: "The Arrival," by Shaun Tan
Convenor's Award: Bill Congreve

World Horror Grand Master Named
The World Horror Convention has named Joe R. Lansdale this year's Grand Master. Lansdale has published more the thirty novels and numerous short stories. He has edited anthologies and has worked in films, included the movie "Bubba Ho-Tep."Lansdale has won six Bram Stoker Awards, the annual award presented at the World Horrro Convention.

Crawford Nominees
The nominations for the Crawford Award for best first fantasy novel have been announced. The award will be presented at the International Conference for the Fantastic in the Arts, to be held in For Lauderdale the weekend of March 14-18.
A Shadow in Summer, by Daniel Abraham
Skinny Dipping in the Lake of the Dead, by Alan De Niro
The Stolen Child, by Keith Donohue
In The Forest of Forgetting, by Theodora Goss
The Lies of Locke Lamora, by Scott Lynch
Temeraire, by Naomi Novik
Map of Dreams, by M. Rickert

24 January 2007

Arthur C. Clarke Short List
The short list for the Arthur C. Clarke Award, presented to the best science fiction published in the UK, has been announced. The winner, who will receive a prize of £2007, will be announced on May 2 on the opening night of the Sci-Fi-London Film Festival
End of the World Blues, by Jon Courtenay Grimwood
Nova Swing, by M. John Harrison
Oh Pure and Radiant Heart, by Lydia Millet
Hav, by Jan Morris
Gradisil, by Adam Roberts
Streaking, by Brian Stableford

McFadden Resigns
Due to the erratic schedule which DNA Publications has been publishing Fantastic Stories of the Imagination, founder and editor Ed McFadden has announced his resignation as editor, effective immediately. At the same time, McFadden will no longer be working as a Consulting Editor for Spyre Imprint.

Space and Time Sold
Space and Time Magazine, which had previously indicated that it may cease publication, has been sold to Hildy Silverman. Originally issue 100 was to be the final issue of the 40 year old publication, but will now be a summation of the first 99 issues and an indication of where the new publisher intends to take the magazine.

Biplanar Dinosaurs
Based on recent modeling, scientists now believe that one of the earliest flying, feathered dinosaurs, microraptor gui, which had feathers on its feet as well as wings, may have adopted a position similar to a biplane in order to achieve flight. Previously, scientists believed that microrapters flew in a manner more analogous to dragonflies.

Academy Award Nominations
The Academy of Motion Picture Science was not kind to genre fare this year, nominating works in only the screenplay and animated categories.

Best Original Screenplay
Guillermo Arriaga, Babel
Michael Arndt, Little Miss Sunshine
Iris Yamashita & Paul Haggis, Letters From Iwo Jima
Guillermo del Toro, Pan's Labyrinth
Peter Morgan, The Queen

Best Adapted Screenplay
Patrick Marber, Notes on a Scandal
William Monahan, The Departed
Sacha Baron Cohen, Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
Todd Field & Tom Perrotta, Little Children
Alfonso Cuarón, Children of Men

Best Animated Film
Cars
Happy Feet
Monster House

Achievement In Art Direction
Dreamgirls
The Good Shepherd
Pan's Labyrinth
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
The Prestige

Achievement In Cinematography
The Black Dahlia
Children of Men
The Illusionist
Pan's Labyrinth
The Prestige

Achievement In Film Editing
Babel
Blood Diamond
Children of Men
The Departed
United 93

Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
After the Wedding
Days of Glory (Indigènes)
The Lives of Others
Pan's Labyrinth
Water

Achievement In Makeup
Apocalypto
Click
Pan's Labyrinth

Achievement In Music Written For Motion Pictures (Original Score)
Babel
The Good German
Notes On a Scandal
Pan's Labyrinth
The Queen

Achievement In Music Written For Motion Pictures (Original Song)
"I Need To Wake Up" - An Inconvenient Truth
"Listen" - Dreamgirls
"Love You I Do" - Dreamgirls
"Our Town" - Cars
"Patience" - Dreamgirls

Best Animated Short Film
The Danish Poet
Lifted
The Little Matchgirl
Maestro
No Time for Nuts

Achievement In Sound Editing
Apocalypto
Blood Diamond
Flags of Our Fathers
Letters From Iwo Jima
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

Achievement In Sound Mixing
Apocalypto
Blood Diamond
Dreamgirls
Flags of Our Fathers
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.

Achievement In Visual Effects
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Poseidon
Superman Returns

Razzie Nominations
The Razzies, presented to celebrate the worst Hollywood has to offer, will take place on Oscar eve, Saturday, February 24 at Hollywood's Ivar Theatre.

Worst Picture
Basically, It Stinks, Too
Bloodayne
Lady in the Water
Little Man
The Wicker Man

Worst Actor
Tim Allen, Santa Claus 3: The Escape Clause, The Shaggy Dog, and Zoom
Nicholas Cage, The Wicker Man
Larry, the Cable Guy, Larry, The Cable Guy: Health Inspector
Rob Schneider, The Benchwarmers and Little Man
Marlon Wayans & Shawn Wayans, Little Man

Worst Actress
Hilary and Haylie Duff in Material Girls
Lindsay Lohan, Just My Luck
Kristanna Loken, Bloodrayne
Jessica Simpson, Employee of the Month
Sharon Stone, Basically, It Stinks, Too

Worst Supporting Actor
Danny DeVito, Deck the Halls
Ben Kingsley, Bloodrayne
M. Night Shamalan, Lady in the Water
Martin Short, Santa Claus 3: The Escape Clause
David Thewlis, Basically, It Stinks, Too and The Omen

Worst Supporting Actress
Kate Bosworth, Superman Returns
Kristin Chenowith, Deck the Halls, Pink Panther, and RV
Carmen Electra, Date Movie and Scary Movie 4
Jenny McCarthy, John Tucker Must Die
Michelle Rodriguez, Bloodrayne

Worst Screen Couple
Tim Allen & Martin Short in Santa Claus 3: The Escape Clause
Nicholas Cage & his Bear Suit in The Wicker Man
Hilary and Haylie Duff in Material Girls
Sharon Stone's Lopsided Breasts in Basically, It Stinks, Too
Shawn Wayans and either Kerry Washington or Marlon Wayans in Little Man

Worst Remake or Rip-Off
Little Man
The Pink Panther
Poseidon
The Shaggy Dog
The Wicker Man

Worst Prequel or Sequel
Basically, It Stinks, Too
Big Momma's House 2
Garfield 2: A Tail of Two Kitties
Santa Claus 3: The Escape Clause
Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning

Worst Director
Uwe Boll, Bloodrayne
Michael Caton-Jones, Basic Instinct 2
Ron Howard, The Da Vinci Code
M. Night Shamalan, Lady in the Water
Keenan Ivory Wayans, Little Man

Worst Screenplay
Basically, It Stinks, Too, by Leora Barish & Henry Bean
Bloodrayne, by Guinevere Turner
Lady in the Water, by M. Night Shamalan
Little Man, by Keenan Ivory Wayans, Marlon Wayans and Shawn Wayans
Wicker Man, by Neil Labute

Worst Excuse for Family Entertainment
Deck the Halls
Garfield 2: A Tail of Two Kitties
RV
Santa Claus 3: The Escape Clause
The Shaggy Dog

GLAAD Nominations
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Discrimination has announced the nominees for its annual GLAAD Awards and works of genre interest appear in three of the categories.

Outstanding Film – Wide Release
Little Miss Sunshine
The Night Listener
Running With Scissors
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
V for Vendetta

Outstanding Drama Series
Brothers & Sisters
The L Word
Hex
The Sopranos
South of Nowhere

Outstanding Comic Book
52 by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, Mark Waid
American Virgin by Steven T. Seagle
Fun Home by Alison Bechdel
Manhunter by Marc Andreyko
Y: The Last Man by Brian K. Vaughn

21 January 2007

DNA Investigated
DNA Publications, which publishes SF Chronicle, Absolute Magnitude, Dreams of Decadence, and other genre publications, is being investigated for consumer fraud following complaints from subscribers to those magazines and the official KISS magazine.

King at Comiccon
The New York Comiccon has announced that horror author Stephen King will be their guest of honor this February at the Jacob Javits Center. King's series "The Dark Tower" is going to be turned into a comic series by Marvel Comics.

Saichek to Juno
Juno Books, an imprint of Wildside Press, has announced that Wiley Saichek, a freelance publicist, has been hired to handle publicity for Juno. Saichek will continue his work as the publicist for the Book Report Network while working for Juno.

Obituary
Actor Ron Carey died on January 17. Carey is best known for his role as Officer Levitt on "Barney Miller," but he also appeared in several Mel Brooks movies, including "History of the World, Part I," "Silent Movie," and "High Anxiety."

16 January 2007

BSFA Nominations
The nominees for the British Science Fiction Awards have been announced. The winners will be announced at Contemplation, this year's Eastercon, on April 7. There will not be an individual winner in the Non-Fiction category, which the BSFA is presenting as a recommended reading list.

Novel
Darkland, by Liz Williams
End of the World Blues, by Jon Courtenay Grimwood
Icarus, by Roger Levy
The Last Witchfinder, by James Morrow
Nova Swing, by M. John Harrison

Short Fiction
The Djinn's Wife, by Ian McDonald
The Highway Men, by Ken MacLeod
The House Beyond Your Sky, by Benjamin Rosenbaum
The Point of Roses, by Margo Lanagan
Signal to Noise, by Alastair Reynolds
Sounding, by Elizabeth Bear

Artwork
Angelbot, by Fangorn
Cover of Farthing magazine, issue 2, Spring 2006. Credited to 'Vertebrate Graphics'.
Droid, by Fahrija Velic
The Return to Abalakin, by Alexander Preuss
Ring of the Gods, by William Li

Non-Fiction - BSFA Recommended Reading List
The Arthur C. Clarke Award: A Critical Anthology, ed. By Paul Kincaid with Andrew M. Butler
Daughters of Earth: Feminist Science Fiction in the Twentieth Century, by Justine Larbalestier
Great British Comics, by Paul Gravett
James Tiptree, by Jr.: The Double Life of Alice B. Sheldon, by Julie Phillips
Polder: A Festschrift for John Clute and Judith Clute, ed. By Farah Mendlesohn

Scott O'Dell Award
The Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction has been announced. The award is presented to a work of historical fiction aimed at children or young adults. Ellen Klages won for her novel The Green Glass Game and will receive a $5,000 prize.

Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Awards were announce don January 15 and science fiction and fantasy works were largely missing from the winners with the exception of two animated films. Genre related winners are listed below.
Best Animated Feature Film: "Cars"
Best Original Song: Prince, "The Song of the Heart" from "Happy Feet"

Obituary
Film Producer Steve Krantz (b.1923) died on January 4. Krantz is best known for producing the X-rated animated film "Fritz the Cat," but prior to that film, he was the producers of the animated series "Marvel Super-Heroes," "Rocket Robin Hood," and "Spider-Man." He was married to romance author Judith Krantz and produced many of the films based on her novels.

11 January 2007

OFCS Awards
The Online Film Critics Society included the following awards to SF films:
Original Screenplay: Guillermo del Toro for "Pan's Labyrinth"
Adapted Screenplay: Alfonso Cuaron, Timothy J. Sexton, David Arata, Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby for "Children of Men"
Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubeski for "Children of Men"
Original Score: Clint Mansell for "The Fountain"
Foreign Language Film: "Pan's Labyrinth" (Mexico) Animated Film: "A Scanner Darkly"

Obituaries
Actress Yvonne De Carlo (b.1922) died on January 10. De Carlo achieved her greatest fame as Lily Munster in the television series "The Munsters." De Carlo got her start in 1941, and most of her roles were in Westerns and sword and sandal epics. Her biggest success came on "The Munsters."

Robert Anton Wilson (b.1932) died on January 11. Along with Robert Shea, Wilson co-authored the Illuminatus Trilogy, and went on to publish numerous books of his own, including the Schroëdinger's Cat trilogy and the Cosmic Trigger trilogy.

10 January 2007

People's Choice Awards
The People's Choice Awards were presented on January 9. Categories for works of genre interest or in which the actor appeared in a genre role in 2006 are listed below.

Movies:
Male star: Johnny Depp
Female action star: Halle Berry
Male action star: Johnny Depp
On-screen matchup: Johnny Depp & Keira Knightley
Movie: "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest"
Movie drama: "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest"
Movie comedy: "Click"
Family movie: "Cars"

Television:
Animated comedy: "The Simpsons"
New Drama: "Heroes"

Other:
Funny male star: Robin Williams

Obituaries
Filker Dave Alway (b.1951) died on January 9 shortly after returning from GAFilk. Alway suffered an apparent cardiac arrest and died before he could get to a hospital despite the fast action of his brother, Peter.

Musician Pete Kleinow (b.1934) died on January . Best known for his work with the band "The Flying Burrito Brothers," he also worked in animation. His animation work began with stop-motion work on "Gumby," for which he also wrote the theme song. He also did work on "The Empire Strikes Back," "The Terminator," and "Gremlins."

9 January 2007

Preliminary Nebula Ballot
The SFWA has released the preliminary Nebula Award ballot. Members will vote to determine which items make the final ballot. The Nebula juries may add an additional item in each category (the Andre Norton jury may add up to three items). All of the Novellas, Script and Norton nominees will be on the final ballot. The preliminary ballot is comprised of all works which received at least ten SFWA member recommendations within twelve months of publication.

Novels:
From the Files of the Time Rangers, by Richard Bowes
Crystal Rain, by Tobias Buckell
The Girl in the Glass, by Jeffrey Ford
The Privilege of the Sword, by Ellen Kushner
Counting Heads, by David Marusek
To Crush the Moon, by Wil McCarthy
Seeker, by Jack McDevitt
A Princess of Roumania, by Paul Park
Remains, by Mark W Tiedemann
Spin, by Robert Charles Wilson

Novellas
"Sanctuary," by Michael A. Burstein
"Burn," by James Patrick Kelly
"The Walls of the Universe," by Paul Melko
"Inclination," by William Shunn

Novelettes
"The Language of Moths," by Chris Barzak
"Two Hearts," by Peter S. Beagle
"A Key to the Illuminated Heretic," by Alyx M. Dellamonica
"Second Person, Present Tense," by Daryl Gregory
"Do Neanderthals Know?," by Robert J Howe
"Little Faces," by Vonda McIntyre
"Journey into the Kingdom," by M. Rickert
"Walpurgis Afternoon," by Delia Sherman

Short Stories
"Helen Remembers the Stork Club," by Esther M. Friesner
"Pip and the Fairies," by Theodora Goss
"Echo," by Elizabeth Hand
"Mahmoud's Wives," by Janis Ian
"Henry James, This One's For You," by Jack McDevitt
"The Woman in Schrodinger's Wave Equations," by Eugene Mirabelli
"Anyway," by M. Rickert

Scripts
"Howl's Moving Castle," by Hayao Miyazaki, Cindy Davis Hewitt, and Donald H. Hewitt
"Doctor Who: The Girl in the Fireplace," by Steven Moffat
"Batman Begins," by Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer

Andre Norton Award
Midnighters #2: Touching Darkness, by Scott Westerfeld
Magic or Madness, by Justine Larbalestier
Peeps, by Scott Westerfeld

Obituaries
Animator Iwao Takamoto (b.1925) died on January 8. Takamoto designed the characters for Scooby-Doo as well as Astro from the Jetsons and the Great Gazoo from the Flintstones. Takamoto received his first, informal, illustration lessons while interned with other Japanese Americans in camps during World War II. After the war, he worked for Disney on Cinderella and Peter Pan before moving to Hanna-Barbera. He was currently working as a vice president of Warner Brothers Animation and had developed the character design for Krypto the Superdog.

Chicago fan Lenny Wenshe (b.1955) died on January 5 after being admitted to the hospital with shortness of breath. Wenshe chaired Windycons 16 & 17, was a Director and Division Head for Chicon 5 in 1991, and ran the information desk at Chicon 2000. For the past several years, he served as Windycon's treasurer and was also a past board member of ISFiC.

VES Awards Nominations
The fifth annual VES Awards nominations, given for visual effects work, have been announced. The winners will be announced on February 11 at the Kodak Grand Ballroom in Hollywood.

Outstanding Visual Effects Driven Motion Picture:
Charlotte's Web
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
The Fountain

Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Motion Picture:
Blood Diamond
Children of Man
Flags of Our Fathers
The Da Vinci Code

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Broadcast Miniseries, Movie, or Special
Fight Science
Nightmares and Dreamscapes
The Hogfather, Episode 1

Outstanding Visual Effects in a Broadcast Series
Battlestar Galactica - Episode 303b: Exodus
Prehistoric Park – Episode 4
Smallville – Season 6, Episode 1: Zod

Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Broadcast Program
Alias – Reprisal/All the Time in the World
Commander in Chief – Episode 112: The Wind Beneath Her Wings
ER: Scoop and Run

Best Single Visual Effect of the Year
Children of Man: Birth Sequence
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Poseidon
X-Men: The Last Stand

Outstanding Real Time Visuals in a Video Game
Assassin's Creed X06 Trailer
Fight Night Round 3 for PS3

Outstanding Pre-Rendered Visuals in a Video Game
Assassin's Creed X06 Trailer
Hellgate: London 2006 – E3 Trailer
Warhammer Fantasy

Outstanding Animated Character in a Live Action Motion Picture
Charlotte's Web: Templeton the Rat
Charlotte's Web: Wilbur the Pig
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest: Davy Jones

Outstanding Animated Character in an Animated Motion Picture
Cars: Mater
Monster House: House
Happy Feet: Mumble's Banishment

Outstanding Animated Character in a Live Action Broadcast Program, Commercial, or Music Video
Battlestar Galactica – Episode 217: Downloaded
Dr Who – Episode 2, Series 2
Geico – Chat

Outstanding Created Environment in a Live Action Motion Picture
Mission: Impossible III
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Poseidon

Outstanding Models & Miniatures in a Motion Picture
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
The Good Shepherd
V for Vendetta

Outstanding Models & Miniatures in a Broadcast Program
Battlestar Galactica – Season 2, Episode 218: Resurrection Ship, Part 2
Commander in Chief – Episode 112: Air Force One
Dodge: Fairy

Outstanding Compositing in a Motion Picture
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Poseidon
The Da Vinci Code: Saint Sulpice Sequence

Outstanding Compositing in a Broadcast Program, Commercial, or Music Video
Battlestar Galactica – Season 2, Episode 218: Resurrection Ship, Part 2
Coke: The Greatest Gift
Sports Heaven
Travelers: Snowball

Outstanding Special Effects in a Motion Picture
Casino Royale
Superman Returns

7 January 2007

Philip K. Dick Nominees
The nominees for this year's Philip K. Dick Award, presented for best paperback original have been announced. The award will be presented at Norwescon 30 on Friday, April 6, 2007. Norwescon will be held in Seatac, Washington. This year's judges include are Geary Gravel, Anne Harris, Christine Mains (chair), Kristine Smith, Mark Tiedemann. The award is sponsored by the Philadelphia Science Fiction Society and the award ceremony is sponsored by the NorthWest Science Fiction Society.
Carnival, by Elizabeth Bear
Catalyst, by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
Idolon, by Mark Budz
Living Next Door to the God of Love, by Justina Robson
Mindscape, by Andrea Hairston
Recursion, by Tony Ballantyne
Spin Control, by Chris Moriarty

5 January 2007

Screen Actors Guild Nominations
Science fiction and fantasy were practically shut out of the nominations for the Screen Actors Guild Award for 2006, with only one actor nominated for a role in a speculative fiction work Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries:
Thomas Haden Church, for "Broken Trail"
Robert Duvall, for "Broken Trail"
Jeremy Irons, for Elizabeth I
William H. Macy, for "Nightmares and Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King"
Matthew Perry, for The Ron Clark Story

Producers Guild Nominations
The Producers Guild Award nominations are also lacking in works of genre interest, with only one live-action nomination and the nominees in the animated category being the only SF/F/H representation.

Animated Film:
Cars
Flushed Away
Happy Feet
Ice Age: The Meltdown
Monster House

Episodic Television – Drama:
Grey's Anatomy
House M.D.
Lost
The Sopranos
24

Obituary
Fan Virgil Utter (b.1925) died on October 3, 2006. Utter wrote bibliographies of Raymond Cummings and Henry Kuttner, among others. He also wrote an introduction to Kuttner Times Three in 1988 and an afterword to Prince Raynor the previous year.

1 January 2007

FAAN Voting
Voting for the 2007 FAAN Awards, to be presented at Corflu Quite in Austin, TX, is now underway. The FAAN Awards are giving by fanzine fans to honor other fanzine fans and voting is open to all. For more information, see http://www.corflu.org/history/faan.html. The voting deadline is January 31.

PGW Bankruptcy
Publishers Group West, one of the largest book distributors in the United States, has filed for bankruptcy. PGW's client list includes genre publishers Carroll & Graf, Dark Horse, McSweeney's, North Atlantic Press, Thunder Bay Press, and Underwood Books.