21 August 2008

Obituary
Actor Julius Carry III (b.1952) died on August 19 of pancreatic cancer. Carry appeared in numerous films and television shows, most notably as the bounty hunter Lord Bowler in the steampunk series "The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr." with Bruce Campbell. Prior to that, Carry co-starred on the television show "Doctor, Doctor." Carry also appeared in episodes of "Tales from the Crypt," "Earth 2," and did voice work for "Dinosaurs."

18 August 2008

2008 Mythopoeic Award Winners
The Mythopoeic Awards were announced at MythCon XXXIX in New Britain, CT on August 17. The awards are presented for works that represent the spirit of the Inklings and for Inkling and Mythic scholarship.
Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Adult Literature: The Orphan's Tales, by Catherynne M. Valente. Consisting of In the Night Garden and In the Cities of Coin and Spices
Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children's Literature: The Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling
Mythopoeic Scholarship Award in Inklings Studies: The Company They Keep: C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien as Writers in Community, by Diana Pavlac Glyer, appendix by David Bratman
Mythopoeic Scholarship Award in Myth and Fantasy Studies: The Shadow-Walkers: Jacob Grimm's Mythology of the Monstrous, edited by T.A. Shippey

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Heinlein Award
The Robert A. Heinlein Award is presented to recognize outstanding published works in science fiction and technical writings to inspire the human exploration of space. Presented each year since 2003, this year's winners are Ben Bova and Spider Robinson.

Watchmen Suit
A federal judge has allowed a lawsuit by Fox Studios to go forward against Warner Brothers over the release of the film "Watchmen." According to Fox, when Warner Brothers bought the rights to the film from Lawrence Gordon, they did not purchase the distribution rights, which Fox claims they still own. Fox has threatened to hold up the release of the film or take the case to trial.

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15 August 2008

Harry Potter Delayed
Warner Brothers has announced that it will be delaying the release of the cinematic version of Harry potter and the Half-Blood Prince from November 2008 until July 2009. According to studio executives, the move is purely for marketing reasons and the film would have been ready for release on its initial date.

Obituaries
Singer/Actor Isaac Hayes (b.1942) died on August 10. Hayes is best known for either singing the theme to the 1970s film "Shaft" or his voicework as Chef on "South Park" depending on age. Initially a singer on the Stax label, Hayes began acting in films in 1974 and appeared as The Duke in "Escape from New York," Asneeze in "Robin Hood: Men in Tights," and in episodes of "Sliders" and "Tales from the Crypt."

Fan and author George W. Proctor died on August 10. Proctor was active in fandom in the 1970s and a long-time attendee of Cepheid Variable and Aggiecon. Proctor published more than 90 novels, many of which were science fiction, although he also published Westerns. He wrote multiple novelizations for the television series "V" and the novel Starwings.

Fan Martha Spence (b.1944) died on August 8 following a year-long battle with cancer. She was an avid reader, enjoyed fine dining, handcrafts, and participating in role playing games.

Producer Bernie Brillstein (b.1931) died on August 7. Brillstein produced numerous television shows, such as "ALF," but most of his genre credits were in films such as "Hexed," and the "Ghostbusters" films. Brillstein also worked on "The Muppet Show" and various other Muppet projects.

Baltimore fan John P. Roberts (b.1931) died on July 26. Roberts not only attended Balticon for many years, he was also the leader of the Games Club of Maryland, Westminster Branch.

Actor Lloyd Lamble (b.1914) died on April 9. Lamble appeared in episodes of "Journey to the Unknown," "The Prisoner," "The Avengers," and "Ghost Squad."

10 August 2008

Hugo Winners
The Hugo Awards were presented at Denvention 3 on August 9. The Hugo Award, the standard rocket in front of a silhouette of a mountain with stars on it and a representation of the Summer Triangle on the back, was created by Lee Kuruganti. The winners are listed below.
Best Novel: The Yiddish Policemen's Union, by Michael Chabon
Best Novella: "All Seated on the Ground," by Connie Willis
Best Novelette: "The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate," by Ted Chiang
Best Short Story: "Tideline," by Elizabeth Bear
Best Professional Editor, Long Form: David G. Hartwell
Best Professional Editor, Short Form: Gordon Van Gelder
Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form: Stardust, written by Jane Goldman and Matthew Vaughn; based on the novel by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Charles Vess; directed by Matthew Vaughn
Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form: "Blink" (Doctor Who), written by Steven Moffat; directed by Hettie Macdonald
Best Related Book: Brave New Words: The Oxford Dictionary of Science Fiction, by Jeff Prucher
Best Semiprozine: Locus
Best Professional Artist: Stephan Martinière
Best Fan Artist: Brad Foster
Best Fan Writer: John Scalzi
Best Fanzine: File 770, edited by Mike Glyer

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John W. Campbell Award
Mary Robinette Kowel won the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer, sponsored by Dell Magazines and administered on their behalf by WSFS. Voting for the Campbell Award is done in conjunction with voting for the Hugo Award. Stan Schmidt presented the award immediate prior to the Hugo Award Ceremony.

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First Fandom Awards
The First Fandom Awards were presented at Denvention 3 before the Hugo Award Ceremony. First Fandom recognizes fans active since the earliest days of fandom.
Hall of Fame Award: Mike Ashley & Ray Harryhausen
Posthumous Hall of Fame Award: Isaac Asimov
Sam Moskowitz Archive Award: Frank Robinson & Bob Peterson

Big Heart Award
John Hertz presented the Forrest J Ackerman Big Heart Award for service to fandom and science fiction to Boston fan Suford Lewis before the Hugo Ceremony at Denvention 3.

Denvention Special Committee Awards
Kent Bloom, chair of Denvention 3, announced that two Special Committee Awards would be presented at the Hugo Ceremony. The first award was presented in recognition of NASA's fiftieth anniversary. The second award was presented to recognize NESFA Press's publication activity.

Obituary
Comedian and actor Bernie Mac (b.1957) died on August 9 in Chicago, Illinois from complications from pneumonia. Mac, who starred in "The Bernie Mac Show" appeared in "The Transformers" and also did voice work for Inspector Gadget's Biggest Caper Ever. He appeared as Jimmy Bosley in "Charlie's Angels: Full TH\hrottle."

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Chicago Launches for 2012
Chicago has launched a bid to host the Worldcon in 2012. Chicago held a party on August 6 at which it announced its intentions and began giving away pulp magazine Confounding SF, which contained a new 2200 word story by Frederik Pohl. The bid also announced that a $100 Friend Membership would have $80 placed in escrow and all Friend memberships would be converted to attending memberships for those who vote in site selection if Chicago wins the convention.

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Worldcon Masquerade Winners
The Worldcon Masquerade was held on August 8. Jill Eastlake is the Masquerade Director for Denvention III.
Best in Show: A Nightmare in Denver, Leann Runyanwood & Mark Runyan
Best Workmanship in Show:
Master Class: Best in Class: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Joni Dashoff, Sandy Pettinger & Pierre Pettinger
Master Class: Best Presentation: Humuhumu, Isabella Anderson, Jennifer Anderson, Lea Anderson, Kelly Bolton & Cornelia Willis
Master Class: Best Mythic Presence: The Dream Time, Stephen Clark
Master Class: Holy Hand Grenade Award: The Legendary Black Beast of Arrrghhh!", Daren Best & Marion O'Brien-Clark
Master Class: Retro-Rocket Award for Scientific Engineering: "Schoolhouse Rock Presents: A Reconsideration of the Astronomical Status of Dwarf Planet Pluto," Adina Adler, Jeanne Buss, Mary Aileen Buss, Tania Clucas, Harriet Culver, Susan de Guardiola, Morris Keesan, Elspeth Kovar, Joshua Kronengold, Serge Maillous, Joseph Meltzer, Lori Meltzer, Irene Urban, Tim Walters, Vicki Warren, Lance Weber & Ben Yalow
Master Class: Best Detail & Precision: A Touch of Winter, Sionna Neidengard
Master Class: Workmanship for Creative Use of Found Material: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Joni Dashoff, Sandy Pettinger & Pierre Pettinger
Master Class: Workmanship for Lace-Making and Embroidery: A Touch of Winter, Sionna Neidengard
Journeyman Class: Best in Class: Grave Robbers, Michael Bruno, Charles Orndorff, Tauni Orndorff & Jennifer Strand
Journeyman Class: Excellence in Re-Creation: Shimabara Jinju Redux, April Faires
Journeyman Class: Excellence in Adaptation: Jadis, the White Witch, Rebecca Tinkham
Journeyman Class: Workmanship for Skilled Wire-Knotting: Elvish Armor, Loren Damewood
Journeyman Class: Workmanship for Fabric Manufacture: Jadis, the White Witch, Rebecca Tinkham
Novice Class: Best in Class: Chairman of the Borg, Mark Cantrell
Novice Class: Best Workmanship in Class: War Machine, Karl Nordman
Novice Class: Most Intoxicatingly Beautiful: Dragon Wine, Bethany Anderson
Magellan Award: Princess Mariam Suzetta, Christina Duba
Roy G. Biv Award: Calm After the Storm, Alyssa Westfield
Duran Duran's Choice: Barbarella & Pygar: Brianna Spacekat & Frank Wu
Rising Star Award: Here Comes the Sun: James Shallcross
Workmanship for Structural Engineering: The Black Dalek, Bernadette Lee
Junior Class: Dancing Fools Award: Young Anime Fans, Corwin Thorne & Random Thorne
Junior Class: 9 Is Fine Award: Alien Ellie, Ellie Brodrick
Junior Class: Transylvania Award: Blue's Friend Magenta, Edwin Grace, Ella Grace & Niall Grace

Chesley Non Winners
ASFA has announced that the Chesley Awards will not be awarded at Denvention because ASFA was not able to distribute the ballots in time for voting and tallying to be finished in time for the convention.

WSFS Business Meeting
These amendments, first adopted at Nippon 2007, were ratified and become part of the constitution at the end of Denvention Three.
Fan/Pro Artist: Artists may now be nominated in both the Best Professional Artist and Best Fan Artist categories in the same year.
Reporting Nominations: Committees no long need report the nomination totals for nominees receiving fewer than five votes.

These amendments received first passage, and will be sent on to Anticipation for ratification. They will not become part of the WSFS constitution unless ratified at Anticipation.
Peter Weston's Contribution: WSFS recognizes Peter Weston's refinement of Jack McKnight and Ben Jason's design of the Hugo Award rocket as the official version of the rocket.
Web Eligibility: Clarifies the eligibility of works published in electronic and other non-print forms; in particular, changes Best Related Book to Best Related Work.
Repeal Semiprozine: Removes the Best Semiprozine category, while modifying Best Fanzine so that, substantively, works previously qualified as Semiprozines are not eligible as Fanzines. (Editors of such works are and would continue to be eligible for Best Editor, Short Form.)
Add Graphic Works: Adds a new Best Graphic Story category.

Sidewise Award Winners
This year's Sidewise Award winners were announced at Denvention following a short discussion in which the nominees in attendance discussed what made for bad alternate history. This year was also the second time there was a tie for the award.
Long Form: The Yiddish Policemen's Union, by Michael Chabon
Short Form (tie): "Recovering Apollo 8," by Kristine Kathryn Rusch and "Quaestiones Super Caelo et Mundo," by Michael Flynn

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World Fantasy Awards Nominations
The nominations for this year's World Fantasy Awards have been announced. The winners will be announced at the World Fantasy Convention, to be held in Calgary, Canada from October 30 through November 2.

Novel
Fangland, John Marks
The Gospel of the Knife, Will Shetterly
The Servants, Michael Marshall Smith
Territory, Emma Bull
Ysabel, Guy Gavriel Kay

Novella
"Cold Snap," by Kim Newman
Illyria, Elizabeth Hand
"The Master Miller's Tale," by Ian R. MacLeod
The Mermaids, Robert Edric
"Stars Seen through Stone," by Lucius Shepard

Short Story
"The Cambist and Lord Iron: A Fairy Tale of Economics," by Daniel Abraham
"The Church on the Island," by Simon Kurt Unsworth
"Damned If You Don't," by Robert Shearman
"The Evolution of Trickster Stories Among the Dogs of North Park After the Change," by Kij Johnson
"Singing of Mount Abora," by Theodora Goss

Anthology
The Coyote Road, edited by Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling
Five Strokes to Midnight, edited by Gary A. Braunbeck & Hank Schwaeble
Inferno, edited by Ellen Datlow
Logorrhea, edited by John Klima
Wizards, edited by Jack Dann & Gardner Dozois

Collection
Dagger Key and Other Stories, by Lucius Shepard
Hart & Boot & Other Stories, by Tim Pratt
Plots and Misadventures, by Stephen Gallagher
Portable Childhoods, by Ellen Klages
The Secret Files of the Diogenes Club, by Kim Newman
Tiny Deaths, by Robert Shearman

Artist
Ruan Jia
Mikko Kinnunen
Stephan Martiniere
Edward Miller
John Picacio

Special Award, Professional
Allison Baker & Chris Roberson (for MonkeyBrain Books)
Alan Beatts & Jude Feldman (for Borderlands Books)
Peter Crowther (for PS Publishing)
Jeremy Lassen & Jason Williams (for Night Shade Books)
Shawna McCarthy (for Realms of Fantasy)
Gordon Van Gelder (for F&SF)

Special Award, Non-Professional
G. S. Evans & Alice Whittenburg (for Cafe Irreal, http://home.sprynet.com/~awhit/)
John Klima (for Electric Velocipede)
Rosalie Parker & Raymond Russell (for Tartarus Press)
Midori Snyder & Terri Windling (for Endicott Studios Website)
Stephen Jones (for Travellers in Darkness: The Souvenir Book of the World Horror Convention 2007)

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British Fantasy Awards Nominations
The winners of the awards will be announced at the British Fantasy Convention, Fantasycon 2008. The convention will be held on 19 - 21 September 2008 at the Britannia Hotel, Nottingham, UK.

Novel: The August Derleth Award
The Grin of the Dark, by Ramsey Campbell
Heart Shaped Box, by Joe Hill
The Intruders, by Michael Marshall
The Taken, by Sarah Pinborough
The Terror, by Dan Simmons
The Servants, by Michael Marshall Smith

Novella
Starship Summer, by Eric Brown
After the War (Double Novella), by Tim Lebbon
All Your Gods are Dead, by Gary McMahon
Black Tide, by Del Stone, Jr.
Rain, by Conrad Williams
The Scalding Rooms, by Conrad Williams

Short Fiction
"Digging Deep," by Ramsey Campbell
"The Spider Kiss," by Christopher Fowler
"Thumbprint," by Joe Hill
"My Stone Desire," by Joel Lane
"Discovering Ghosts," by Tim Lebbon

Collection
Midnight Bazaar: A Secret Arcade of Strange and Eerie Tales, by Simon Clark
Stains, by Paul Finch
Old Devil Moon, by Christopher Fowler
Plots and Misadventures, by Stephen Gallagher
Dirty Prayers, by Gary McMahon
Going Back, by Tony Richards

Anthology
The Black Book of Horror, edited by Charles Black
New Writings in the Fantastic, edited by John Grant
The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror 18, edited by Stephen Jones
Zencore! edited by D. F. Lewis
The First Humdrumming Book of Horror Stories, by Ian Alexander Martin

Small Press
Andy Cox, Black Static
Peter Crowther, PS Publishing
Peter Crowther, Postscripts
Andrew Hook, Elastic Press
Steve Upham, Screaming Dreams

Artist
Vincent Chong
Les Edwards (Edward Miller)
Dave McKean
Bryan Talbot
Steve Upham

Non-Fiction
Planet Dodo Column, by Allen Ashley, PLANET DODO COLUMN, Midnight Street
Whispers of Wickedness Website Reviews, by Peter Tennant
Nightmare USA: The Untold Story of the Exploitation Independents, by Stephen Thrower
UKSF Booknews, by Darren Turpin
Wormwood, by Mark Valentine

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3 August 2008

Free Black Gate
Publisher John O'Neill has announced that the 12th issue of Black Gate will be available for a limited time as a pdf download from the Black Gate website. This issue includes new stories by John R. Fultz, James Enge, Martha Wells, Constance Cooper, Todd McAulty, Ed Carmien, Howard Andrew Jones, as well as a classic story by Charles R. Tanner.

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WSFA Small Press Nominees
The 2008 WSFA Small Press nominees, given for science fiction and fantasy short fiction published by small press publishers in the previous year, have been announced. The winner will be announced at this year's Capclave in October.
"Bufo Rex," by Erik Amundsen, Weird Tales #347
"Orm the Beautiful," by Elizabeth Bear, Clarkesworld Magazine, January 2007
"The Wizard of Macatawa," by Tom Doyle, Paradox #11
"Harry the Crow," by John Kratman, Aeon Speculative Fiction #12
"Mask of the Ferret," by Ken Pick and Alan Loewen, Infinite Space, Infinite Gold
"The Third Bear," by Jeff VandeMeer, issue of Clarkesworld Magazine, April 2007

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Chesley Nominees
ASFA has announced this years nominees for the Chesley Awards. They note that not all nominees have been checked for eligibility at this time and some categories may not be complete.

Hardcover
Alan M. Clark for Shades
Daniel Dos Santos for Farseed
Bob Eggleton for The Taint and Other Novellas
Jon Foster for The Well of Ascension
Donato Giancola for The Outback Stars
Vance Korvacs for Seeing Redd
Todd Lockwood for The Orc King
Stephan Martiniere for Mainspring
John Jude Palencar for Fatal Revenant
John Picacio for The Margarets

Paperback
Greg Bridges for Emissary
Daniel Dos Santos for Blood Engines
Les Edwards for The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror, Vol. 18
Donato Giancola for Crystal Dragon
Michael Komarek for In The Cities of Coin & Spice
Cliff Nelson for Ilario: The Lion's Eye
John Picacio for Time's Child
David Stevenson for Maledicte
Stephen Youll for Boudica: Dreaming the Serpent Spear

Magazine
Paul Bielaczyc for Apex Digest, Issue #9 March 2007
Bob Eggleton for Analog October 2007
Cory & Catalina Ench for Fantasy & Science Fiction March 2007
David A. Hardy for Analog June 2007
Julie Heffernan for Tin House Fall 2007
Maurizio Manzieri for Fantasy & Science Fiction June 2007
Ian McCaig for Thrilling Wonder Stories Summer 2007
Edward Miller for Subterranean, Issue #6 2007
Rick Sardinha for Dungeon, Issue #145 April 2007

Interior Illustration
Brom for The Devil's Rose
Brian Froud for Brian Froud's World of Faerie
James Gurney for Dinotopia Journey to Chandara
John Howe for Beowulf
Stephanie Pui-Mun Law for Witch Child
Dave Leri for The White Queen
Edward Miller for Father Chains
Tiffany Prothero for A Touch of Hell
Omar Rayyan for The Heir of Mistmantle
Shaun Tan for The Arrival

Unpublished Monochrome
A.L. Asbaugh for Oddities #6, Pen & ink
Holly Bird for Spring Guardian, Pencil
John Blumen for Lady, Digital
Kim Feigenbaum for Slioterum, Pencil
Tom Fleming for Summer, Pencil
Donato Giancola for Season of Change
Stanley Morrison for Pirate Beast, Ink
Mark Rich for Presence, Ink
L.A. Williams for Werewolves, Pencil

Unpublished Color
Kinuko Craft for The Elven Queen of the Golden Wood, Oil
Bob Eggleton for Cthulthu's Domain, Oil
Tom Fleming for Spirit & Life, Watercolor
Donato Giancola for Red Sonja, Oil
Stephen Hickman for Life House, Oil
Matt Hughes for Becoming, Colored Pencil & watercolor
William O'Connor for Composition in Red & Green #2, Oil
David Palumbo for Doc Savage: The Eye of Terror, Oil
L.W. Perkins for Very Early, Very Far Away, Oil
Ruth Sanderson for Oracle, Oil
John Stanko for Fall of Tink, Oil
Michael Whelan for Rising, Acrylic

Product Illustration
James Christensen for Fiona, limited edition print Greenwich Workshop 9/07
Alan M. Clark for Of Course He Hadn't An Inkling Website banner for Bruce Holland Rogers 2007
Lisa Hunt for Fantastical Creatures Tarot, card set U.S. Games, 2007
Todd Lockwood for War of Angels, poster for "Bullseye Tattoo" 2007
Dean Morrissey for Danu of the Celts, limited edition giclee canvas Greenwich Workshop, 3/07
William Stout for Fossil Mysteries, murals San Diego Natural History Museum, 2007

3 D
Catherine Crowe for Owl, Enamel on copper
Scott W. Hahn for Pintaurid: The Meaning of Ocean Crags, Clay
Mark Newman for Devil Dude, Resin
Laura Reynolds for Golden Kirin, Sculpy
Vincent Villafranca for A Conscious Entity and Its Maker, Bronze

Gaming-Related Illustration
Daren Bader for Oros the Avenger, "Planar Chaos" set
Wayne England for The Sinister Spire
Carl Frank for Nebin & the Gargoyles, interior for "Dungeonscape"
Michael Komarek for Scion: Hero RPG cover art
Ron Lemen for Lady Tureya, interior for "Secrets of Sarlona' "Eberron" Campaign Supplement
Terese Nielsen for Holy Strength", "Magic: Arcana" 10th ed. Card
William O'Connor for Riftmarked Knight, "Planar Chaos" set
Lucio Parrillo for Kalaak Raider, interior for "Secrets of Sarlona"
Dan Scott for Nova Chaser
James Zhang for Du'ulora Quori, interior for "Secrets of Sarlona"

Art Director
Matt Adelsperger, WoTC
Shelly Bond, DC Comics/Vertigo
Laura Cleveland, Realms of Fantasy
Irene Gallo, Tor Books
Karen Jacques, WoTC
Deborah Kaplan, Penguin
Jeremy LaCroix, Wired Magazine
David Land, Dark Horse Comics
Robert Morrish, Cemetery Dance
Jamie Warren-Youll, Bantam Books

Artistic Achievement
Frank Cho
Jean "Moebius" Giraud
Rebecca Guay
John Howe
Michael Wm. Kaluta
Ruth Sanderson
Sanjulian (Manuel Perez Clemente)
William Stout
Justin Sweet

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Transcriptase Created
Several authors with stories published by Helix SF have banded together to repost their stories at Transcriptase. This is in response to a controversy concerning a rejection letter written by William Sanders which many have seen as racist or bigoted.

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Obituary
Comic artist Creig Fleissel (b.1912) died on July 17. Fleissel drew many of the early Sandman comics and drew the cover for the character's first appearance. In the 1950s, he worked on Superboy and in the 70s inked Prez. Fleissel died six days after suffering a debilitating stroke.