The Australian Science Fiction Bullsheet #141 – April 21 2000

A marasmic newszine produced for the Australian National Science
Fiction Association by Marc Ortlieb, P.O. Box 215, Forest Hill,
Vict, 3131, AUSTRALIA
(e-mail: mortlieb@vicnet.net.au).
	Postal subscriptions $6-00 for ten.(Cheques made out to Marc
Ortlieb please. Stamps accepted). Available for items of gossip.
E-mailed direct, a once off $10 fee.  Free copy from aus.sf on
Internet or at http://www.vicnet.net.au/~sfoz/bullsheet.htm



IN PRINT
	Roy Athlone sent a copy of his novel The Cage, published last
November by Esoteric Cogitations 71 Edinburgh Drive Gold Coast
Queensland 4205. Although availability details aren't mentioned,
I assume that copies are available from him at that address.
	Slow Glass Books Catalogue 135 lists in its new releases, The
Nameless Day by Sarah Douglass (Harper Collins), Beyond the
Shaking Time  by Simon Higgins (Hodder & Stoughton)  and The
Forests of Silence and The Lake of Tears by Emily Rodda
(Scholastic).
	Stephen Dedman's "Shades of Green" appears in Science Fiction Age
May 2000 which is, incidentally, the final issue of that
magazine.

AUSTRALIEN ABSURDITIES
	Chuck McKenzie notes  "The deadline for submissions to the
proposed anthology of Australian Speculative Humour has come and
gone, and a list of successful contributors and stories has just
been finalised. Tansy Rayner Roberts and I would like to thank
everyone who made submissions - we received over one hundred
stories in total, many of them excellent, so the final decision
certainly wasn't an easy one! The manuscript is now in the hands
of a very good agent, and we hope to secure a publisher shortly.
Listed below, in the order in which they should be printed, are
the stories that made it into the anthology:
	"Almost Aliens" - Robin Pen (article); "The Truth in Advertising"
- Sean Williams & Simon Brown; "Delta Void & the Unicorn Soup" -
Tansy Rayner Roberts; "Mean Time" - Marco Nero; "Tradition" -
Allan Price; "Dragon Omelette" - Robbie Matthews; "Working
Holiday" - Aidan Doyle & Colin Jacobs; "Once Upon a Contemporary
Setting" - Kristen Allender; "What We Want & What We Need" - Scot
Snow; "Eating Goopa Eggs" - Dave Luckett; "Scrubbed" - Robert
Hood; "Abduct Me!" - Les Petersen; "A Thief is a King in the
Halls of the Night" - Trent Jamieson; "Catflap"- Chuck McKenzie;
"My Sweet 286" - Edwina Harvey; "Media Blitz" - Niall Doran;
"Action Accountant" - Chris McTrustry; "Position Vacant: Cobweb
Quality Control Tester" - Cathy Cupitt; "Home Among the Stars" -
Richard Womack; "A Soldier at the Seige of Troy" - Tony Plank;
"Halo" - Martin Livings; "The Pearly Gates of Hell" - Jack
Wodhams;"'Bye Robot" - Rob Riel; "The Lure of the Sack" - Tom
Dullemond; "A Norwegian Landscape" - Ion Newcombe
	Any queries concerning the anthology can be directed to Chuck
McKenzie (PO Box 87A, Sth Strathfield, NSW 2138, or at
chuck@connexus.net.au)."

DITMARS 2000
	The status of this year's Ditmars is rather uncertain. Late last
week, members of the convention received a voting ballot the
nominees being reproduced below. Each ballot paper was numbered
for reasons I have been told relate to worries about people
casting multiple ballots. I then posted the ballot to the
Bullsheet e_mail list, to aus.sf and onto the Vicnet web site.
Since then, an e_mail from Stephen Dedman, Dave Luckett and
Damien Broderick removed their items from the ballot. This was
followed by an e_mail from Grant Watson, which I reproduce below.
	"It is with great regret that I announce that the committee of
Swancon 2000 have postponed this year's Ditmar Awards.
	Numerous conditions and complaints have made it impossible for
this year's awards to continue in any acceptable fashion and we
have therefore elected to declare the current nominations null
and void, and recommend that they be re-nominated and voted upon
later in the year.
	This is not a decision that was taken lightly, and our heartfelt
apologies go out to all nominees and fans who are affected,
disappointed or upset by this action.
	If you have any questions or comments relating to this decision,
please feel free to e-mail me at grant@fanboy.org or to the
Swancon 25 committee at swancon25@megabyte.murdoch.edu.au
	The above statement is our official one, but I would like to
express my own personal regret over this action. I am very aware
that there are many people who will find this decision completely
unacceptable, but considering every factor we have found no
option other than to cancel the Ditmars - for now, at least.
	I apologise sincerely to all nominees - please do not hesitate to
e-mail me if you wish to speak to me about it.
	 I suggest that a new date and schedule for this year's awards be
assembled at the Natcon AGM during Swancon 2000, along with the
preparation of some more specific rules and guidelines. The
Swancon 2000 committee is quite happy to co-ordinate these awards
if desired, and are equally happy to give the responsibility over
to any other person or persons nominated at the AGM."

The original nominations are published below, but I gather, from
Grant's note above and from other correspondence that the entire
process will be revisited later in the year.

BEST WRITTEN WORK (PROFESSIONAL)
Paul Collins & Jack Wodhams "Generation X" in Cicada Nov/Dec
1999; Stephen Dedman The Lady of Situations (Ticonderoga
Publications); Dave Luckett A Dark Journey (Omnibus); Paul
Collins "The Nabakov Affair" in Australian Short Stories #63;
Rory Barnes & Damien Broderick The Book of Revelation (Harper
Collins)
BEST WRITTEN WORK (UNPAID OR FAN)
Colin Sharpe & Kate Langford "Magical Cream Puff Destiny" in
JAMWAF Mangazine (JAFWA); Kyla Ward "Night Cars" in Abaddon #2;
Robin Pen "Eidolist 1999 Reviews" in Eidolist; Bill Wright
Interstellar Ramjet Scoop; Alan Stewart Thyme
BEST PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTION IN ANY MEDIUM
Sarah Endacott (ed) Orb 0; Russell B. Farr (ed) The Lady of
Situations (Ticonderoga Publications); Roadshow and Warner
Brothers The Matrix; Paul Collins & Meredith Costain (ed)
Spinouts (Pearson Education); MP Books Antique Futures: The Best
of Terry Dowling (MP Books)
BEST NON-PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTION IN ANY MEDIUM
Jonathan Strahan & Steve Paulsen The Coode Street Review of
Science Fiction; Team, Twenty3 Swancon 2000 Launch Video; Cathy
Cupitt The Rhyzome Factor; Danny Heap The Opening Ceremony Video
at Aussiecon Three; Ion Newcombe The Antipodean SF website
BEST ARTWORK (PROFESSIONAL)
Nick Stathopoulos The Cover to Antique Futures; Graeme Bliss The
Cover to Clementine; Marc McBride The Cover to Spinouts; Shaun
Tan The Cover to Orb 0; Nick Stathopoulos The Cover to The
Aussiecon Three Souvenir Book
BEST ARTWORK (UNPAID OR FAN)
Jeremy Nelson The Cover to The Rhyzome Factor #4; Colin Sharpe
Illustrations for "The Magical Cream Puff Destiny"; Dick Jenssen
Body of Work; Phil Wlodarczyk Cover to Ethel the Aardvark
WILLIAM ATHELING AWARD FOR CRITICISM OR REVIEW
Van Ikin, Russell Blackford & Sean McMullen Strange
Constellations: A History of Australian Science Fiction (
Greenwood ); Judith Buckrich George Turner: A Life 1916-1997
(M.U.P); Robert Hood Articles in i.am ezine; Janeen Webb & Andrew
Enstice The Fantastic Self (Eidolon Press); Jonathan Strahan &
Steve Paulsen The Coode Street Review of Science Fiction

HARPER COLLINS NEW WEB SITE
	Lyndall Thomas reports "The happy multimedia team at
HarperCollins are developing a new sci-fi/fantasy website called
Voyager Online. We are planning to launch the site at Swancon
and, in conjunction with Telstra, are hosting a live, 24 hour
chat room throughout the convention. Heaps of authors and sci-fi
folks will be in the chat room throughout the weekend: Sara
Douglass, Robin Hobb, Sean Williams, Damien Broderick, Shane Dix,
Rory Barnes, Jack Dann, Janeen Webb, Traci Harding, Danny Heap,
Grant Stone, and lots of Swancon people."
http://www.voyageronline.com.au

THE FINAL FOLD
	Russell Farr notes "Ticonderoga Publications, a leader in quality
Australian small press publishing, is to cease print operations
later this month after over three years of operation. Ticonderoga
is planning one final launch of all of its titles, scheduled to
take place at the Australian National Science Fiction Convention
at 6pm on Good Friday, 21 April 2000." Russell also notes that
Ticonderoga On-line will be resurrected on 1 May 2000.

TURNING JAPANESE
	Lucy Sussex provided the following information, partly via
Jonathan Strahan "The April 2000 issue of Hayakawa's SF
Magazine.is a special Australian SF issue,  featuring reprints of
Terry Dowling's "The Only Bird in Her Name", Sean McMullen's "The
Dominant Style", Lucy Sussex' "Go-To" and  Sean Williams'  "A Map
of the Mines of Barnath" (all illustrated), along with reviews
and an article on Australian SF by Yoshio Kobayashi " and partly
from Takayuki Tatsumi  "This special "Australian SF" issue was
conceived when I talked to the editor of HSFM about a lengthy
review of Strange Constellations and Women of Other Worlds.
Instead of writing a lengthy book review, I wrote  a general
introduction with a special emphasis upon the history of
Australian science fiction, while Yoshio Kobayashi focused on
some of major works by prominent Australian writers"

BULLSHEET MEDIA WATCH
	Murray MacLachlan reports that the following stfnal items appear
in the Boroondara Writers Festival.
Writing Workshop: A Stitch in Time.  Alison Goodman Hawthorn
Lower Town Hall, $10, 11am-12.30pm, Saturday 6 May.
Writing Workshop: In Your Wildest Fantasies:  Lucy Sussex
Hawthorn Lower Town Hall, $10, 11am-12.30pm, Saturday 6 May
Readings: Writing Space: Russell Blackford, Alison Goodman, Sarah
Endacott.Hawthorn Town Hall, Mayor's Room, $12/$8, Saturday 6
May, 2pm-3.30pm
Panel: Catching up to the 21st century: Sean McMullen, Stephen
Higgins, Lucy  Sussex Hawthorn Town Hall, Mayor's Room, $12/$8,
Sat 6 May, 4pm - 5.30pm.
	Damien Broderick reviews Steve Jones Almost Like a Whale: The
Origin of Species Updated in The Weekend Australian April 15-16
2000.
	Colin Steele reviews an assortment of sf in the Canberra Times
16/1/2000 and 26/3/2000, including Greg Egan's Teranesia, Terry
Dowling's Antique Futures, Helen Merrick & Tess Williams' Women
of the Worlds and an assortment of other overseas material,
including the reissue of Dune and Joe Haldeman's Forever Free.

PERIPATETIC FANS
	Craig Hilton notes that he still has trouble staying in one
place. "My career has taken me to a tiny settlement in  the
isolated part of Australia called Doomadgee. It's an Aboriginal
town of  1,000 to 1,500 people, and my job is as Medical
Superintendent of the hospital.  There's one other doctor
employed under me, and basically between the two of us,  we
provide the medical services, and I run the hospital."
	David Evans seems to be settling into life in Silicon Valley and
is learning to live in a workplace with hot and cold running tea,
coffee and Pepsi.
	Sally Yeoland reports that she is in the process of helping John
Bangsund pack in preparation for his return to Melbourne. A
suitable residence for John is yet to be found.

THE SPACE WASTREL PART III?

	Mark Loney reports "Mark Loney was promoted to the position of
Manager, Space Systems, at the Australian Communications
Authority on the 13th of April.  The Space System Team is
responsible for radio frequency planning for satellites, launch
vehicles and Earth stations (aka space systems).  Mark had been
leading the team since it was established in the Radio frequency
Planning Group in June 1999.  Jokes about Major Tom, space cadets
and Buck Rogers, which flourished in the first few months of the
team, have died down since the New Year."

FAN FUNDS

	Janice Gelb notes the address of the Duff2K web page
http://home.pacbell.net/jgelb/duff2k.html. Meantime, rumour has
it that the candidates in the 2001 GUFF race are Eric Lindsay &
Jean Weber and Damien Warman and Juliette Woods. Either way you
get two for the price of one. As of April 14th, there was no word
on the FFANZ results.

CONVENTION NEWS
	Damien Warman is threatening a small lightly programmed Adelaide
convention over the weekend Saturday September 30 to Sunday
October 1. He's interested in feedback on the idea. He can be
contacted at P.O. Box 3355 Rundle Mall Adelaide S.A. 5000.

UPCOMING CONVENTIONS

SWANCON 25  
39th National Australian Science Fiction Convention April
20th-24th, 2000.  Ascot Inn, Belmont, WA. GsoH Connie Willis and
Ian Nichols. Gratuitous interstate guest  "Mitch" Other guests
include Stephen Dedman, Sue Isle, Jack Dann, Janeen Webb, Sean
Williams and Tess Williams $80 until April 16th $90 thereafter.
swancon25@megabyte.murdoch.edu.au http://www.swancon.iinet.net.au
Swancon 25  GPO Box G429 Perth W.A. 6892

KITTEN KON 
The Goodies Convention 2000 April 21-23 2000 Dallas Brooks Centre
Melbourne GsoH Tim Brooke Taylor & Graeme Garden [o.c.p.]
Contact The Goodies Rule - OK! P.O. Box 325 Chadstone Vic 3148
$100 until 20/1/99 $120 until 14/3/2000
http://thegoodies.oztek.com.au

CONQUEST 
Easter Games Convention April 21-24 2000 University High School
Melbourne http://www.conquest.asn.au

FRIENDS OF SCIENCE FICTION  
Mini-Con May 6 2000  10:00am to 6:00pm Guest Nicole deBoer:. $50
FSF members and $60 nonmembers (02) 9523 8385 bookings@fsf.com.au
Website http://www.fsf.com.auP.O Box 797, Fairfield, NSW, 1860.

MULTIVERSE 
May 13 2000 - A day with Nicole deBoer Edmund Barton Centre,
Moorabbin http://www.vicnet.net.au/~multivrs/

MULTIVERSE 4 
Mid 2000 tba http://www.vicnet.net.au/~multivrs/ 

CON D'OR 
The 2000 New Zealand National SF Convention June 3 to 5 2000 West
Plaza Hotel Wellington GsoH Tad Williams Sean McMullen and Maree
Sole. Contact enquiries@condor.sf.org.nz or
http://www.condor.sf.org.nz

SINPOZIUM 2000 
The Australian Slash Con June 10 to 12 2000 (Queens Birthday
Weekend). Sydney. Convener Bernice brussell@ozemail.com.au.
Official website
http://www.ozemail.com.au/~gabriani/sinpozium.htm  Mailing list
http://www.onelist.com/community/sinpozium

ARCANACON 1800S 
Gaming Convention June 29 to July 2 2000 Collingwood Education
Centre Victoria Special Guest Shane Lacey Hensley
http://www.zip.com.au/~arcanacon

BOBW  9 
Stargate July 1st & 2nd 2000  Sydney Guests: Christopher Judge
(Teal'c) Teryl Rothery (Dr. Janet Frasier) http://www.bobw.com.au
(02) 9453 0290.

Chicon 2000 
The 58th World Science Fiction Convention August 31 to September
4, 2000 - Hyatt Regency Chicago IL GsoH Ben Bova, Bob Eggleton,
Jim Baen, Bob and Anne Passovoy, Toastmaster: Harry Turtledove
$US135.00 for residents of North America $US150.00 rate for bona
fide residents of other continents P. O. Box 642057, Chicago IL
60664, fax: 312-946-3779 http://www.chicon.org/

CONQUEST 2000 
October 6 to 8 2000 Brisbane Convention Centre GPO Box 1376
Brisbane 4001

BOBW 10 
Babylon 5/Crusade October 14th & 15th 2000Sydney Guests:Tracy
Scoggins, Peter Woodward Maggie Egan David Allen Brooks
http://www.bobw.com.au   (02) 9453 0290.

NELCON 
a relaxacon 17-19 November, 2000  The Country Comfort Motel, Port
Stephens N.S.W.. Membership $20 Accommodation $57 per night per
person Edwina Harvey by  e-mail at e.harvey@unsw.edu.au or by
snail mail c/- 12 Flinders St, Matraville. 2036

ARMAGEDDON 
Pulp Culture  Expo 10-11 February 2001 Auckland New Zealand
http://www.pulpexpo.com $7 entry  Guests tba

SWANCON 2001 
the Masquerade, 40th Australian National Science Fiction
Convention April 13-16 2001. GsoH tba The Rydges Hotel Perth.
P.O. Box 162 Nedlands W.A. 6909. swancon2001committee@egroups.com
http://www.sf.org.au/swancon2001

ODYSSEY CON 
The 2001 New Zealand National SF Convention Auckland.
enquiries@odyssey-con.sf.org.nz

THE MILLENNIUM PHILCON 
The 59th World Science Fiction Convention  August 30 to September
3, 2001 The Pennsylvania Convention Center & Philadelphia
Marriott Hotel GsoH Greg Bear, Stephen Youll, Gardner Dozois,
George Scithers Toastmaster: Esther Friesner. Attending $135
until 30/4/2000 then $145 Supporting  $US40 Millennium Philcon
Post Office Box 310 Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006-0310 U.S.A.
phil2001@unix3.netaxs.com http://www.netaxs.com/~phil2001

COSTUME CON 20
February 15-18 2002 Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre
$A50Daily Admission $100 until Dec 31st 2000; $A130 Jan 1st 2001
- Dec 31st 2001 $160 Jan 1st 2002 - Feb 15th 2002 The Australian
Costumers' Guild PO Box 322 Bentleigh Vic 3204
stilskin@netspace.net.au http://www.vicnet.net.au/~costume/

CON JOSE 
The 60th World Science Fiction Convention August 29 to September
2, 2002  San Jos McEnery Convention Centre GsoH Vernor Vinge,
David Cherry, Bjo & John Trimble, Ferdinand Feghoot Toastmaster
Tad Williams. P.O. Box 61363 Sunnyvale CA 94088-1363 U.S.A.
ConJose@sfsfc.org http://www.sfsfc.org/worldcon/ Attending $A150.
Supporting $A50.

GoH = Guest of Honour
O.C.P. = Other Commitments Permitting
tba= to be announced. 

CLUB NEWS
	Elaine Walker reports "...the Jumppoint web page, doesn't appear
to exist any longer. I think the club's pretty much shut down
after that last Quiz night (heh...we won by half a point)"
	Julian Warner reports "They drew the MSFC raffle this evening.
The only person mean enough to not have bought a ticket was
Justin Ackroyd so he was the obvious choice to do the draw.  He
was playing cards at the time but he stopped for long enough to
draw out the ticket of someone he was playing cards with - me!"

EVENTS
Note that there is an annual calendar available on the Vicnet SF
web site at http://www.vicnet.net.au/~sfoz/2000cal.htm

N.S.W.

PHANCLUB April 25  3:00pm  Phantasia Bookshop 443 High St Penrith
NSW 2750

QUEENSLAND

BUFFY  April 23 Red Cross Centre 409 Adelaide St Brisbane

CONQUEST May 7 Red Cross Centre 409 Adelaide St Brisbane GPO Box
1376 Brisbane Qld 4001

QUEST May 14 Red Cross Centre 409 Adelaide St Brisbane GPO Box
2084 Brisbane Qld 4001

BRISBANE DR WHO CLUB May 28  Red Cross Centre, 409 Adelaide St
Brisbane P.O. Box 10308, Adelaide St, Brisbane, Qld 4000

STARGATE:SG1 June 18  Red Cross Centre 409 Adelaide St Brisbane

S.A.

CRITICAL MASS May 3 2000  Writers Centre Adelaide Juliette Woods
The Titanomachia: The Geek as Holy Warrior in Neal Stephenson's
"Cryptonomicon" PO Box 3355, Rundle Mall, Adelaide, SA 5000
dmw@pobox.com

VICTORIA

MSFC April 21 No meeting April 28  May 5 8:00 pm St. David's
Uniting Church Hall, 74 Melville Road, West Brunswick P.O. Box
212 World Trade Centre Melbourne 3005

FRIDAY NIGHT MOB April 28  May 5 6:00-7.30pm. Informal eating and
nattering. Myers Cafeteria Melbourne

ENTERPRISE  April 21 Royal Children's Hospital Good Friday Appeal
We start out the front of the Hoyts Cinemas in Bourke Street
Melbourne at 8:00am and march through the city down to South
Melbourne where we will have a tent up, plenty of seats, and one
of the busiest intersections for collecting in Melbourne.
Enterprise will put on a full BBQ lunch with drinks and tea and
coffee as well as Easter eggs for all those who attend the day
and help out. If you are interested in helping out on the day,
please email Enterprise

NOVA MOB May 3  Neal Stephenson discussion 13 Frederick St
Brunswick

MULTIVERSE May 15 6:30pm Free advance preview screening of Pitch
Black  Greater Union Russell Cinemas. For your chance at tickets
check out the Multiverse Web page at
http://www.vicnet.net.au/~multivrs/

ENTERPRISE  May 27  AGM and Mock Prime Directive Trial (Note
changed date) P.O. Box 466 World Trade Centre Melbourne 3005
enterprs@vicnet.net.au http://www.vicnet.net.au/~enterprise/ 0418
56 1701

SKYFORCE 2000 June 10 1:00 to 5:00pm Charles Pearson Theatre ERC
University of Melbourne P.O. Box 427 Northcote Vic 3070
http://starwalking.8k.com

WEB SITES

Voyager On-Line http://www.voyageronline.com.au

FANZINES

SLOW GLASS BOOKS CATALOGUE 135 Cheryl Louch GPO Box 2708X
Melbourne Vic 3001

PHANEWS 28 Phantasia Books P.O. Box 1255 Penrith NSW 2751

VANAMONDE 348-352 John Hertz 236 S. Coronado St No 409 Los
Angeles CA 90057

THE FORCE #36 Peter Roberts for Star Walking P.O. Box 427
Northcote Vic 3070

THE TOTAL ANIMAL SOUP OF TIME 2000 Terry Frost
hlector@netspace.net.au

ANZAPA 194 Marc Ortlieb P.O. Box 215 Forest Hill Vic 3131. 189 pp
including a 28 page *brg* from Bruce Gillespie, with lots of
Aussiecon Three photos and a photo of Bruce and Carey Handfield
from the pre-computer era, Bill Wright's Interstellar Ramjet
Scoop and substantial contributions from Roger Sims, Margaret
Orchard, Jack Herman, Lucy Schmeidler and Michael Green.
Currently ANZAPA has a full membership roster and two
waitlisters.

ELECTRONIC FANZINES

ANSIBLE 153 Dave Langford, 94 London Road, Reading, Berkshire,
RG1 5AU, UK. Fax 0705 080 1534. ISSN 0265-9816. e-mail
ansible@cix.co.uk. Available for sae or the secret of the old
custard.

THE ROYAL SWISS NAVY GAZETTE #5 Garth Spencer, P.O. Box 15335,
V.M.P.O., Vancouver, B.C. CANADA V6B 5B1; email
hrothgar@vcn.bc.ca

DEADLINES

Bullsheet #142			May 2 2000.
DUFF Voting			April 30 2000
ANZAPA 195			June 9 2000 

This Fanzine Supports The Minneapolis in '73 WorldCon Bid The
Toronto in 2003 WorldCon Bid. and the Australia in 2007 WorldCon
Bid. Warman & Woods for GUFF!


OTHER INFORMATION

Catherine Crook de Camp, teacher, author, editor and wife of
L. Sprague de Camp died on April 9, 2000. Actor and comedian
Peter Jones - the voice of The Book in The Hitch-Hiker's Guide To
The Galaxy and regular on Radio 4's "Just a Minute" -  died on
April 10 after a short illness, aged 79. (Those of you of my age
will also remember him from "The Rag Trade".)

FANTHOLOGY 1995

Bill Bowers is looking for items for the 1995 fanthology. He's
interested in writing and artwork from the fanzines in that year.
His initial requirement is that the following be sent to him:-
	The name of the author, the title of the piece, where/when
published, and a brief description.
	Send to: Bill@Outworlds.net

BULLSHEET UNCLASSIFIEDS

THE RAY GIBBERD FUND
	Ray Gibberd has been an integral part of Andromeda Bookshop for
over 20 years.  He has been a director for over five years. At
the end of 1998 he was diagnosed with a brain tumour and was
operated on immediately.  The tumour returned at the end of 1999
and another operation was performed in January.  He is now
extremely weak and has lost his short term memory.
	He now needs a course of chemotherapy that is only available from
America, but the NHS will not fund it because of its high cost -
1,600 per month for 6-8 months.  His immediate family have put up
the money for the first three months.
	We at Andromeda are starting 'The Ray Gibberd Fund' and we're
looking at ways of raising further funds through raffles,
auctions, etc.
	What we need are donations of cash, books, proofs, first
editions, artwork, manuscripts, etc - even remainder books that
we can raffle by the bagload -in fact, *anything* we can sell,
auction or raffle.  With your generous support we know we can
raise the money so badly needed.
	All donations should be addressed to The Ray Gibberd Fund, c/o
Andromeda Bookshop, 2-5 Suffolk Street, Birmingham, B1 1LT.
	There will be a Ray Gibberd Day at Andromeda sometime late May or
early June when we will be auctioning and raffling rare books,
artwork, etc. *Please send an s.a.e. if you want to be notified
of this event.*
Rog Peyton Managing Director Andromeda Book Co Ltd

AUREALIS AWARDS 2000

	The 1999 Aurealis Awards Ceremony, held during the hectic
Writer's Week period in Adelaide, had barely concluded when the
search began in earnest for those Australian works of speculative
fiction which will be judged in the Year 2000 Aurealis Awards.
	Past winners of the Aurealis Awards include: Greg Egan, Terry
Dowling, Lucy Sussex, Jack Dann and Janeen Webb, Sean McMullen,
Sean Williams, Simon Brown, and Damien Broderick.  But the Awards
have also distinguished themselves by recognising and promoting
the work of less well known writers in the field.
	The editors of Aurealis, magazine, initiated the Aurealis Awards
in 1995 to recognise excellence in Australian speculative
fiction. Unlike the Ditmars and the Australian Children's Book
Council Awards, the Aurealis Awards distinguish between the
different categories within speculative fiction and present
separate awards for best novel and best short story in each of
the following genres: science fiction, fantasy, horror, and young
adult fiction.
	Independent judging panels are set up for each genre, comprising
people who are active in or have a good knowledge of the
speculative fiction field.  A Convenors' Panel oversees the
running of the Awards.
	To be eligible for this year's Aurealis Awards, works must be
written by an Australian citizen or permanent resident and
published in the year 2000. Currently the Convenors' Panel is
approaching publishers to identify works which may be eligible.
	If you know of a work which fits the eligibility criteria, you
can contact the Convenors via the Website: www.aurealis.hl.net
Please note that all works need to be sent directly to the judges
at the time of publication. Please follow the guidelines on the
Website.  Do not send any books or magazines intended for the
judges to the Convenors, Aurealis Magazine or  Chimaera
Publications.  The judges addresses are given on the Website.

Contact for media enquiries
Keith Stevenson
keith_stevenson@hotmail.com
03-9557-2740