The Australian Science Fiction Bullsheet 50 – May 2006
The Australian Science Fiction Bullsheet 50
May 2006
ISSN 1445-4319 (print version), ISSN 1445-4327 (online version)
GENERAL NEWS
CONJURE (the Australian SF Natcon 06,) set out to be a fun con, and
it was! It was great meeting FFANZ delegates Barbara and Peter
Clendon, and discovering we shared a passion for dragons and whale
watching. Complimentary copies of Cosmos magazine gave a lot of us a
chance to see what a great magazine it is, and there was some neat
promotional material forIan Irvine's new novel, Runcible Jones and
the Gate to Nowhere. (Thumbnail review by Edwina).
DITMARS: Best Novel: Geodesica: Ascent - Sean Williams & Shane Dix,
Ace. Best Novella or Novelette: The Grinding House - Kaaron Warren,
The Grinding House, CSFG Publishing. Best Short Story: Fresh Young
Widow - Kaaron Warren, The Grinding House, CSFG Publishing. Best
Collected Works: Daikaiju! Giant Monster Tales - Robert Hood & Robin
Penn, Agog! Press. Best Artwork: Australian Speculative Fiction: A
Genre Overview (cover) - Nick Stathopoulos, Australian Speculative
Fiction - A Genre Overview; Donna Hanson. Best Fan Writer: Shane
Jiraiya Cummings - Writer/reviewer, Horror Scope. Best Fan
Artist:Shane Parker - Conflux Poster Art, Conflux. Best Fan
Production: Edwina Harvey & Ted Scribner - The Australian Science
Fiction Bullsheet. Website and Newsletter. (Thank you! I don't know
what we're doing right, but I hope we keep doing it! - Edwina.) Best
Fanzine: Ticonderoga Online - Russell B Farr website Best New Talent:
Rjurik Davidson Best Professional Achievement Award: Robert Dobson,
Robert Hoge, Kate Eltham, Heather Gammage - Clarion South 2005,
Clarion South Workshop The William Atheling JR Award: Divided
Kingdom: King Kong vs Godzilla - Robert Hood King Kong is Back:
Benbella Books (Thanks to Tony Plank. Full details can be found on
www.ditspillers.com.)
There is now free access to a selection of the SF 'Futures' short
stories written by professional writers and science researchers
printed at the back of Nature journal. (Previously you had to
subscribe to Nature to read them. See
http://www.concatenation.org./futuresindex.html Reported by Jonathan
Cowie Science Fact & Fiction Concatenation
Lynne Gryphon has recently started a Science Fiction News VIDEO
Podcast. You can view it at http://lynne.libsyn.com/ Or the latest
show is at http://media.libsyn.com/media/lynne/episode13.m4v
Continuum (q.v.) presents: The Fifth Element ~ Movie Night and Social
Event on Friday 12 May, at the classic Sun Theatre, 8 Ballarat St,
Yarraville (Melbourne) adjacent to Yarraville train and bus station.
Parking also available. Pre-show refreshments will be served and the
bar open from 8pm. The screening commences at 9. Price: $15/$13
Continuum members (membership available on the night) RSVP (to help
with seating and catering)by Monday May 8th, to
continuum_movie_night@yahoo.com.au For more information on.Continuum:
http://www.continuum.org.au/, or the Sun Theatre:
http://www.suntheatre.com.au/
RHODODENCON: A proposed relaxacon in Blackheath (Blue Mountains, NSW)
29th Sept- 2 Oct (Long weekend in NSW and some other states). Cost
$40, payable to Edwin A. Scribner, c/- 12 Richmount St, Cronulla,
2230, or 4 Prince Edward St, Blackheath. Full details can be viewed
at http://members.optusnet.com.au/rhododencon
Over 2000 books, 3,000 comics and 1,500 magazines from the estate of
the late Kevin Dillon (an inveterate collector of the printed word)
will be auctioned by Raffan, Kelleher & Thomas, 42 John St. Leichardt
(Sydney) over the 4 Mondays of May. Items can be viewed from 9am-12
the Saturday prior to the auction, or between 8-9am the Monday of the
auction. See www,rafkelauctions.com.au or phone 02 9552 1899 for more
details. (Reported by Garry Dalrymple.)
FFANZ (Fan Fund for Australia and New Zealand) Race for 2007 is now
on. Nominations are now open for the 2007 FFANZ trip, from Australia
to New Zealand for Conspiracy 2, the NZ Natcon run over the New
Zealand Queen's Birthday in June 2007. Nominations open for residents
of Australia and New Zealand who have been active in fandom prior to
31 March 06. Nominations must be signed by the nominee and
accompanied by a donation of AUD$10.00 to FFANZ. Each nomination must
also have the signed support of one fan currently residing in NZ and
two fans currently residing in Australia (these can be sent
separately). The nominee should provide a written platform of 100
words or less for the ballot and a photo if possible. Nominations
should be sent to Rose Mitchell, GPO Box 1212K, Melbourne,Vic, 3001.
E-mail Mitchell@vicnet.net.au for further information, or NZ
representatives Barbara and Peter Clendon
reading@barbarasbooks.co.nz Read all about the FFANZ Fan Fund at
http://ffanz.sf.org.nz/index.htm
BOOKS AND PUBLICATIONS
"Outside a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside a dog it's too
dark to read"- Groucho Marx
SIMON BROWN's new book, TROY, is a collection of 10 short stories
featuring characters from Trojan mythology, with an introduction by
Garth Nix, was recently released by Ticonderoga Books, and can be
bought either as a limited issue signed by all contributors for $45,
or a regular trade paperback for $24.95. ISBN 0958685665. Troy can be
bought on-line through Australian Speculative Fiction, or ordered
through specialty bookshops around Australia.
TERRI DARTNELL's short story collection, The Ladder at the Bottom of
the World, containing 31 if Terry's best stories with graphics by R&D
Studios and intro by Robert Hood is now available as an ebook from
Trantor Publications: www.trantorpublications.com/Ladder.htm. See
also www.cit.gu.edu.au/~terryd Cost US$6.99 (about AU$9.50). Payment
by creditcard or Paypal.
Agog! Ripping Reads featuring stories by:Adam Browne, Andrew Macrae,
Anna Tambour, Ben Peek, Brendan Duffy, Chris Lawson, Cory Daniells,
David Conyers David Kane, Deborah Biancotti, Dirk Flinthart, Geoffrey
Maloney, Jason Nahrung, Jay Lake, Jeff Vandermeer, Kim Westwood,
Margo Lanagan, Paul Haines, Simon Brown, Sue Isle and Tansy Rayner
Roberts will be launched at Conflux convention, Canberra. June (q.v.)
ANDROMEDA SPACEWAYS issue 22 is now out featuring stories by Adam
Brown, Lee Battersby, Trent Jamieson, Will McIntosh, Hannah Strom-
Martin, G. Scott Higgins, Miles Deacon, Peter Friend, Josh Rountree,
Andrew Hindle & Shane Jiraiya Cummings. Edited by Tansy Rayner
Roberts. Subscription rates rising soon. Resubscribe early to beat
the price rise! Keep watching www.andromedaspaceways.com for more
details.
ANTIPODEAN SF 95 features short, short stories (500 words) by Nathan
Burrage, Greg Beatty, Ivan Belachich, Kurt Newton, Nathaniel James
Parker, Lon Prater, Brian Rappatta and LG Saunders. Find AntipodeanSF
at http://www.antisf.com or http://purl.nla.gov.au/NET/antisf/
SHADOWED REALMS 10 (edited by Angela Challis) has been published at
www.shadowedrealms.com.au.
TICONDEROGA ONLINE Issue 7 featuring fiction from Lily Chrywenstrom,
N.Joy Dodds, unterviews with Ellen Datlow and Jeff VanderMeer as well
as reviews, can be seen at
http://ticonderogaonline.org/007/TOL/index.html
THE WORKERS' PARADISE is a new spec-fic anthology with the theme of
work/workplace relations, to be edited by Russell B. Farr and Nick
Evans. Open to submissions of original stories of 1-7,000 words from
Australian residents until 1 Aug 2006. E-mail subs to
comradefarr@ticonderogaonline.org with the words "Submission
Workers" in the subject line. Pays 2 copies and Aus 1.5 c/word on
publication. See http://ticonderogaonline.org/publications/ for full
details.
FLASHSPEC is a new anthology project for Flash Speculative Fiction
stories, to be published in the second half of 2006. If the project
is sufficiently supported, it may also become a regular magazine. The
collection will be edited by Western Australian author Neil
Cladingboel and published by Equilibrium Books as a trade softcover
sold through their online book store. Iinitially, payments to authors
will be an author bio included with each accepted story and a
contributors copy of the anthology. Contributers will also be able to
purchase additional copies at a discount. Full submission guidelines
available from: www.flashspec.com
The Queensland Premier's Literary Awards is now open and seeking
nominations of published books in a variety of categories. See
www.literaryawards.qld.gov.au or phone 07 3224 6206 for full details.
(Reported on the Visions list.)
CLARION SOUTH 2007, an intensive 6 week spec-fic workshop held at
Brisbane's Griffith Uni in Jan/Feb 07 will have Lee Battersby, Simon
Brown, Gardiner Dozois, Rob Hood, Kelly Link & Janeen Webb as tutors.
See www.clarionsouth.org for full details. Applications close June
06. (Reported by Robert Hoge on the Vision Writers list)
LEIGH BLACKMORE's Raven books, specialising in dark and horror
fiction also includes Sequence comics. For the February catalogue e-
mail lvxnox@iinet.net.au.
GRAHAM STONE has a catalogue of SF books and pulp SF magazines
(Amazing Stories, Analog, Galaxy SF) for sale. For a copy of the
catalogue send a sase to 205/24 Victoria St, Burwood, NSW, 2134.
MERV BINNS perzine, Out of the Bin is available from PO Box 315,
Carnegie, Vic, 3163.
INTERSTELLAR RAMJET SCOOP issue 230, Bill Wright's perzine, featuring
Anzapa contributions. An article on the Commonwealth Games held in
Melbourne recently, and the restoration of the St Kilda Pier is
available from Bill Wright, 4/1 Park St, St. Kilda. Vic. 3182. (Write
for subscription details.)
FRIENDS OF LINDA COX CHAN (FOLCC) raise money to donate to Juvenile
Diabetes Research, Australia by selling donated books etc. (Tally
$64.60) Books looking for new homes: "The Truth About Magic" by Dave
Luckett (new and autographed by the author!), World's Apart by Chuck
McKenzie.(Autographed by the author!) Audiobook: "Journey to the
Centre of the Earth" by Jules Verne featuring John de Lancie and
Leonard Nimoy., also a Dukes of Hazard Play and Read record, and A-
Team colouring and activity books: Art cards autographed by Marianne
Plumridge and Bob Eggleton are also for sale. See images of the
available cards on the Bullsheet website. To buy items e-mail Edwina
Harvey at edwinafan@yahoo.com or snail mail Edwina, c/- 12 Flinders
St, Matraville, NSW 2036. *Make cheques payable to Edwina Harvey
please, FOLCC is an informal entity.) You can also pay via direct
deposit and paypal.
HATCH, MATCH AND DISPATCH
GRAVELY ILL:
Writer Kurt Von Trojan, author of The Atrocity Shop and the Transing
novels, as well as many short stories, suffering from bone and kidney
cancer.
DEATHS: (Some of this information is being repeated for the benefit
of snail mail readers who didn't get the earlier e-mail posting.)
Melbourne Star Trek fan, DIANE MARCHANT passed away on 5th April.
With Jacqueline Lichtenburg, Diane formed the Star Trek Welcommittee
in 1972. She worked tirelessly at answering the many thousands of
enquiries from Star Trek fans and putting them in contact with each
other. She became known for the wacky story lines she would come out
with when workshopping with other writers. Susan Batho relates: "I
met Diane in 1972 at Syncon 72, and we took over a panel on Star Trek
and tossed around story ideas for nearly 6 hours...And we were firm
friends thereafter...And for the record: she wrote the first published
K/S story in GRUP. She made a difference in many peoples' lives and
will be remembered. Live long and prosper, Diane."
Julie Townsend and I were in high-school when we wrote to the
Welcommittee mentioned in one of James Blish's Star Trek
novelizations. Diane wrote back to us with names and addresses of
other Aus. Star Trek fans who had contacted her (including Susan
Batho, or Sue Clarke as she was back then.) We formed ASTREX, where I
began writing fanfic and learning other fannish skills, predominantly
from Sue. I wonder if my life would have been so rewarding if Diane
Marchant hadn't been the catalyst that lead me into fandom. Edwina.
Rob Jan writes: Diane was one of the people responsible for me
encountering fandom and was an influential lady...
CLUBS & MEETINGS
MELBOURNE SCIENCE FICTION CLUB, Meet most Friday nights at 74
Melville Road, West Brunswick 3055.Membership to the MSFC is $25
single, or $35 family p.a. For further details on the MSFC see
www.vicnet.net.au/~msfc. Meetings for May: May 5th Food and Trivia:
Mexican, May 12: Coffee, cake and conversation: May 19yj Not so Great
Debate:"Are SF books too long now?", May 26th: Video Appreciation:
Fan films from Star Wars, Star Trek & Dr Who. June 11th MSFC mini-
con, 10-5. Dealers, info about SF clubs and upcoming conventions.
AUSTREK, the Star Trek fan club in Victoria will be celebrating its
30th anniversary this year and is still going strong.
SPACED OUT: a science fiction club for gays, lesbians and associated
communities. $5 joining fee, then $20 annual membership. ($15
concession.) to Spaced Out Inc. PO Box 363, Preston, Vic. 3072.Non-
profit SF club offering monthly meetings, "Diverse Universe"
newsletter and "Solar Spectrum" annual anthology.
CANBERRA SCIENCE FICTION SOCIETY meets on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays
of the month. It's a relaxed social society for the discussion of SF
and fantasy. Membership $24 p.a. For more info write to CSFS PO Box
47, Civic Square, ACT 2608, or e-mail canberrascifi@hotmail.com.
SFSA (South Australian Dr Who fan club) Two regular meetings each
month. Annual membership $15. The regular club meeting is held at the
Adelaide High School from 3pm-10pm on the 3rd Saturday of the month.
See http://www.sfsa.org.au/ for full details or write to PO Box 3227,
Rundle Mall, SA 5000.(Reported by Martin Dunne.)
The Doctor Who Club of Australia (DWCA) Membership $16 within Aust.
provides 6 issues of Data Extract, membership pack, access to the
club's member-only internet mailing list, discount prices on a range
of merchandise, admission prices to club functions (including
Whovention, discounts at selected retail outlets for Doctor Who
merchandise. For more information contact Dwayne Bunney -
corporate@doctorwhoaustralia.org or 0416 269 726 or check
www.doctorwhoaustralia.org
QUEST Queensland Star Trek club. Contact the club at PO BOX 2084,
Brisbane, QLD. 4001, or check www.conquestforever.com (Reported by
Kevin Sheehan.)
The Brisbane Babylon 5ers website is at www.geocities.com/bb5ers
(Reported by Erica Sharp, president of the Brisbane Babylon5ers )
VISIONS WRITERS GROUP offers meeting and critiquing for SF, Fantasy
and Horror writers in QLD Monthly meetings from 11am –2 pm, first
Sunday of the month (except Jan and Dec) at Dymocks City Store, Queen
St, Brisbane. $10 joining fee, and $4 per meeting. (reported by Nigel Stone)
INFINITAS BOOKSHOP/Blokey Stuff, Shop 22 Civic Arcade, 48 - 50 George
Street Parramatta NSW. has 2 groups regularly meeting at its
premises. The SF Discussion Group meets at 6:30pm on the first
Thursday of each month except January. A SF Writers Group also meets
at the shop once a month on Saturdays See
http://www.infinitas.com.au/WritersGroup.php for 2006 meeting dates.
(Reported by Tim Martin via Ted Scribner).
SYDNEY MECHANICS' SCHOOL OF ARTS at 280 Pitt St, Sydney, regularly
holds a members reading group for Mystery and Crime, Romance and
Science Fiction and Fantasy. The groups start with Mystery and Crime
at 10am and meander into SF (and sometimes Romance, depending on
demand) from 12 noon. Attendance at the first meeting is free, but if
you're interested in attending more meetings, you are asked to join
the Sydney Mechanics' School of Arts. (Annual fee $15.50 ?) This also
entitles you to borrowing rights at the School of Arts library.
Meetings held every 3 weeks. Upcoming meetings: Sat 13th May, Sat
June 3, Sat June 24th.
SYDNEY FANS IN THE PUB. Meet on the first Tuesday of the month at the
Civic Hotel, Saloon Bar, Crn Pitt & Goulburn Sts, Sydney. From
6.30pm. (Reported by Zara Baxter.)
SYDNEY FUTURIANS now affiliated with the Student Assoc of UTS.
Meetings in room 510C (5th floor) of The University of Technology,
Broadway, Sydney, at 7 pm on May 19, June 16th, July 21, Aug 18th,
Sept 15th, Oct 20th, Nov 17th, Dec 20th. Check
http://users.secsme.org.au/~futurians, or e-mail John.Fox@uts.edu.au
for full details.
STARWALKING: http://sydskyforce.starwalking.net holds meetings af the
Lidcombe Catholic Workers Club, 24 John St, Lidcombe, opposite
Lidcombe Railway station on the third Sunday of some months.
Attendance costs $8 members, $10 nonmembers. (Starwalking Melbourne
has Force 4 convention in May. q.v. conventions.)
EVENTS
VORTEX: SF Events happening in Brisbane, can be found at
www.vortexevents.com
CONVENTIONS
GoH = Guest of Honour, OCP = Other Commitments Permitting, tba= to be
announced.
THE HUB. Sydney. May 6-7. GoH's: Jewel Staite; Clare Kramer,
Jonathon Woodward, Larry Bagby; John Billingsley Nicola
Scott.Tickets: VIP $400, Weekend $150, Sat only $80, Sun only $90
Book online at http://www.thehubproductions.com
Terra Nova. 6th May. Adelaide. (No venue announced) GoH Nana Visitor,
Clare Kramer, Arlene Martel. Ph 08 9396 2517 or see
novaevents.com.
CONCLAVE: NZ National SF & Fantasy con. 2-5 June, 2006. Mount
Richmond Lodge, 576 Mt Wellington Hw, Mt Wellington, Auckland,
NZ.GoH's Joan Vinge, Jim Fenkel, Steve Jackson. Han GoH Kevin
MacLean. See http://conclave.sf.org.nz for full details. (Thanks to
Andrienne Losin for passing on this information.)
LEGO IN MELBOURNE! The first Australian public Lego fan exhibition,
Bricvention, will be held in Melbourne, June 10-11. You need to pre-
register is you intend to display, participate in presentations, or
operate a trade table (at extra cost) See http://brickventures.com
for full details. (Reported by J. Gibbins.)
CONFLUX 3: Queens Birthday Weekend, 9-12 June 2006. National Museum.
GoHs Ellen Datlow, Kate Forsyth, Sara Douglass and Jackie French.
Also offering communication links with Sir Arthur C. Clarke, Ray
Bradbury, and Lloyd Alexander. Conflux will also feature a film
festival, a medieval feast and a gaming stream as well as an art show
offering $6,000 in prizes. If you refer someone who hasn't been to a
Conflux before, you will receive a $25 voucher to spend in the
dealers room. Attending m/ship $190, $130 concession and $35
supporting.. See http://www.conflux.org.au or e-mail
info@conflux.org.au .PO Box 903 Belconnen, ACT 2616 or phone
0421005511.
CONTINUUM. 4-6 August, Victoria Hotel, Lt Collins St, Melbourne.
GoHs Shaun Tan, Charles Stross, Margo Lanagan, Bruce Gillespie.
Website: http://www.continuum.org.au
LA CON IV, the 64th Worldcon. 23-27 August, 2006. Anaheim Convention
Centre, Hilton & Marriott hotels, Anaheim. GoH's Connie Willis, James
Gurney, Howard De Vore, Frankie Thoman. Attending m/ship $225 ($au)
Conversion from supporting membership to attending, $165 (au)
Kids/supporting memberships $65. e-mail info@laconIV.org, Postal
address LA Con c/- S.C.I.F.I. inc, PO Box 8442, Van Nuys, CA, 91409.
USA. Australians can buy memberships to LaCon by sending a cheque or
money order made payable to their Australian Agent, Edwin A. Scribner
c/- 12 Richmount St, Cronulla NSW 2230, preferably with a printout of
http://www.laconiv.org/2006/reg/signupaus.htm with personal details
filled in. Alternatively send your full name, address and email
address. Attending membership is currently $225 and supporting or
child (5 - 11) $65.
FIRST CONTACT con. 24th Sept. Roadshow Theatre, State Library,
LaTrobe St, Melbourne. $77 general. See
www.firstcontactconventions.com.au for full details.
ConQuest, 29th Sept - 1st Oct. Chifley at Lennons, Brisbane. GoHs:
Gary Lockwood, Keir Dullea, (2001: A Space Odyssey) Katy Manning (Dr
Who), Richard Arnold and Sonny Whitelaw. $270. See
www.conquestforever.com for full details.
TERRA NOVA 14th Oct. Mercure Grosvenor Hotel, Adelaide. See
novaevents.com for full details.
FRIENDS OF SCIENCE FICTION STARGATE CON October 28th Sydney, (and
29th Oct Brisbane. Venue TBA) GoH Rachel Luttrell. Membership $120
FSF members, $130 non-members, $400 VIP. See www.fsf.
www.fsf.net.au, or phone 02 9523 8385
SUPANOVA Sydney, Comics/Pop culture. 27-29 October, Wharf 8, 53-59
Hickson Rd, Sydney.
ARMAGEDDON (NZ) 21-23 Oct. Aotea Centre, Auckland. GoH: JMS (Bab 5)
and others. (NZ)$15
Of $350 gold. See www.pulpexpo.com/info.html.
NULLUS ANXIETAS The First Australian Discworld Convention. Feb 9-11,
2007. Melbourne. Attending $160, (Gala dinner to cost an extra $90)
see www.ausdwcon.org for further details.
CONVERGENCE 2. Australian Natcon, 2007. Rydges Hotel, Melbourne.
Queens Birthday weekend, 8-11 June, 07. Theme:YA genre fiction. GoH
Isobelle Carmody. See http://www.natcon.org.au/2007. Attending
membership $153, concession $103 until 31.12.95. Student membership
$55, supporting membership $33 (Prices sourced from Convergence
promotional postcards). (Reported by Rose Mitchell.)
XIVAMC, Medieval re-enactment group. Easter 2007. Meeting at the
Danelaw property, Charley's Forest Rd, Wog Wog, NSW. (35 min drive
north of Braidwood, 3 hrs south of Sydney, 1.5 hrs east of Canberra.
Registration $150 fully catered for 4 days. See www.danelaw.org.au
for more details. (Reported by J. Gibbins.)
NIPPON 2007. Worldcon. Aug 30-Sept 3 2007. Pacifico Yokohama
convention centre, Japan. Gohs: David Brin and Sakyo Komatsu. Artist
Gohs: Yoshitaka Amano and Michael Whelan. Details at
www.nippon2007.org . Australian agent Craig McBride. Membership A$210
until Sept 30 2005. You can also join
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nippon2007
Geneva Convention a civilised worldcon bid for Switzerland in 2008.
http://www.thegenevaconvention.org/
Australia 2010. Another Aussie Worldcon bid, apparently getting good
support from overseas. See http://world.std.com/~sbarsky/melbourne.
OTHER INFORMATION RESOURCES:
Ted Scribner's Australian SF&F home page is:
http://members.optushome.com.au/aussff/
and his list of SF oriented groups in NSW is at
http://members.optushome.com.au/aussff/SFNSW.html.
Coode St Review lists Australian publishing news and achievements by
Australian writers http://www.sf.org.au/coodestreetnews.
The Inkspillers web site, http://www.inkspillers.com. is a great
source of market information that is always being updated by Tony
Plank.
For links to books, movies and television shows see John Tipper's
homepage: http://www.collecting books andmagazines.com
The Bullsheet is available as a FREE monthly e-mail through the
AUSSFBULL mailing list. To join send a blank e-mail to AUSSFBULL-
subscribe@yahoogroups.com. The latest version is also on the
Bullsheet web page
http://members.optusnet.com.au/aussfbull/bullsheet_or
http://www.geocities.com/edwinafan/bullsheetThe Bullsheet is also
available as a snail-mail subscription for 20x50 cent stamps (or $10)
sent to Edwina Harvey c/- 12 Flinders St, Matraville, 2036. Send your
news e-mail to edwinafan@yahoo.com,
Visit Celestial Cobbler for ceramic craft with a SF & Fantasy bent.
http://members.optushome.com.au/guests/Cobbler.html.
For no sufficiently explained reason this Fanzine still supports The
Minneapolis in '73 Worldcon Bid