The Australian Science Fiction Bullsheet 43 – October 2005
The Australian Science Fiction Bullsheet 43
October 2005
ISSN 1445-4319 (print version), ISSN 1445-4327 (online version)
GENERAL NEWS
SERENITY, the Joss Whedon's movie based on the TV series, Firefly,
has opened in cinemas around Australia.
SUPERMAN RETURNS has pipped Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire to
the post for "Most Expensive Film" with a budget of $326 million.
(Reported by Heather Gammage on the Vision-writers list.)
MORE GOODIES! Tim & Graeme will be appearing live on stage, Bill will
be appearing almost alive via satellite from London in another tour
of Australia in November. They'll be appearing at the Riverside
Theatre, Parramatta (Sydney) on 2 & 3 November. Online bookings
available through ticketek. For further tour info visit
www.goodiesruleok.com
STUDY ALIENS AT UNI! The University of Glamorgan in Britain is
offering an undergraduate course in astrobiology:the search for
extraterrestrial life. (from www.news.com.au "The Other Side", just
before the article on scientists perving on pandas - Edwina.)
AWOOGAH, AWOOGAH... warning to all Melbourne fans, CHUCK McKENZIE has
gone south of the border and is now among you. But he's probably
still got stuff for sale at:
http://members.optusnet.com.au/chuckmk/buystuff.htm
SYDNEY FANS IN THE PUB. The inaugural meeting is Tues 4th October at
Civic Hotel, Saloon Bar, Crn Pitt & Goulburn Sts, Sydney. From
6.30pm. It's hoped these informal meetings will continue on every
first Tuesday of the month. (Reported by Zara Baxter.)
CORRECTION: When sending out the original message about Kevin Dillon
earlier this month, I inadvertently transcribed Graham Stone's phone
number as the contact number for the Marrickville police. If you have
any contact details for Kevin's relatives, or a will, the correct
contact phone number for Marrickville Police is 02 9568 9299. My
apologies to Graham Stone - Edwina.
BOOKS AND PUBLICATIONS
"Outside a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside a dog it's too
dark to read"- Groucho Marx
LOTHIAN BOOKS is seeking submissions from Aus horror/thriller writers
for a new adult fiction series. Manuscripts from 60-120,000 words to
be submitted by 1/11/06. No epic/medieval/SF or fantasy. Send
submissions to Teresa Pitt, Senior Commussuining Editor, Lothian
Books, 132-136 Albert St, Sth Melbourne, VIC 3205. (Reported by Cat
Sparks on the Visions list.)
SEAN WILLIAMS has recently sold his space-adventure trilogy,
Astropolis, to Orbit publications, UK. (Reported on the Vision-
writers list.)
TROUBADOUR is a new novel by psychotherapist, Dr Don Fenn. Inspired
by "control-mastery theory" this novel involves time travel to
another planet. Published by Synergy books. ISBN 978-0-9755922-6-7.
Cost $22.95 (US$)
ROBOT STORIES and more screenplays is a collection of scripts from
Greg Pak. ISBN 1-59702-000-1. 232 pgs,p/back. $14.95 (US$) see
www.immedium.com
INTERGALACTIC MEDICINE SHOW is a new on-line magazine from Orson
Scott Card which will offer "special value items" such as audio books
and stories that can be downloaded as MP3 files. Costing $2.50 (US?)
per copy, payable through paypal, the magazine will debut 0n 15th
Oct. Submissions from authors welcome. The magazine pays 6c (US?) a
word. (Reported by Cat Sparks on the Vision Writers list, and Robbie
Matthews on the ASIM-admin list.)
ANDROMEDA SPACEWAYS INFLIGHT MAGAZINE: Issue 20 features fiction by
Martin Austwick, Dirk Flinthart, Eric Marin, Matthew Bey, Linda Fazio
Theys, Paul E. Martens, Floris M. Kleijne, Ben Cook, Ross Raith,
Suzanne Palmer and Malcolm Aslett. Edited by Stuart Barrow. Available
from SF bookshops around Australia, or buy direct or subscribe at
www.andromedaspaceways.com
available via the web site.
ANTIPODEAN SF No. 88 featuring short, short stories (500 words) from
Geoffrey Maloney, Niel Cladingboel, Shane Jiraiya Cummings, Fran
LaPlaca, Shain A. Saunders, John Craig, Patty Jansen, Maxine Mullock,
Elaine Cassell and Ashley Arnold. can be seen at
http://www.antisf.comhttp://purl.nla.gov.au/NET/antisf/http://www.antisf.com or
also vote for the 2004 awards. Winners will be announced in issue 89.
AUSTRALIAN SPECULATIVE FICTION website has been updated today. Check
www.inkspillers.com
Submissions are sought for AUSTRALIAN DARK FANTASY and HORROR: The
Best of 2005. This anthology will feature reprints of the best horror
and dark speculative fiction stories published by Australians in
2005. It is anticipated this anthology will have mass market
distribution. Stories by Australian citizens or residents appearing
in Australian or overseas publications between 1 Jan and 31 Dec 2005.
Publications already under consideration by the anthology editors are
Antipodean SF, Aurealis, Borderlands, Daikaiju!, Dark Animus,
Scifiction, Shadow Box, anthology, Shadowed Realms, Ticonderoga
Online and The Grinding House by Kaaron Warren. If your story was
published in another publication, post a disposable copy of your
story (in standard manuscript format), or the publication in which it
appeared, to: PO Box 4, Woodvale WA 6026 Australia. Submissions
accepted until 13th Jan 06. Email queries to
austdfhorror@shadoedrealms.com.au or see
www.shadowedrealms.com.au/austdfhorror
SHADOWED REALMS is closed to unsolicited submissions from 1 October
05 - 1 February 06 due to an influx of submkissions recently.
(Reported by Shane Jiriaya Cummins)
STEAM ENGINE TIME No 4, January 2005. Editor Bruce Gillespie is now
co-editing his fanzine with Janine Stinson.. This issue features
articles by Darrell Schweitzer(My eyes naturally fell on the
recollection about Giles and the gum-chewer tearing a page from a 600
year old book to wrap her gum in, from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Uncanny that! - Edwina) Gregory Benford, and an interesting feature
on British SF. Print edition is available for "The Usual" - swapping
for other fanzines, or submitting articles, or letters of comment, or
subscription - 5 copies for $40, (Cheques to Gillespie and Cochrane
Pty Ltd) or $30 US or 12 pounds cash. Post to 5 Howards St,
Greensborough, VIC 3088.
MERV BINNS perzine, Out of the Bin is available from PO Box 315,
Carnegie, Vic, 3163.
The latest RAVEN BOOKS catalogue offering horror, dark fantasy and
occult books is available via e-mail lvxnox@iinet.net.au.
GRAHAM STONE has a catalogue of SF books, books about SF and pulp
magazines, many dating back to pre WW2.All prices include postage.
For a catalogue send an SASE to Graham Stone, c/- 205/24 Victoria St,
Burwood NSW 2134.
FRIENDS OF LINDA COX CHAN (FOLCC) raise money to donate to Juvenile
Diabetes Research, Australia by selling donated books etc. (Tally
$10.60 ) Books looking for new homes: "Dr Who: The Scripts, Galaxy 4"
by William Emms. "Arthur" and "Merlin" by Stephen Lawhead.
Audiobook: "Journey to the Centre of the Earth" by Jules Verne
featuring John de Lancie and Leonard Nimoy. 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.
COMPETITIONS, FAN FUNDS & AWARDS
The 'australian shadows' award is open to any horror story written by
an Australian and published during 2005. The 'australian shadows'
award has been made possible thanks to the initial sponsorship of
Altair-Australia. They are seeking other sponsors to help develop
this award. If you have any questions or would like more information,
contact Marty on martyyoung2002@yahoo.com, or check
http://www.darkanimus.com/hwa.html
AUREALIS AWARDS have changed their "entry forms" to "submission
forms" to better reflect the policy that anyone - author, editor,
publisher, fan etc can nominate a novel or story providing they can
submit sufficient copies to all judges in the relative
category/categories: (Each category has 3 judges, and submissions
cannot be sent via e-mail.) The award organizers may approach
publishers and authors of short-listed to seek permission of the
book/magazine/anthology where the item was published for promotional
purposes. Nominations only accepted for items published between 15
Nov. 2004 and 15 Nov 2005 is eligible. Early entries will be eligible
for a small kit-kat as a reward (offered by a recovered chocoholic
co-ordinator as an incentive!). For more details, contact Lea Greenaway,
Director, Aurealis Awards, PO Box 1394 Toowong Qld, 4066, or e-mail
director@aurealisawards.com.
HATCH, MATCH AND DISPATCH
DEATHS:
British Actor, MICHAEL SHEARD who appeared in Star Wars: The Empire
Strikes Back as Admiral Ozzel, and also starred in First Frontier
with Jeremy Bulloch passed away on 31st August from cancer. He was 65.
Actor BOB DENVER, best loved for his role of Gilligan in Gilligan's
Island.
Actor DON ADAMS, best loved for his role of Maxwell Smart in Get
Smart died Sunday 25th September, aged 82.
Producer/Director ROBERT WISE who directed West Side Story, Sound of
Music, The Day The Earth Stood Still, The Andromeda Strain and Star
Trek: The Motion Picture, died of heart failure aged 91 on 14
September. (Relayed by Susan Batho.)
Ex-Sydney fan, JASON SMITH, brother of Chris Smith, Susan Batho and
Karen Auhl died 24 September. (Reported by Susan Batho)
IN MEMORIAM. (Some of this information is repeated for the benefit
of our snail-mail subscribers who weren't included in the Bullsheet
supplementals posted recently - Edwina)
Sydney fan WOMBLE (aka Karen Warnock) passed away at home on Friday
9th September. Her funeral was held on 16th September. Karen worked
as a teacher for many years – a career she loved - until her failing
sight forced her to stop, but it didn't dim her love of life, nor
stop her participation in fandom. She earned the nickname "Womble"
when some friends at Uni acquired a womble jigsaw puzzle at the
Canberra show and stuck it to the door of Karen's room in the Uni
dorm. Because she was not overly tall, nor annorexically thin, and
she couldn't abide untidiness. the name seemed to suit, and it stuck.
She was Womble to friends, including friends in the fannish
community, while Karen was maintained for acquaintances and family.
Womble met Gerald at a party for Jean Weber, and was involved with
Sydney conventions and events, including two Sydney Worldcon bids in
the mid 1980's. Womble also participated in ANZAPA, and was a regular
attendee at conventions, most recently Conflux and Thylacon. She
loved poetry, and was owned by cats. One of the faces in the crowd we
come to know by attending SF cons and functions, she was one of those
people you expected to keep seeing around forever. Womble was well
liked by many people in the fannish community, and will be sorely
missed. Our deepest sympathy to her husband, Gerald
A grand old man of Sydney fandom, KEVIN DILLON, was found dead in his
flat on 2nd September. It is believed he died there several days
before, probably on August 28. Kevin's funeral was held on 26th
September. Kevin worked as a proof-reader for the Government Printer,
and was a long-time member of the Sydney Futurians. While many
science fiction fans are known for their tendency to hoard items,
Kevin took his passion for collecting, particularly the printed word,
to new heights. Kevin was happy to support and encourage younger
fans, helping Leigh Blackmore by proofreading Terror Australis. He
was always willing to share his passion for books with anyone who
expressed an interest. He was 73. Kevin was well known and well liked
by many in the fannish community, and will be missed. (compiled from
recollections offered by John Tipper, Graham Stone, Terry Frost, Merv
& Helena Binns, Leigh Blackmore and Edwina Harvey.)
"To live in the hearts of those we leave behind is not to go."
WALKING WOUNDED:
Sydney SF-icon, KATHERINE CUMMINGS: Making a good recovery from
recent open-heart surgery.
Victorian writer and web-master of the Inkspillers web site, TONY
PLANK, is recovering from a recent operation. He didn't want this
information relayed sooner, because he was worried everyone would
sneak into his hospital room and pinch his grapes!
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
and jaffles, 14th Oct, Chocolate and sugar in SF & fantasy, 21st Oct,
CGI Characters in film & TV, 28th Oct, film appreciation: SIMONE
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.
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.
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 )
INFINITAS GROUP meet on the third Saturday of the month at Infinitas
Bookshop/Blokey Stuff, Parramatta, Sydney. Infinitas also has a book
review group that meets regularly. Details available from
bookshop@infinitas.com (Reported by Bill Congreve.)
SYDNEY SOUTHERN SF&F GROUP Meetings Contact Brad Row ph 9580-4369 or
e-mail Brad_Row@agd.nsw.gov.au for full details.
SYDNEY FUTURIANS is now affiliated with the Student Assoc of UTS.
Meetings in room 510C (5th floor) of The University of Technology,
Broadway, Sydney, at 7 pm. Upcoming meetings:21 October, 18 November,
16 December. Check http://users.secsme.org.au/~futurians, or e-mail
John.Fox@uts.edu.au
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
GALAXY BOOKSHOP (York St, Sydney) AUTHOR SIGNINGS: Jeff Vandermeer,
Thurs 6 Oct, 6pm. (Reported by David Lynton.)
DONNA HANSON's publication, Australian Speculative Fiction: A Genre
Overview, will be launched by Jack Dann at the National Archives,
Canberra from 6.30 pm on November 11th.
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.
WHOVENTION 7, 14-16 October, The Rydges Hotel, 54 Maclarn St, North
Sydney (Short walk from North Sydney railway station. GOHs Louise
Jameson (Leela) and David Warwick Membership rises incrementally
until "at door" price of $170 (Pay $50, non-refundable, to lock in
your membership at the current price. DWCA and Friends of SF members
get a $20 discount. Family rates and day rates available on request )
Friday night trivia, and banquet on Sat. night available to
convention attendees at extra cost. Make cheques and money orders
payable to WHOVENTION, and post to PO Box 148, Gladesville, NSW
2111. See www.doctorwhoaustralia.org/whovention for full details.
(Reported by Dwayne Bunny)
TERRA NOVA. 15-16 October, Holiday Inn on Hindley, Adelaide. GoH's:
Marina Sirtis, Dominic Keating, Robin Atkins, Gates McFadden, John
Billingsley. See www.terra-novaevents.com for full details.
Star Trek/Star Gate SG-1/ Babylon 5 con. 15-16 October. Melbourne
Town Hall, Melbourne, GoH's Marina Sirtis, Dominic Keating, Ronny
Cox, Robin Atkin Downes, Gates McFadden & John Billingsley. This
convention is being held in conjunction with the Terra Nova event
(above) in Adelaide the same weekend. Book tickets through
www.rcevents.com.au
another Trek event." (Reported by Iain McKenzie.)
FREECON. 28-30 Oct, University of Technology, Sydney. Flash Fiction
competition with cash reward. Attendees to vote for best
stories. "Unlimited 'schmoozing' and egoboo opportunities during
breaks." Contact Post Office Box 2 Bexley North NSW.
STARGATE SG1/STARGATE ATLANTIS 5 November.Sydney - Lidcombe Catholic
Club. GoH's Torri Higginson and Chris Judge. (OCP) Membership $80 for
friends of Science Fiction members, $100 non-members. Limited number
VIP tickets $350 see www.fsf.net.au for full details, or write to PO
Box 106 Caringbah NSW 1495 or phone 02 9523 8385
FANDOMEDIA: 19-20 Nov, 2005. Emerald Hotel, Perth. Simon Haynes and
Chuck McKenzie and Erika Pearson GoH's. see
http://wwwlivejournal.com/users/fandomedia
SWANCON RENAISSANCE: 10-13 March, 2006. Acacia Hotel, Perth, WA.
Gohs: Mercedes Lackey, Larry Dizon & Danny Oz. Cost $100 (supporting
$35) see www.swancon.com for full details.
CONJURE. National SF convention, Brisbane, Easter, 14-17 April,
2006.GoHs Cory Doctrow, Bruce Sterling, Sean Williams, Jonathan
Strahan. Membership $200 until 27th February 2006. Student/Concession
and High School student discounts available. Children 12 and younger
free. Check their website www,conjure,org.au
CONCUSSION: 57th British National SF convention. 14-17 April, 2006,
To be held at The Moat House, Congress Rd, Glasgow. See
www.eastercon2006.org
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. Membership. NZ $70 until end of 2005. See
http://conclave.sf.org.nz
Losin for passing on this information.)
CONFLUX 3: Queens Birthday Weekend, 9-12 June 2006. National Museum.
GoHs Ellen Datlow, Kate Forsyth, Sara Douglass and Jackie French.
Attending m/ship $145. See http://www.conflux.org.au or e-mail
info@conflux.org.au .PO Box 903 Belconnen, ACT 2616
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.
CONSYDER: Sydney. 30 Sept - 2 October 2006. Venue. Guests, membership
etc to be announced. Supporting membership $20. Join their mailing
list at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/consyder.
NULLUS ANXIETAS The First Australian Discworld Convention. New dates
Feb 9-11, 2007. Melbourne. Attending $120, concession $100,
supporting $50. (Gala dinner to cost an extra $90) see
www.ausdwcon.org
CONVERGENCE 2. Aus Natcon. Rydges Hotel, Melbourne. Queens Birthday
weekend, 8-11 June, 07. Theme:YA genre fiction. GoH Isobelle
Carmody. See http://www.natcon.org.au/2007. (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
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. A Worldcon bid. 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.
AUSTRALIAN WRITERS WEB, http://www.inkspillers.com. Maintained and
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. ( Alternatively, if you'd prefer to talk
to a human, send an e-mail to edwinafan@yahoo.com). The Bullsheet web
page, which is updated throughout the month can be found at
http://members.optushome.com.au/aussfbull
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
Happy Halloween!
Stay Alive!
For no sufficiently explained reason this Fanzine still supports The
Minneapolis in '73 Worldcon Bid