The Australian Science Fiction Bullsheet 59 – February 2007
The Australian Science Fiction Bullsheet 59
February 2007
ISSN 1445-4319 (print version), ISSN 1445-4327 (online version)
GENERAL NEWS
AUREALIS AWARDS WINNERS: SF Novels: K-Machines,Damien Broderick
(Avalon); Short Story: The Seventh Letter, Sean Williams (Bulletin
Summer Reading Edition), Fantasy Novels: Wildwood Dancing, Juliet
Marillier (Pan MacMillan); Short Stories: A Fine Magic, Margo Lanagan
(Eidolon I), Horror Novels: (Tied) The Pilo Family Circus, Will Elliott
(ABC Books), Prismatic, Edwina Grey (Lothian); Short Story: Dead of
Winter, Stephen Dedman (Weird Tales #339): Young Adult Novel: Monster
Blood Tattoo: Book One. Foundling, D.M. Cornish (Omnibus); Short
Stories: he Arrival, Shaun Tan (Lothian) Children's Novels: Melissa
Queen of Evil, Mardi McConnochie (Pan Macmillan); Short Story: (tied)
The True Story of Mary Who Wanted to Stand on Her Head, Jane Godwin
(Allen & Unwin); and Woolvs in the Sitee. Margaret Wild, Anne Spudvilas
(Penguin) The Golden Aurealis Award went to: Novel:The Pilo Family
Circus. Will Elliott (ABC Books); Short Story: The Arrival. Shaun Tan
(Lothian). The Peter McNamara Convenors Award was awarded to Bill
Congreve.
AUREALIS AWARDS JUDGES WANTED: Ben Payne recently called for
expressions of interest from people wanting to be Aurealis Judges in
3007. E-mail benpayne@gmail.com for full details.
DITMAR NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN.
Nominations for The Ditmar Awards (Australian Science Fiction
Achievement Awards) are now open. Nominations close March 24 2007. Any
member of fandom can nominate, however only members of the Australian
National SF Convention (Convergence 2. q.v. conventions) may vote. The
Awards will be presented at Convergence 2. Works of science fiction,
fantasy and horror (SF/F/H) are only eligible for nomination if: a)
they were first published or released anywhere in the world in 2006;
and b) the nominee was an Australian citizen or permanent resident in
2006.
Information about the award and how to nominate is available from the
Convergence 2 website. Download nomination forms at
http://www.natcon.org.au/2007/
Contact the Ditmar Administrator at 2007_ditmar@natcon.org.au or
Convergence 2 at convergence@natcon.org.au for further information.
(issue by Rose Mitchell, Chair.)
THUMBNAIL REVIEW: ALISTAIR REYNOLDS' novel, "Pushing Ice" was my first
read for 2007, and a good choice. It's about the crew of a mining ship
that potters around the solar system at sub-light speed latching on to
meteorites to push back to Earth. Given the resources boom we're
having, it seems a very apt background. When the moon, Janus, turns
out to be a spaceship that takes off across the solar system and looks
like it's heading for home, the crew of a mining ship, Rockhopper are
sent in pursuit, I haven't finished it yet, but I'm really enjoying it.
Reynolds' new book, The Prefect, will be released in June.
TERRY PRATCHETT is doing a book signing at Galaxy Bookshop, Sydney on
Tuesday 13th February between 2.30 and 4.30 pm.(Reported by David
Lynton)
TERRY PRATCHETT is doing a book signing at Pulp Fiction Bookshop, Anzac
Square Bld Arcade, Edward St, Brisbane on Wednesday, 14th Feb between
12 and 2 pm.
NULLUS ANXIETAS - a Discworld convention (q.v. conventions) recently
announced their day memberships (if bought before 2nd February) were
Friday $46, Saturday and Sunday $90 per day. Contact the membership
co-ordinator by e-mailing suzie@ausdwcon.org for more details.
KELLY LINK and GAVIN GRANT from Small Beer Press will be signing "Magic
for Beginners" and "The Year's Best Fantasy & Horror" annual which they
co-edit with Ellen Datlow at Infinitas Bookshop, Parramatta on Sat,
10th February.
CAPTAIN JACK NOT BACK: The scheduled FIRST CONTACT conventions.
(Melbourne) 25th March 07, State Library of Victoria, has been
cancelled as the GoH, John Barrowman (Capt. Jack from Dr Who) couldn't
attend due to work commitments. (Thanks to Lucy Zinkiewicz for this
information.)
CONCATENATION, on line SF news magazine has launched their big spring
issue filled with News and Reviews can be seen at
www.concatenation.org/whatsnew.html
CRAIG BRAIN has recently started a Yahoo groups for the NYLON ANGEL
ROLE PLAYING GAME. You can join at
http://gams.groups.yahoo.com/group/Nylon_Angel/
A GENTLE REMINDER TO OUR READERS: The Bullsheet e-mail list was set up
specifically to distribute monthly Bullsheets (and occassional
supplementals) to subscribers. If you have any newsworthy items, and/or
items you want promoted, could you please e-mail them to
edwinafan@yahoo.com for inclusion in the next Bullsheet - or sent out
as a supplemental if need be - rather than sending posts direct to the
list. Many thanks. 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
HAL SPACEJOCK: JUST DESSERTS, book 3 in the Hal Spacejock series by
SIMON HAYNES has recently hit the bookstores around the country. The
first book in the series, Hal Spacejock, has recently been reprinted,
FEBRUARY BOOK RELEASES FROM GOLLANCZ PUBLISHERS:
ILARIO: The Lion's Eye, by MARY GENTLE. Ilario is born a hermaphrodite,
and fostered by an impoverished Iberian noble who plans to gift her to
the king. ISBN 0-575-07660-7.
DRAGONBALL 16, by Akira Toriyama. Graphic novel ISBN 0-575-08008-6
Yu-Gi-Oh! 5, by Kazuki Takahashi. Graphic novel. ISNB 0-575-07852-9
NOVA SWING by M. John Harrison. "Great tourist ships drift from star to
star. Everything is out there and available...:" This is a sequel to
"Light". ISBN 0-575-07028-5.
THE CHRONICLES OF BLARNIA By Michael Gerber who also wrote the Barry
Trotter parodies and Bored of the Rings.ISBN 0-575-07816-2.
DESTINY'S FORGE (ISBN 978-1-4303-0255-1) and TO TASTE THE DRAGON's
BLOOD are the first two books in the Children of the Dragon trilogy, an
action series about a half-human alien vampire by T.M. MOORE. Published
by Ikthalian Press, these books are available through Lulu.com,
Amazon.com, Borders Online, and Barnes and Noble online.
TANGLE is a proposed new anthology seeking submissions of exciting,
positive SF and fantasy stories with gay or lesbian protagonists. See
www.blindeyebooks.com/guidelines.html for full details. (Reported by
Grace Dugan.)
The TOLKIEN SOCIETY SEMINAR, Aug 25th 07 (q.v. conventions) is calling
for papers on Middleearth. Presentation of these papers should run for
20 or 46 minutes. (This allows time for questions and discussions after
the paper has been presented.) Send a title and summary/abstract to
pacific@tolkiensociety.org by 1st June 07. (Reported by Ted Scribner.)
ANDROMEDA SPACEWAYS INFLIGHT MAGAZINE is once again open to submissions
following a Christmas/New Year hiatus. ASIM accepts SF, fantasy and
horror prose and poetry, and has a leaning towards the lighter side of
spec fiction. ASIM is keen to see more local authors submitting
fiction. Send submissions in Rich Text Format as an attachment to
submissions@andromedaspaceways.com. (NB I'm currently looking for
strongly humorous SF/Fantasy/Horror for the next issue of ASIM I'll be
editing. But send your submissions as above. Edwina)
ANTIPODEAN SF ISSUE 104 featuring short, short (500 words) stories from
Peter Friend, Kylie Seluka, Chris Salisbury, Kathleen Jennings, Shaun
A. Saunders, Monica Carroll, Phillip A. Ellis, Jin Kee, Carl Palmer and
J.R. Salling, can be viewed at http://www.antisf.com or
http://purl.nla.gov.au/NET/antisf/
SCI-FI REPORTER: Back issues of this e-newsletter can be viewed at
www.startrek.com.au. (Reported by Stuart Blair)
LEIGH BLACKMORE's Raven books, specialising in dark and horror fiction
also includes Sequence comics. For a catalogue e-mail
lvxnox@iinet.net.au. Leigh also occasionally sells on e-bay as seller
ID Quoth Raven Books.
MERV BINNS perzine, Out of the Bin is available from PO Box 315,
Carnegie, Vic, 3163.
FRIENDS OF LINDA COX CHAN (FOLCC) raise money to donate to Juvenile
Diabetes Research, Australia by selling donated books etc. (Current
tally $0 Somebody please buy something!!!) 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, 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
BIRTHS:
ANNE MARIE LONEY, born to Vanessa and Mark Loney on Jan 11th at Calvary
John James Hospital, Canberra. The bub weighed in at 3500 grams. Mum
and baby are doing fine, despite Canberra's recent heatwave. (Reported
by the proud Dad, Mark.)
DEATHS:
ROBERT ANTON WILSON: (aka RAW) Prolific American novelist and
futureologist, possibly best known for The Illuminatus Trilogy which
was also translated into oa role-playing game, trading card game and
comic died January 11th. (Reported by Ted Scribner.)
ILL:
ANDY PORTER, prominent American fan, Antipodean enthusiast and
Bullsheet reader, was recently operated on for cancer and is said to be
making a good recovery, despite being bored in hospital. He should now
be home having been discharged in the last weekend on January. Our best
wishes are extended to Andy for a speedy recovery, and we look forward
to seeing him in Australia in 2010 if not sooner. (Thanks to Bruce
Gillespie and Bill Burns for the updates )
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 including meeting details check the
MSFC website at www.vicnet.net.au/~msfc.
AUSTREK, the Star Trek fan club in Victoria celebrates its 30th
anniversary this year and is still going strong with meetings on the
1st Saturday of every month from 2pm at the Northcote Town Hall,
Melbourne. Annual membership to the club is $30. See www.austrek.org
for more details. (Reported by Clare McDonald.)
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
SHUTTLE MAWSON (www.shuttlemawson.com) is a South Australian Star Trek
fan club, & chapter of Starfleet Internatioinal, run by Stuart Blair.
They will also be having a SF weekend featuring Star Trek & Stargate on
4-5 November. (Reported by Stuart Blair.)
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
meeting dates. (Reported by Tim Martin via Ted Scribner).
Sci-Fi Monthly is a relaxed, casual SF book discussion group that meet
at 2pm on the 2nd Sunday of each month at NEW VENUE: Café Gallery,
Eastgate shopping centre, Bondi Junction, Sydney. Next meeting Sunday
11th Feb. See www.sci-fimonthly.com for more details.
SYDNEY FANS IN THE PUB. Now meet from 6.30pm on the second Tuesday of
the month at the Civic Hotel, Crn Pitt & Goulburn Sts, Sydney.
SYDNEY FUTURIANS rumoured to be looking for a new venue and/or ceasing
meetings in the near future. 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 non-members.
FRIENDS OF SCIENCE FICTION (fsf) meet at Bankstown Sports Club, 8
Greenfield Pde, Bankstown (a short walk from Bankstown railways
station.) on the 2nd Sunday of each month.Check fsf.net.au for more
information.
NEWCASTLE SPACE FRONTIER SOCIETY (NSFS) Regular meetings and social
functions. Full details available at www.nssa.com.au/nsfs. (Reported by
Jack Dwyer.)
SPOCKSOC: A SF group run by students at the University of NSW,
Kensington, Sydney.
EVENTS
VORTEX: SF Events happening in Brisbane, can be found at
www.vortexevents.com
FAN FUNDS AND WRITERS GRANTS
FFANZ (Fan Fund for Australia and New Zealand) Nominations for 2007
(sending someone from Australia to the NZ natcon, Conspiracy 2, in
June) close December 31st. Voting closes 31st March, 07
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, More information about FFANZ Fan Fund can be found
at http://ffanz.sf.org.nz/index.htm
DUFF (Down Under Fan Fund) The race for a DUFF contender is on again,
and full details can be found at
http://sffanz.sf.org.nz/duff/index.shtml (Thanks to Irwin Hirsch for
passing this information on.)
CONVENTIONS
GoH = Guest of Honour, OCP = Other Commitments Permitting, tba= to be
announced.
NULLUS ANXIETAS The First Australian Discworld Convention. Feb 9-11,
2007. Carlton Crest Hotel, Melbourne. GoH's Terry Pratchett. Virtual
GoHs: Stephen Briggs, Bernard Pearson & Colin Smythe. Attending $200.
Gala dinner now only $60) see www.ausdwcon.org for further details,
program and accommodation news.
BEST OF BOTH WORLDS (BoBW) 10-11th Feb, Carlton Crest Hotel. GoH's Joe
Flanigan & Teryl Rothery. See www.bobw.com for full details.
ALPHA 2 OMEGA. A literary & dramatic arts convention apparently for
Chtistian writers. May 5-7 (Labour Day long weekend, QLD) Sydney St
Theatre, Sydney St, New Farm, Brisbane. Membership until 1st March
$125, $100 concession, $60 day, after 1st March $150, $115 concession.
See http://members.optusnet.com.au/A2O/Index.html for full details.
(Reported by James Collins)
FIRST CONTACT conventions. (Melbourne) 25th March 07, State Library of
Victoria, LaTrobe Entrance.
Has been cancelled as the GoH, John Barrowman (Capt. Jack from Dr Who)
couldn't make it. (Because he's working on the next series of
Torchwood, I hear - Edwina.) See www.firstcontactconventions.com.au or
e-mail info@firstcontactconventions.com.au for more details,
XIVAMC, Medieval re-enactment group. Easter 5-8 April, 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.)
INCONCEIVABLE, SWANCON 32, Easter 5- 9 April, 2007. Acacia Hotel,
Northbridge, W.A. GoH's: Elizabeth Moon, David Gerrold, Matthew Reilly,
Russell B. Farr. Damian Magee. Membership $110 ($90 concession. See
http://www.swancon.com. Or e-mail swancon32@gmail.com
CONTEMPLATION:is the UK Eastercon (5-9 April 2007) which replaces
CONVOY which was cancelled, Crowne Plaza, Chester, UK. See
http://contemplation.conventions.org.uk for more details.
SUPANOVA: Pop expo, Brisbane, 13-15 April, RNA Showground. Billy Dee
Williams among many GoHs/ See www.supanova.com.au.
ARMAGEDON PULP EXPO April 14-15, Christchurch, NZ, See www.pulpexpo.co
SHUTTLE MAWSON: April 20-22. GoH's Avery Brooks and Barry Jenner at
Stamford Grand Hotel, Glenelg, SA. See www.shuttlemawson.com for full
details. (Reported by Stuart Blair)
FIRSTCONTACTCONVENTIONS, 1 Day convention, Sat April 28th. GoH's Don
Davis & Devid Deluise. Melbourne Busienss School, 200 Leicester St,
Carltin, Melb. See www.firstcontactconventions.com.au.
FRIENDS OF SCIEINCE FICTION 1 Day Convention, Sun April 29th, Bankstown
Sports Centre, Sydney GoH's Don Davis & Devid Deluise. See
www.fsf.net.au
CONSPIRACY II, NZ Natcon. 1-4th June, Mercure Hotel, Willis St,
Wellington, NZ. See http://conspiracy2.sf.org.nz GoH's: Eric Flint,
Marianne de Pierres, Isolbelle Carmody. Dylan Horrocks. Fan GoH:
Barbara Clendon. Membership NZ$ 70 until the end of 2006. then NZ $80
from 1 Jan until 20th May, then NZ $90 from 20th May until the door.
Day rates also available. (Thanks to Robin Johnson for the additional
info.)
CONVERGENCE 2. Australian Natcon, 2007. Rydges Hotel, Melbourne. Queens
Birthday weekend, 8-11 June, 07. Theme:YA genre fiction. GoHs
Australian fantasy author Isobelle Carmody & Melinda M Snodgrass, Star
Trek script writer, author of The Circuit Trilogy and co-author of the
Wild Cards series with George R.R. Martin.. Anime GoH: Piro. See
http://www.natcon.org.au/2007. Attending membership $153, concession
$103 until 31.12.06. Student membership $55, supporting membership $33
(Prices sourced from Convergence promotional postcards). You can pay
using paypal (Reported by Rose Mitchell.)
TOLKIEN SEMINAR: 25th August, 2007. NSW Writers Centre, Rozelle,
Sydney. As the first Tolkien seminar to be held outside the UK, this
event is endorsed by the Tolkien Society. To get updates of this
function see http://www.tolkiensociety.org/events/index.php.
SCINUT Conventions Eastern Seaboard 4 City Tour: Canberra, Melbourne,
Brisbane, Sydney. 25th Aug 07 - 2 Sept 07. Celebrating 40 years of Star
Trek in Oz. Guests Jack Donner, (Dragon Dronet Props), Wanda Piety,
Susan Schwartz. $60 adults, $30 concession. Bookings via e-bay:
http://stores.ebay.com.au/Sci-nut-Conventions, or see www.scinut.com.
(Reported on Scinut newsletter)
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
CONFLUX 4 will be held from Sept 28th to October 1, 2007.(October long
weekend in some states.) GoH's: Graham Joyce, Garth Nix, Simon Brown,
Karron Warren, Donna Maree Hanson and Sharyn November. Full membership
is $110, Student & Concession $75, and Supporting members $35. Prices
rise on 1st January 07. See www.conflux.org.au for more details.
(Reported by Nicole R. Murphy.)
DENVENTION: The Worldcon in 2008 will be held in Denver, 6-10 August
08. See http://www.denver2008.com.
Australia 2010 Worldcon bid. Let's do it again in 2010! The Aussie
Worldcon bid seems to be getting good support from overseas.
Pre-supporting m/ships $20. Firend m/ships $100. E-mail
treasurer@vsfc.org.au for information about paypal and credit card
payments. See http://www.australia2010.org/ or e-mail
info@vsfc.org.au. Postal address Australia in 2010, GPO Box 1212
Melbourne, Australia. 3001. US AGENT: David Evans, UK Agents Eve & John
Harvey, European Agent: Vince Docherty.
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.
The Inkspillers web site, http://www.inkspillers.com. is a great source
of market information for SF writers 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
Sci-fi REPORTER is a SF news service covering cons, fan clubs and
media, edited by Stuart Blair. To subscribe to this list send an e-mail
to scifireporter@yahoo.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,
http://www.geocities.com/edwinafan/bullsheetThe Bullsheet is also
available as a snail-mail subscription for 24x50 cent stamps (or $12)
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 see.
http://members.optushome.com.au/Cobbler42.
Happy St Valentine's Day!
For no sufficiently explained reason this Fanzine still supports The
Minneapolis in '73 Worldcon Bid