Reading Again.

I'm not sure how this happened. I am busy still, and seem to have less time than before, but I'm reading again.

Not that I ever stopped reading. Reading is hardwired within me, and I always have a book on the go. But recently I seem to be back into the same quantity of books I read a few years ago.

Of course I long for my teenage years, or into my early twenties, when I devoured books, reading in bed until all hours and coping daily on a few hours sleep. But those days are long gone, and I simply cannot manage like that anymore. As you get older, you need your sleep.

I've been reading a real mix of books - new authors (to me, anyway) and revisiting books from a few years ago - even a couple from my teenage years. And yes, for the most part, they are still as wonderful as I recall.

I re-read all my Thursday Next books (Jasper Fforde) and then forged into the latest few which I had never gotten around to picking up. I started back into the Saga of the Exiles quadrilogy (Julian May,) which I first read back in the early 80s. I read a wonderful collection of short stories from Alice Munro. Another from Martin Amis. And yet another from Jeanette Winterson. And even more. Brilliant stuff. There's also been a few anthologies, both old and new, from mainstream (SF) publishers and small press. I've done my bit to get to know the local UK small press market.

And my 'to be read' stack is looking healthy. Ann Leckie, more Andy Remic, Thoraiya Dyer, Cat Sparks and others.

In the middle of all this, and around it and through it, I've done my fair share of academic and non-fiction as well.

If only there were more reading hours per day.

I love reading. I always have and I believe I always will. This is one of the main reasons I became an English teacher - to share this love and try to enthuse others.

And if you haven't read a book in a while, stop reading this and go and grab one off the shelf. Now.

Congratulations Jason.

And so my story, Lodloc and the Bear, didn't win the Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Novella. That honour went to Jason Fischer. Congratulations, Jason. Well deserved.

It was an honour to be shortlisted for an Aurealis Award, and it was amazing to have been a finalist along with so many great names - writers I admire and some whose work I have been reading for longer than I can remember. It was a real thrill to have had my story considered worthy.

Awards are a funny thing. Most writers will tell you they're not that important, that they're not the reason we write. Which is certainly true in my case. But they are something many of us long for. I know I would love to receive an award or two. Writing is a solitary endeavour, and contact with our reading audience can be minimal. We might receive an encouraging note or an email, usually from someone we know. We might even be lucky enough to get a positive mention in a review. But an award or nomination, especially for a jury-judged award like the Aurealis, gives us some sense of validation. It makes us feel like maybe we can do this, and maybe we can do it reasonably well.

Many writers, myself included, live with nagging self doubts. About our abilities, about our words, about our goals. In the weeks leading up to the Aurealis Awards ceremony I honestly gave little thought to the outcome. Occasionally it would cross my mind, and I would swing wildly between 'I have no chance' to 'You never know - after all my story was deemed worthy enough to be a finalist.' In the last few hours leading up to the announcements, however, I must admit the pending result played on my mind quite a bit. I was walking through the streets of London, checking my phone for free wi-fi as I passed coffee shops, updating my newsfeed, and hoping I would be lucky enough to see my name as a winner.

Unfortunately that wasn't to be.

I had the amazing Cat Sparks lined up as my proxy to accept the award (and ensuing free drinks), and despite Cat's assurances I only needed to say "I love youse all", I had written something a little longer than that. My speech included thanks to the publisher, Keith Stevenson, my crit and writing buddy, David McDonald, my best friend, Fenna, and my wife Lindsey.

Was I disappointed I didn't win? Of course. Did I feel cheated? Not in the least. Jason is one mean writer, and it truly was an honour to be shortlisted alongside him and the others. Indeed, congratulations to all winners and other finalists.

And if I've done it once, I can surely get my name on that list again. Surely, I can.

And I do love youse all.

Dimension6: Annual Collection 2014.

Keith Stevenson is reprinting my story, The Last of the Butterflies, in the first Dimension6 annual anthology.

From the blurb:

Dimension6 magazine takes you on a journey beyond the borders of the real. This first annual collection features all new stories from some of the best speculative fiction authors working in Australia today including Richard Harland, Dirk Strasser, Jason Nahrung, Alan Baxter, Robert Hood, Cat Sparks, Robert N Stephenson, Steve Cameron and Charlotte Nash.

 It's now available for Kindle pre-order at Amazon.

And for a ridiculously low price you get nine great stories by some great Australian authors.

Run, don't walk. Order now!

The Last Of The Butterflies.

Issue 3 of Dimension6, including my story, 'The Last of the Butterflies, is now available for download.

For those who aren't aware of this great new magazine, Keith Stevenson, award-winning publisher at Coeur de Lion, commenced this project last year.  Dimension6 is DRM free, distributed free on the internet three times a year, and has garnered very positive reviews so far.

Keith, of course, previously published my story So Sad, the Lighthouse Keeper in Anywhere But Earth, a fantastic anthology which deserves greater recognition.

Issue 3 features:

Shark-God Covenant by Robert Hood
You never make a deal with the Devil. But what about the child of a god?

The Last of The Butterflies by Steve Cameron
Let me tell you a story about when I was young and the world was a very different place.

New Chronicles of Andras Thorn by Cat Sparks
Just like his uncle, Andras Thorn wanted adventure and excitement. Unfortunately he found it.

Are you still here? Are you still reading this? Go and download Dimension6 now!

Coming To You From Another Dimension.

Keith Stevenson at Coeur de Lion has revealed the TOC for issue 3 of Dimension6. It will be available for download in early October.

For those who don't know this great new magazine, Keith commenced this project last year with the first and second issues already published. DRM free, it is distributed free on the internet three times a year, and has thus far garnered very positive reviews.


I'm thrilled to be included in issue 3 alongside Cat Sparks and Rob Hood. And it's great to be working with (for?) Keith again. Keith, of course, previously published my story So Sad, the Lighthouse Keeper in Anywhere But Earth, a fantastic anthology which deserves greater recognition.

Issue 3 features:

Shark-God Covenant by Robert Hood
You never make a deal with the Devil. But what about the child of a god?

The Last of The Butterflies by Steve Cameron
Let me tell you a story about when I was young and the world was a very different place.

New Chronicles of Andras Thorn by Cat Sparks
Just like his uncle, Andras Thorn wanted adventure and excitement. Unfortunately he found it.

Cool, huh?  Which reminds me - I'd better get those edits back to Keith, those edits I promised him last week.

Continuum X.

Next weekend, Melbourne's Continuum will celebrate its 10th birthday. For those not familiar with it, "Continuum is an annual Melbourne speculative fiction and pop culture fan convention celebrating creativity across genre and media. From hard-edge science fiction to high-flown fantasy, comic books to film noir, high culture to sub-culture… we sink our teeth into it all!" This year the convention is also host to Natcon, the 53rd Australian National Science Fiction Convention.

I love Continuum - not only for the panels and spending time with interstate friends, but the whole atmosphere of being with like-minded people.

I'm really excited to be involved in the following panels:

Seminal British SF Friday 22:30-23:30 with: Cat Sparks, Rob Hood, Narrelle Harris, Steve Cameron

The Aliens Are Too Human! Sunday 10:00-11:00 with: Alan Baxter, Steve Cameron, Darren Sanderson, Bismuth Hoban, Stacey Larner

YA - Meet the Authors Sunday 14:00-15:00 Steve Cameron interviewing:
Jim C. Hines, Tracy Joyce, Mary Borsellino

Not doing anything next weekend? There's still time to join.

Dimension6 Has Issues.

The inaugural issue of Dimension6 will be distributed free from Friday, 4th April, (EDIT: Now available!)  on the Coeur de Lion website as well as a number of mirror sites around the web. The eZine will be published thrice yearly.

Dimension6 is an exciting new project by award-winning editor Keith Stevenson (Aurealis, Anywhere But Earth, X6). Keith, in an interview on Angela Slatter's website, states: "... I’ll continue to source the best stories I can find from new and established authors. With only three stories an issue, I can afford to be choosy."

I was fortunate enough to have had one of my stories selected for the nine slots available in the first year. The Last Of The Butterflies will be published in October (issue #3). I'm completely thrilled to find myself alongside the eight other names, including many I would consider inspirations and unofficial mentors. So unofficial, in fact, they probably don't even realise it. And, of course, I previously worked with Keith when he published So Sad, The Lighthouse Keeper in Anywhere But Earth.

Keith: "My initial reading period in January really took me by surprise and I was able to fill the first three issues from the submissions I got. So I know for sure that the next two issues will bring you stories from Dirk Strasser, Cat Sparks, Rob Hood, Robert Stephenson, Alan Baxter and Steve Cameron. With Richard Harland, Jason Nahrung and Charlotte Nash in issue #1 that’s one hell of an impressive line-up for our first year!"

Check out the complete interview here. Angela has interviews with the writers for Issue #1 during this week.

Ah Keith, thanks for including me. Did you notice how quickly I returned those contracts just in case you'd made a mistake?

Dimension6.

All sales are good, but some are better than others.

I'm thrilled to announce that I've sold a story, The Last of the Butterflies, to award winning publisher Keith Stevenson at Couer de Lion.  

Keith's new emagazine venture, Dimension6, is due for launch in April. My story will be available in Issue 3. (due October, 2014). I previously published So Sad, The Lighthouse Keeper with Keith in Anywhere But Earth.

This means I (once more) share space with the fabulous Cat Sparks, Rob Hood, Richard Harland, Jason Nahrung and Alan Baxter  in this magazine's first year.

And if you haven't subbed yet, the reading period is still open for another 8 days.

Things I Learned This Week.

I've just returned from Adelaide. Unfortunately I wasn't there for the launch of Midnight and Moonshine by Lisa L. Hannett & Angela Slatter (Ticonderoga) - I left Adelaide mere hours before it commenced. I was on a more dangerous mission - a school trip with almost 60 teenagers. And I learned a number of things during the week.

1. Modern top 40 radio sucks. I spent the week listening to drivel without melody, or lyrics of any substance.

2. Autotune and computerised backing tracks do nothing to improve these so-called songs.

3. Teenage girls, singing (bellowing?) along have the uncanny ability to find those exact frequencies that will grate on your nerves the most.

4. Some people need to learn manners. I do not like rude people. The same applies to those people who lack respect for others, are dishonest, think they know everything, or are incompetent.

5. The kids on the trip from my school were fantastic.

6. I could get used to the feeling of buying a magazine simply to read, and to discover a review of an anthology I'm in. Even if my story wasn't mentioned. (Epilogue, reviewed by Cat Sparks in Cosmos #48)

7. Adelaide is a fun place with lots to do.

And yes, I had a wonderful week - despite one day of illness - and look forward to the opportunity of going again.

Anywhere But Earth.

I am pleased to announce that Anywhere But Earth is available now, in paperback and eBook. (here)

Publisher Coeur De Lion (Keith Stevenson) is well respected in small press. His last anthology, X6, won a number of awards around the world.

I'm thrilled to be part of this TOC, along with names such as Rob Hood, Margo Lanagan, Richard Harland, Kim Westwood, Cat Sparks, and - heck, there's too many. Here's the TOC.

Margo Lanagan ‘Yon Horned Moon’
Richard Harland ‘An Exhibition of the Plague’
Sean McMullen ‘Spacebook’
Lee Battersby ‘At The End There Was a Man’
Jason Nahrung ‘Messiah on the Rock’
Angela Ambroz ‘Pyaar Kiya’
Kim Westwood ‘By Any Other Name’
Brendan Duffy ‘ Space Girl Blues’
Steve de Beer ‘Psi World’
Robert Hood ‘Desert Madonna’
Cat Sparks ‘Beautiful’
Penny Love ‘Sibo’
Wendy Waring ‘Alien Tears’
Simon Petrie ‘Hatchway’
Jason Fischer ‘Eating Gnashdal’
Robert N Stephenson ‘Rains of la Strange’
Alan Baxter ‘Unexpected Launch’
Chris McMahon ‘Memories of Mars’
Mark Rossiter ‘The Caretaker’
Liz Argall ‘Maia Blue is Going Home’
Calie Voorhis ‘Murmer’
Damon Shaw ‘Continuity’
Donna Maree Hanson ‘Beneath the Floating City’
Patty Jansen ‘Poor Man’s Travel’
Tristan Davenport ‘Oak with the Left Hand’
Colum Paget ‘Pink Ice in the Jovian Rings’
Erin Stocks ‘Lisse’
William Wood ‘Deuteronomy’

Steve Cameron ‘So Sad, the Lighthouse Keeper’

An excellent anthology that is sure to win awards.

Seriously.

Number Two Down - And Plenty More To Come.

So the weekend was spent in the city in fellowship with others of a like mind. Well done and congratulations to the organisers, volunteers and chairs.

It was great to either meet for the first time or catch up with Felicity Dowker (various short stories) Narrelle M. Harris (The Opposite of Life ), Paul Haines (A Slice of Life), Christian Tamblyn (Dragon of the Second Moon) and many, many others.


Cat Sparks was there too, and I was able to spend a lot of time talking to her. She was even lovelier in person than I had expected her to be and she offered me lots of fantastic advice on writing. I can't speak for other genres, but in speculative fiction it's wonderful that writers of all abilities and levels of success celebrate, share and support each other. Speaking of which, congratulations to Cat on finding an agent and the impending publication of your collected short stories.

My friend came along with me, solely as a result of conversations we had shortly after Continuum 5. This was his first con, and on the way he confessed some misgivings. He was concerned that he was there under false pretences, as he's more of a 'horror' fan than a 'Sci-Fi' fan. How did he cope? Well, he's gone and signed up for both Continuum 7 and Worldcon (Aussiecon 4) - which is great news for me as I've just saved some money on booking hotel accomodations by sharing with him.

And then to top it all off, I came home to some great writing news.  Nothing I can share yet, but something that's re-energised me and my words just when I needed it.

So, I'll see you at Aussiecon, right?