2011 Aurealis Awards.

Congratulations to all the winners at last night's Aurealis Awards. I've read most of the winning titles, and enjoyed them all. I'd like to specifically mention a few of the winners.

I'm currently attending Jack Dann's workshop on Spec-Fic, and so I've gotten to know him a little as a mentor. Ghosts by Gaslight, edited by Jack Dann and Nick Gevers is a fantastic collection. Congratulations, Jack.

The late Paul Haines was, of course, my mentor for several months, and then became a friend with whom I was in regular contact. The Past is a Bridge Best Left Burnt from The Last Days of Kali Yuga is wonderful, and fully deserves the award.

I first met Thoraiya Dyer at the launch of Anywhere But Earth in November of last year. I'm proud to be sharing a TOC with her in FableCroft's upcoming anthology Epilogue. Her story, Fruit of the Pipal Tree in After The Rain is a most worthy winner also.

Robert N Stephenson's story, Rains of la Strange, shared a TOC with my own So Sad, The Lighthouse Keeper in Anywhere But Earth. Congratulations to Rob, and publisher/editor Keith Stevenson.

I've met Kim Westwood on a few occasions, and also shared a TOC with her in the above anthology. The Courier's New Bicycle is an excellent novel. Congrats, Kim.

Twelfth Planet author, Sue Isle picked up an award for Nation of the Night, while Lisa Hannett scored a couple for Ticonderoga's excellent collection Bluegrass Symphony and the short story The Short Go: a Future in Eight Seconds. I thoroughly enjoyed these works when I read them.

I wasn't able to justify flying up to Sydney for the ceremony, but it sounds like everyone had a great time. One of these years I'll get there. In the meantime, I've had a great week. I sold two stories, had a rewrite request on another, and have two stories on hold.

If I keep at it, maybe one day I'll be fortunate enough to be nominated for an Aurealis.

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.

Future Tense, Past Relaxed.

I've had such a good time over the holidays that I'm quite chilled and almost ready to return to work, but I've also been very busy and away from home (and computers) a bit. I think I even missed a blog entry last week.

And I haven't yet mentioned Continuum 6.

Usually held in August, it's been pulled forward to late February so as to not compete with Aussiecon 4. Last year I was at Continuum 5, and had an absolute ball. So much so that I immediately signed up for this one. And then convinced a friend to sign up as well.

This year's theme is Future Tense, with guests of honour Mark Pesce (futurist writer, virtual reality pioneer) and Kim Westwood (author).  Should be a great time, although I have no real idea how people are going to dress up for the ball.  Last year the theme was steampunk, which worked very well. This year - robots? Nutrient tanks?  Whatever it is, it'll be fun. And it'll be great to catch up with some fellow writers again.

Speaking of which - I've had another nibble on one of my stories.  Can't really say much more (no, it's not sold) except I received very positive comments on it. I was getting a little despondent, but it was the momentum I needed to get writing this week and to re-edit a piece I'd written and send it off to an American market. Had to switch some of those pesky little Australianisms. Funnily enough, it's still very obviously an Australian story, it's just that Mum is now Mom, and a few other changes to words like that.

So, will we see you at Continuum 6?  Hope so.