Outside World.

I'm pleased to announce I've finally made the pages of Aurealis. Issue 80 includes my story, Outside World.

I first picked up a copy of Aurealis way back in 1990 as I passed by a news-stand at the station. (Yes, I paid for it.) Issue #2, with artwork by Shaun Tan and stories by Damien Broderick, Rosaleen Love, Paul Collins and Stephen Dedman, among others. Little did I know that one day I would be writing and they would actually publish one of my stories.

But now they have.

Outside World is a story of immigration, a story that has its roots in two other tales I read. The Arrival by Jean Arasanayagam, and Sky Burial by Xinran.  

I was in Sri Lanka, climbing Little Adam's Peak and thinking about these stories when the idea for this piece popped into my head. Not fully formed, unfortunately. In fact it took a lot of consideration, several rewrites and a major change in the ending after critiques from my friends at SuperNOVA writing group. It would have made a great story to tell at drinks if I'd been climbing Adam's Peak rather than Little Adam's Peak, for that is where Arthur C. Clarke was when he looked up and imagined space elevators for the first time.

Aurealis 80  is available here.

Mentor As Anything.

A month or so ago I decided to apply for the Mentor Program run by the Australian Horror Writers' Association. Last night I received word I'd been accepted - making me a Mentee, or is it Mentoree.  Either way, I'm completely over the moon.

I was required to submit an application form, a statement of why I wished to be included, and 1000 word sample. I also was asked to name the three Mentors I'd like to have as my guru.  A tough choice indeed, looking at the names that were offered up.  In the end I listed Paul Haines - because I'd met him at Continuum 6 and really enjoyed his writing, Jason Nahrung - because I'd met him at a minicon and had bought his book (Haven't read it, yet) and Stephen Dedman, because I'd bought all the issues of Borderlands.

I'd have been thrilled with any of these guys, or any of the others up for offer.  I wasn't even sure I'd be selected, and so you can only imagine my thrill when I received the email telling me Paul Haines was taking me on.

Yay!  Thanks AHWA, Marty Young and Paul Haines.  I look forward to learning so much over the next three months.