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.

Aurealis Awards Finalist, 2015.

Last year I decided to take a break from writing and from the blog for a number of reasons. I figured I needed a month or two. I had no idea it would last this long.

Last week I decided I needed to get a move on. I needed to return. I figured I'd post something soon. And then yesterday, I realised the time was ripe, just after I received a wonderful email informing me that I had been shortlisted for an Aurealis Award.

Lodloc and The Bear was originally published last October by Keith Stevenson in Dimension6, a free magazine that is well worth reading. (Go, download and read it. And please, if you can spare a few bucks, pay to download the yearly collections instead and support small press in Australia.)

This is a favourite story of mine, and so I was delighted and thrilled by its shortlisting. I was also a little shocked, as I really didn't expect this. I feel so honoured.

Thanks to everyone who has sent comments and messages of congratulations. I appreciate them all.

And congratulations to my fellow finalists, especially my friends on the list - Sean Monaghan, Michelle Goldsmith, Clare McKenna, Amie Kaufman, Kaaron Warren, Joel Shepherd and Michael Pryor.

The winners will be awarded at a ceremony in Brisbane on Friday, 25th March, 2016.

2015 Aurealis Awards – Finalists

BEST CHILDREN’S FICTION
A Week Without Tuesday, Angelica Banks
The Cut-Out, Jack Heath
A Single Stone, Meg McKinlay
Bella and the Wandering House, Meg McKinlay
The Mapmaker Chronicles: Prisoner of the Black Hawk, A.L. Tait

BEST GRAPHIC NOVEL / ILLUSTRATED WORK
The Undertaker Morton Stone Vol.1, Gary Chaloner, Ben Templesmith, and Ashley Wood
The Diemenois, Jamie Clennett
Unmasked Vol.1: Going Straight is No Way to Die, Christian Read
The Singing Bones, Shaun Tan
Fly the Colour Fantastica, various authors

BEST YOUNG ADULT SHORT STORY
“In Sheep’s Clothing”, Kimberly Gaal (Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine #61)
“The Nexus Tree”, Kimberly Gaal (The Never Never Land)
“The Miseducation of Mara Lys”, Deborah Kalin (Cherry Crow Children,)
“The Heart of the Labyrinth”, DK Mok (In Memory: A Tribute to Sir Terry Pratchett)
“Blueblood”, Faith Mudge (Hear Me Roar)
Welcome to Orphancorp, Marlee Jane Ward (Seizure)

BEST HORROR SHORT STORY
“Bullets”, Joanne Anderton (In Sunshine Bright and Darkness Deep)
“Consorting with Filth”, Lisa L Hannett (Blurring the Line)
“Heirloom Pieces”, Lisa L Hannett (Apex Magazine)
“The Briskwater Mare”, Deborah Kalin (Cherry Crow Children)
“Breaking Windows”, Tracie McBride (Aurealis #84)
“Self, Contained”, Kirstyn McDermott (The Dark)

BEST HORROR NOVELLA
“Night Shift”, Dirk Flinthart (Striking Fire)
“The Cherry Crow Children of Haverny Wood”, Deborah Kalin (Cherry Crow Children)
“The Miseducation of Mara Lys”, Deborah Kalin (Cherry Crow Children)
“Wages of Honey”, Deborah Kalin (Cherry Crow Children)
“Sleepless”, Jay Kristoff (Slasher Girls and Monster Boys)
“Ripper”, Angela Slatter (Horrorology)

BEST FANTASY SHORT STORY
“The Giant’s Lady”, Rowena Cory Daniells (Legends 2)
“The Jellyfish Collector”, Michelle Goldsmith (Review of Australian Fiction Vol. 13 Issue 6)
“A Shot of Salt Water”, Lisa L Hannett (The Dark)
“Almost Days”, DK Mok (Insert Title Here)
“Blueblood”, Faith Mudge (Hear Me Roar)
“Husk and Sheaf”, Suzanne Willis (SQ Mag 22)

BEST FANTASY NOVELLA
“Lodloc and The Bear”, Steve Cameron (Dimension6)
“Defy the Grey Kings”, Jason Fischer (Beneath Ceaseless Skies)
“Broken Glass”, Stephanie Gunn (Hear Me Roar)
“The Flowers that Bloom Where Blood Touches the Earth”, Stephanie Gunn (Bloodlines)
“Haunting Matilda”, Dmetri Kakmi (Cthulhu: Deep Down Under)
“Of Sorrow and Such”, Angela Slatter (Tor.com)

BEST SCIENCE FICTION SHORT STORY
“2B”, Joanne Anderton (Insert Title Here)
“The Marriage of the Corn King”, Claire McKenna (Cosmos)
“Alchemy and Ice”, Charlotte Nash (Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine #61)
“Witnessing”, Kaaron Warren (The Canary Press Story Magazine #6)
“All the Wrong Places”, Sean Williams (Meeting Infinity)

BEST SCIENCE FICTION NOVELLA
“Blood and Ink”, Jack Bridges
“The Molenstraat Music Festival”, Sean Monaghan (Asimov’s Science Fiction)
“By Frogsled and Lizardback to Outcast Venusian Lepers”, Garth Nix (Old Venus)

BEST COLLECTION
The Abandonment of Grace and Everything After, Shane Jiraiya Cummings
Striking Fire, Dirk Flinthart
Cherry Crow Children, Deborah Kalin
To Hold the Bridge, Garth Nix
The Fading, Carole Nomarhas
The Finest Ass in the Universe, Anna Tambour

BEST ANTHOLOGY
Hear Me Roar, Liz Grzyb (ed.)
The Year’s Best Australian Fantasy and Horror 2014, Liz Grzyb and Talie Helene (eds.)
Bloodlines, Amanda Pillar (ed.)
Meeting Infinity, Jonathan Strahan (ed.)
The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year: Volume 9, Jonathan Strahan (ed.)
Focus 2014: highlights of Australian short fiction, Tehani Wessely (ed.)

BEST YOUNG ADULT NOVEL
In The Skin of a Monster, Kathryn Barker
Lady Helen and the Dark Days Club, Alison Goodman
The Fire Sermon, Francesca Haig
Day Boy,Trent Jamieson
Illuminae, Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
The Hush, Skye Melki-Wagner

BEST HORROR NOVEL
No Shortlist Released

BEST FANTASY NOVEL
In The Skin of a Monster, Kathryn Barker
Lady Helen and the Dark Days Club, Alison Goodman
Day Boy,Trent Jamieson
The Dagger’s Path, Glenda Larke
Tower Of Thorns, Juliet Marillier
Skin, Ilka Tampke

BEST SCIENCE FICTION NOVEL
Crossed, Evelyn Blackwell
Clade, James Bradley
Illuminae, Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Their Fractured Light, Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
Renegade, Joel Shepherd
Twinmaker: Fall, Sean Williams

SARA DOUGLASS BOOK SERIES AWARD
The Chronicles of King Rolen’s Kin, Rowena Cory Daniells
The Watergivers, Glenda Larke
The Lumatere Chronicles,  Melina Marchetta
Sevenwaters, Juliet Marillier
The Laws of Magic,  Michael Pryor
Creature Court, Tansy Rayner Roberts

Red In Tooth And Claw.

My writing buddy and crit-fiend, David McDonald, has a story out in the latest issue of Dimension6.

Although I've yet to read this issue, I read an earlier incarnation of Red in Tooth and Claw a while ago. I enjoyed it then, and I have no doubt it's improved since.

Congratulations, David. A fine sale to a quality magazine.

Dimension6 continues to be published three times a year, and is free to download and distribute. Keith Stevenson, the editor and publisher, produces high quality stories and five issues in he is yet to disappoint.

Issue #5 also includes stories by SG Larner and Jessica May Lin.

Run, don't walk, over to the Coeur de Lion website and download.

What? Are you still here?

Ditmar Awards Again

Nominations have opened for the 2014 Ditmar Awards.

I'm eligible with a whole bunch of stories, but there are two in particular that have achieved some success and recognition.

Holland:1944 

published by Mike Resnick in Galaxy's Edge #7. It has garnered some great reviews, and was selected by Mike for inclusion in The Best of Galaxy's Edge.

The Last of the Butterflies

published by Keith Stevenson in Dimension6 #3. Again some great reviews, and reprinted in Dimension6: Annual Collection 2014.

Should you feel these stories are worthy of a nomination, I would certainly appreciate the support.

Nominations for the 2015 Australian SF (“Ditmar”) awards are now open and will remain open until one minute before midnight Perth time on Sunday, 1st of February, 2015 (ie. 11.59pm, GMT+8). Postal nominations must be postmarked no later than Friday, 30th of January, 2015.
The current rules, including Award categories can be found HERE.

You must include your name with any nomination. Nominations will be accepted only from natural persons active in fandom, or from full or supporting members of Swancon 40, the 2015 Australian National SF Convention. Where a nominator may not be known to the Ditmar subcommittee, the nominator should provide the name of someone known to the subcommittee who can vouch for the nominator’s eligibility. Convention attendance or membership of an SF club are among the criteria which qualify a person as “active in fandom”, but are not the only qualifying criteria. If in doubt, nominate and mention your qualifying criteria. If you received this email directly, you almost certainly qualify.

You may nominate as many times in as many Award categories as you like, although you may only nominate a particular person, work or achievement once. The Ditmar subcommittee, which is organised under the auspices the Standing Committee of the Natcon Business Meeting, will rule on situations where eligibility is unclear. A partial and unofficial eligibility list, to which everyone is encouraged to add, can be found HERE.

Online nominations an be made via this form.

Another Dimensional Foray.

Another sale this week.

Keith Stevenson at Coeur de Lion has bought a story to be printed in Dimension6. He previously published So Sad, the Lighthouse Keeper in Anywhere But Earth, and The Last of the Butterflies in issue 3 of Dimension6. I'm thrilled I'll have the opportunity to work with him again.

This story, entitled Lodloc and the Bear, will be published in Issue 6, due in October, 2015.

Congratulations to my writing buddy, David McDonald, who also sold a story to Keith this week. His work will be available in the July issue alongside a piece by Stacey Larner.

Dimension6 publishes three issues a year, each with three stories. Keep an eye out for them in 2015. Based on the first three, you can't go wrong. Oh, and did I mention they're free?

A sale like this certainly puts you in the right frame of mind for the festive season, now doesn't it? If I don't see you before, have a great Christmas.

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!

Someone Is Reading Me.

You write a story, you send it out into the world. It is published, and then you wait.

Usually there's nothing. Not a mention, not a ripple. Only silence.

Sometimes, if you're lucky, you see a review, a comment somewhere online. If you're very lucky, you receive an email or a message on Facebook from a reader.

And that makes for a very happy writer.

I feel very fortunate in that I've had both personal emails and published reviews. They've mostly been very positive, which is always wonderful, and they usually arrive at a time when I need a confidence boost. (Although for most writers I suspect that is 'always')

So I was delighted to see AntipodeanSF say the following about my story, The Last of the Butterflies, which Keith Stevenson at Coeur de Lion published in Dimension6.

Standout stories I've read in the past couple of months or so that have impressed themselves on me for one reason or another.

Short Story: The Last Of The Butterflies
by Steve Cameron
Post apocalyptic religious society study that hinges on undercurrents that threaten the survival of anyone that was bioengineered before the disaster. Bottom line? There's danger lurking in comfort, and the ideas of others. Go flying.
In Dimension 6 Issue 3

Rob Hood's story, The Shark God Covenant, from the same issue was included, as were half a dozen other names I feel more than honoured to be listed alongside.

Thanks, AntipodeanSF and Ion Newcombe. It's great to be mentioned, and to know at least someone is reading and appreciating my work.

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.

Yet Another Dimension.

The second issue of Dimension6 is now available, and features stories by Dirk Strasser, Alan Baxter and Robert N Stephenson,

Editor Keith Stevenson, of Coeur de Lion, commenced this project last year, with the first issue published a few months ago. DRM free, it is distributed free on the internet three times a year, and had thus far garnered very positive reviews.

I feel very fortunate to have been included in the inaugural year's schedule, with my story, The Last of the Butterflies, slated for release in Issue 3. (October 2014)

If you haven't yet downloaded and read Dimension6, what's stopping you?

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?

Thirty Three And A Third.

Twelve months after its launch, Galaxy's Edge has been approved by the SFWA as a professional market. Congratulations to Shahid Mahmud, Laura Somerville and Mike Resnick who have worked so hard in achieving that goal.

In September of last year, I wrote on how impressed I was with this magazine, so I was thrilled when I was able to sell Mike a story a short time later. (I also mentioned two other magazines in that piece - interestingly I've also sold to Keith Stevenson at Dimension6. Now I have to sell to Dean Wesley Smith at Fiction River to hit the prophetic trifecta.)

What does it mean for me?

It means that my first pro-level sale, a story entitled Holland:1944, now qualifies as one-third of the required three sales to become a full SFWA member, and I'm pretty happy about that.

Oh, and for the next five weeks or so, Holland:1944 continues to be available to read for free here.

Feel The Moonlight On Your Skin.

A couple of pro-level mags have slipped quietly into the market place this year.

Fiction River, a series edited by Dean Wesley Smith & Kristine Kathryn Rusch, already has three issues out, with each issue being themed. At this stage I've only read the first one. While I enjoyed it and will continue to read the series, the stories varied wildly in quality. I truly hope the standard settles down.

Galaxy's Edge, from the desk of Mike Resnick, is more even, with stories at a higher standard. So far I've read the first two and really enjoyed them both. Mike's so-called 'writing children' (his mentorees) get a bit of space, but on the whole their stories deserve to be there.  The editorial and Barry Malzberg's column have both been entertaining. Add non-fiction by Gregory Bensford and an ongoing serialisation of the almost winner of the 1962 Hugo novel and it's heading in the right direction

Both of these magazines are are available in print and e-book, and are well worth a look.

I'm looking forward to Dimension6 from Keith Stevenson. Keith is a past editor of Aurealis, and has run Coeur de Lion publishing for a few years now. And I've heard whispers of a few more new magazines on the horizon.

All in all the future for SF looks bright. Welcome to the New Golden Age of speculative fiction.

What Is The Measure?

Anyone who reads these posts regularly would be well aware that I am a strong supporter of small press, particularly here in Australia. I truly believe they are publishing some of the most interesting pieces around at the moment. And, importantly, they provide opportunities to emerging writers like myself.

I'm fortunate enough to have sold my work to Tasmaniac, FableCroft, eMergent and Coeur de Lion, amongst others, and I have other publishers, such as Ticonderoga and Twelfth Planet on my hit list.

It's an amazing experience when you see a TOC with your name listed among name writers. I'm thrilled to have work sitting alongside Kim Westwood, Robert N Stephenson, Richard Harland, Thoraiya Dyer, Alan Baxter, Margo Lanagan, Sean McMullen, Jason Nahrung, Lee Battersby, Brendan Duffy, Cat Sparks, Robert Hood, Simon Petrie, Brendan Duffy, Jason Fischer, Patty Jansen, Lyn Battersby, Nicole R. Murphy, Tansy Rayner Roberts, Dirk Flinthart - and those are only the writers whose work I previously had sitting on my bookshelf. Many are names I'd only heard of until a year or two ago, yet now I've met some of them and am starting to build a friendship.

So why is it so difficult to get anthologies reviewed when they contain names like this?

Keith Stevenson, publisher and editor at Coeur de Lion, recently posted lamenting the lack of recognition his fabulous anthology, Anywhere But Earth, has achieved. With the quality and reputation of many of the writers on the TOC, and the international critical, award and commercial success afforded his previous publications, such as X6, it's incredible that the book seems to have disappeared with little more than a blip on the awards and review landscape.

The Australian Spec Fic community is healthy. There is no doubt of that. There are many emerging writers, an 'old-guard' that continues to be produce fantastic work and is supportive of us 'newbies', and a number of small presses pushing boundaries, taking risks and being inventive.

Stevenson (and others I've spoken to) don't do it for profit. From my understanding most of these presses lose money with every publication. It would be a shame for us all if it became so untenable that they were to either reduce or stop production all together.

Post a review on GoodReads, Amazon, anywhere else you can. Promote and support the community.  It needs us all.

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.

Think Small.

I've recently been amazed at some of the stories I've read in Analog, Asimov's, and Fantasy & Science Fiction. Not at the quality - quite the opposite. I was amazed they made it into the pages of the big three.

Sure, there's been some great stories too. But recently it seems as though the quality in those magazines has become increasingly inconsistent. At first I figured it was just a matter of taste, that the stories I thought were average were simply stories I didn't like. But when I analysed those stories, I discovered they contained a number of aspects that only a beginning writer should be guilty of. Lazy writing, infodumps, irrelevant scenes, corny dialog, and ridiculous coincidences pulled out of the hat at the last minute. And considering these mags receive hundreds of submissions every month and can pick and choose to their heart's content, it either says something about their selection process, or the scarcity of good writing out there.

What I am starting to realise is that some of the best stories around are, instead, to be found on  the pages of anthologies from small presses. Coeur de Lion, Twelfth Planet, FableCroft, Ticonderoga, to name a few Australian ones. Unfortunately, these publications don't get the exposure or respect they deserve.

Locus magazine continues to review every story in every issue of the big three (plus a swag of other pro mags) while ignoring so many smaller ones. While I understand they obviously receive far too many books to read and review, I would suggest that it's the 'other' magazines and anthologies that actually need the support of Locus. The big three are going to sell those issues anyway - particularly since the reviews usually come out well after the mags are off the news-stands.

Keith Stevenson, of Coeur De Lion, for example, recently lamented the difficulty he has in getting his books reviewed. And, of course, if books aren't reviewed and seen, they don't sell, and then they don't get placed on recommended reading lists or awards shortlists - no matter how good they are. Stevenson's Anywhere But Earth has received fantastic ratings and reviews on Goodreads, but has barely raised a blip elsewhere. And this is despite his previous anthology, X6, being placed on the Locus recommended reading list and winning a number of awards.

I was a little surprised recently when a local reviewer told me they had trouble accessing release information on local small press anthologies. I wouldn't have thought it was that difficult. 'Like' their Facebook page, regularly visit their web page, subscribe to a newsletter - whatever.

Support your small publishers, and tell others.

2012 Chronos Awards.

The shortlist for the 2012 Chronos Awards has been announced. Congratulations to all those included in the nominations.

I must say I'm thrilled to have had my story, So Sad, The Lighthouse Keeper, from Anywhere But Earth shortlisted. Keith Stevenson posted on its inclusion here.

Thanks to all those who nominated me. I truly appreciate it. Now it's up to the Convention membership to vote on which work they believe is the most worthy.

Thanks again.

Chronos Awards.

The awards season is upon us and I've just heard that both Kaaron Warren (for writing short fiction) and Jack Dann (for an anthology he edited) have been shortlisted for the Stoker. Congratulations. They would both surely deserve to win.

I'm eligible for a coupve been conle of upcoming awards. I'sidered for the Aurealis Awards, but it will take a little while before the shortlist is announced. And I'm also eligible for the Chronos and Ditmar Awards, both of which will be presented in June.

I truly believe last year was the breakout year for me. I stepped up my writing practices and skills and sold a number of stories to quality markets. So Sad, The Lighthouse Keeper is the first of those stories to be published, and I am very proud and honoured to have had it included in Keith Stevenson's fantastic anthology, Anywhere But Earth.

Since publication it has received excellent comments and reviews. If you have read the story and enjoyed it, (and are so inclined to do so) please consider nominating it for the Chronos Awards here.

If you haven't read it, then you should consider purchasing a copy.

I promise I'll name my first-born after you.

Interplanetary Remix, Take 444.

But if you try sometimes you just might find
You just might find
You get what you need

(You Can't Always Get What You Want - Jagger/Richards)

We all need God above
We all need a little time
We all need money and love
But when we got all we need, it's never enough

(Rodeo Drive - Terry Scott Taylor)

Santa Claus is comin' and the kids are gettin' greedy
It's Christmas time
They know what's in the stores because they've seen it on the TV
It's Christmas time

(Christmastime - Larry Norman)

I need a new car. I need a new phone. I need a bigger house.

I'm an English teacher. And as such, I sometimes recognise we confuse the words need and want. How about those in the world who really need things. Like clean water, food, education, peace, freedom and so on.

A couple of years ago Arran and I came up with an idea. Rather than give each other Christmas cards and small presents (usually chocolate - which I really don't need more of) we have a communal card which we all sign for each other. And then we donate the money we've saved on cards and gifts to Oxfam. This year we raised closed to a thousand dollars, and 'purchased' 6 donkeys and 2 goats.

Personally, I know what I want, but what do I need? (And I won't list those things that I think I need - otherwise I'd sound trite and cliched.)

Since this is a writer's blog, I certainly want to publish more. And I do need my friends.

So, in no real order, writerly thanks to Arran and Peter (friends, colleagues and first-readers).

Thanks to David McDonald (new friend, comrade-in-arms, peer and crit-buddy).

Thanks to Gitte Christensen (comrade-in-arms, encourager and peer).

Thanks to Paul Haines (friend, mentor and music buddy).

Thanks to editors and publishers who have taken a chance with my work over the past 12 months (Keith Stevenson, Tehani Wessely & Jodi Cleghorn).

Thanks to writers, editors, fellow travellers and readers I was published alongside, people I met on forums, at cons, workshops, festivals, meetings, discussion groups and book launches. (Too many to mention)

Thanks to my family and my in-laws (encouragers, and ever-proud).

Thanks to my best friend, Fenna (encourager, motivator, dreamer, teacher and critic).

Mostly, thanks to my wife, Lindsey. (for absolutely everything).

Have a Merry Christmas. And I hope you get what you need.

Three - Two - One - Liftoff!

I flew up to Sydney for the weekend in order to be present at the Anywhere But Earth launch. (check out Greenspace's photos of the event)

The launch was programmed during the NSW Speculative Fiction Festival, held at the Writers Centre. My wife decided to accompany me and so we signed up for the day's panels. And what a great day it was. The panels were fantastic, the people were nice and the centre and its grounds were amazing.

I met a bunch of new folk, caught up with a lot of others and had a splendid evening at The Three Weeds chatting, drinking ale and eating fish and chips.

The highlight for me, however, was the launch of Anywhere But Earth. Keith Stevenson did a great job (as he did with the book) with readings by Margo Lanagan, Alan Baxter and Richard Harland.

And if those names don't make you buy the book, don't forget I'm in there too.

We had a fantastic weekend in Sydney, as we always do.  Of course it's always lovely to come home.

On another note, I've had a few people mention to me that they have been having trouble commenting on my posts. I've sent an enquiry to blogger, but it might be you, not me.