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SFFANZ News Page
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From now on, most of the news about SF, Fantasy and Horror which is of interest to New
Zealand fans will be posted on our new News Blog. Click on the link below to visit the
site.
The News Blog will let you subscribe to the news service by joining an email list. You
can also pick up an RSS feed; and you can even follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Or you
can just bookmark the link and visit the News Blog whenever you wish to check for updates.
Since it is a blog, you will also be able to post comments on the news items as well.
We will continue to post significant SFFANZ related news here on the front page of the
SFFANZ site -- particularly news related to the Sir Julius Vogel Awards. The News Blog
itself will be reserved for items of more general interest, though there is obviously an
overlap between these areas and some items may well be duplicated.
We hope you enjoy this new facility.
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Sir Julius Vogel Awards 2016
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Nominations for the 2016 Sir Julius Vogel awards are now being accepted. The nomination
period will close at 8.00pm on 28th February 2016. The awards recognise excellence in
science fiction, fantasy, or horror works created by New Zealanders and New Zealand
residents, and first published or released in the 2015 calendar year. Anyone can make a
nomination and it is free!
To make a nomination please email sjv_awards@sffanz.org.nz.
See the website for the categories and get busy reading NZ authors and watching NZ movies.
We have a list of New Zealand
works that may be eligible for nomination here. The rules, criteria and categories for
the Awards can be found by clicking this link. Guidelines
for nominations can be found by clicking this link |
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Sir Julius Vogel Awards 2015
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Nominations for the 2015 Sir Julius Vogel awards are now being accepted. The nomination
period will close at 8.00pm on 31st January 2015. The awards recognise excellence in
science fiction, fantasy, or horror works created by New Zealanders and New Zealand
residents, and first published or released in the 2014 calendar year. Anyone can make a
nomination and it is free!
To make a nomination please email sjv_awards@sffanz.org.nz.
See the website for the categories and get busy reading NZ authors and watching NZ movies.
We have a list of New Zealand
works that may be eligible for nomination here. The rules, criteria and categories for
the Awards can be found by clicking this link. Guidelines
for nominations can be found by clicking this link. |
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Sir Julius Vogel Awards 2014 Nominations for the 2014 Sir Julius
Vogel awards are now being accepted. Nominations will close at 8.00pm on 15th February
2014. The awards recognise excellence in science fiction, fantasy, or horror works created
by New Zealanders and New Zealand residents, and first published or released in the 2013
calendar year. Anyone can make a nomination and it is free!
To make a nomination please email sjv_awards@sffanz.org.nz.
See the website for the categories and get busy reading NZ authors and watching NZ movies.
We have a list of New Zealand
works that may be eligible for nomination. The rules and criteria for the Sir Julius
Vogel Award can be found by clicking this link. We also have
list of frequently
asked questions about the nomination process. |
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Sir Julius Vogel Awards 2013
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The final nomination list for the Sir Julius
Vogel Awards for 2013 is now available. |
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Sir Julius Vogel Awards 2013
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SFFANZ is now accepting nominations for the Sir Julius Vogel Awards for 2013. The
nomination period will close at 8.00pm on March 31st 2013.
An explanation of the procedures involved in processing nominations and administering
the awards can be found here.
A detailed nomination FAQ can be found here.
The award rules and criteria can be found here.
Please send your nominations by email to sjv_awards@sffanz.org.nz
or by post to:
SJV Awards
P.O. Box 13-574,
Johnsonville,
Wellington
Voting for the awards will take place at the 2013 National SF Convention Au Contraire |
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Sir Julius Vogel Awards 2012
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SFFANZ is now accepting nominations for the Sir Julius Vogel Awards for 2012. The
nomination period will close at 8.00pm on March 31st 2012.
An explanation of the procedures involved in processing nominations and administering
the awards can be found here.
A detailed nomination FAQ can be found here.
The award rules and criteria can be found here.
Please send your nominations by email to sjv_awards@sffanz.org.nz
or by post to:
SJV Awards
P.O. Box 13-574,
Johnsonville,
Wellington
Voting for the awards will take place at the 2012 National SF Convention unCONventional |
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Sir Julius Vogel award nominations will be open in 2011
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The Sir Julius Vogel awards will be open in January. The award is for any science
fiction, fantasy or horror works created by a New Zealander and first published or
released in the 2010 calendar year.
Anyone can make a nomination and it is free! See the website for the categories open
and get busy reading NZ authors and watching NZ movies.
Past winners include Russell Kirkpatrick, Nalini Singh, Helen Lowe, Brian Falkner and
Under The Mountain.
Nominations open on 1 January 2011 and close on 31 March 2011 at 8pm.
For more information about the SJV Awards, please go to the awards page.
You can find full details about the nomination procedures and rules, including
eligibility criteria here. |
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Voting time for the FFANZ Delegate to go to AussieCon 4 as the NZ
representative.
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There were two nominations:
The first received was for Stephen Litten/Jan Butterworth. (nominated by Cassie Pearce,
seconded by Kevin McLean). The second was for Jenny Hammond (nominated by June Young,
seconded by Simon Litten)
Brief bios of nominees are shown below
Votes cost $5.00 each.
Voting closes 20th August 2010.
NB:- The vote money is part of the fund raising and is passed on to the successful
delegate.
Voting option #1 (preferred)
Direct bank deposit:
BNZ - acc # 02-0232-0065292-66
MUST INCLUDE as references
Delegates name (first reference) AND your name (second reference)
Voting option #2
Ring or email us with your vote and credit card details and we'll process it via Barbara's
Books mail order facility.
reading@barbarasbooks.co.nz
Phone - (09) 263-5002
Voting Option #3
NZ Post. Don't forget to give us your name, and the name of the nominee you are voting
for.
Note: with this option votes must be posted in time to make our PO. Box by the morning of
20th August 2010.
Postal address is:
FFANZ Vote
C/- Barbara's Books
PO Box 276204
Manukau City
Manukau 2241
Bios - as supplied by the nominees
Jenny Hammond
Ive been into science fiction, and crazy about books, as long as I can
remember. I discovered that there was such a thing as fandom and science fiction
conventions, after attending Conspiracy in 1997, when it all fell into place and I found a
happy home in fandom. I have attended every Wellington con, several Auckland cons,
and the 1999 Aussiecon since 1997, and been a member of Phoenix Science Fiction Society
since 1998. Im a librarian and dabble in writing, and plan to stay involved in
fandom as long as it will have me.
Joint nominees
Jan Butterworth
Jan is Secretary of SFFANZ, Auckland administrator for SFFANZ book reviews, on the Sir
Julius Vogel awards committee and is a current member of Stella Nova. She was
Secretary for Conscription in 2009 and is the publicist for Context in 2011. Jan would
enjoy working to promote FFANZ.
Stephen Litten
Stephen worships at the shrine of SF/Fantasy. He is a founder member of Phoenix, is
president of Stella Nova and been on the ConCom of a couple of Natcons. Stephen's outside
interests include social drinking (founder member Beer Ingestion Group) and proving he's a
clever dick. Currently he can be found in Auckland, provided he's not hiding.
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Speculative Fiction By New Zealand Writers -- Book Launch
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Imagine worlds where strange creatures roam the hills of Miramar, desperate survivors
cling to the remains of a submerged country, and the residents of Gisborne reluctantly
serve alien masters.
Those are just some of the visions painted in a new volume of speculative fiction by
kiwi writers to be launched later this month. Published by Wellington-based small press
Random Static, A Foreign Country: New Zealand Speculative Fiction features work by
best-selling author Juliet Marillier; poet, musician, and writer Bill Direen; and several
Sir Julius Vogel Award winners, prominent writers, and talented newcomers.
Popular and award-winning Australian author Sean Williams, who will be in Wellington at
the time of the launch, was impressed by his sneak preview, describing the anthology as
"richly populated with the frightening and the fabulous, the thrilling and the
thoughtful, the inspiring and the inspired."
Co-editor Anna Caro hopes the works in the collection will both provide points of
familiarity to readers, and take their imagination to new places. "Many of the
stories are set in New Zealand, present or future, and portray worlds which are both
instantly recognisable and nothing like the country we currently live in. This anthology
showcases some of the remarkable range of New Zealand's world-class speculative fiction
writers."
A Foreign Country will be launched at 6pm on Friday 27 August at Au Contraire,
the 31st National Science Fiction Convention (Quality Hotel, Cuba St, Wellington).
A Foreign Country can be ordered online from Random Static. The cover art can be
seen here.
A Foreign Country ISBN: 978-0-473-16916-9 |
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Notice of SFFANZ AGM - 29th August 2010
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UPDATE - The SFFANZ AGM will be held at 11.00am on Sunday 29th August 2010 at Au
Contraire. Note the new start time.
Please click here to download a pdf file
(236K) containing the formal notice of the AGM and the agenda.
At the request of the Au Contraire committee, the bids and voting for the 2011 and 2012
National Conventions will be held at the closing ceremony of the convention.
We encourage people who are intending to bid for the 2012 convention to publicise their
bid during Au Contraire. It is possible that some people may not be able to attend the
closing ceremony. These people can leave proxy votes with any SFFANZ committee member. |
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Winner Of SpecFicNZ Logo Contest Announced
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![SpecFicNZ Logo](images/spnz_header_green03.jpg)
SpecFicNZ is happy to officially announce the winner of our recent logo contest, Glynis
Jolly of Crossville, Tennessee, USA. The simple, marbled sphere with SpecFicNZacross it
wowed us with its simplicity and versatility. Seen above on a backdrop of night sky it
looks fabulous as our newsletter header, and we are already experimenting with it in a
variety of colors and on other backgrounds. SpecFicNZwould like to formally thank all
those who entered our contest. The competition was stiff, but the logo Glynis designed had
the appearanceof a new looming planet, which is just what we hope New Zealand speculative
fiction will be - a new, imminent world dominating the radar of both Kiwi and
international publishers. You may be wondering just who Glynis is, and what motivated her
to enter a logo contest for a New Zealand writers association? Ripley Pattoninterviewed
her to find out just that, and you can read more on her website. |
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Phoenix (the Wellington SF group) celebrates its 21st birthday
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To celebrate Phoenix's 21st birthday we are hosting a mini-con on Saturday July 3rd at
Turnbull House, Bowen St (opposite the Beehive). We are planning the mini-con as an
introduction-to-convention affair with a relaxed approach to session schedules. We'll have
small fun activities running in half hour gaps between hour-long discussion panels and a
gaming stream. Starting at 10am, we'll be running through to 5pm.
The cost is $5 for members and $10 for non-members.
We're also planning to go out for dinner at a local restaurant at the end of the
mini-con - all welcome (dinner at diner's own cost).
Events include a quiz, how well do series' end, underrated and overrated authors, films
and series, a talk on science enhancements - a follow-up to "dude, where's my flying
car" - and a chat about the history of Phoenix.
We'll also have a great afternoon tea of birthday cake for our flaming chicken.
All past, present and future members welcome to attend. |
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A New Award For Unpublished Writers Of Teen Fiction
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Storylines Trust and HarperCollins Publishers New Zealand are proud to announce an
exciting new annual award on the children's literary scene - the Storylines Tessa Duder
Award for unpublished writers of fiction for young adults, named in honour of one of New
Zealand's best writers for young adults.
Unpublished writers looking for an opportunity to emulate the outstanding writing
careers of Kiwi authors such as William Taylor, Kate De Goldi, Bernard Beckett or Tessa
Duder herself will be excited by this new initiative.
The award has been set up in recognition of Tessa's outstanding contribution to
children's literature, both in terms of publishing output and her tireless work in the
area of children's literacy, particularly as one of the founding members of the Storylines
Children's Literature Charitable Trust.
Full details and criteria for entry will be listed on the Storylines Tessa Duder Award page. |
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LIANZA Prestigious Children's Book Awards Finalists
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The Library and Information Association Of New Zealand Aotearoa (LIANZA) has announced
the finalists for the Prestigious Children's Book Awards for 2010.
Some of the finalistsare also Sir Julius Vogel Award finalists. See this link for more information.
Many congratulations to the finalists from SFFANZ. |
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NZ Post Children's Book Awards
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The winners of the New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards have been announced. See this link for details.
Some of the award winners are also Sir Julius Vogel Award finalists. See this link for more
information.
Many congratulations to the Children's Book Award winners from SFFANZ. |
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Interview With Nalini Singh
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Here are two links to an interview with Nalini Singh on Women on Air, Plains 96.9 FM.
The first
takes you to the website and gives you the option to listen online or download the file in
MP3 format. (Press the "play" button to start listening).
The second should take you directly to the the mp3 version, which will
then commence playing. |
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Australian Writer Jennifer Fallon Has Moved To New Zealand
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Australian science fiction and fantasy author Jennifer Fallon is now resident in
Canterbury, New Zealand.
Below are links to a 10 minute interview which covers why she moved to New Zealand, her
plans for an international Writers Retreat in Canterbury and details of her new urban
fantasy novel coming out in 2011.
The first link will take you to the website and give you the option to listen online or
download the file in MP3 format. The second should take you directly to the the mp3
version, which will then commence playing.
Link
to the website
Direct
link to the mp3 file
Jennifer Fallon's official website is here. |
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Terry Pratchett's Maskerade Auckland Premiere
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One of the world's best-loved authors receives an Auckland premiere when Phoenix
Theatre presents Terry Pratchett's Maskerade at the Rose Centre, Belmont, from 7-15 May.
This brilliant spoof of Phantom of the Opera features wit and witches, murder and mayhem,
cats and catastrophes... and just wait until the fat lady sings! A comedy with one foot in
the gutter and the other in the gods, it's a feast for Pratchett fans and an entree for
the uninitiated.
The action takes place beneath the giant chandelier of the Opera House in Ankh-Morpork
- 'There's an accident waiting to happen,' as one of the cast remarks. An innocent young
soprano is drawn to her destiny by a strangely-familiar evil mastermind, a renowned tenor
has a guilty secret and the witches' idea of 'boil and bubble' produces an outrageous
banquet scene. But then, this is the world of opera where nothing is quite what it seems.
'We had huge interest from the moment we announced we were doing this show,' says
director Sally Knight. 'Most of the cast are devoted Pratchett fans and are loving the
chance to bring some of his most picturesque characters to life. And if you know your
musicals, you may even spot Jonathan Gilbert channelling Michael Crawford (Andrew Lloyd
Webber's original Phantom) in his role as Walter Plinge.'
But there's also a sadness behind the mask. Sir Terry Pratchett was recently diagnosed
with Alzheimers and the Phoenix Theatre production will be raising money for Alzheimers
Auckland throughout the season. 'As a community theatre we felt this was an appropriate
way to share our enjoyment of Terry's work - and that of the audience - with others,' says
Sally. Whether you're a Terry Pratchett fan or just love a good laugh, don't miss
Maskerade.
Performances:
8pm performances:
Friday 7 May
Saturday 8 May
Tuesday 11 May
Wednesday 12 May
Friday 14 May
Saturday 15 May
2pm performance:
Sunday 9 May
Street address:
The Rose Centre,
School Rd,
Belmont,
North Shore
Auckland
Cost: $20 ($15 concessions)
Contact:
Phone number and/or booking info: 445 9900
www.rosecentre.co.nz |
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Hugo and Campbell Voter Packet Ready For Download
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Aussiecon 4 has released an electronic 2010 Hugo Voter Packet containing full-length
works and samples from 2010 Hugo Award and John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer
nominees. The packet is available for download by Aussiecon 4 members to help inform them
about the works under consideration before voting.
The works in the Hugo Voter Packet are made available to voters through the efforts of
the nominees and their publishers. Aussiecon 4 is grateful for their participation and
willingness to share with its members. Remember to vote, and please support these
creators! Their work is available in bookstores and online.
The Hugo voting process for works published or otherwise released in 2009 is open to
supporting and attending members of Aussiecon 4, the 2010 World Science Fiction
Convention. In order to participate you must purchase a supporting or attending Aussiecon
4 membership by 31 July 2010 23:59 PDT.
Click here for
details |
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SpecFicNZ Logo Competition Deadline Extended to April 30th
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SpecFicNZ, the new writers association, will finally launch in 2010 and we need an
original, eye-catching logo to plaster on our website, print on our promotional material,
and tattoo on the foreheads of all the Core members.
If you are an artist, a wanna-be-artist, or simply a rad doodler, we would love to see
your most creative logo ideas. If you aren't artistically inclined, you probably know
someone who is. Please feel free to pass this information on to them.
Entries are free, easy, and you can make up to five of them. And the prize for the
winner is pretty decent -- $140 NZ, a free 6-issue subscription to Andromeda Spaceways
Inflight Magazine, and a copy of the book Newton's Sleep from Random Static Publishing
(and of course, the fame -- never forget the fame).
The Contest opens for entries March 15th, 2010, and closes April 30th, 2010.
You can find more information and complete contest rules here. |
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Nominations for FFANZ Delegate to Aussiecon 4 Now Open
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FFANZ, the Fan Fund of Australia and New Zealand, was established in 1982 to encourage
closer ties between fans in Australia and New Zealand.
Peter & Barbara Clendon, the former FFANZ delegates from New Zealand, have
announced that the FFANZ race for a NZ delegate to go to Aussiecon 4 is now open.
More details and a nomination form can be found on the FFANZ web site. |
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The 32nd New Zealand National SF Convention in 2011
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Following a poll of SFFANZ/Conscription members, it has been decided that New Zealand's
32nd National Science Fiction Convention will be ConText to be held in Auckland over
Queen's Birthday weekend 2011. Catherine Asaro has been asked to be the guest of honour
and Lynelle Howell has been asked to be the fan guest of honour.
38% of those polled responded, and every single response was in favour of the
convention. The decision will be ratified at the next SFFANZ AGM.
ConText is being organised by Alan Parker.
Contact Details:
Web Site:
http://context.sf.org.nz/
Email:
enquiries@context.sf.org.nz
Postal Address:
PO Box 74-013
Market Rd
Auckland 1543
New Zealand
Phone:
+64-9-9629806 |
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The SpecFicNZ Official Logo Contest
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SpecFicNZ, the new writers association, will finally launch in 2010 and we need an
original, eye-catching logo to plaster on our website, print on our promotional material,
and tattoo on the foreheads of all the Core members.
If you are an artist, a wanna-be-artist, or simply a rad doodler, we would love to see
your most creative logo ideas. If you aren't artistically inclined, you probably know
someone who is. Please feel free to pass this information on to them.
Entries are free, easy, and you can make up to five of them. And the prize for the
winner is pretty decent -- $140 NZ, a free 6-issue subscription to Andromeda Spaceways
Inflight Magazine, and a copy of the book Newton's Sleep from Random Static Publishing
(and of course, the fame -- never forget the fame).
The Contest opens for entries March 15th, 2010, and closes April 15, 2010.
You can find more information and complete contest rules here. |
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The Career Of A Local Artist Is Sprouting Up Like Magic
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Local artist Emma Weakley is about to have her first book published and she still a
teenager.
Wellington publisher Random Static will be releasing Jack and the Beanstalk,
a quirky take on the classic fairytale. "Emma's illustrations are delightful",
said Random Static editor Kelly Buchanan.
"The story is simple enough for young children, but the sense of humour and the
little details in the artwork make it entertaining for adults who haven't completely lost
touch with their inner child, too. It a bit outside our usual remit, but we enjoyed it too
much to pass up."
"I didn't expect anything to come of this little project, so it is very exciting
to have it published", said Emma. Ms Weakley is a budding illustrator who lives on
the Kapiti Coast and turned 19 last November. She likes drawing monsters, listening to
irritating music, and quiet days investigating dead things on the beach. Last year, she
won the Sir Julius Vogel Award for Best Professional Art, for her cover illustration for Newtons
Sleep.
The official launch for Jack and the Beanstalk is taking place at 2pm on
Saturday the 20th of February, at Crossways, 6 Roxburgh St, Mt Victoria. Emma will be
performing a reading and signing copies of the book, and the original art, concept
sketches, and paintings will be on display. Light refreshments will be provided.
Jack and the Beanstalk will be available via the RandomStatic web site and all
good bookstores. The cover image is can be seen here.
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More awards for a New Zealand writer
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Paul Haines has had significant
success in 2009.
His novella Wives (X6, coeur de lion, 2009) has just tied to win the 2009
Aurealis Award for Best Horror Short Story. It has also made the Locus 2009 Recommended
Reading List. It made the honours list for the 2009 James Tiptree Jr. award and has been
shortlisted for the 2009 Austalian Shadows Award for Best Long Fiction
For anyone considering Hugo or SJV nominations, a free download of Wives is
available here.
His short story Slice of Life - A Spot of Liver (Slice of Life, The Mayne Press,
2009) also tied to win the 2009 Aurealis Award Best Horror Short Story. This is the first
time in the award's history that an author has tied with themselves for a win.
His collection Slice of Life (The Mayne Press, 2009) was shortlisted for the
2009 Aurealis Award Best Collection, and has won the 2009 Chronos Award Best Collection. |
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New Zealand science fiction poem nominated for international award
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Meliors Simms' poem Two Kinds of Time, first published in the acclaimed
anthology Voyagers: Science Fiction Poetry from New Zealand (Interactive Press,
2009), has been nominated for a Rhysling Award for the best science fiction, fantasy or
horror poem published in 2009.
The Rhysling Awards, administered by the Science Fiction Poetry Association, were
inaugurated in 1978. Among previous winners are such well-known writers as Margaret
Atwood, Ursula K. Le Guin, Jane Yolen and Joe Haldeman.
"I'm honoured to have my poem nominated for an international poetry award with
such an illustrious history," said Meliors Simms from her home in Hamilton. "I
had never heard of the genre of science fiction poetry until I was invited to submit to
the Voyagers anthology a few years ago. Two Kinds of Time was my first effort and
marked a shift in my writing style from introspective to more ideas-based poetry."
Tim Jones, who co-edited Voyagers with Mark Pirie, said "We are delighted for
Meliors, and very pleased for this further recognition for New Zealand science fiction
poetry and for Voyagers. The anthology has been very well-received in New Zealand, and it
has already appeared on the NZ Listener and New Zealand Herald best books lists for 2009.
The international interest in the anthology, and in Meliors' poem in particular, is just
as exciting."
Voyagers: Science Fiction Poetry from New Zealand is available from leading New
Zealand independent bookstores. It is also available online from Interactive Press, from
Fishpond (NZ) and from Amazon.com.
Meliors Simms has made a short video called "Non Linear Time", which features
one section of her nominated poem "Two Kinds of Time". It can be viewed on YouTube.
Meliors' web site is here.
For more information about the Rhyslings, please visit here.
The Voyagers website is here.
Voyagers received a very positive review in Star*Line, the journal of the Science
Fiction Poetry Association. That review is available here. |
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Hugo Award Nominations for 2010
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The nominating period for the Hugo Awards commences January 1st 2010.
The Hugo Awards celebrate the best in the field of science fiction and fantasy.
Hugos are presented each year at the World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon) by the
World Science Fiction Society.
The Hugo nomination process for works published or otherwise released in 2009 and
individual achievement awards is open to current members of the World Science Fiction
Society, which means supporting or attending members of the 2009 Worldcon (Anticipation)
or the upcoming 2010 Worldcon (Aussiecon 4).
Nominations must be received by 13 March 2010. In order to participate, you must have
purchased an Aussiecon 4 membership by 31 January 2010 or have been a member of the 2009
Worldcon, Anticipation.
More details and a nomination form can be found on the Aussiecon 4
website.
According to Vincent Docherty, Hugo Awards Administrator, the best-known Hugo Award
categories are Best Novel and Best Dramatic Presentation. "However, there are many
other categories of Hugo Awards, including some for short fiction, for artists, and
editors, and for activities by fans," says Docherty, "Winning an award as
prestigious as the Hugo can mean the difference between an author having one or two works
published and having the industry keen to get its hands on anything you create."
A shortlist of the five most popular works or achievements in each award category will be
published in early April 2010, with the voting process open to Aussiecon 4 members until
31 July 2010.
The Hugo Awards Ceremony will be one of the highlights of Aussiecon 4, and will take place
on the evening of Sunday 5 September 2010.
Aussiecon 4 will be held at the new Melbourne and Convention and Exhibition Centre from 2
to 6 September 2010. The convention will be a five-day event bringing together readers and
fans and a premium field of authors, illustrators, publishers, scientists, and other
leading genre figures.
"Worldcon is a truly amazing and unique phenomenon", says Perry Middlemiss,
Co-Chair of Aussiecon 4. "It has all the features of an international writer's
festival but celebrates a very specific genre: science fiction, fantasy, and horror."
Contact:
Vince Docherty
Hugo Awards Administrator
hugoadmin@aussiecon4.org.au
Telephone: +31 6 5252 1090
http://www.thehugoawards.org
Fiona Park
Communications Division Head
communications@aussiecon4.org
Telephone: +61 3 9281 7423
For more information about Aussiecon4, see our website. |
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Writer Neil Gaiman Will Be In Wellington In 2010
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Writer Neil Gaiman, who was the Literary Guest of Honour at Construction, the 1998 New
Zealand National Science Fiction and Fantasy convention - will be in Wellington on the
13th March 2010 as an official speaker at the NZ International Arts Festival being held in
Wellington under the Writers and Readers section.
Date : 13 March 2010 (Saturday)
Time : 5.30pm
Duration : 1 hour
Price : $25.00 adult
Venue : Wellington Town Hall
More information can be found here.
Information about the festival proper can be found here. |
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Voyagers: Science Fiction Poetry from New Zealand
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A promotional tour has been arranged for Voyagers:
Science Fiction Poetry from New Zealand (edited by Mark Pirie and Tim Jones).
The dates and venues for the tour are:
Dunedin Library, 14 Oct, 5:30 pm, join Sue Wootton, James Dignan, Tim Jones and IP
Director Dr David Reiter to kick off the national tour.
Circadian Rhythm Cafe, 15 Oct, 7 pm. Our event here will feature Sue Wootton, Jenny
Powell, James Dignan, David Eggleton, Tim Jones and David Reiter.
Christchurch, Madras Cafe, 16 Oct, 5 pm, with Owen Marshall, James Norcliffe, David
Gregory, Tim Jones and David Reiter
Wellington, Wellington Central Library, 19 Oct, 5:30 pm, with Janis Freegard, Nic Hill,
Helen Rickerby, Jack Perkins, Rachel McAlpine, Michael O'Leary, Marilyn Duckworth, Tim
Jones, Mark Pirie and David Reiter
Kapiti Coast, Kapiti Coast Library, 20 Oct, 5:30 pm for 6 pm, featuring Puri Alvarez,
Nic Hill, Helen Rickerby, Michael O'Leary, Janis Freegard and David Reiter
Hamilton, TBC, 21 Oct
Auckland, 22 Oct, Auckland Central Library, with Raewynn Alexander, Jacqueline Ottway,
Iain Sharp, Michael Morrissey, Anna Rugis, Alastair Paterson, Iain Britton, Thomas
Mitchell, Janet Charman and David Reiter
Devonport, 24 Oct, 6:30 pm, Depot Arts Space, with Iain Britton, Alistair Paterson,
Andrew Fagan, Janet Charman, Anna Rugis, Thomas Mitchell and David Reiter. |
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Sir Julius Vogel Award winners for 2009 have been announced
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The full results can be found here.
The Sir Julius Vogel Awards are awards in professional and fan fields from the 2007
year, voted by the fans and presented at the National Science Fiction convention each
year. Full details on the categories and rules can be found here. Voting is open to members of
SFFANZ or members of the national science fiction convention for that year.
The awards this year were held at Conscription.
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SFFANZ Book Reviews
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Hachette (New Zealand) is part
of the Hachette group, one of the leading publishers in France. In New Zealand, they
distribute books from many publishers such as Little Brown, Headline, Hodder etc.
Harper Collins (New Zealand) is the
official distributor for Harper Voyager, Simon and Schuster, Usborne, Anova Books and
Little Hare Books.
We will shortly be publishing reviews of SF and Fantasy novels distributed by both
Hachette and Harper Collins. There is a new link reviews
on the main menu on the left hand side. This link will take you straight to the reviews. |
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Sir Julius Vogel Awards 2009
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The Sir Julius Vogel sub-committee of SFFANZ is currently accepting nominations for
science fiction and fantasy works first published or released in the 2008 calendar year.
Details of the Sir Julius Vogel Awards can be viewed by clicking on this link.
Nominations open on 1 December 2008 and close on 28 February 2009.
To make a nomination please email sjv_awards@sffanz.org.nz.
Please send one nomination per email and include as many contact details as possible
for the nominee as well as yourself.
You can find full details about the nomination procedures and rules, including
eligibility criteria here. These
rules can be downloaded as a PDF document here.
A detailed nomination FAQ can be found here.
The voting will occur at Conscription,
the national science fiction convention being held in Auckland, New Zealand over Queen's
Birthday, 27 May - 1 June 2009.
Please support the works that you like by nominating them, even if you think (or know)
that they have already been nominated - additional nominations still matter. The number of
nominations a work receives may have a direct bearing on whether it makes it to the final
ballot. |
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The Great Romance - Republication of a historical New Zealand Science
Fiction book
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New Zealand, 1881. A small two volume novella entitled The Great Romance
was published under the pseudonym of The Inhabitant. Neglected until now, and
republished for the first time in its entirety this Spring by the University of Nebraska
Press, the work stands out as a remarkable example of early science fiction. Here,
apparently for the first time in the history of the genre, or even the history of science
itself, readers encounter descriptions of spacesuits, airlocks, shuttlecraft, space
fleets, friendly non humanoid aliens, and the human colonisation of space. The author also
raises the idea of faster than light travel pre Einstein, the possibility of humans
exploring planetary systems beyond our solar system, cross-species miscegenation, the
impact of weightlessness on the human condition (in particular muscle fatigue), and
telepathy. Behind these genre-defining elements is the story of John Hope, who, by
means of a sleeping elixir, awakes to a utopian community in a distant future a
"kingdom of thought" where the struggle for existence has been eliminated and
humanity operates under an unwritten law of civility and harmony, aided by telekinesis
that inerrantly reveals all wrong-doers. Since only two of the probably three volumes are
extant, the tale ends with a chilling cliffhanger.
In his introduction, Dominic Alessio the editor of the re-published edition, discusses
the cutting-edge aspects of this work and its significance in both the realm of science
fiction and the history and culture of its day. Dominic Alessio is Associate Professor of
History and Director of the Study Abroad Program at Richmond, The American International
University in London.
The Los Angeles Times has a review of the book
Here is an academic introduction and a sample chapter
To find out more about the book go to the University
of Nebraska Press, with an option to purchase a copy.
Also available for purchase here
via the United Kingdom. This site has a decent sized image of the book cover |
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Inkspillers
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In our Useful Links section, we've added Inkspillers, an Australasian website devoted to
writers and resources for writers. Check
it out! |
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Next New Zealand National Science Fiction Convention is Conscription -
Queens Birthday, 2009
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Go to their website for FULL details.
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Armageddon is coming!
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For future Armaggedon events in Auckland, Wellington and occasionally Christchurch, go to
their website for full details of future events.. |
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We're compiling lists of works by New Zealanders in the fields of Science
Fiction, Fantasy and Horror.
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Do you know of any published books, short stories, novellas, movies, TV shows, short films
etc that have been produced this year?
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Or do you know of fans doing artwork, writing stories, creating fanzines, or other worthy
creations?
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Then let us know!
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We want to put links or information up on this website so that these works are known to as
many people as possible.
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Send your information to us at listings@sffanz.org.nz |
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