Canadian Unity Fan Fund (CUFF) Seeks 2019 Nominations

The Canadian Unity Fan Fund (CUFF) is taking nominations to select a fan delegate from Western Canada (Manitoba -> west) to attend CAN-CON 2019 / Canvention 39 the national Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention.

Can-Con 2019 takes place October 18-20 at the Sheraton Hotel, Ottawa, Canada with Canvention Guest of Honour Kelly Robson, Author Guest of Honour Charlie Jane Anders, and Agent Guest of Honour DongWon Song.

Kent Pollard, CUFF’s Western Administrator, adds, “The delegate is welcome, even encouraged, to stay longer than just the convention and hang out with the local fans.”

In exchange for funds that are likely to cover all of their costs for the trip,  the primary responsibilities of the CUFF delegate are to:

  • Attend this year’s Canvention and report back to your fellow fans on the event
  • Assist in raising funds for the next year’s delegate as they are able
  • Administer (with the assistance of a fan from the other side of the country) the process to select the next year’s fan delegate.
  • Promote Canadian genre-related media and fan activities.

Prospective nominees must submit an application by June 20, 2019 to [email protected]. The application must have a minimum of three fan supporters from the east and three in the west (six total). It should contain a letter with a brief fan-related bio and how you hope to make this trip beneficial for you and the fan community. Complete guidelines plus details on the voting process are available in a public Google Document here.

Voting will begin June 21 and close July 15, in order to give the successful candidate enough time to work with CAN-CON programming and to schedule their visit.

[Thanks to Kent Pollard for the story.]

2015 Prix Aurora Awards

Aurora Award

Aurora Award

The 2015 Prix Aurora Awards were presented November 22 at Canvention 35, hosted by SFContario 6 in Toronto.

Best English Novel

  •  A Play of Shadow by Julie E. Czerneda, DAW Books

Best English YA Novel

(TIE)

  • Lockstep by Karl Schroeder, Tor Books
  • Out of This World by Charles de Lint, Razorbill Canada

Best English Short Fiction

  • “Crimson Sky” by Eric Choi, Analog, July/August

Best English Poem/Song

  • “A Hex, With Bees” by Tony Pi, Wrestling With Gods: Tesseracts Eighteen, EDGE

Best English Graphic Novel

  • It Never Rains by Kari Maaren, Webcomic

Best English Related Work

  • On Spec published by the Copper Pig Writers’ Society

Best Artist

  • Dan O’ Driscoll, covers for Bundoran Press and On Spec magazine

Best Fan Publication

  • Speculating Canada edited by Derek Newman-Stille

Best Fan Music

  • Kari Maaren, YouTube Channel

Best Fan Organizational

  • Sandra Kasturi, Chair, Chiaroscuro Reading Series: Toronto

Best Fan Related Work

  • Derek Newman-Stille, Speculating Canada on Trent Radio 92.7 FM

The voting statistics [PDF file] are available. A total of 173 ballots were cast.

(While Brian Z. doubtless would prefer to see William Gibson’s The Peripheral as the winner, he can feel justified by its finishing a close second to the Czerneda novel, 58-54.)

[Via John Scalzi.]

CUFF Looking for Candidates

Nominations are open for the 2013 Canadian Unity Fan Fund which will send a fan from Western Canada to Ottawa for Can-Con in October.

Debra Yeung, last year’s winner, explains the Western region of Canada is defined as Manitoba and parts West.

Can-Con is host of 2013’s CanVention, the annual convention of the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association.

CUFF nominees must apply by April 21. Applications require a minimum of three supporters from the West and three from the East, plus a letter from the nominee with a self-description and explanation why this would be beneficial for them and their communities.

Any Canadian fan or pro may individually nominate a fan to be this year’s CUFF delegate by sending an email outlining your reasons for believing that the fan would make a good delegate to: [email protected] or filling out the form at:- http://bit.ly/14wjpMP. Nominators who are not known to the current fund administrators Debra Yeung or Kent Pollard should provide a name and contact info for a fan who is known to one of them.

Final voting will run May 1-June 10. Anyone may vote for CUFF who has been active in Canadian fandom for two years prior to the Canvention, (so for this year, October of 2013) or anyone who has a membership to Can-Con 2013. Voters are required to make a donation to the fund of at least $5.00

2010 Prix Aurora Nominees

Nominees for Canada’s Prix Aurora Awards have been announced. The winners will be revealed at KeyCon 27/Canvention 30 during the May 21-24 weekend. See the website for voting information.

BEST NOVEL IN ENGLISH
The Amulet of Amon-Ra, by Leslie Carmichael, CBAY Books
Druids, by Barbara Galler-Smith and Josh Langston, Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy
Wake, Robert J. Sawyer, Penguin Canada
Steel Whispers, Hayden Trenholm, Bundoran Press
Terra Insegura, Edward Willett, DAW Books

MEILLEUR ROMAN EN FRANÇAIS (Best Novel In French)
Le protocole Reston. Mathieu Fortin, (Coups de tête)
L’axe de Koudriss. Michèle Laframboise, Médiaspaul
Suprématie. Laurent McAllister, (Bragelonne)
Un tour en Arkadie. Francine Pelletier, Alire
Filles de lune 3. Le talisman de Maxandre. Élisabeth Tremblay, (De Mortagne)

BEST SHORT-FORM WORK IN ENGLISH
“Pawns Dreaming of Roses”, Eileen Bell, Women of the Apocalypse. Absolute Xpress
“Here There Be Monsters” Brad Carson, Ages of Wonder, (DAW)
“Little Deaths” Ivan Dorin, Tesseracts Thirteen
“Radio Nowhere” Douglas Smith, Campus Chills
“The World More Full of Weeping” Robert J. Wiersema, ChiZine Publications

MEILLEURE NOUVELLE EN FRANÇAIS (Best Short-Form In English)
« Ors blancs » Alain Bergeron, (Solaris 171)
« De l’amour dans l’air » Claude Bolduc, (Solaris 172)
« La vie des douze Jésus » Luc Dagenais, (Solaris 172)
« Billet de faveur » Michèle   Laframboise, (Galaxies 41)
« Grains de silice » Mario Tessier, (Solaris 170)
« La mort aux dés » Élisabeth Vonarburg, (Solaris 171)

BEST WORK IN ENGLISH (OTHER)
Women of the Apocalypse   (the Apocalyptic Four) Editor, Absolute Xpress
Ages of Wonder Julie E. Czerneda, & Robert St. Martin, Editors, DAW Books
Neo-Opsis Magazine, Karl Johanson, Editor
On Spec Magazine, Diane Walton, Managing Editor, The Copper Pig Writers’ Society
Distant Early Warnings: Canada’s Best Science Fiction Robert J. Sawyer, Editor, Robert J. Sawyer books

MEILLEUR OUVRAGE EN FRANÇAIS (AUTRE) (Best Work In French (Other))
Critiques. Jérôme-Olivier Allard, (Solaris 169-172)
Revue. Joel Champetier, éditeur, Solaris
Le jardin du general, Manga. Michele Laframboise, ,Fichtre, Montréal
Rien à voir avec la fantasy. Thibaud Sallé, (Solaris 169)
Chronique «Les Carnets du Futurible». Mario Tessier, (Solaris 169-171)

ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT
Kari-Ann Anderson, for cover of “Nina Kimberly the Merciless”,Dragon Moon Press
Jim Beveridge, “Xenobiology 101: Field Trip'” Neo-opsis #16
Lar de Souza, “Looking for Group” online Comic
Tarol Hunt, “Goblins”. Webcomic
Dan O’Driscoll, Cover of Steel Whispers , Bundoran Press

FAN ACCOMPLISHMENT (Fanzine)
Jeff Boman, The Original Universe
Richard Graeme Cameron,WCFSAZine
Dale Speirs, Opuntia
Guillaume Voisine, éd. Brins d’Éternité
Felicity Walker, BCSFAzine

FAN ACCOMPLISHMENT (Organization)
Renée Benett, for “In Spaces Between” at Con-Version 25
Robbie Bourget, and René Walling, Chairs of “Anticipation”, the 67th WorldCon
David Hayman, organization Filk Hall of Fame
Roy Miles, work on USS Hudson Bay Executive
Kirstin Morrell, Programming for Con-Version 25

FAN ACCOMPLISHMENT (Other)
Roy Badgerow, Astronomy Lecture at USS Hudson Bay
Ivan Dorin, “Gods Anonymous” (Con-Version 25 radio play)
Judith Hayman and Peggi Warner-Lalonde organization, Filk track @Anticipation
Tom Jeffers and Sue Posteraro, Filk Concert, Anticipation
Lloyd Penney, Fanwriting

Hugo Hunting Season Begins

The 2009 Worldcon committee is now accepting nominations for the Hugo Awards from eligible voters.

The public announcement rather unfortunately lumps the Hugo and Prix Aurora Awards together:

The nomination period for both the Hugo and the Prix Aurora Awards is now open. All Canadian residents and citizens may nominate for the Canvention/Prix Aurora Awards while all members of both Denvention 3 and Anticipation may nominate for the Hugo Awards.