The nominees are award-eligible works and persons first
nominated by fans and members of the Australian NatCon which have been compiled
into a ballot by a sub-committee elected at the previous National SF Convention
business meeting.
The Ditmars will be presented at the 2019 Australian
National SF Convention, (Continuum 15)
in Melbourne, June 7-10, 2019.
The
following section details the contents of the preliminary ballot. (Note that
the final ballot will include a “No Award” option in each category.
Best Novel
Devouring Dark, Alan Baxter, Grey Matter Press.
The Subjugate, Amanda Bridgeman, Angry Robot.
Faerie Apocalypse, Jason Franks, IFWG Publishing
Australia.
City of Lies (Poison Wars 1), Sam Hawke, Tom Doherty
Associates.
The Beast’s Heart, Leife Shallcross, Hodder &
Stoughton.
Tide of Stone, Kaaron Warren, Omnium Gatherum.
Best Novella or Novelette
“Triquetra”, Kirstyn McDermott, in Triquetra, Tor.com
“Cabaret of Monsters”, Tansy Rayner Roberts, in Cabaret of Monsters, The Creature Court.
“The Dragon’s Child”, Janeen Webb, in The Dragon’s Child, PS Publishing.
Best Short Story
“The Art of Broken
Things”, Joanne Anderton, in Mother of Invention, Twelfth Planet
Press.
“A Man Totally Alone”,
Robert Hood, The Mammoth Book of Halloween Stories: Terrifying Tales Set on
the Scariest Night of the Year!, Skyhorse Publishing.
“The Heart of Owl
Abbas”, Kathleen Jennings, in Tor.com.
“Junkyard Kraken”, D.K.
Mok, in Mother of Invention, Twelfth Planet Press.
Best Collected Work
Sword and Sonnet, edited by Aidan Doyle, Rachael K. Jones and E. Catherine Tobler, Ate Bit Bear.
Mountains of the Mind, Gillian Polack, Shooting Star Press.
Mother of Invention, Rivqa Rafael and Tansy Rayner Roberts, Twelfth Planet Press.
A Hand of Knaves, Leife Shallcross and Chris Large, CSFG Publishing.
Tales from the Inner City, Shaun Tan, Allen & Unwin.
Best Artwork
Cover art, Likhain, for Mother
of Invention, Twelfth Planet Press.
Cover and internal illustrations,
Shauna O’Meara, for A Hand of Knaves, CSFG Publishing.
Best Fan Publication in Any Medium
Earl Grey Editing, Elizabeth Fitzgerald.
Pratchat, Elizabeth Flux, Ben McKenzie,
Splendid Chaps Productions.
SF Commentary, Bruce Gillespie.
Galactic Suburbia, Alisa Krasnostein, Alexandra
Pierce, and Tansy Rayner Roberts.
Best Fan Writer
Liz Barr, for writing in
squiddishly.
Bruce Gillespie, for writing in SF
Commentary and ANZAPA articles.
Best Fan Artist
INSUFFICIENT
NOMINATIONS FOR ANY FAN ARTIST
Best New Talent
Elizabeth Fitzgerald
Sam Hawke
Bren MacDibble (aka Cally Black)
Leife Shallcross
William Atheling Jr Award for Criticism or Review
Damien Broderick, for Pscience
Fiction, McFarland.
Damien Broderick, for Consciousness
and Science Fiction, Springer.
Tansy Rayner Roberts, for Gentlewomen
of the Press, Sheep Might Fly.
Cat Sparks, for “The 21st
Century Catastrophe: Hyper-capitalism and Severe Climate Change in Science
Fiction” PhD exegesis.
Let us return now to those thrilling days of yesteryear when Australian
fans were called upon to vote for the “Best Fannish Cat” in the Ditmar Awards.
The earliest of these two forgotten episodes in SJW credential
history occurred
in 1991. The nominees were:
1991: Suncon, Brisbane
Best Fannish Cat
Apple Blossom, humans: Elaine Cochrane & Bruce Gillespie
Constantinople, human: Phil Wlodarczyk
Emma Peel, human:
Terry Frost
Godzilla, humans:
Ian Gunn & Karen Pender-Gunn
Honey, humans:
Gerald [Smith] & Womble
Satan, human:
Phil Wlodarczyk
Truffle, humans:
Mark Loney & Michelle Muijsert
Typo,
human: Roger Weddall
Typo won the award.
“It’s a long story,” recalls Bruce Gillespie. “The person who was
Chair of the convention in Brisbane stuffed up many aspects of the convention.
She was also part of a non-Melbourne group who believed that every aspect of
the Ditmars was a cruel plot by Melbourne fans to keep all the Ditmars for
themselves. So she allowed members of the convention to vote for the categories
as well as the items in the categories. Irresistible bait to Melbourne fans in
general — who ganged up to include Best Fannish Cat in the categories.”
Bruce Gillespie holding his cane toad Ditmars. Photo by Janice Gelb.
Marc Ortlieb says that wasn’t the only mischief fans got up to at Suncon.
“That was the year that things got really silly. The NatCon was in Brisbane
and, as a joke, Mark Loney created stuffed cane toads to present at the
ceremony, with the real Ditmars to be presented at the closing ceremony. The
cane toads were presented, but the real Ditmars weren’t ready.” The real ones would
be distributed later at a Nova Mob club meeting.
Even though the award was a put-on, “Best Fannish Cat” made such an indelible impression on Australian fanhistory that the category would be revived in a future round of Ditmars.
As Gillespie sees it, “The list of nominees was regarded as so exemplary that the category was repeated (once) in a later set of the Ditmars. Apple Blossom was our nominee in 1991, and Flicker was our nominee in the much later Ditmars. Neither won, but the winners were very popular cats who had been met by many Melbourne fans. The general effect was to confirm the suspicion of Perth fans that Melbourne fans ‘did not take the Ditmars seriously’.”
Roger Weddall, owner of the winning cat, Typo, was elected the DUFF
delegate in 1992. Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with lymphoma shortly before leaving
for North America, and ended up cutting short his trip after attending Magicon.
He died a few months later. Thus it really was with affection that in 1993 someone
drafted “A Modest Proposal for the [Swancon 18]
Business Meeting” urging the creation of the “Roger Weddall Memorial Ditmar
Controversy” and crediting him with some of these shenanigans:
It happens without warning, under no man’s control. None can predict where it will strike or how often. Yes it’s the Ditmar Controversy! It is time to take the guesswork out and have a permanent, official Ditmar Controversy each year and every year. Let us not leave it to chance and ConCom whim to arrange a proper and fitting controversy but instead let us make a firm and binding commitment for now and forever to have
The Roger Weddall Memorial Ditmar Controversy
In honour of Fandom’s best Ditmar Controversers, the man who brought you the best Fannish Cat, Cane Toads and other Ditmar atrocities,
Vote Yes!
At the 1993 Natcon Business meeting
However, there are Aussie fans for whom these memories of the ’91 Ditmars are not bathed in a golden glow. A 2005 Swancon XXX progress report solicited nominations for the Tin Duck Award (a genuine, annual award) with the warning – “Please do not invent new categories. (e.g. No Best Fannish Cat. We’ve heard it before, and it wasn’t funny the first time.)”
But with the passage of time nostalgia kicked in. Dudcon 3, the 2010 Australian National Science Fiction Convention revived Best Fannish Cat as a special committee award. The less facetious eligibility rules included requirements that nominees be “natural members of the species Felis Catus,” and be alive and resident in Australia at the time of the nomination.
Aerin
Thoraiya Dyer unsuccessfully advanced her cat, Aerin, as a candidate by forcing it to be photographed in a Darth Vader costume.
He is a big, lazy, neutered Tom, who just hangs around the house and sleeps on Genevieve’s bed. Sometimes he lays on the couch with us while we watch Doctor Who, but I cannot claim any other great fannish activity.
– James Allen
Felix Blackford
His real breeding name is Mystical Prince Felix, but he answers to Fifi. If fannish credentials other than his owning us are required, I will point out that the last line of the bio that Damien Broderick wrote for my story in the current Cosmos is: “She devotes her life to Mystical Prince Felix, a truly enormous Ragdoll cat.” – Jenny Blackford
Peri Peri Canavan
Named for being orange with attitude, just like the sauce. Is a firm believer in First Breakfast, Second Breakfast, Elevensies, Luncheon, Afternoon Tea, Dinner and Supper. Knows that a library chair is a great place to nap. Enjoys a good SF TV show/film/book because it means an available lap. Can time travel, if the time involved is dinner time. Stomach is larger on the inside than the outside. – Trudi Canavan
Flicker Gillespie
Origin: derelict building in Collingwood. Official description: black domestic shorthair. Fannish credentials: How many fannish cats know their fathers? Flicker is father of Harry and Sampson Gillespie, as well as Miss Smith Endacott and Rascal Taylor. Now that his fathering days have been cut short, Flicker will sit on any visiting fannish lap that stays still for more than a few seconds. – Elaine Cochrane
Pazuzu Sparks
Named for the Exorcist’s demon, He meows ’cause he’s endlessly dreamin’ Of food and the flap Which he knows is a trap Set up by that bad Nemo”s schemin’
His nemesis one day will pay But meanwhile he spends all the day Knowing instead That fridge, pantry and bed Are all his, and that that way they’ll stay.
So he’ll crash at a run through the door, Spread litter all over the floor, Scrounge every crumb, Bite my elbow and thumb then curl up with Foyle and his war. – Robert Hood
(The verse is by Robert Hood the Australian writer – not our Rev. Bob.)
The nominees are award-eligible works and persons first nominated by fans and members of the Australian NatCon which have been compiled into a ballot by a sub-committee elected at the previous National SF Convention business meeting.
The Ditmars will be presented at the 2018 Australian National SF Convention, (Swancon 43) in Perth, March 29 – April 2, 2018.
Best Novel
Corpselight, Angela Slatter, Hachette Australia.
Crossroads of Canopy, Thoraiya Dyer, Tor.
How to Bee, Bren McDibble, Allen & Unwin.
In the Dark Spaces, Cally Black, Hardie Grant Egmont.
Lotus Blue, Cat Sparks, Skyhorse Publishing.
Best Novella or Novelette
“Island Green”, Shauna O’Meara, in Ecopunk! Ticonderoga Publications.
“Girl Reporter”, Tansy Rayner Roberts, in Girl Reporter, Book Smugglers Publishing.
“Matters Arising from the Identification of the Body”, Simon Petrie, in Matters Arising from the Identification of the Body, Peggy Bright Books.
“Monkey Business”, Janeen Webb, in Ecopunk!, Ticonderoga Publications.
“My Sister’s Ghost”, Kate Forsyth and Kim Wilkins, in The Silver Well, Ticonderoga Publications.
Best Short Story
“A Harem of Six Legs”, Edwina Harvey, in An Eclectic Collection of Stuff and Things, Peggy Bright Books.
“Mr Mycelium”, Claire McKenna, in Ecopunk!, Ticonderoga Publications.
“A Pearl Beyond Price”, Janeen Webb in Cthulhu Deep Down-Under Vol 1, IFWG Publishing Australia.
“Prayers to Broken Stone”, Cat Sparks, in Kaleidotrope, Spring 2017.
“Trivalent” by Rivqa Rafael, in Ecopunk!, Ticonderoga Publications.
Best Collected Work
An Eclectic Collection of Stuff and Things by Edwina Harvey, Peggy Bright Books.
Ecopunk!, Cat Sparks and Liz Grzyb, Ticonderoga Publications.
The Silver Well, Kate Forsyth and Kim Wilkins, Ticonderoga Publications.
Singing My Sister Down and other stories by Margo Lanagan, Allen & Unwin.
Best Artwork
cover art, Lewis Morley, for Matters Arising from the Identification of the Body, Peggy Bright Books.
The Grief Hole Illustrated: An Artist’s Sketchbook Companion to Kaaron Warren’s Supernatural Thriller, Keely Van Order, IFWG Publishing Australia.
Best Fan Publication in Any Medium
Earl Grey Editing (blog), Elizabeth Fitzgerald.
Galactic Suburbia, Alisa Krasnostein, Alexandra Pierce, Tansy Rayner Roberts.
No Award (blog), Liz Barr and Stephanie Lai.
SF Commentary, edited by Bruce Gillespie.
The Writer and the Critic, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond.
Best Fan Writer
Liz Barr, for writing at No Award.
Leigh Edmonds, for writing in iOTA.
Elizabeth Fitzgerald, for writing at Earl Grey Editing.
Stephanie Lai, for writing at No Award.
Best Fan Artist
Shauna O’Meara, for “How to Bee” (based on the novel by Bren MacDibble).
Best New Talent
Clarie G. Coleman
Stephanie Lai
William Atheling Jr Award for Criticism or Review
Liz Barr, for Star Trek: Discovery reviews, in No Award.
Russell Blackford, for Science Fiction and the Moral Imagination, Springer.
Ambelin Kwaymullina, for “Reflecting on Indigenous Worlds, Indigenous Futurisms and Artificial Intelligence”, Twelfth Planet Press.
Alexandra Pierce and Mimi Mondal, for Luminescent Threads: Connections to Octavia E. Butler, Twelfth Planet Press.
Cat Sparks, for “Science fiction and climate fiction: contemporary literatures of purpose”, in Ecopunk! Speculative tales of radical futures, Ticonderoga Publications.
The 2017 Australian SF (“Ditmar”) Awards for 2017 were presented June 11 at Continuum 13 in Melbourne.
Best Novel
The Grief Hole, Kaaron Warren, IFWG Publishing Australia.
Best Novella or Novelette
“Did We Break the End of the World?”, Tansy Rayner Roberts, in Defying Doomsday, Twelfth Planet Press.
Best Short Story
“No Fat Chicks”, Cat Sparks, in In Your Face, FableCroft Publishing.
Best Collected Work
(tie)
Defying Doomsday, Tsana Dolichva and Holly Kench, Twelfth Planet Press.
Dreaming in the Dark, Jack Dann, PS Publishing.
Best Artwork
illustration, Shauna O’Meara, for Lackington’s 12.
Best Fan Publication in Any Medium
2016 Australian SF Snapshot, Greg Chapman, Tehani Croft, Tsana Dolichva, Marisol Dunham, Elizabeth Fitzgerald, Stephanie Gunn, Ju Landéesse, David McDonald, Belle McQuattie, Matthew Morrison, Alex Pierce, Rivqa Rafael, Tansy Rayner Roberts, Helen Stubbs, Katharine Stubbs and Matthew Summers.
Best Fan Writer
Foz Meadows, for body of work.
Best Fan Artist
[No award in category — the only nominee, Kathleen Jennings, withdrew.]
Best New Talent
Marlee Jane Ward
William Atheling Jr Award for Criticism or Review
Kate Forsyth, for The Rebirth of Rapunzel: a mythic biography of the maiden in the tower, FableCroft Publishing.
The final ballot for the Australian SF (“Ditmar”) Awards for 2017 has been released. It differs from the preliminary ballot (run here a few days ago) only in the addition of Ian Mond to the finalists for the William Atheling Jr. Award for Criticism or Review. (Congratulations, Mondyboy!)
Voting is now open to members of Continuum 13, the 2017 Australian National Convention, and to members of Contact 2016 who were eligible to vote in the 2016 Award. The voting deadline is May 14.
The Ditmars will be presented at Continuum 13 in Melbourne
Best Novel
The Grief Hole, Kaaron Warren, IFWG Publishing Australia.
The Lyre Thief, Jennifer Fallon, HarperCollins.
Squid’s Grief, D.K. Mok, D.K. Mok.
Vigil, Angela Slatter, Jo Fletcher Books.
The Wizardry of Jewish Women, Gillian Polack, Satalyte Publishing.
Best Novella or Novelette
“All the Colours of the Tomato”, Simon Petrie, in Dimension6 9.
“By the Laws of Crab and Woman”, Jason Fischer, in Review of Australian Fiction, Vol 17, Issue 6.
“Did We Break the End of the World?”, Tansy Rayner Roberts, in Defying Doomsday, Twelfth Planet Press.
“Finnegan’s Field”, Angela Slatter, in Tor.com.
“Glass Slipper Scandal”, Tansy Rayner Roberts, in Sheep Might Fly.
“Going Viral”, Thoraiya Dyer, in Dimension6 8.
Best Short Story
“Flame Trees”, T.R. Napper, in Asimov’s Science Fiction, April/May 2016.
“No Fat Chicks”, Cat Sparks, in In Your Face, FableCroft Publishing.
“There’s No Place Like Home”, Edwina Harvey, in AntipodeanSF 221.
Best Collected Work
Crow Shine by Alan Baxter, Ticonderoga Publications.
Defying Doomsday, Tsana Dolichva and Holly Kench, Twelfth Planet Press.
Dreaming in the Dark, Jack Dann, PS Publishing.
In Your Face, Tehani Wessely, FableCroft Publishing.
Best Artwork
cover and internal artwork, Adam Browne, for The Tame Animals of Saturn, Peggy Bright Books.
illustration, Shauna O’Meara, for Lackington’s 12.
Best Fan Publication in Any Medium
2016 Australian SF Snapshot, Greg Chapman, Tehani Croft, Tsana Dolichva, Marisol Dunham, Elizabeth Fitzgerald, Stephanie Gunn, Ju Landéesse, David McDonald, Belle McQuattie, Matthew Morrison, Alex Pierce, Rivqa Rafael, Tansy Rayner Roberts, Helen Stubbs, Katharine Stubbs and Matthew Summers.
The Coode Street Podcast, Jonathan Strahan and Gary K. Wolfe
Earl Grey Editing Services (blog), Elizabeth Fitzgerald.
Galactic Chat, Alexandra Pierce, David McDonald, Sarah Parker, Helen Stubbs, Mark Webb, and Sean Wright.
Galactic Suburbia, Alisa Krasnostein, Alex Pierce, and Tansy Rayner Roberts.
The Writer and the Critic, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond.
Best Fan Writer
James ‘Jocko’ Allen, for body of work.
Aidan Doyle, for body of work.
Bruce Gillespie, for body of work.
Foz Meadows, for body of work.
Tansy Rayner Roberts, for body of work.
Best Fan Artist
Kathleen Jennings, for body of work, including Illustration Friday series.
Best New Talent
T R Napper
Marlee Jane Ward
William Atheling Jr Award for Criticism or Review
Kat Clay for essays and reviews in Weird Fiction Review
Tehani Croft & Marisol Dunham, for Revisiting Pern: the great McCaffrey reread review series.
Tsana Dolichva, for reviews, in Tsana’s Reads and Reviews.
Kate Forsyth, for The Rebirth of Rapunzel: a mythic biography of the maiden in the tower, FableCroft Publishing.
Ian Mond, for reviews, in The Hysterical Hamster.
Alexandra Pierce, for reviews, in Randomly Yours, Alex.
Gillian Polack, for History and Fiction: Writers, their Research, Worlds and Stories, Peter Lang.
The nominees are award-eligible works and persons first nominated by fans and members of the Australian NatCon. They are then compiled into a ballot by a sub-committee elected at the previous National SF Convention business meeting.
The Ditmars will be presented at the 2017 Australian National SF Convention, Continuum 13 in Melbourne
Best Novel
The Grief Hole, Kaaron Warren, IFWG Publishing Australia.
The Lyre Thief, Jennifer Fallon, HarperCollins.
Squid’s Grief, D.K. Mok, D.K. Mok.
Vigil, Angela Slatter, Jo Fletcher Books.
The Wizardry of Jewish Women, Gillian Polack, Satalyte Publishing.
Best Novella or Novelette
“All the Colours of the Tomato”, Simon Petrie, in Dimension6 9.
“By the Laws of Crab and Woman”, Jason Fischer, in Review of Australian Fiction, Vol 17, Issue 6.
“Did We Break the End of the World?”, Tansy Rayner Roberts, in Defying Doomsday, Twelfth Planet Press.
“Finnegan’s Field”, Angela Slatter, in Tor.com.
“Glass Slipper Scandal”, Tansy Rayner Roberts, in Sheep Might Fly.
“Going Viral”, Thoraiya Dyer, in Dimension6 8.
Best Short Story
“Flame Trees”, T.R. Napper, in Asimov’s Science Fiction, April/May 2016.
“No Fat Chicks”, Cat Sparks, in In Your Face, FableCroft Publishing.
“There’s No Place Like Home”, Edwina Harvey, in AntipodeanSF 221.
Best Collected Work
Crow Shine by Alan Baxter, Ticonderoga Publications.
Defying Doomsday, Tsana Dolichva and Holly Kench, Twelfth Planet Press.
Dreaming in the Dark, Jack Dann, PS Publishing.
In Your Face, Tehani Wessely, FableCroft Publishing.
Best Artwork
cover and internal artwork, Adam Browne, for The Tame Animals of Saturn, Peggy Bright Books.
illustration, Shauna O’Meara, for Lackington’s 12.
Best Fan Publication in Any Medium
2016 Australian SF Snapshot, Greg Chapman, Tehani Croft, Tsana Dolichva, Marisol Dunham, Elizabeth Fitzgerald, Stephanie Gunn, Ju Landéesse, David McDonald, Belle McQuattie, Matthew Morrison, Alex Pierce, Rivqa Rafael, Tansy Rayner Roberts, Helen Stubbs, Katharine Stubbs and Matthew Summers.
The Coode Street Podcast, Jonathan Strahan and Gary K. Wolfe
Earl Grey Editing Services (blog), Elizabeth Fitzgerald.
Galactic Chat, Alexandra Pierce, David McDonald, Sarah Parker, Helen Stubbs, Mark Webb, and Sean Wright.
Galactic Suburbia, Alisa Krasnostein, Alex Pierce, and Tansy Rayner Roberts.
The Writer and the Critic, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond.
Best Fan Writer
James ‘Jocko’ Allen, for body of work.
Aidan Doyle, for body of work.
Bruce Gillespie, for body of work.
Foz Meadows, for body of work.
Tansy Rayner Roberts, for body of work.
Best Fan Artist
Kathleen Jennings, for body of work, including Illustration Friday series.
Best New Talent
T R Napper
Marlee Jane Ward
William Atheling Jr Award for Criticism or Review
Kat Clay for essays and reviews in Weird Fiction Review
Tehani Croft & Marisol Dunham, for Revisiting Pern: the great McCaffrey reread review series.
Tsana Dolichva, for reviews, in Tsana’s Reads and Reviews.
Kate Forsyth, for The Rebirth of Rapunzel: a mythic biography of the maiden in the tower, FableCroft Publishing.
Alexandra Pierce, for reviews, in Randomly Yours, Alex.
Gillian Polack, for History and Fiction: Writers, their Research, Worlds and Stories, Peter Lang.
The winners of the Ditmar Awards were announced March 27 at Contact 2016, the Australian National SF Convention, in Brisbane.
Best Novel
Lament for the Afterlife, Lisa L. Hannett (ChiZine Publications)
Best Novella or Novelette
“Of Sorrow and Such”, Angela Slatter (Tor.com)
Best Short Story
“A Hedge of Yellow Roses”, Kathleen Jennings, in Hear Me Roar (Ticonderoga Publications)
Best Collected Work
Cranky Ladies of History, edited by Tansy Rayner Roberts and Tehani Wessely (FableCroft Publishing)
Best Artwork
Cover and internal artwork, Kathleen Jennings, for Cranky Ladies of History (FableCroft Publishing)
Best Fan Publication in Any Medium
Galactic Suburbia, Alisa Krasnostein, Alexandra Pierce, and Tansy Rayner Roberts
Best Fan Writer
Grant Watson, for body of work
Best Fan Artist
Kathleen Jennings, for body of work, including Illustration Friday series
Best New Talent
Rivqa Rafael
William Atheling Jr Award for Criticism or Review
Letters to Tiptree, edited by Alexandra Pierce and Alisa Krasnostein (Twelfth Planet Press)
Other awards presented at the Ditmar Awards Ceremony
Peter McNamara Achievement Award
The Peter McNamara Achievement Award (aka. “The Mac”) is a lifetime achievement award presented in honour of the late Peter NcNamara at the NatCon awards ceremony. This award is administrated by the McNamara family in Peter’s honour.
Rowena Cory Daniells
Norma K. Hemming Award
The Norma K. Hemming Award marks excellence in the exploration of race, gender, sexuality, class and disability, and is awarded by the Australian Science Fiction Foundation (ASFF).
Louise Katz for The Orchid Nursery
Honourable Mentions were awarded to Catherine Jinks for her novel Theophilus Grey and the Demon Thief published by Allen & Unwin, and to Jane Rawson for her novella Formaldehyde published by Seizure Books.
A. Bertram Chandler Award
Australia’s top fan award, the Chandler is awarded by the ASFF for outstanding achievement in science fiction. Unlike the Ditmars, this award is decided upon by a jury appointed by the Foundation.
James “Jocko” Allen
Update 03/27/2016: Added honorable mentions to Norma K. Hemming Award, based on press release. // Update 03/29/2016: Corrected winner of Best Artwork and Best Fan Publication categories.
The preliminary ballot for the 2016 Australian SF (“Ditmar”) Awards has been posted for review. Changes may be made before the final ballot is set if discrepancies are found.
The Ditmar Awards will be given at Contact 2016, the Australian National SF Convention, to be held in Brisbane March 25-28.
Best Novel
The Dagger’s Path, Glenda Larke (Orbit)
Day Boy, Trent Jamieson (Text Publishing)
Graced, Amanda Pillar (Momentum)
Lament for the Afterlife, Lisa L. Hannett (ChiZine Publications)
Zeroes, Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan, and Deborah Biancotti (Simon and Schuster)
Best Novella or Novelette
“The Cherry Crow Children of Haverny Wood”, Deborah Kalin, in Cherry Crow Children (Twelfth Planet Press)
“Fake Geek Girl”, Tansy Rayner Roberts, in Review of Australian Fiction, volume 14, issue 4 (Review of Australian Fiction)
“Hot Rods”, Cat Sparks, in Lightspeed Science Fiction & Fantasy 58 (Lightspeed Science Fiction & Fantasy)
“The Miseducation of Mara Lys”, Deborah Kalin, in Cherry Crow Children (Twelfth Planet Press)
“Of Sorrow and Such”, Angela Slatter (Tor.com)
“The Wages of Honey”, Deborah Kalin, in Cherry Crow Children (Twelfth Planet Press)
Best Short Story
“2B”, Joanne Anderton, in Insert Title Here (FableCroft Publishing)
“The Chart of the Vagrant Mariner”, Alan Baxter, in Fantasy & Science Fiction, Jan/Feb 2015 (Fantasy & Science Fiction)
“A Hedge of Yellow Roses”, Kathleen Jennings, in Hear Me Roar (Ticonderoga Publications)
“Look how cold my hands are”, Deborah Biancotti, in Cranky Ladies of History (FableCroft Publishing)
