2016 Aurealis Awards Finalists

The 2016 Aurealis Awards shortlist has been announced by the Western Australian Science Fiction Foundation. Judging coordinator Katharine Stubbs reports there were over 800 entries across the 15 categories. Click on the link to see the members of the judging panels.

The Aurealis Award winners and the recipient of the Convenors’ Award for Excellence will be announced at a ceremony at the Australian National Convention in Perth on April 14.

2016 Aurealis Awards – Finalists

BEST CHILDREN’S FICTION

  • Blueberry Pancakes Forever, Angelica Banks (Allen & Unwin)
  • Magrit, Lee Battersby (Walker Books Australia)
  • Somebody Stop Ivy Pocket, Caleb Crisp (Bloomsbury)
  • The Turners, Mick Elliott (Hachette Australia)
  • When the Lyrebird Calls, Kim Kane (Allen & Unwin)
  • The Hungry Isle, Emily Rodda (Omnibus Books)

BEST GRAPHIC NOVEL / ILLUSTRATED WORK

  • Mechanica, Lance Balchin (Five Mile)
  • BROBOT, James Foley (Fremantle Press)
  • Negative Space, Ryan K Lindsay (Dark Horse Comics)
  • The Spider King, Josh Vann (self-published)

BEST YOUNG ADULT SHORT STORY

  • “A Right Pretty Mate”, Lisa L Hannett (Dreaming in the Dark)
  • “Dune Time”, Jack Nicholls (Tor.com)
  • “No One Here is Going to Save You”, Shauna O’Meara (In Your Face, FableCroft Publishing)
  • “Did We Break the End of the World?”, Tansy Rayner Roberts (Defying Doomsday, Twelfth Planet Press)
  • “Pretty Jennie Greenteeth”, Leife Shallcross (Strange Little Girls, Belladonna Publishing)

BEST HORROR SHORT STORY

  • “Non Zero Sum”, RPL Johnson (SNAFU: Hunters, Cohesion Press)
  • “Flame Trees”, TR Napper (Asimov’s Science Fiction, April/May 2016)
  • “Penny for a Match, Mister?”, Garth Nix (The Starlit Wood: New Fairy Tales, Saga Press)
  • “The Red Forest”, Angela Slatter (Winter Children and Other Chilling Tales, PS Publishing)
  • “68 Days”, Kaaron Warren (Tomorrow’s Cthulhu, Broken Eye Books)
  • “Life, or Whatever Passes For It”, Durand Welsh (Peel Back the Skin, Grey Matter Press)

BEST HORROR NOVELLA

  • “Box of Bones”, Jeremy Bates (Ghillinnein Books)
  • “Served Cold”, Alan Baxter (Dreaming in the Dark, PS Publishing)
  • “Waking in Winter”, Deborah Biancotti (PS Publishing)
  • “Burnt Sugar”, Kirstyn McDermott (Dreaming in the Dark, PS Publishing)
  • “Pan”, Christopher Ruz (Andromeda Spaceways Magazine #62)

BEST FANTASY SHORT STORY

  • “Watercress Soup”, Tamlyn Dreaver (Andromeda Spaceways Magazine #65)
  • “Where the Pelican Builds Her Nest”, Thoraiya Dyer (In Your Face, FableCroft Publishing)
  • “Dune Time”, Jack Nicholls (Tor.com)
  • “Penny for a Match, Mister?”, Garth Nix (The Starlit Wood: New Fairy Tales, Saga Press)
  • “The Lighthouse at Cape Defeat”, David Versace (Aurealis #89)
  • “The Cartographer’s Price”, Suzanne Willis (Mythic Delirium Issue 3.1)

BEST FANTASY NOVELLA

  • “Raven’s First Flight”, Alan Baxter (SNAFU: Black Ops, Cohesion Press)
  • “By the Laws of Crab and Woman”, Jason Fischer (Review of Australian Fiction)
  • “Forfeit”, Andrea K. Höst (The Towers, the Moon, self-published)
  • The Bonobo’s Dream, Rose Mulready (Seizure Press)
  • “Burnt Sugar”, Kirstyn McDermott (Dreaming in the Dark, PS Publishing)
  • “Finnegan’s Field”, Angela Slatter (Tor.com)

BEST SCIENCE FICTION SHORT STORY

  • “Trainspotting in Winesburg”, Jack Dann (Concentration, PS Publishing)
  • “The Baby Eaters”, Ian McHugh (Asimov’s Science Fiction 40/1)
  • “The Autumn Dog Cannot Live to Spring”, Claire McKenna (In Your Face, Fablecroft)
  • “Of Sight, of Mind, of Heart”, Samantha Murray (Clarkesworld #122)
  • “68 Days”, Kaaron Warren (Tomorrow’s Cthulu, Broken Eye Books)
  • “The Least of Things”, Jen White (Aurealis #94)

BEST SCIENCE FICTION NOVELLA

  • Waking in Winter, Deborah Biancotti (PS Publishing)
  • “Salto Mortal”, Nick T Chan (Lightspeed #73)
  • “Going Viral”, Thoraiya Dyer (Dimension6 #8, coeur de lion)
  • The Bonobo’s Dream, Rose Mulready (Seizure Press)
  • “All the Colours of the Tomato”, Simon Petrie (Dimension6 #9, coeur de lion)
  • “Did We Break the End of the World?”, Tansy Rayner Roberts (Defying Doomsday, Twelfth Planet Press)

BEST COLLECTION

  • Crow Shine, Alan Baxter (Ticonderoga Publications)
  • Concentration, Jack Dann (PS Publishing)
  • A Feast of Sorrows, Angela Slatter (Prime)
  • Winter Children, Angela Slatter (PS Publishing)

BEST ANTHOLOGY

  • Dreaming in the Dark, Jack Dann (ed.) (PS Publishing Australia)
  • Defying Doomsday, Tsana Dolichva and Holly Kench (eds.) (Twelfth Planet Press)
  • Year’s Best YA Speculative fiction 2015, Julia Rios and Alisa Krasnostein (eds.) (Twelfth Planet Press)
  • Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year: Volume 10, Jonathan Strahan (ed.) (Solaris)
  • In Your Face, Tehani Wessely (ed.) (Fablecroft Publishing)

BEST YOUNG ADULT NOVEL

  • Elegy, Jane Abbott (Penguin Random House Australia)
  • The Bone Queen, Alison Croggon (Penguin Books Australia)
  • The Other Side of Summer by Emily Gale (Penguin Random House Australia)
  • Lady Helen and the Dark Days Pact by Alison Goodman (HarperCollins Publishers)
  • Gemima: Illuminae Files 2, Amy Kaufman & Jay Kristoff (Allen & Unwin)
  • Goldenhand, Garth Nix (Allen & Unwin)

BEST HORROR NOVEL

  • Fear is the Rider,  Kenneth Cook (Text Publishing)
  • My Sister Rosa, Justine Larbalestier (Allen & Unwin)
  • The Grief Hole, Kaaron Warren (IFWG Publishing Australia)

BEST FANTASY NOVEL

  • Nevernight, Jay Kristoff (Harper Voyager)
  • Fall of the Dagger, Glenda Larke (Hachette Australia)
  • Den of Wolves, Juliet Marillier (Pan Macmillan Australia)
  • Vigil, Angela Slatter (Jo Fletcher Books)
  • Road to Winter, Mark Smith (Text Publishing)
  • Sisters of the Fire, Kim Wilkins (Harlequin Australia)

BEST SCIENCE FICTION NOVEL

  • Watershed, Jane Abbott (Penguin Random House)
  • Confluence, SK Dunstall (Ace Books)
  • Gemima: Illuminae Files 2, Amy Kaufman & Jay Kristoff (Allen & Unwin)
  • Squid’s Grief, DK Mok (self-published)
  • Stiletto, Daniel O’Malley (Harper Collins Publishers)
  • Threader, Rebekah Turner (Harlequin Australia)

Convenors’ Award for Excellence Nominees

The Convenors’ Award for Excellence is awarded at the discretion of the convenors for a particular achievement in speculative fiction or related areas in that year that cannot otherwise by judged for the Aurealis Awards.

This award can be given to a work of non-fiction, artwork, film, television, electronic or multimedia work, or one that brings credit or attention to the speculative fiction genres.

The convenors consider all eligible entries, but there is no shortlist generated, and only the winner is presented at the ceremony. The eligible nominations received for the award are:

This year’s nominees are:

  • Claire Fitzpatrick – “Why Do People Like Horror Movies?”[Aurealis]

Writing non-fiction is a passion of mine, which I am hoping to turn into a serious academic career. It is my joy and pleasure to research horror and explore its various avenues. I am hoping you will see the dedication I put into my article, and the seriousness of my intent to educate people on horror.

  • Claire Fitzpatrick – “Dark Fantasy Versus Horror: Why Are Their Differences Important? And Which Genre Should You Introduce to Your Children First?”[Aurealis] 

Horror can also be for children! Childhood is scary. Kids live in a world of insane giants, they are generally powerless, and Horror teaches children the ability to recognise fear with themselves, which can be helpful in times of stress. I wrote this piece for my daughter – she’s 4 and loves scary stories. Horror is good for the soul.

  • Claire Fitzpatrick – “Body Horror And The Horror Aesthetic” [Aurealis] 

Body horror is a genre that transcends pure fear and manifests in a physical form. It delves into or most primal instincts as human beings. Body horror—which describes creations deemed ‘outside of nature’—is seen as some hideous deformity, but it’s extremely beautiful. I love to write about body horror – indeed, body horror is my passion. This article explains body horror, and why it’s such an interesting branch of horror.

  • Elizabeth Fitzgerald – Earl Grey Editing [http://earlgreyediting.com.au/] 

As well as working as an editor, Elizabeth is a prolific reviewer who has produced many reviews of Australian works. She also writes a regular collection of “loose leaf links”, which collect links relevant to writers, readers and publishers, focusing on topics such as conventions, equity, awards and competitions. All of this work combines to create a valuable contribution to the Australian speculative fiction field.

  • Felicity Banks – Scarlet Sails

A rollicking pirate adventure where you choose what kind of pirate you are.

  • Kate Forsyth – The Rebirth of Rapunzel: A Mythic Biography of the Maiden in the Tower [FableCroft Publishing]

Showcasing an astonishing level of research in a highly readable and engaging form, The Rebirth of Rapunzel delves into the mythology of the Rapunzel fairy tale and examines the historical and storytelling background to the piece. Packaged with several related articles and other pieces, the book is both a factual exploration of a fictional creation and a beautiful reading experience in and of itself. Non-fiction collection

  • Nalini Haynes – Dark Matter Zine [http://www.darkmatterzine.com/]

For the past 6 years Dark Matter Zine has published interviews and panel discussions featuring science fiction and fantasy authors and publishers as well as reviews of science fiction and fantasy stories and articles about conventions, events and science fiction and fantasy culture. To date Dark Matter Zine has over 109 podcasts, 94 videos, 90 guest blogs and over 1300 reviews. As blogger-in-residence for the ACT Writers Centre I have also featured SFF authors in interviews for the mainstream community. Webzine

[Thanks to Andrew Porter for the story.]

2015 Aurealis Awards Finalists

The 2015 Aurealis Awards shortlist has been announced by the Western Australian Science Fiction Foundation.

Judging coordinator Tehani Wessely said there were over 750 entries across the 15 categories. In the inaugural Sara Douglass Book Series Award, nearly 200 books were recommended across 55 series.

The winners as well as the recipient of the Convenors’ Award for Excellence will be announced at a ceremony at the Australian National Convention in Brisbane on March 25.

2015 Aurealis Awards – Finalists

BEST CHILDREN’S FICTION

  • A Week Without Tuesday, Angelica Banks (Allen & Unwin)
  • The Cut-Out, Jack Heath (Allen & Unwin)
  • A Single Stone, Meg McKinlay (Walker Books Australia)
  • Bella and the Wandering House, Meg McKinlay (Fremantle Press)
  • The Mapmaker Chronicles: Prisoner of the Black Hawk, A.L. Tait (Hachette Australia)

BEST GRAPHIC NOVEL / ILLUSTRATED WORK

  • The Undertaker Morton Stone Vol.1, Gary Chaloner, Ben Templesmith, and Ashley Wood (Gestalt)
  • The Diemenois, Jamie Clennett (Hunter Publishers)
  • Unmasked Vol.1: Going Straight is No Way to Die, Christian Read (Gestalt)
  • The Singing Bones, Shaun Tan (Allen & Unwin)
  • Fly the Colour Fantastica, various authors (Veriko Operative)

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, CSFG)
  • “The Miseducation of Mara Lys”, Deborah Kalin (Cherry Crow Children, Twelfth Planet Press)
  • “The Heart of the Labyrinth”, DK Mok (In Memory: A Tribute to Sir Terry Pratchett, Sorin Suciu)
  • “Blueblood”, Faith Mudge (Hear Me Roar, Ticonderoga Publications)
  • Welcome to Orphancorp, Marlee Jane Ward (Seizure)

BEST HORROR SHORT STORY

  • “Bullets”, Joanne Anderton (In Sunshine Bright and Darkness Deep, AHWA)
  • “Consorting with Filth”, Lisa L Hannett (Blurring the Line, Cohesion Press)
  • “Heirloom Pieces”, Lisa L Hannett (Apex Magazine, Apex Publications)
  • “The Briskwater Mare”, Deborah Kalin (Cherry Crow Children, Twelfth Planet Press)
  • “Breaking Windows”, Tracie McBride (Aurealis #84)
  • “Self, Contained”, Kirstyn McDermott (The Dark, TDM Press)

BEST HORROR NOVELLA

  • “Night Shift”, Dirk Flinthart (Striking Fire, FableCroft Publishing)
  • “The Cherry Crow Children of Haverny Wood”, Deborah Kalin (Cherry Crow Children, Twelfth Planet Press)
  • “The Miseducation of Mara Lys”, Deborah Kalin (Cherry Crow Children, Twelfth Planet Press)
  • “Wages of Honey”, Deborah Kalin (Cherry Crow Children, Twelfth Planet Press)
  • “Sleepless”, Jay Kristoff (Slasher Girls and Monster Boys, Penguin)
  • “Ripper”, Angela Slatter (Horrorology, Jo Fletcher Books)

BEST FANTASY SHORT STORY

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

BEST FANTASY NOVELLA

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

BEST SCIENCE FICTION SHORT STORY

  • “2B”, Joanne Anderton (Insert Title Here, Fablecroft)
  • “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, Solaris)

BEST SCIENCE FICTION NOVELLA

  • “Blood and Ink”, Jack Bridges, Prizm Books
  • “The Molenstraat Music Festival”, Sean Monaghan (Asimov’s Science Fiction)
  • “By Frogsled and Lizardback to Outcast Venusian Lepers”, Garth Nix (Old Venus, Random House)

BEST COLLECTION

  • The Abandonment of Grace and Everything After, Shane Jiraiya Cummings (Brimstone Press)
  • Striking Fire, Dirk Flinthart (FableCroft Publishing)
  • Cherry Crow Children, Deborah Kalin (Twelfth Planet Press)
  • To Hold the Bridge, Garth Nix (Allen & Unwin)
  • The Fading, Carole Nomarhas (self-published)
  • The Finest Ass in the Universe, Anna Tambour (Ticonderoga Publications)

BEST ANTHOLOGY

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

BEST YOUNG ADULT NOVEL

  • In The Skin of a Monster, Kathryn Barker (Allen & Unwin)
  • Lady Helen and the Dark Days Club, Alison Goodman (HarperCollins)
  • The Fire Sermon, Francesca Haig (HarperVoyager)
  • Day Boy,Trent Jamieson (Text Publishing)
  • Illuminae, Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (Allen & Unwin)
  • The Hush, Skye Melki-Wagner (Penguin Random House Australia)

BEST HORROR NOVEL

No Shortlist Released

BEST FANTASY NOVEL

  • In The Skin of a Monster, Kathryn Barker (Allen & Unwin)
  • Lady Helen and the Dark Days Club, Alison Goodman (HarperCollins)
  • Day Boy,Trent Jamieson (Text Publishing)
  • The Dagger’s Path, Glenda Larke (Hachette Australia)
  • Tower Of Thorns, Juliet Marillier (Pan Macmillan Australia)
  • Skin, Ilka Tampke (Text Publishing)

BEST SCIENCE FICTION NOVEL

  • Crossed, Evelyn Blackwell (self-published)
  • Clade, James Bradley (Penguin)
  • Illuminae, Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (Allen & Unwin)
  • Their Fractured Light, Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner (Allen & Unwin)
  • Renegade, Joel Shepherd (Kindle Direct)
  • Twinmaker: Fall, Sean Williams (Allen & Unwin)

SARA DOUGLASS BOOK SERIES AWARD

  • The Chronicles of King Rolen’s Kin [The King’s Bastard (2010), The Uncrowned King (2010), The Usurper (2010), The King’s Man (2012), King Breaker (2013)], Rowena Cory Daniells (Solaris Press)
  • The Watergivers [The Last Stormlord (2009), Stormlord Rising (2010), Stormlord’s Exile (2011)], Glenda Larke (HarperVoyager)
  • The Lumatere Chronicles [Finnikin of the Rock (2008), Froi of the Exiles (2011), Quintana of Charyn (2012)], Melina Marchetta (Penguin Random House)
  • Sevenwaters [Daughter of the Forest (2000), Son of the Shadows (2001), Child of the Prophecy (2002), Heir to Sevenwaters (2009), Seer of Sevenwaters (2011), Flame of Sevenwaters (2013)], Juliet Marillier (Pan Macmillan Australia)
  • The Laws of Magic [Blaze Of Glory (2007), Heart Of Gold (2007), Word Of Honour (2008),  Time Of Trial (2009), Moment Of Truth (2010), Hour Of Need (2011)], Michael Pryor (Random House Australia)
  • Creature Court [Power and Majesty (2010), Shattered City (2011), Reign of Beasts (2012)], Tansy Rayner Roberts (HarperVoyager)

2015 WASFF Tin Duck Award Winners

The voters’ choices for the Tin Duck Awards given by the Western Australian Science Fiction Foundation for WA writers and artists were announced at Swancon 40 in Perth on April 5.

Best Professional Production or Artwork

  • Kaleidoscope: Diverse YA Science Fiction and Fantasy stories, edited by Alisa Krasnostein and Julia Rios (Twelfth Planet Press)

Best WA Professional Long Written Work

  • The Lascar’s Dagger by Glenda Larke (Orbit)

Best WA Professional Short Written Work

  • “Siri and the Chaos Maker” by Carol Ryles, in Kisses by Clockwork (Ticonderoga Publications)

Best Fan Production or Written Work

  • The 2014 Snapshot of Australian Speculative Fiction interview series, conducted by Kathryn Linge, Stephanie Gunn, Nick Evans et al

Best WA Fan Artwork

  • 2014 Tin Ducks, John Parker