by Jason Fischer | Apr 28, 2011 | Pimping
The Australian Horror Writers Association is pleased to announce the line-up of the sixth issue of their official fiction magazine, Midnight Echo. This edition is a themed issue, with all stories being science fiction horror.
The nine stories are set in the far future and taking place in the distant reaches of space. Inside you’ll discover a strange world with a planetary ring forged from organic matter, bizarre aliens cataloguing and collecting humans to populate their idea of paradise, Lovecraftian horrors come to life in the heart of a comet, cybernetic monsters hunting humans in the hull of an abandoned star ship, and paranoid space explorers pushed to their limits at the frontier of an uncharted universe.
Stories have been penned by various renowned speculative fiction authors from Australia and the United States, including:
- Cody Goodfellow – editor of Perilous Press and author of Radiant Dawn and Silent Weapons for Quiet Wars
- Cat Sparks – fiction editor for Cosmos Magazine and multiple Aurealis Award winning author
- Stephen Dedman – Australian science fiction veteran and author of Shadows Bite and Foreign Bodies
- Shane Jiraiya Cummings – Managing Editor of Horrorscope.com.au and author of Phoenix and the Darkness of Wolves
- Joanne Anderton – author of upcoming speculative fiction novel Debris
Emerging talented authors include Helen Stubbs, Alan Baxter, Andrew J. McKiernan, Mark Farrugia, and poet Jenny Blackford.
The issue will feature an in depth interview with Charles Stross, one of the most imaginative and insightful science fiction authors writing today. Stross has been honoured with two Hugo awards and Locus Reader awards, and has published more than a dozen novels, including Saturn’s Children and The Fuller Memorandum. He talks to David Conyers for Midnight Echo about his Lovecrafitan science fiction horror series, The Laundry, and his latest novel, Rule 34.
A second interview is with Chris Moore, world renowned British science fiction artist best known for his striking covers for Orion Publishing’s SF Masterworks series and for his official wallpaper art for film The Empire Strikes Back. Insights are gained into Moore’s process for achieving his striking and imaginative art, and the many changes he has been facing in the publishing industry since he began illustrating in the 1970s.
The cover for Midnight Echo 6, ‘Strange Behaviour’, is a creation of talented UK artist, Paul Drummond, who will be well-known to readers of Interzone for his striking depictions of star ships, futuristic humans and robots.
Featured interior illustrators include:
- Steve Gilberts – Apex Digest, Space and Time, and Book of Dark Wisdom
- David Lee Ingersoll – The Black Seal and Worlds of Cthulhu
- Olivia Kernot – Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine
- Nathan Wyckoff – Jumpgates Comics
Midnight Echo 6: The Science Fiction Horror Special, has been edited by South Australian trio, David Kernot (editor of Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine), Jason Fischer (Writers of the Future winner and Aurealis nominee), and David Conyers (author of The Eye of Infinity, The Spiraling Worm and co-editor of Cthulhu Unbound 3), and is due for release in November 2011.
Further details on Midnight Echo can be found at http://www.australianhorror.com/
Previous issues of Midnight Echo can be purchased at http://www.shop.australianhorror.com/
by Jason Fischer | Apr 27, 2011 | Pimping
It has definitely been a while since I did one of these. Many of my talented writer buddies have been going great guns just lately, and I would be remiss in not pointing you towards these fine new works!
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by Jason Fischer | Apr 19, 2011 | Publication
Some great news that I can finally reveal to the world. My short story “The School Bus” (from Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine #46) is going to be reprinted in the Year’s Best Australian Fantasy and Horror, from Ticonderoga Publications. This is going to be an absolute door-stop of a book, cram-packed with quality short stories from Australia’s best and brightest. I think I’m gonna shell out for the hard-cover version of this, and pop it onto the brag shelf with pride 🙂 even better, once more I get to share a print collection with many of my buddies and peeps, which is always a nice feeling.
Here’s the press release, with the full (and rather impressive) table of contents. That’s some nice work, folks!
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Ticonderoga Publications is walking on sunshine to announce the contents for its inaugural Year’s Best Australian Fantasy and Horror anthology.
Editors Liz Grzyb and Talie Helene have produced a list of 33 excellent tales by some of Australia’s biggest names as well as some emerging writers.
The anthology collects 150,000 words of the best stories published last year from the Antipodes.
“We’re pleased with the number of fabulous stories that were published in 2010 that we had to choose from,” Liz Grzyb said.
“You could hold this anthology up against any international collection – Australians rock for diverse voices, imagination, and compelling writing,” Talie Helene added.
The stories are (alphabetically by writer):
- RJ Astruc: “Johnny and Babushka”
- Peter M Ball: “L’esprit de L’escalier”
- Alan Baxter: “The King’s Accord”
- Jenny Blackford: “Mirror”
- Gitte Christensen: “A Sweet Story”
- Matthew Chrulew: “Schubert By Candlelight”
- Bill Congreve: “Ghia Likes Food”
- Rjurik Davidson: “Lovers In Caeli-Amur”
- Felicity Dowker: “After the Jump”
- Dale Elvy: “Night Shift”
- Jason Fischer: “The School Bus”
- Dirk Flinthart: “Walker”
- Bob Franklin: “Children’s Story”
- Christopher Green: “Where We Go To Be Made Lighter”
- Paul Haines: “High Tide At Hot Water Beach”
- L.L. Hannett: “Soil From My Fingers”
- Stephen Irwin: “Hive”
- Gary Kemble: “Feast Or Famine”
- Pete Kempshall: “Brave Face”
- Tessa Kum: “Acception”
- Martin Livings: “Home”
- Maxine McArthur: “A Pearling Tale”
- Kirstyn McDermott: “She Said”
- Andrew McKiernan: “The Memory Of Water”
- Ben Peek: “White Crocodile Jazz”
- Simon Petrie: “Dark Rendezvous”
- Lezli Robyn: “Anne-droid of Green Gables”
- Angela Rega: “Slow Cookin’ “
- Angela Slatter: “The Bone Mother”
- Angela Slatter & LL Hannett: “The February Dragon”
- Grant Stone: “Wood”
- Kaaron Warren: “That Girl”
- Janeen Webb: “Manifest Destiny”
In addition to the above incredible tales, the volume will include a review of 2010 and a list of recommended stories.
The editors will shortly begin reading for the second volume of The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror.
The anthology is scheduled for publication in June 2011. The anthology will be available in hardcover, ebook and trade editions and may be pre-ordered at http://indiebooksonline.com.
by Jason Fischer | Apr 18, 2011 | Funny/WTF?
Death of Sponge Bob – Erik Alos
“Alluding to the BP oil spill, the painting foresees an environmental apocalypse from man’s rape and destruction of the natural world. There is only one possible savior. The ancient hymn notes, “Absorbent, yellow and porous is He.” Although immaculately conceived by asexual budding, the poriferan is paradoxically both completely divine and the most primitive animal in the ocean’s depths. As a sea creature, he succumbs to the toxic effects of the oozing petroleum. Still, the death of the only savior does not leave mankind without hope. With his dying breaths, he infuses his rainbow soul into the remaining, healthy biosphere. His one tired eye conveys both sadness, and forgiveness of mankind’s betrayal. An innocent flaxen-haired virgin cradles the dying deity in her arms, but as the mother of future generations of mankind, she represents hope. As she looks to heavens for guidance, the Holy Spirit, represented as a crowned oily pelican, looks on reassuringly.”
(from http://www.mars-z.org/post/4480991327/death-of-sponge-bob-erik-alos-alluding-to-the)
by Jason Fischer | Apr 9, 2011 | Pimping, Reviews, Writing
Haven’t done an updatey type post for a while, but here’s some writing-related stuff worth whacking on the ole blog:
Anywhere But Earth
First up, the complete Table of Contents for the Anywhere but Earth anthology has been released here: http://keithstevenson.com/CDLblog/2011/04/06/anywhere-but-earth-official-line-up/
It looks AWESOME. Several of my local writing idols have rated a spot in the book, and I’m totally chuffed that one of my Clarion stories “Eating Gnashdal” is also in the mix. Can’t wait to get my grotty hands on a copy (I especially love that retro-looking cover).
Shared Universe Shenanigans
A project I’ve been involved in with some of my Writers of the Future colleagues looks like it’s about to go live. It involves a single character in a shared universe, and it’s been both interesting and challenging to work for. Will say more when I can, but the editor has a great track record, the other authors seem to be top-notch writers or prolific young turks, and rather than a e-zine it seems more like an interactive community with some great possibilities. Again, more when I can say, will pop the link here when it all goes live. I maintain that writing is the single coolest job I’ve ever had 🙂
Review – An Eclectic Slice of Life
A review of Eclecticism’s first anthology An Eclectic Slice of Life has just gone live over at Horrorscope. Reviewer Matthew Tait has this to say about my contributions to the volume:
“Both Houndkin and The Ward of Hours take on mythological creatures set against eccentric backdrops – one in a hospital ward that lies at the nexus of time. The prose is mature and effortless … and it’s easy to see the argument for his success”
Full review can be read here: http://www.horrorscope.com.au/2011/04/review-eclectic-slice-of-life.html
That’s lovely, made my day that 🙂 I really get a kick when someone enjoys my Raoul stories, the same protagonist as from my WOTF-winning story House of Nameless – oh look, here’s a link where you can read it for free! http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/43525 Oh hey, here’s the Ditmar ballot where it’s up for Best Short Story, if you’re so inclined http://wiki.sf.org.au/images/d/d4/2011_Ditmar_ballot.pdf 🙂
Midnight Echo #6
Just on the tail-end of it all now, doing the usual jiggery-pokery with contracts, bios, edits, and putting together an editorial for our themed issue. Was great fun, but will definitely be a relief to hand everything over once we’re finished.
RIP Livejournal
I’ve decided I’m more or less done with the infamous Russian Spam Factory, and will migrate most of my f-list and feeds into Google Reader. I just can’t do it anymore, everytime I fire it up it’s just depressing. I’ll still export this website via an LJ x-post, but apart from that I probably won’t be on there much from now on.
And the teaser…
There’s another cool bit of news that landed in my inbox this week, but it is unfortunately embargoed information. It’s killing me but the rules are the rules, I’ll post a mini update when it’s announced and all official-like. I LOVE BEING A WRITER! 🙂
