Category Archives: Announcement

Drive-by interview with Angela Slatter

I’ve just been interviewed as part of the Drive-By series, over at Angela Slatter’s website:

http://angelaslatter.com/2010/08/17/the-undead-camel-drive-by-jason-fischer/

While you’re over there, why don’t you check out some of the other interviews she’s done – she’s rounded up some great authors and creative folk, and it’s well worth your  time.  Angela’s Drive-Bys include a tonne of Aussie talent, and folks such as Robert Shearman, Kelly Link, Gavin Grant, Aliette De Bodard, China Mieville, etc etc.

It will be an ongoing series of interviews (with a new one each working day) right up until World Con.  That’s what I call a rock-star effort!

Competition: Win a Copy of Gravesend

To celebrate the shortlisting of “After The World: Gravesend” in this year’s Ditmar Awards, Black House Comics are offering you the chance to win a copy of the book.

To enter, simply compose a haiku – the only catch is it must be zombie or apocalypse themed.  Post your haiku in this comments thread (either at jasonfischer.com.au or on the LJ feed, it’s all good).  As long as you meet the 5-7-5 rule, I’m not too fussed if you mention a seasonal reference – though if you mention winter and brains, it will earn you bonus points 🙂

The best three haikus as judged by me will win themselves a copy of the book.  It’s that easy!  Contest closes one week from today (Thursday 19th August)

(PS sorry, Australian residents only for this competition – overseas postage is too painful)

Year’s Best Australian Science Fiction and Fantasy, Vol 5

My story “for want of a jesusman” (from Aurealis issue #42) will soon be appearing in the Year’s Best Australian Science Fiction and Fantasy, Vol 5.  This is always a handsome anthology, and I’m absolutely chuffed to have my story appearing in the next volume.  Bill Congreve’s introductory essays alone are worth the admission, and I’ve really enjoyed the stories collected in the first four books.

This story also recently scored an Honorable Mention in Ellen Datlow’s Best Horror of the Year Vol 2.  My reading of “for want of a jesusman” can still be listened to over at Terra Incognita Speculative Fiction, via this link: http://www.tisf.com.au/

2010 Ditmar Shortlists

Well, this is all kinds of cool!  In the midst of an impressive ballot list, it turns out I’ve been shortlisted for two Ditmar Awards: Best Novella/Novelette for “After the World:Gravesend”, and Best New Talent.

As always, it’s great to make such a shortlist, and actually humbling when I look at how many folks I truly admire on this ballot.  Regardless of the outcome, I’m hanging out with good company, and that alone has made my day 🙂

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Midnight Echo issue #6 – details and deadlines

As some of you may know, I’m co-editing issue #6 of Midnight Echo, the magazine of the Australian Horror Writers Association.  Issue #5 has now closed for submissions as below:

http://www.horrorscope.com.au/2010/08/news-midnight-echo-5-closed-to.html

Submissions for our issue officially open September 1, 2010, and close on January 31, 2011 (and it should be pointed out that it’s an open call, you don’t have to be a member of the AHWA to sub).  We co-editors (David Conyers, David Kernot and myself)  have thrown together some thematic guidelines which can be found here:

http://davidconyers.blogspot.com/2010/02/midnight-echo-6-science-fiction-horror.html

and general guidelines here: http://www.australianhorror.com/index.php?view=144

So, plenty of notice for those of you who like to write a hearty blend of science fiction and horror.  Bring us your chest-bursters, your dark dystopias, your rogue nanotech.  All manner of mongrel scribings will be mulled over and considered.  Midnight Echo is an absolutely gorgeous production and your story could do worse than to appear in it!

If you have any queries, comment here or email me on mail@jasonfischer.com.au

Cheers!

Onward, to the lofty heights of professionalism!

So I’ve reached that stage in the proceedings where it’s necessary to kick things up a notch.  I’ve been writing away for some years now, but have largely got by without any internet presence save forums and what-have-you, and after surviving Clarion South my rambling monster-truck of a blog over at Livejournal.  Seeing as the old Fisch-blog has become a dumping ground for bad puns, youtube clips, and the occasional writing related tid-bit, I’ve decided to start up my “I’m actually serious about this writing thing” official author website.

Coolest of all, there’s an email address attached to this thing, so I’m always reachable at mail@jasonfischer.com.au

I’ve collated all my writing-related achievements and put them behind the shiny buttons you see at the top of the page.  Many thanks of course go to Nyssa Pascoe (she of awritergoesonajourney.com fame) for her assistance in getting this website kicking, and of course for designing my nifty banner, with just a wee hint of Undead Camel.

This move to a paid domain and a Real Writer’s Website is partly related to the Writers of the Future win – I’m heading over to the workshop shortly and need to start thinking like a professional, conducting and promoting myself better.  With that in mind I’ve also printed off a bunch of business cards, which is another first.  I shall now have to learn business card etiquette – how does one distribute these without being a prat?  Do I require a spring-loaded case of rare leather, to shoot these into someone’s eyes the moment they say hello?  These are all things I shall endeavour to learn.

Geez, didn’t take me long to embed a video-clip…I’m incorrigible!  As if this was ever going to be a serious blog anyways.  That’s just how I roll.