Category Archives: Pimping

“Gravesend” Haiku Competition Winners

Announcement, Pimping, Winner!

Well, it’s been a week since I announced the Gravesend haiku competition, and it’s judging time.  There’s been some great entries from a bunch of folks, and I’ve enjoyed them all.  Still, I had to get down the serious business of judging these poems.  I weighed up emotional resonance, usage of seasons, and sneaky Romero references, but mostly I counted syllables 🙂

Without further ado, the winners are:

Nature upended,
now snowflakes curl on undead
flesh; unmelting, still.
-Jess Irwin
 
Til death do we part;
chewing on my dear wife’s brains
silencing her screams
– Peter M Ball
 
Skulls are way too hard.
Softest way to get at brains:
through the eye sockets.
– Lisa Hannett

And a bonus winner, because it’s just too awesome, and captures perfectly the true angst of zombie haiku composition:

Brains brains brains brains brains
Brains brains brains brains brains brains brains
Brai- ai- ai-ai-ns
-Lee Battersby
 

Your zombielicious copies of “After the World: Gravesend” will be in the post shortly.  Congratulations!

ETA:  Because he’s a classy haiku-loving kind of guy, Peter M Ball has donated his prize back into the contest.  Here’s a poem that narrowly missed out on a spot in the top 3, which I’m now pleased to add to the winner’s circle.

Roused to seek fresh meat
As winter freshens the air:
I shall hunt you; hide.
-Chris

Competition: Win a Copy of Gravesend

Announcement, Pimping

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)

Midnight Echo issue #6 – details and deadlines

Announcement, Pimping

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!