What is Aussie Author Month, and Why Do I Support it?

The way I see Aussie Author Month is the more we, as a community and as individuals, talk about Aussie authors the better. Having a dedicated month to the cause only emphasises this need. I mean, the thing is, why do we feel the need to concentrate our attention on Australian authors and their stories for one whole month? The simple answer is, their voices sometimes get lost in the blogging community. The community is international, so you would expect other voices (accents?) out there, but because the market is dominated by American publishers, a lot of Aussie voices get lost in the crowd. Some authors, like Keri Arthur, for example, get picked up by American publishers and are know to readers overseas (I found out one of my close American friends is obsessed with her). But how many amazing Australian authors don’t? I could name so many wonderful Australian authors who I buy on sight, who have helped to shape who I am as a person, who have caused my imagination to run away and my heart to soar, and only one or two have the accolades they truly deserve. Some of it is a numbers game, of course, but not always. The more we rave about an author, the more chances that someone will stumble over our blog post or tweet and decide to pick up a book and fall in love, just as we have. That person may have never had another opportunity to be exposed to that author, because they live in the UK, America, Canada, Brazil, the Philippines, wherever, and we, as a community, give them a chance to be exposed to a fabulous author.

So reviews, interviews, rambling blogs, surveys, lists, recommendations - all of it is helping to raise the profile of Aussie authors in the international stage. Last year I had a number of online friends from overseas ask me for recommendations, because the concept of reading an Australian book intrigued them (I just wish Shannah Jay was still in print. She is so damn underrated). It was a novel concept for them, but they bought a number of Australian books because of it. We have so many amazing authors who bring their unique voices to the table, but they get lost in the crowd when you look at the international market. I remember growing up, nearly everything I devoured was by Australian authors because so much emphasis was put on them at school. Every second book had won an award from the Children’s Book Council of Australia, the Aurealis Awards, or something similar. Of course I read books from overseas, but my school library exposed me to so many wonderful talents that I never would have discovered otherwise. Those are the authors that I now scour the second hand bookstores for, because quite a number are now out of print. Some, like Melina Marchetta, became famous (I was friends with the librarian, and read Looking for Alibrandi before it even had a school library stamp! I was in love from the first sentence!). Others, like Liby Hathorn, are only really know if you have school children and encourage them to read, or if you loved her as a child yourself, or if you are a librarian. It is a shame, because I think Liby Hathorn, and other authors like her are well worth reading, and have a distinctively Australian voice that people from overseas would find fascinating, and Aussies would find comforting and something they can identify with.

I look over at my book shelves, and the number of Australian books are sadly outweighed by the number of American books. I feel ashamed. But I love buying new books, and while I snap up Australian authors every chance I get, I still have less because there are less on the shelves. Most of my books by Australian authors are second hand copies which are now out of print. I snap them up like the rare gems they are, because I know I am unlikely to get another chance. I love the ebook trend because some authors who were big in Australia in the 80s and 90s are starting to release their books digitally. They aren’t always easy to find. You have to be tenacious, and sometimes the only way you discover them is by googling to see if the author now has a website, and then browsing their website until you find an ebook link. But you know what? It is worth that long haul! I hope more and more Australian authors can get their back catalogue published digitally, because it makes it more accessible to us, the readers, and it makes it easier to recommend to our overseas friends.

You can find out more at the official website: http://aussieauthormonth.wordpress.com and follow updates via Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aussieauthormonth and the Twitter hashtag: #ausbooks.

Aussie Author Month is also trying to raise funds and awareness for the Indigenous Literacy Fund. You can donate and find out more information about the ILF here: http://makingadifference.gofundraise.com.au/page/aussieauthor2012


If you want to guest post during Aussie Author Month, please let me know! You can read the Book Bites submission guidelines {here}.

Favourite Australian Authors: General Fiction

This was a post I started writing at the beginning of April for Aussie Author Month. I was at 4000 words and still going by the 30th of April so, sadly, I missed the boat. I realised, when Aussie Author Month was created, that while I love Australian authors, they don't get as much coverage here or elsewhere online as they deserve. Unfortunately Australian fiction is a bit of a niche market - we don't get a lot of export occurring. It is really disappointing, but that is just the way things are. So, I will be doing a listing of some of my favourite Australian authors in the next little while. You can follow this using my "ausbooks" tag - Aussie Author Month may be over, but I will be using this tag for all Aussie content in the future. And next year, when Aussie Author Month comes around again, when people search that tag they will find a lot of content. I was appalled when I was looking for content for the Australian Speculative Fiction Blog Carnival just how little content is being covered around the web. I could complain, or I could champion the cause and do something about it myself! So, as part of this four-part series, I will be posting a handful of my favourite authors in the next little while, with reasons I love them and books of theirs which mean something to me. I am splitting them into four parts: General Fiction, Young Adult Fiction, Speculative Fiction and Romance.

Randolph Stow

The Merry-Go-Round in the Sea by Randolph Stow is still one of my all time favourite books. I love it. He just got it! I feel homesick for hot dust, the sound of crows cawing & cool shade when I read it. The bush baby in me sighs. The Merry-Go-Round in the Sea is a semi-autobiographical account of growing up around Geraldton during WWII. You see the land and the events with the eyes of a little boy, and as he gets older he understands more of the world and people around him. I love this book. I really love it. I had to read it for university and although it was a forced reading I fell into the language and the landscape. Having grown up in the bush, also with a harsh dry landscape, and at the time living in the city for my studies, I found myself pining for the smell of hot dust and cool shade, the sound of crows and the feeling on wonder a little child has exploring his/her environment. I still find The Merry-Go-Round in the Sea to be a sentimental read. It would be interesting to hear the thoughts of a reader who doesn’t have a background in rural Australia. The Visitants (set in Papua New Guinea and sounding vaguely like science fiction?) is on my TBR pile, and I plan to buy more of his books as I find them.

Ruth Park

Playing Beatie Bow was a book that was forced on us in year nine. After the first page it was no longer something to complain about. The cover (old, ragged, with dismal, gloomy artwork) and the blurb had put me off, but the actual content was fascinating. A girl in “modern” Sydney (I think it was the 80s?) accidently slips back in time and ends up being adopted by a family living down by The Rocks in Victorian Era Sydney. It is an absolutely fascinating book, and Ruth Park obviously did her research. I am an archaeologist and have a passion for history, and now, I walk around Circular Quay wondering how it must have been to live there a hundred years ago. I have friends who have participated in archaeology digs at The Rocks that covered the time frame that Playing Beatie Bow was set, and I am envious (I was at a dig in Parramatta which covered the same eras and when back further in time, so I guess I shouldn’t complain). I still find it amazing how Ruth Park can write about this period of history in a way that is relevant to modern day teenagers. I think it must be because her characters are so well written. I also read and loved The Harp of the South, although I read that when I was 10 or 11 and found parts of it terribly depressing. It also raised more questions with me than it answered, but I suspect that was because of my age. It would be interesting to go back and read it again as an adult. Ruth Park passed away in December last year. Her website is http://www.ruth-park.com.au/

Thea Astley

I read Thea Astley when I was a teenager. I loved Drylands because she captured living in a small country town like the one I grew up in. The slow sleepy speed of country shops, the feel of the local pub, the interactions of a small community stuck with each other and the disrepair and despair of a small country town when people start packing up and heading for the city. There was one passage about the collection of dusty unread books in the newsagency because no one is interested in buying them, and only the main protagonist chooses to read them. She stares out her window, watching the town pass by and decides to take up writing.

Thea Astley is another author that I always keep an eye out for. She won four Miles Franklin Awards before her death, including one for Drylands.

Australian Speculative Fiction Blog Carnival 1.0

I took over the reins of the Australian Speculative Fiction Blog Carnival for March, run by the A Writer Goes On A Journey arm of the Australian Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association.  From the 15th of February to the 15th of March I collected all the snippets I could find regarding the Speculative Fiction world in Australia. This is the collated final version for the blog carnival.

If you are so inclined, you can read my previous Blog Carnival posts using the “ASFFWA” tag below.

Blogs & Reviews
Librarian In Black: "Library eBook Revolution, Begin" {link}*
Adventures of a Bookonaut: "Yellowcake and Burn Bright hit the shelves" {link}
Mary Victoria: "Writing Strong Women round-up", includes posts by Australian speculative fiction authors {link}
Bothersome Words: "The stigma of working in fantasy" {link}
MyShelf.com: "Review: Death's Sweet Embrace by Tracey O'Hara" {link}
Dark Side DownUnder: "Darklight On...Mel Teshco Q&A" {link}
Adventures of a Bookonaut: "eBook Review: Realmshift by Alan Baxter" {link}
Booktopia: "Fiona McIntosh answers Five Facetious Questions" {link}
Alan Baxter: "The Borders and A&R collapse" {link}*
Galaxy Bookshop: "Special on Fantasy - ABC TV" {link}
ARRA: "Author spotlight: Tracey O’Hara" {link}
Horrorscope: "2010 Judge's Report: Stephanie Gunn" {link}
Ripping Ozzie Reads: "Is Fantasy a bit of a Boy’s Club?" {link}
Book Bites: "A guide to ebooks in Australia" {link}*
Bookin' It: "Full Moon Rising - One Of The Best Paranormal Romance Werewolf Books" {link}
Bookish Ardour: "Discovering Ebooks and The Sony eReader" {link}
Mel's Random Reviews: "The Farseekers by Isobelle Carmody" {link}
Book Thingo: "Aussie Author Month 2011 – Come and join us!"{link}
Galaxy Bookshop: "Pamela Freeman: What makes a favourite author?" {link}
Nicole Murphy: "Swancon: Romancing the West" {link}
Tez Says: "Six New Covers" {link}
Book Bites (via Book Thingo): "ARRC 2011 and what it has to offer Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy readers" {link}
Boomerang Books: "The Devil’s Diadem by Sara Douglass" {link}
ARRA: "Feature book: Archangel’s Consort" {link}
Tez Says: "Thyla – Kate Gordon" {link}
Zena Shapter: "Times have changed for fantasy writers… or have they?" {link}

Events
24th Febuary, Keri Arthur, Library Lovers Lunch @ Belgrave Library {link}
1-31st March, Open Door Month @ Angry Robot Books**, accepting manuscripts from "unagented authors" {link}
2nd March, Fiona McIntosh, Galaxy Bookstore, Sydney {link 1}{link 2}{link 3}
5th March, Nicole Murphy, Infinitas Bookstore, Parramatta {link}
5th March, Nicole Murphy,  Galaxy Bookstore, Sydney {link}
19th March, Animania, Sydney {link}
21st March, Marianne de Pierres (aka Marianne Delacourt), Ultimo Library, Sydney {link}
23rd March, Marianne de Pierres (aka Marianne Delacourt), Galaxy Bookstore, Sydney {link}
24th March, Marianne de Pierres (aka Marianne Delacourt), Kinokuniya, Sydney {link}
25-27th March, Australian Romance Readers Convention (with Paranormal Romance authors Erica Hayes, Karen Simpson Nikakis, Keri Arthur, Nalini Singh (NZ), Nicole R Murphy, Tracey O'Hara), Sydney {link}
29th March, Marianne de Pierres (aka Marianne Delacourt), Strathpine Library, Brisbane {link} 
29th March, Marianne de Pierres (aka Marianne Delacourt), Narangba Library, Brisbane {link} 
31st March, Marianne de Pierres (aka Marianne Delacourt), Redcliffe Library, Brisbane {link}
31st March, Marianne de Pierres (aka Marianne Delacourt), Victoria Point Library, Brisbane {link}
27th March, Writing the Fantastical with Kate Forsyth, course {link}
27th March, Nominations close for the Chronos Awards {link}
1st April, Marianne de Pierres (aka Marianne Delacourt), Pulp Fiction, Brisbane {link}
1-3rd April, Supernova, Brisbane {link}
3rd April, Voting opens for the Chronos Awards {link}
6th April, Robin Hobb, Dendy Theatre, Sydney {link}
6th April, Jennifer Fallon, Galaxy Bookshop {link}
8-10th April, Supernova, Melbourne {link} 
9-10th April, Bellingen Readers & Writers Festival includes Sophie Masson & Ian Irvine {link}
15th April, 2010 Australian Shadows Awards winners announced {link}
15th May, Voting closes for the Chronos Awards {link}
21st May, Aurealis Awards, Independent Theatre, Sydney {link 1}{link 2}
25th May, Leanne Hall & Cassandra Clare, Palace Westgarth Theatre, Melbourne {link}
21-25th April, Swancon, Sydney {link}
17-19th June, Supernova, Sydney {link}
24-26th June, Supernova, Perth {link}

Competitions
Win Above & Below by Stephanie Campisi & Ben Peek, closes 24th Febuary {link}
Win The Seventh Wave by Paul Garrety, closes 25th February {link}
Win The Company Articles of Edward Teach & The Angaelian Apocalypse by Thoraiya Dyer & Matthew Chrulew, closes 28th February {link}
Win Power Unbound by Nicole Murphy, closes 28th February {link}
Win the Kim Falconer book of your choice, closes 1st March {link}
Win The Sentinel Mage by Emily Gee, closes 6th March {link}
Win Glitter Rose by Marianne de Pierres, closes 28th March {link}

News*
Bookbee eBooks: "Dear HarperCollins, Why Should Library Ebooks Only be Lent 26 Times?" {link}
Library Journal.com: "HarperCollins Puts 26 Loan Cap on Ebook Circulations" {link}
Bookseller+Publisher: "RedGroup administrators: staff owed $7.8 million, unsecured creditors $44 million" {link}
Horrorscope: "2010 Bram Stoker Award finalists" {link}
The Courier Mail: "Dark fantasy burns brightly" {link}
Horrorscope: "2010 Australian Shadows Awards finalists" {link}
Bookseller+Publisher: "Dymocks attempts to woo A&R/Borders loyalty card holders" {link}
Bookbee Ebooks: Further news regarding Borders US filing bankruptcy and how it effects the Australian Market {link}
SMH: REDgroup (Borders Au, Angus & Robertson and the Whitcoulls) goes into administration {link}
Bookseller+Publisher: Industry reacts to REDgroup news {link 1} {link 2}
Bookbee Ebooks -  Borders and A&R not honouring Gift Vouchers {link}
ABC News: Internet spells the death of bookstores {link}
Murdoch University: "Funds needed to preserve unique science fiction collection" {link}

Editorial*
Harper's Magazine: "Staying awake: Notes on the alleged decline of reading by Ursula K. Le Guin" {link}

Advice & Discussions**
Patty Jansen: "How the size of a planet determines its atmosphere" {link}
Stepcase Lifehack:"10 Reasons You Should Write Something Each Day" {link}
Patty Jansen: "So you want to be a space farmer?" {link}
Bothersome Words: "How stories are distilled" {link}
Erica Hayes: "Chapter breaks and pacing" {link}
Patty Jansen: "How to punctuate dialogue" {link}
Lillith Saintcrow: "Avoiding the 'hard sell'"  {link}
Ripping Ozzie Reads: "‘Words’ a writer’s tools" {link}
Rachelle Gardner: "Myths About Agents" {link}
The Voyager Blog: "Emerging Writers: don’t give up the ghost" by Kim Falconer {link}
Plotting Made Easy: "The Complications Worksheet" {link}
Blood and Barricades: "Writing well versus writing (and tweeting) for the market" {link}
Blood and Barricades: "Bloggers, writers and ‘negative’ reviews" {link}
Patty Jensen: "What to put in a cover letter" {link}


*Reading culture. May not pertain to speculative fiction.
**May not be Australian, but may be of interest to Australian writers.

Australian Speculative Fiction Blog Carnival 0.4

I am taking over the reins of the Australian Speculative Fiction Blog Carnival for March, run by the A Writer Goes On A Journey arm of the Australian Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association.  From the 15th of February to the 15th of March I will be collecting all the snippets I can find regarding the Speculative Fiction world in Australia, with a focus on the Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy genres (because, let’s face it, that is where my niche is these days). At the end I will be collating and summarising a final version for the blog carnival. I do have to warn you, I plan to extend this over to late March on my blog only, as the Australian Romance Reader’s Conference  is taking place on the 25th – 27th of March and that is big news in the Paranormal Romance and sexy Urban Fantasy calendars. These won't be included in the official summary for the blog carnival, as someone else will be taking care of March 16th and onwards, but I think, with the lead up to ARRC there will probably be a lot of news to share.

I will be finding a lot of these links, blog posts, news items, etc., on twitter,  so if you think I am missing something whilst in my little bubble world, please let me know! I will be updating this frequently, although I am not sure yet if I will post updates weekly or bi-weekly. A lot of these links (to competitions and signings, etc.) can be time sensitive which is why I have decided against posting them all at once in mid-March. Rather than listing the dates in the title, I will be including these as instalments. I'll be writing up one large post at the end of my share of the Blog Carnival to be submitted to the A Writer Goes On A Journey listing after the 15th of March.

You can follow these Blog Carnival posts using the “ASFFWA” tag below.

I am compiling all four lead up posts this afternoon. I'll post them within the next 24 hours.

Blogs & Reviews
Book Thingo: "Aussie Author Month 2011 – Come and join us!"{link}
Galaxy Bookshop: "Pamela Freeman: What makes a favourite author?" {link}
Nicole Murphy: "Swancon: Romancing the West" {link}
Tez Says: "Six New Covers" {link}
Boomerang Books: "The Devil’s Diadem by Sara Douglass" {link}

Events
24th Febuary, Keri Arthur, Library Lovers Lunch @ Belgrave Library {link}
1-31st March, Open Door Month @ Angry Robot Books**, accepting manuscripts from "unagented authors" {link}
2nd March, Fiona McIntosh, Galaxy Bookstore, Sydney {link 1}{link 2}{link 3}
5th March, Nicole Murphy, Infinitas Bookstore, Parramatta {link}
5th March, Nicole Murphy,  Galaxy Bookstore, Sydney {link}
19th March, Animania, Sydney {link}
21st March, Marianne de Pierres (aka Marianne Delacourt), Ultimo Library, Sydney {link}
23rd March, Marianne de Pierres (aka Marianne Delacourt), Galaxy Bookstore, Sydney {link}
24th March, Marianne de Pierres (aka Marianne Delacourt), Kinokuniya, Sydney {link}
25-27th March, Australian Romance Readers Convention (with Paranormal Romance authors Erica Hayes, Karen Simpson Nikakis, Keri Arthur, Nalini Singh (NZ), Nicole R Murphy, Tracey O'Hara), Sydney {link}
29th March, Marianne de Pierres (aka Marianne Delacourt), Strathpine Library, Brisbane {link} 
29th March, Marianne de Pierres (aka Marianne Delacourt), Narangba Library, Brisbane {link} 
31st March, Marianne de Pierres (aka Marianne Delacourt), Redcliffe Library, Brisbane {link}
31st March, Marianne de Pierres (aka Marianne Delacourt), Victoria Point Library, Brisbane {link}
27th March, Writing the Fantastical with Kate Forsyth, course {link}
27th March, Nominations close for the Chronos Awards {link}
1st April, Marianne de Pierres (aka Marianne Delacourt), Pulp Fiction, Brisbane {link}
1-3rd April, Supernova, Brisbane {link}
3rd April, Voting opens for the Chronos Awards {link}
6th April, Robin Hobb, Dendy Theatre, Sydney {link}
8-10th April, Supernova, Melbourne {link} 
9-10th April, Bellingen Readers & Writers Festival includes Sophie Masson & Ian Irvine {link}
15th April, 2010 Australian Shadows Awards winners announced {link}
15th May, Voting closes for the Chronos Awards {link}
21st May, Aurealis Awards, Independent Theatre, Sydney {link 1}{link 2}
25th May, Leanne Hall & Cassandra Clare, Palace Westgarth Theatre, Melbourne {link}
21-25th April, Swancon, Sydney {link}
17-19th June, Supernova, Sydney {link}
24-26th June, Supernova, Perth {link}


Competitions
Win Above & Below by Stephanie Campisi & Ben Peek, closes 24th Febuary {link}
Win The Seventh Wave by Paul Garrety, closes 25 February {link}
Win The Company Articles of Edward Teach & The Angaelian Apocalypse by Thoraiya Dyer & Matthew Chrulew, closes 28th February {link}
Win Power Unbound by Nicole Murphy, closes 28 February {link}
Win the Kim Falconer book of your choice, closes 1 March {link}
Win The Sentinel Mage by Emily Gee, closes 6 March {link}
Win Glitter Rose by Marianne de Pierres, closes 28 March {link}


News*
Murdoch University: "Funds needed to preserve unique science fiction collection" {link}



Editorial*


Advice/Discussion**
Rachelle Gardner: "Myths About Agents" {link}
The Voyager Blog: "Emerging Writers: don’t give up the ghost" by Kim Falconer {link}
Plotting Made Easy - The Complications Worksheet" {link}
Blood and Barricades: "Writing well versus writing (and tweeting) for the market" {link}
Blood and Barricades: "Bloggers, writers and ‘negative’ reviews" {link}
Patty Jensen: "What to put in a cover letter" {link}



*Reading culture. May not pertain to speculative fiction.
**May not be Australian, but may be of interest to unpublished Australian writers.

You can follow these Blog Carnival posts using the “ASFFWA” tag below.

Australian Speculative Fiction Blog Carnival 0.3

I am taking over the reins of the Australian Speculative Fiction Blog Carnival for March, run by the A Writer Goes On A Journey arm of the Australian Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association.  From the 15th of February to the 15th of March I will be collecting all the snippets I can find regarding the Speculative Fiction world in Australia, with a focus on the Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy genres (because, let’s face it, that is where my niche is these days). At the end I will be collating and summarising a final version for the blog carnival. I do have to warn you, I plan to extend this over to late March on my blog only, as the Australian Romance Reader’s Conference  is taking place on the 25th – 27th of March and that is big news in the Paranormal Romance and sexy Urban Fantasy calendars. These won't be included in the official summary for the blog carnival, as someone else will be taking care of March 16th and onwards, but I think, with the lead up to ARRC there will probably be a lot of news to share.

I will be finding a lot of these links, blog posts, news items, etc., on twitter,  so if you think I am missing something whilst in my little bubble world, please let me know! I will be updating this frequently, although I am not sure yet if I will post updates weekly or bi-weekly. A lot of these links (to competitions and signings, etc.) can be time sensitive which is why I have decided against posting them all at once in mid-March. Rather than listing the dates in the title, I will be including these as instalments. I'll be writing up one large post at the end of my share of the Blog Carnival to be submitted to the A Writer Goes On A Journey listing after the 15th of March.

You can follow these Blog Carnival posts using the “ASFFWA” tag below.

Blogs & Reviews
Librarian In Black: "Library eBook Revolution, Begin" {link}*
Adventures of a Bookonaut: "Yellowcake and Burn Bright hit the shelves" {link}
Mary Victoria: "Writing Strong Women round-up", includes posts by Australian speculative fiction authors {link}
Bothersome Words: "The stigma of working in fantasy" {link}
MyShelf.com: "Review: Death's Sweet Embrace by Tracey O'Hara" {link}
Dark Side DownUnder: "Darklight On...Mel Teshco Q&A" {link}
Adventures of a Bookonaut: "eBook Review: Realmshift by Alan Baxter" {link}


Events
24th Febuary, Keri Arthur, Library Lovers Lunch @ Belgrave Library {link}
1-31st March, Open Door Month @ Angry Robot Books**, accepting manuscripts from "unagented authors" {link}
2nd March, Fiona McIntosh, Galaxy Bookstore, Sydney {link 1}{link 2}{link 3}
5th March, Nicole Murphy, Infinitas Bookstore, Parramatta {link}
5th March, Nicole Murphy,  Galaxy Bookstore, Sydney {link}
19th March, Animania, Sydney {link}
21st March, Marianne de Pierres (aka Marianne Delacourt), Ultimo Library, Sydney {link}
23rd March, Marianne de Pierres (aka Marianne Delacourt), Galaxy Bookstore, Sydney {link}
24th March, Marianne de Pierres (aka Marianne Delacourt), Kinokuniya, Sydney {link}
25-27th March, Australian Romance Readers Convention (with Paranormal Romance authors Erica Hayes, Karen Simpson Nikakis, Keri Arthur, Nalini Singh (NZ), Nicole R Murphy, Tracey O'Hara), Sydney {link}
29th March, Marianne de Pierres (aka Marianne Delacourt), Strathpine Library, Brisbane {link} 
29th March, Marianne de Pierres (aka Marianne Delacourt), Narangba Library, Brisbane {link} 
31st March, Marianne de Pierres (aka Marianne Delacourt), Redcliffe Library, Brisbane {link}
31st March, Marianne de Pierres (aka Marianne Delacourt), Victoria Point Library, Brisbane {link}
27th March, Writing the Fantastical with Kate Forsyth, course {link}
27th March, Nominations close for the Chronos Awards {link}
1st April, Marianne de Pierres (aka Marianne Delacourt), Pulp Fiction, Brisbane {link}
1-3rd April, Supernova, Brisbane {link}
3rd April, Voting opens for the Chronos Awards {link}
6th April, Robin Hobb, Dendy Theatre, Sydney {link}
8-10th April, Supernova, Melbourne {link} 
9-10th April, Bellingen Readers & Writers Festival includes Sophie Masson & Ian Irvine {link}
15th April, 2010 Australian Shadows Awards winners announced {link}
15th May, Voting closes for the Chronos Awards {link}
21st May, Aurealis Awards, Independent Theatre, Sydney {link 1}{link 2}
25th May, Leanne Hall & Cassandra Clare, Palace Westgarth Theatre, Melbourne {link}
17-19th June, Supernova, Sydney {link}
24-26th June, Supernova, Perth {link}


Competitions
Win Above & Below by Stephanie Campisi & Ben Peek, closes 24th Febuary {link}
Win The Seventh Wave by Paul Garrety, closes 25 February {link}
Win The Company Articles of Edward Teach & The Angaelian Apocalypse by Thoraiya Dyer & Matthew Chrulew, closes 28th February {link}
Win Power Unbound by Nicole Murphy, closes 28 February {link}
Win the Kim Falconer book of your choice, closes 1 March {link}
Win The Sentinel Mage by Emily Gee, closes 6 March {link}
Win Glitter Rose by Marianne de Pierres, closes 28 March {link}


News*
Bookbee eBooks: "Dear HarperCollins, Why Should Library Ebooks Only be Lent 26 Times?" {link}
Library Journal.com: "HarperCollins Puts 26 Loan Cap on Ebook Circulations" {link}
Bookseller+Publisher: "RedGroup administrators: staff owed $7.8 million, unsecured creditors $44 million" {link}
Horrorscope: "2010 Bram Stoker Award finalists" {link} 
The Courier Mail: "Dark fantasy burns brightly" {link}   
Note: I decided not to report every link on the REDgroup troubles. Sadly that is all that seems to be in the news at the moment. Please contact me if you have other news items I should be sharing!



Editorial*


Advice**
Patty Jansen: "How the size of a planet determines its atmosphere" {link}

*Reading culture. May not pertain to speculative fiction.
**May not be Australian, but may be of interest to unpublished Australian writers.

You can follow these Blog Carnival posts using the “ASFFWA” tag below.

Australian Speculative Fiction Blog Carnival 0.2

I am taking over the reins of the Australian Speculative Fiction Blog Carnival for March, run by the A Writer Goes On A Journey arm of the Australian Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association.  From the 15th of February to the 15th of March I will be collecting all the snippets I can find regarding the Speculative Fiction world in Australia, with a focus on the Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy genres (because, let’s face it, that is where my niche is these days). At the end I will be collating and summarising a final version for the blog carnival. I do have to warn you, I plan to extend this over to late March on my blog only, as the Australian Romance Reader’s Conference  is taking place on the 25th – 27th of March and that is big news in the Paranormal Romance and sexy Urban Fantasy calendars. These won't be included in the official summary for the blog carnival, as someone else will be taking care of March 16th and onwards, but I think, with the lead up to ARRC there will probably be a lot of news to share.

I will be finding a lot of these links, blog posts, news items, etc., on twitter,  so if you think I am missing something whilst in my little bubble world, please let me know! I will be updating this frequently, although I am not sure yet if I will post updates weekly or bi-weekly. A lot of these links (to competitions and signings, etc.) can be time sensitive which is why I have decided against posting them all at once in mid-March. Rather than listing the dates in the title, I will be including these as instalments. I'll be writing up one large post at the end of my share of the Blog Carnival to be submitted to the A Writer Goes On A Journey listing after the 15th of March.

You can follow these Blog Carnival posts using the “ASFFWA” tag below.

Blogs & Reviews
Booktopia: "Fiona McIntosh answers Five Facetious Questions" {link}
Alan Baxter: "The Borders and A&R collapse" {link}*
Galaxy Bookshop: "Special on Fantasy - ABC TV" {link}
ARRA: "Author spotlight: Tracey O’Hara" {link}
Horrorscope: "2010 Judge's Report: Stephanie Gunn" {link}
Ripping Ozzie Reads: "Is Fantasy a bit of a Boy’s Club?" {link}
Book Bites: "A guide to ebooks in Australia" {link}*

Events
24th Febuary, Keri Arthur, Library Lovers Lunch @ Belgrave Library {link}
1-31st March, Open Door Month @ Angry Robot Books**, accepting manuscripts from "unagented authors" {link}
2nd March, Fiona McIntosh, Galaxy Bookstore, Sydney {link 1}{link 2}{link 3}
5th March, Nicole Murphy, Infinitas Bookstore, Parramatta {link}
5th March, Nicole Murphy,  Galaxy Bookstore, Sydney {link}
9-10th April, Bellingen Readers & Writers Festival includes Sophie Masson & Ian Irvine {link}
19 March, Animania, Sydney {link}
21st March, Marianne de Pierres (aka Marianne Delacourt), Ultimo Library, Sydney {link}
23rd March, Marianne de Pierres (aka Marianne Delacourt), Galaxy Bookstore, Sydney {link}
24th March, Marianne de Pierres (aka Marianne Delacourt), Kinokuniya, Sydney {link}
25th February, 2010 Australian Shadows Awards finalists announced {link}
25-27th March, Australian Romance Readers Convention (with Paranormal Romance authors Erica Hayes, Karen Simpson Nikakis, Keri Arthur, Nalini Singh (NZ), Nicole R Murphy, Tracey O'Hara), Sydney {link}
31st March, Marianne de Pierres (aka Marianne Delacourt), Victoria Point Library, Brisbane {link}
27th March, Writing the Fantastical with Kate Forsyth, course {link}
6th April, Robin Hobb, Dendy Theatre, Sydney {link}
15th April, 2010 Australian Shadows Awards winners announced {link}
21st May, Aurealis Awards, Independent Theatre, Sydney {link 1}{link 2}
25th May, Leanne Hall & Cassandra Clare, Palace Westgarth Theatre, Melbourne {link}

Competitions
Win Above & Below by Stephanie Campisi & Ben Peek, closes 24th Febuary {link}
Win The Seventh Wave by Paul Garrety, closes 25 February {link}
Win The Company Articles of Edward Teach & The Angaelian Apocalypse by Thoraiya Dyer & Matthew Chrulew, closes 28th February {link}
Win Power Unbound by Nicole Murphy, closes 28 February {link}
Win the Kim Falconer book of your choice, closes 1 March {link}
Win The Sentinel Mage by Emily Gee, closes 6 March {link}

News*
Horrorscope: "2010 Australian Shadows Awards finalists"{link}
Bookseller+Publisher: "Dymocks attempts to woo A&R/Borders loyalty card holders" {link}
Note: I decided not to report any more on the REDgroup troubles. Sadly that is all that seems to be in the news at the moment. Please contact me if you have other news items I should be sharing!

Editorial*
n/a

Advice**
Stepcase Lifehack:10 Reasons You Should Write Something Each Day {link}
Patty Jansen: So you want to be a space farmer? {link}
Bothersome Words: How stories are distilled {link}
Erica Hayes: Chapter breaks and pacing {link}
Patty Jansen: How to punctuate dialogue {link}

*Reading culture. May not pertain to speculative fiction.
**May not be Australian, but may be of interest to unpublished Australian writers.

You can follow these Blog Carnival posts using the “ASFFWA” tag below.

Australian Speculative Fiction Blog Carnival 0.1

I am taking over the reins of the Australian Speculative Fiction Blog Carnival for March, run by the A Writer Goes On A Journey arm of the Australian Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association.  From the 15th of February to the 15th of March I will be collecting all the snippets I can find regarding the Speculative Fiction world in Australia, with a focus on the Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy genres (because, let’s face it, that is where my niche is these days). At the end I will be collating and summarising a final version for the blog carnival. I do have to warn you, I plan to extend this over to late March on my blog only, as the Australian Romance Reader’s Conference  is taking place on the 25th – 27th of March and that is big news in the Paranormal Romance and sexy Urban Fantasy calendars. These won't be included in the official summary for the blog carnival, as someone else will be taking care of March 16th and onwards, but I think, with the lead up to ARRC there will probably be a lot of news to share.

I will be finding a lot of these links, blog posts, news items, etc., on twitter,  so if you think I am missing something whilst in my little bubble world, please let me know! I will be updating this frequently, although I am not sure yet if I will post updates weekly or bi-weekly. A lot of these links (to competitions and signings, etc.) can be time sensitive which is why I have decided against posting them all at once in mid-March. Rather than listing the dates in the title, I will be including these as instalments. I'll be writing up one large post at the end of my share of the Blog Carnival to be submitted to the A Writer Goes On A Journey listing after the 15th of March.

You can follow these Blog Carnival posts using the “ASFFWA” tag below.

Blogs & Reviews
Bookin' It: "Full Moon Rising - One Of The Best Paranormal Romance Werewolf Books" {link}
Bookish Ardour: "Discovering Ebooks and The Sony eReader" {link}
Helen Lowe:  "Here It Is - the UK Cover for 'The Heir of Night'!" {link}
Mel's Random Reviews: "The Farseekers by Isobelle Carmody" {link}

Events
24th Febuary, Keri Arthur, Library Lovers Lunch @ Belgrave Library {link}
1-31st March, Open Door Month @ Angry Robot Books**, accepting manuscripts from "unagented authors" {link}
2nd March, Fiona McIntosh, Galaxy Bookstore, Sydney {link 1}{link 2}
5th March, Nicole Murphy, Infinitas Bookstore, Parramatta {link}
5th March, Nicole Murphy,  Galaxy Bookstore, Sydney {link}
9-10th April, Bellingen Readers & Writers Festival includes Sophie Masson & Ian Irvine {link}
21st March, Marianne de Pierres (aka Marianne Delacourt), Ultimo Library, Sydney {link}
23rd March, Marianne de Pierres (aka Marianne Delacourt), Galaxy Bookstore, Sydney {link}
24th March, Marianne de Pierres (aka Marianne Delacourt), Kinokuniya, Sydney {link}
25-27th March, Australian Romance Readers Convention (with Paranormal Romance authors Erica Hayes, Karen Simpson Nikakis, Keri Arthur, Nalini Singh (NZ), Nicole R Murphy, Tracey O'Hara), Sydney {link}
31st March, Marianne de Pierres (aka Marianne Delacourt), Victoria Point Library, Brisbane {link}

Competitions
Win Above & Below by Stephanie Campisi & Ben Peek, closes 24th Febuary {link}
Win The Seventh Wave by Paul Garrety, closes 25 February {link}
Win The Company Articles of Edward Teach & The Angaelian Apocalypse by Thoraiya Dyer & Matthew Chrulew, closes 28th February {link}
Win the Kim Falconer book of your choice, closes 1 March {link}

News*
Bookbee Ebooks - Further news regarding Borders US filing bankruptcy and how it effects the Australian Market {link}
SMH - REDgroup (Borders Au, Angus & Robertson and the Whitcoulls) goes into administration {link}
Bookseller+Publisher - Industry reacts to REDgroup news {link 1} {link 2}
Bookbee Ebooks -  Borders and A&R not honouring Gift Vouchers {link}
ABC News - Internet spells the death of bookstores {link}

Editorial*
Harper's Magazine - Staying awake: Notes on the alleged decline of reading by Ursula K. Le Guin {link}

Advice**
Avoiding the "hard sell" by Lillith Saintcrow {link}
‘Words’ a writer’s tools by Rowena Cory Daniells {link}


*Reading culture. May not pertain to speculative fiction.
**May not be Australian, but may be of interest to unpublished Australian writers.

Australian Speculative Fiction Blog Carnival

Wow are you in for a treat! Or a spam-a-thon, which ever way you wish to view it… *snickers* I am taking over the reins of the Australian Speculative Fiction Blog Carnival for March, run by the A Writer Goes On A Journey arm of the Australian Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association.  From the 15th of February to the 15th of March I will be collecting all the snippets I can find regarding the Speculative Fiction world in Australia, with a focus on the Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy genres (because, let’s face it, that is where my niche is these days). At the end I will be collating and summarising a final version for the blog carnival. I do have to warn you, I plan to extend this over to late March, as the Australian Romance Reader’s Conference  is taking place on the 25th – 27th of March and that is big news in the Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy calendars. These won't be included in the official summary for the blog carnival, as someone else will be taking care of March 16th and onwards, but I think, with the lead up to ARRC there will probably be a lot of news to share.

I will be finding a lot of these links, blog posts, news items, etc., on twitter,  so if you think I am missing something whilst in my little bubble world, please let me know! I will be updating this frequently, although I am not sure yet if I will post updates weekly or bi-weekly. Please stick around and see. At the end of the month, I will be summarising it, and the summary will be posted on the ASFFWA website.

You can follow these Blog Carnival posts using the “ASFFWA” tag below.

I will be filing this under the following categories:

• Blogs of Interest
• Author Spotlight
• Links of Interest
• News Stories
• Advice
• Media
• ARRC
• Competitions 
• Book Signings
• Gossip

Meeting some authors tomorrow - if I wake up!

I'm meeting Erica Hayes and Tracey O'Hara tomorrow!! I love Sofia, she knows the most interesting people! Tracey O'Hara came to our book club last year - such an awesome lady! I love her book, and I can't wait to read more! I haven't read Erica Hayes yet, but she has been on my TBR list for a while... I guess I am buying one of her books tomorrow LOL Downloading the prequel to her story now :) I will be taking the chap book that Tracey gave to me about six months ago to be signed as well. I just need to find it..=. I wish I could have gone to the ARRA Awards tonight, there were so many authors *dazes off into space* And the dessert was lovely according to the texts and tweets I received! Apparently I will be roped in for next year :) I can then compete in the Bling off.. I'm still not sure who won, but someone said that no one could beat Nalini Singh? She is such a classy lady that I can totally believe it! LOL

Nalini Singh just announced the name for the third Guild Hunter's novel!

I mentioned yesterday on Twitter that Nalini Singh just finished the third Guild Hunter's novel. Well, as an Australian exclusive, she just announced that it will be called Archangel's Consort!!! She is - as we speak - presenting at the Australian Romance Readers Association Awards. Sofia just texted me, and one of the people I follow tweeted at the same time! I think this is the first blog announcing it LOL (it was, I googled it LOL)

^Kat from BookThingo just tweeted a photo of the announcement! Wandergurl from BookThingo is holding the banner! She has a better photo on flickr (Nalini is in blue).


I AM SO FREAKING EXCITED!!





FYI: the first pic is the cropped cover of Archangel's Kiss

I am the #7th Top User at Goodreads! :D

Oh wow! I just logged into my goodreads account and noticed the status under my picture. I am ranked Number 7 in the top users!!! Hoooollllieee sshheeett! I am sure it is just in Australia, and I did add nearly 200 books to my shelves this week, but hot damn! I am excited anyway LOL

Add me on goodreads if you are a user! I used to have all the other book networking sites, but decided that I needed to focus on just one site. I like the streamline design of goodreads, which is what it came down to. Booktagger is just all over the place, and unfortunately that overwhelmed the fact that it is Australian based and has great Australian competitions. Shelfari was a near call, but their shelves are bulky, and do not look that great when integrated into blog designs. I had others, but Booktagger and Shelfari were the only contenders with Goodreads.

Anyway, my url is goodreads.com/obsidiantears83 if you want to compare books!

Dymocks Booklovers’ Best of 2010

I nabbed this from Kat at Book Thingo. Here is the top 101 books that Dymocks ascribes as Australia's favourites (I assume it is either voted or the top sales of 2009?), with my annotated notes if I read them (or nearly read them, or plan to read them etc).




1 The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer – I was obsessed with the first three books until the fourth came out. I had problems with feminist issues but still enjoyed the ride
2 The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling – Loved them!
3 Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen – Favourite book
4 The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
5 The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien – Grandfather of fantasy. I love Tom Bombadil!
6 The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak - Got a free copy, couldn’t get into it
7 To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee – Watched the old movie, haven’t attempted the book
8 The Millennium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson
9 My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult
10 The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
11 The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons
12 Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte – Love it
13 Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte – Still trying to read it
14 The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold – Considering it
15 Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead - Great YA vamp fiction
16 Magician by Raymond E. Feist – BEST FANTASY!
17 Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
18 The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
19 Cloudstreet by Tim Winton
20 The Host by Stephenie Meyer – It is better than Twilight, a great read, and more deserving of the hype.
21 Mao’s Last Dancer by Li Cunxin
22 Atonement by Ian McEwan
23 The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien – I love it. I also loved Alan Lee's illustrations
24 Angels and Demons by Dan Brown - I read one page and threw it down in disgust. This is why I am thinking of starting an account at eBay
25 A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
26 Cross Stitch by Diana Gabaldon
27 Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts
28 The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas
29 Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell – I plan to read it one day
30 Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden – I loved the film, but it isn’t the type of book I would read
31 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams - Must read
32 Tomorrow When the War Began by John Marsden - A defining novel of my teen years
33 Obernewtyn by Isobelle Carmody - A defining novel of my teen years
34 The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne
35 The Inheritance Series by Christopher Paolini – I got halfway through Eragon before I had to return the book. Plan to buy it second hand
36 The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
37 Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer
38 The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde - I bought the Vintage Classic imprint (awesome cover) but I lost it, and I haven’t been able to read it yet. Did I lend it to you? Or did the mutant dust bunnies eat it?
39 The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – Best book of 2009! Add Catching Fire, and it was the best series of 2009! Cannot wait for Mocking Jay!
40 Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
41 Ice Station by Matthew Reilly
42 The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay – Read as a teen
43 Persuasion by Jane Austen - One of my favourites. My second favourite Austen novel
44 Tully by Paullina Simons
45 Seven Ancient Wonders by Matthew Reilly
46 Breath by Tim Winton
47 The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare - Started reading this series, but freaked out when it seemed like incest. My friend assured me it wasn’t, so I plan to reread them
48 Life of Pi by Yann Martel
49 A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
50 The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
51 Emma by Jane Austen – I kept thinking of the movie Clueless way too much, so I didn't enjoy it at all. When you start thinking of the protagonist of a Jane Austen film as a plastic Paris Hilton type, all is lost!
52 The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
53 The Bible - Still haven’t finished it. I am maybe not the good little Christian girl I was as a child? I can still recite the names of the New Testament. Does that count?
54 Six Sacred Stones by Matthew Reilly
55 A Fortunate Life by A.B. Facey
56 We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver
57 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald – I love the imagery. Currently reading (along with 9 other novels - Sofia, don’t hit me! will finish it one day...)
58 Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery – Loved it!! It is very indicative of my childhood reading
59 The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
60 The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
61 People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
62 The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
63 The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
64 Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice - Hated it. Read it for uni, wasn't impressed, mostly because of the interview styling. Currently reading The Vampire Lestat, and enjoying that more.
65 Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky - It is on my unread shelf. One day....
66 The Sookie Stackhouse Series by Charlaine Harris - I love the Sookie Stackhouse series. I also love the Harper Connelly series!
67 Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
68 Five Greatest Warriors by Matthew Reilly
69 On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta – I haven’t read it, but I love Melina Marchetta. I met her at the Italian Film festival a few years ago.
70 The Princess Bride by William Goldman – I love the movie, should read the book.
71 The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
72 Wicked by Gregory Maguire
73 Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
74 Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama
75 Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
76 Dewey by Vicki Myron
77 Dirt Music by Tim Winton
78 Marley and Me by John Grogan
79 Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
80 Dune by Frank Herbert – One of my favourite science fiction novels of all time
81 The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
82 The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards
83 Frankenstein by Mary Shelley - Read it
84 War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
85 The Road by Cormac McCarthy – Read ir
86 Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
87 The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis – I loved it as a chid. Still think The Horse's Boy is the best in the series
88 The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
89 Possession by AS Byatt
90 Finnikin of The Rock by Melina Marchetta – I want to read it
91 No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
92 Graceling by Kristin Cashore
93 The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
94 The Secret History by Donna Tartt
95 Silent Country by Di Morrissey
96 Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
97 Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger
98 The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
99 Still Alice by Lisa Genova
100 The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
101 Gallipoli by Les Carlyon

Read 22
Reading or have attempted reading 7
Want or plan to read 8