Aurealis Awards wrapup (finally!), Supanova, Flickr and Facebook

I am sorry I have been so slack with my blogging. I've been under the weather, and had stuff going on in my personal and professional life that have prevented me from writing more than a few garbled sentences at a time. I never finish or refine these drafts and thus they never see light of day.

Aurealis Awards

This wrap up is VERY late in coming, and I do apologise! Rather than give a blow by blow of who won what awards, I’ll list the winners (which I am sure you have seen around the Aussie

book blogging world by now) and then a quick summary of my highlights of the night.

2010 AUREALIS AWARD WINNERS:
CHILDREN’S FICTION (told primarily through words)

• The Keepers, Lian Tanner, Allen & Unwin

CHILDREN’S FICTION (told primarily through pictures)

• The Boy and the Toy, Sonya Hartnett (writer) & Lucia Masciullo (illustrator), Penguin Viking

YOUNG ADULT SHORT STORY

• A Thousand Flowers, Margo Lanagan, Zombies and Unicorns, Allen & Unwin

YOUNG ADULT NOVEL

• Guardian of the Dead, Karen Healey, Allen & Unwin

ILLUSTRATED BOOK/ GRAPHIC NOVEL

• Changing Ways Book 1, Justin Randall, Gestalt Publishing

COLLECTION

• The Girl With No Hands, Angela Slatter, Ticonderoga Publications

ANTHOLOGY

• Wings of Fire, edited by Jonathan Strahan and Marianne S. Jablon, Night Shade Books

HORROR SHORT STORY

• The Fear, Richard Harland, Macabre: A Journey Through Australia’s Darkest Fears, Brimstone Press

HORROR NOVEL

• Madigan Mine, Kirstyn McDermott, Pan Macmillan

FANTASY SHORT STORY (joint winners)

• The February Dragon, LL Hannett & Angela Slatter, Scary Kisses, Ticonderoga Publications
• Yowie, Thoraiya Dyer, Sprawl, Twelfth Planet Press

FANTASY NOVEL

• Power and Majesty, Tansy Rayner Roberts, HarperVoyager (HarperCollins)

SCIENCE FICTION SHORT STORY

• The Heart of a Mouse, K.J. Bishop, Subterranean Online (Winter 2010)

SCIENCE FICTION NOVEL

• Transformation Space, Marianne de Pierres, Orbit (Hachette)

KRIS HEMBURY ENCOURAGEMENT AWARD

• Jodi Cleghorn (Go Jodi!)

PETER MCNAMARA CONVENORS’ AWARD

• Helen Merrick

My highlights of the night:

• Tracey O’Hara came to greet me at the door before we had even registered! O.O I was shocked, because despite talking to her on Twitter from time to time, I have only met her two or three times. She not only recognised me but knew me. It is a shock to me when someone I admire remembers me :D I was a bit star struck LOL
• Hanging out with the lovely Nyssa from ASFFA and delightful Mark from Galaxy, with the gorgeous Elle and suave Nick from my writing group (Spiders represent!), and damn, ALLLLLLLLLL my twitter friends, including authors, editors and other book industry people. Unexpectedly I knew more than the four people I walked into the room to greet.
• Because I went to the Aurealis Awards with Nyssa, she introduced me around to some of her “people”, be they friends or industry contacts. I admit to being starstruck at times.
• I was talking to Tracey O’Hara and she introduced me to Nicole Murphy, another author I talk to on twitter quite a bit. You know how you don’t recognise someone, but the second someone points it out you feel like facepalming yourself? Well, it was like that.
• At the after party I sat with Nyssa, Mark, Tracey O’Hara, Nicole Murphy and a few others and drank an overpriced bourbon. We had to catch a midnight train, so I went to find people to say adios to (actually, hello, as I said I would meet them there), and talking to @Rowena_SW realised that I should have spent more time in the other corner, because a lot of other people I enjoy tweeting with were present, including @BothersomeWords and @nickystrickland. After a quick chat and photo, Nyssa and I had to run, but it was lovely to put faces to aliases!

There were other highlights, like seeing authors I have admired for years, and all the pretty clothes (I could have worn my corset! Dammit!), and while it was over a week ago now, I have fond, if fuzzy, memories. I’ll definitely be returning to the next awards. I was not expecting to get much out of the Aurealis Awards aside from some silent fangirl squees, but somehow I found myself fitting in. Maybe it is because the literati type parties I have attended in the past were general fiction, not speculative fiction, but I was expecting to be bored while awed. Instead I found myself fascinated with every conversation I took part in, to the point I wish I had more time for each person I met. I also feel kind of bad because I didn’t drag Elle and Nick around with me so they could meet some complete strangers. Or at least offer too. I think I was high on the atmosphere. And I really wasn’t expecting to know anyone except my friends. I guess I am still kind of in shock. I am not the sort of person people remember. Well, I haven’t been in the past. But it seems the more I tweet, and the more I participate in the community, the more people are becoming to know me as part of that community.

Facebook

That’s right, I have a facebook page now! You can “fan” Book Bites at www.facebook.com/bookbites - I will be microblogging when I am attending events (e.g. the Aurealis Awards last weekend) and sharing links and such. It is also another way to keep up to date with blog posts if you do not check your Feed Reader constantly (I am guilty of that myself!).

Flickr

I've uploaded some more photos to my Flickr page. I found some old photos on my hard drive of signings at Galaxy that were not previously uploaded and I have added some photos from the Aurealis Awards, Sir Terry Pratchett at the Sydney Opera House and various prizes and autographs.

Here are some photos from the Aurealis Awards:



Master of Ceremonies, Garth Nix, hidding in the shadows while Susan Wardle and Nathan Burrage co-convene.


I was able to spend time chatting with some of my favourite ladies, Tracey O'Hara and Nicole Murphy.


Catching up with twitter friends at the Aurealis Awards after party.


One from the guest bag, one prize, a friend's prize, and the last because someone already had a copy.

Supanova

Supanova is on in a few weeks. I am going, my friends are going, even some of my book club ladies are going (let’s face it, they are friends too, we just happened to have met through book club LOL) and Supanova will be AWESOME! I am excited to meet JAMES MARSTERS!!! Seriously, his name belongs in caps. I may swoon. Yes, swoon. I am also meeting Sean Maher (another hottie playing one of my favourite characters, nice!), Moreena Baccarin, and Gareth David-Lloyd. And, the bit that is actually relevant to my readers? Tracey O’Hara, Erica Hayes and Nicole Murphy will all be at Supanova! They aren’t listed as guests, but they will have an Urban Fantasy stall in the Artist’s Alley :D We plan to go glomp! So, if you read urban fantasy and will be at Supanova, you should go say hi! They are all wonderful women who write terrific books! They are totally glomp-worthy! :D So do it. I am using my Jedi mind powers on you and telling you you should glomp them at Supanova. Of course, that would be more effective if I was actually a Jedi. The thing is, I’d probably be a Sith or smuggler like Han and Chewy LOL Anyway, Supanova, FTW, mid June, best geek fest in Australia!

How do you define urban fantasy and paranormal romance?

How do you define urban fantasy and paranormal romance? I have never found a definition that really fits, as some of the books I read like to mess with the boundaries. I happily read both sub-genres, but I know some people who choose to read one or the other. It is a topic I have hear people mention (the fuzziness of the definitions) however, I have never really heard a definitive stance on their definitions. I love all the books I have read in both genres (okay, I had an issue with Jim Butcher’s Dresden series – don’t hate me) and I do not really mind if a book is technically UF or PNR, but I am curious about the definitions.

My personal definition is urban fantasy deals with one main protagonist who may or may not have one or more love/lust interests, and generally has important secondary characters. They go off and kick arse and/or have adventures/save the world/partake in a quest/etc. Urban fantasy series revolve around the same protagonist and their actions, and generally are written from their point of view throughout the narrative. Paranormal romance is set in an urban fantasy world/supernatural world/fantasy realm/science fiction setting and primarily focuses on the hero and heroine and their dual story of romantic discovery, which may or may not involve arsekicking, adventures, saving the world, partaking in quests, etc. Paranormal romance series are a series of separate novels about couples, but may be set in an overarching narrative with interweaving stories making up the whole. Each book is writing from the point of view of a single couple (or ménage, etc.) and while the following books may come back to them to highlight their happily ever after, generally their personal narrative is finished with the end of their own novel.

Do you read urban fantasy? Do you read paranormal romance? How would you define them? Do you bother defining these sub-genres, or are they one and the same, or irrelevant to you? Do my personal definitions make sense to you or do you take umbrage with them? I would love to know what you think!!

Review: The Ivory and The Horn by Charles de Lint

When I was at university I took a sociology subject called Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror in Popular Culture. Half of the class were sociologists, the other half, like me were either nerds or nerdy sociologists! So the class was an absolute riot. We learnt a lot, and it is fascinating all the cultural motifs present in speculative fiction (Übermensch and superheroes, Neo is Christ, as well as concepts like Zero Worlds, The Other and The Abject etc). The main assignment was to take all we had learnt and to make a fanzine. That sounds like easy task to you, but the thought behind all aspects of it, as well as appealing to a fan base meant there was a whole semester's work put into it. I got a high distinction for mine, and my lecturer was genuinely interested in my project. I couldn’t choose to do simply "fantasy" or "science fiction", I had to find a niche market. That was about the time I was getting into urban fantasy, so I choose to focus on Alternate Realm Fantasy. I can't remember what I called it, but it was basically dealing with faerie, parallel worlds, heaven and hell dimensions etc. I hooked up with some artists from the World of Froud forum, and my friends contributed reviews, short stories and artwork. I bundled all together in an attractive parcel and made a website. I was just getting into web design back then, so it was built on geocities (in its heyday) and unfortunately when geocities died, I had to move it. I saved a copy of two of my reviews, and I though I would share them with you. Just be warned that these are from when I was 19, so they are fairly... obvious in their youth.

The Ivory and The Horn
A collection of short stories by Charles de Lint

This is the first book of Charles de Lint's that I read. There is a bit of a story to my discovery of his work, so please bear with me and I'll make it a short as I can. A couple of years ago, when I relocated to the city closest to our farm, I became a member of its library. That in itself doesn't sound remarkable but I love reading and had already read out three libraries. This new library was bigger and provided me with so much joy; being a voracious reader is quite difficult with limited resources. As well as having normal multi-genre shelving, there were also three rotating stands full of fantasy paperbacks. Before delving into the rows of packed shelves I would always check these, finding many books I hadn't previously discovered. This is where I met authors such as Elizabeth Moon, Rosemary Edghill, Janny Wurts, Gene Wolfe and Sean Williams. I kept coming back to The Ivory and the Horn but I always seemed to find something more tempting One day I decided to max out my card and I again happened to pick up The Ivory and the Horn, except this time I didn't put it back down. I started reading it on the hour-long drive home but I just couldn’t get into the first story (Waifs and Strays), and decided to read one of my favourite novels instead. As fate would have it, I mislaid the book and didn't return it with the others. A couple of weeks later I was having a book-drought so I picked The Ivory and the Horn again. I skipped the first story but returned to it after I had finished the book. Charles de Lint has a gift of making the every day take on mystical qualities, and reveal the secrets hidden within. This book had introduced me to Newford, a city somewhere in Canada or the northern United States, where there are people such as Bones, Jillly, Coyote, Sophie, Geordie and the Crow Girls. De Lint intertwines Celtic and Native American folklore into the fabric of reality and re-weaves it in such a way that the world becomes a strange new place, while still being the world we are all familiar with. I truly recommend any readers who have not yet discovered Charles de Lint to start their education with this book. It will initiate you in to a whole new world, and nothing will ever be the same again. I would secondly recommend that you skip the first story Waifs and Strays and read it last. It is a great story, but you need to get used to the writing style before attempting it. De Lint has written many stories - novella and novels as well as short stories - and they are all worth reading. He also writes under the pseudonym of Samuel M. Key, so don't forget to check for those books as well. I really recommend Mulengro and From A Whisper To A Scream!

Just FYI, this was written in 2003 when I was 19. God I feel old!

Charles de Lint: Newford, my collection and the cover art

Charles de Lint just posted a note on facebook (yeay! I'm his facebook friend! LOL) on the order of the Newford Stories. It's also on his FAQ on his website, but I thought I would post it here for future reference. Both Linda and I are fans (we are getting matching Crow Girl tattoos) so it makes sense that we have something we can refer back to. Oh, FYI, as well as the website and mailing list, you can keep up to date through Charles' twitter and facebook. His facebook is fun, because he talks about music he is into as well, and if you are anything like me, you admire him for his taste in music as well as for his writing LOL


Order of the Newford Stories

1. Dreams Underfoot (collection)
2. The Dreaming Place (young adult novel)
3. A Whisper To A Scream (originally credited to "Samuel M. Key")
4. I'll Be Watching You (originally credited to "Samuel M. Key")
5. Memory And Dream (novel)
6. The Ivory And The Horn (collection)
7. Trader (novel)
8. Someplace To Be Flying (novel)
9. Moonlight And Vines (collection)
10. Forests Of The Heart
11. The Onion Girl (novel)
12. Seven Wild Sisters (short novel, also available in Tapping the Dream Tree)
13. Tapping the Dream Tree (collection)
14. Spirits in the Wires (novel)
15. Medicine Road (short novel)
16. The Blue Girl (young adult novel)
17. Widdershins (novel)
18. Make a Joyful Noise (chapbook)
19. The Hour Before Dawn (collection)
20. Old Man Crow (chapbook)
21. Little (Grrl) Lost (novel)
22. Promises to Keep (short novel)
23. Dingo (young adult novel)
24. Muse & Reverie (collection)

I have to admit, I haven't read the last couple of stories. I recently bought Mystery of Grace (not a Newford story) but previous to that, the most recent (timeframe-wise, not when I read it) were The Onion Girl and The Blue Girl. Unfortunately, Charles de Lint's books are quite expensive to buy brand new in Australia, and second hand stores only sell the usual culprits (Moonheart, Yarrow, Greenmantle etc).I am gradually filling out my collection of Charles de Lint novels.

My CdL Collection
Of the top of my head I remember that I own:

• Greenmantle
• I'll Be Watching You
• Into The Green
• Memory and Dream
• Moonheart
• Mulengro
• Spiritwalk
• Tapping The Dream Tree
• The Blue Girl
• The Dreaming Place
• The Little Country
• The Mystery of Grace
• Wolf Moon
• Yarrow

I will own them all eventually! I also have a number of anthologies that contain his stories, and the only ones I haven't read are those that have been out of print (and not in the library system) and the newer publications (also not in the system and too pricy to purchase). I will update this list as I get more of his books.

Cover Art
I really admire some of the artwork on the covers of Charles de Lint's novels. Particularly that by John Jude Palencar, Charles Vess, Terri Windling, Jim Hoover, David Bergen and Fletcher Sibthorp - and we can't forget the original Brian Froud illustrations The Wild Wood. I love John Jude Palencar's artwork. They are very atmospheric and beautiful They don't always take on the gritty nature of de Lint's novels, but they do convey the mystery. I think Fletcher Sibthorp's covers best convey the darker side of his covers - a perfect example of this is his cover of Mulengro, where you see the spirits rolling out of the fog that roils around the villain just as it does in the book. I love Charles Vess and Terri Windling's cover art, as it emphasises more of the mythos behind the stories - either the Celtic or the Native American folklore, done in pen, watercolours and washes.

Now onto Brian Froud: sadly there were copyright issues with publishers with The Wild World, so you can't buy the original version of this book any more. It is such a shame, as it is one of the best illustrated books I have ever laid my eyes on. I refuse to buy this book until I can find a Brian Froud version. I hate it when publishers mess shit up like this! It was such a lovely concept! Basically Brian Froud did a number of artworks (I think about 50?) and invited 4 author friends over to choose a selection of them each to write a story about. The results were wonderful! *sigh* stupid publishers! After the first two books in the Faerielands series were publish, Bantam changed its fantasy publishing and the project was discontinued. Because it was with Bantam, other publishers couldn't republish the paintings, so reprints of the stories by de Lint and McKillip have artwork by different artists, as does the now published Snyder; the paperback of Windling's novel has a new Froud artwork on the cover. I am trying to find original copies of Patricia McKillip's "Something Rich and Strange" and Charles de Lint's The Wild Wood, but I won't bother with the Midori Snyder as it hasn't been released with Brian Froud's artwork.

John Jude Palencar

Fletcher Sibthorp

Terri Windling

Jim Hoover

psst!

My friend Ms S (some of you may already know her or guess her identity - click the "follow" button on the side so I know is reading this LOL) is a fabulous author. I read her steampunk short story/novella (the pages weren't numbered) and was blown away. Well, she has started a new project.

We were mucking around the other night, playing with my wereleopard Rage and taking lots of photos, as you do. So when the photos were online discussions occurred on facebook, and Ms S was inspired to start a new project... And we are all in it! :D She has written 2 instalments so far, I will link you up when she has more up, but I have to say now, it is very promising! I would love to see her finish it as I think it will appeal to the Urban Fantasy readers and I am absolutely loving it!! And that isn't my ego talking. Cos frankly, every time I open my mouth I seem to give Ms S more fodder for the characterisation LOL I’m an empath called Gypsy (my online username for years because I identify with that part of my heritage) and she is called Sorrow, and Chrissi and TJ are in it as well. I want to read MORE dammit! I am such an impatient little wench! :D


I will link you up when she has more published on her blog. There is no point in all of us suffering from an out of control curiosity...