Press/Media
Below are media outlets that have acknowledged FQ's contributions. Whilst some cover our organisation directly, others highlight our endeavours, participants, or associated accomplishments. We trust you'll appreciate hearing about our achievements.
Improved across the frontier
By: Jason Nahrung
Courier Mail, Edition 1 - First with the news MON 24 JAN 2005, Page 016
Worlds of imagination
By: Richard Finnila
Courier Mail, Edition 1 - First with the news FRI 01 OCT 2004, Page 059
Brisbane on the map, Wilkins on the money sf files
By: Jason Nahrung
Courier Mail, Edition 1 - First with the news SAT 01 MAY 2004, Page M10
No Title (media 04)
By: Jason Nahrung
Courier Mail, Edition 1 - First with the news SAT 03 JAN 2004, Page M06
No Title (media 05)
By: Jason Nahrung
Courier Mail, Edition 1 - First with the news SAT 27 SEP 2003, Page M08
Simply Spec
By: Jason Nahrung
Courier Mail, Edition 1 - First with the news SAT 08 MAR 2003, Page M01
Clarion South recognised
By: (none)
Courier Mail, Edition 1 - First with the news SAT 25 JUN 2005, Page M08
Authors succeed at boot camp
By: Jason Nahrung
Courier Mail, Edition 1 - First with the news THU 29 JAN 2004, Page 019
No Title (media 09)
By: Jason Nahrung
Courier Mail, Edition 1 - First with the news SAT 28 JUN 2003, Page M08
Clarion calls sf files
By: Jason Nahrung
Courier Mail, Edition 1 - First with the news SAT 11 DEC 2004, Page M08
Courier Mail, Edition 1 - First with the news MON 24 JAN 2005, Page 016
Superior across the frontier
By: Jason Nahrung
NEW South Wales authors dominated the Aurealis Awards for Australian speculative fiction, held in Brisbane on Saturday evening, taking home both Golden Aurealis trophies and the convenors' award.
Margo Lanagan's Singing My Sister Down claimed the Golden Aurealis for best short story of 2004, while Richard Harland's novel The Black Crusade won the book prize.
This was the inaugural year the Golden Aurealis awards were given out, representing a best of the best selected from the winners of the five categories.
Lanagan's story was one of two finalists in the young adult division from her anthology, Black Juice.
Harland also won the fantasy short story category with his Catabolic Magic, published in Aurealis 32.
The Peter McNamara Conveners' Awards went to Cat Sparks, who edited AGOG! Smashing Stories which contributed four finalists and two winners at the awards. Sparks also had a short story among the finalists.
This was the inaugural year the awards were managed by the Fantastic Queensland group.
Other winners:
Science fiction, novel: Maxine McArthur, Less Than Human;
short story: Brendan Duffy, Come to Daddy, (Agog! Smashing Stories)
Fantasy, novel: Sean Williams, The Crooked Letter;
short story: Richard Harland, Catabolic Magic (Aurealis 32) tied with Louise Katz, Weavers of the Twilight (Agog! Smashing Stories)
Horror, novel: Richard Harland, The Black Crusade;
short story: Paul Haines, The Last Days of Kali Yuga (NFG #4)
Young adult novel: Scott Westerfeld, Midnighters: The Secret Hour;
short story: Margo Lanagan, Singing My Sister Down (Black Juice)
Children's long fiction: Colin Thompson, How To Live Forever;
short fiction: Gary Crew & Steven Woolman, Beneath the Surface.
Courier Mail, Edition 1 - First with the news FRI 01 OCT 2004, Page 059
Worlds of imagination
By: Richard Finnila
Brisbane's where readers and writers of speculative fiction should head, writes Richard Finnila
DO YOU prefer fantasy or enjoy reality? Whether it's fairy tales or crime dramas, the clash between the fantasy and reality genres continues to intensify.
The Brisbane speculative fiction scene -- covering fantasy, horror and science fiction genres -- is thriving.
At the Brisbane Writers Festival, fantasy authors Amitav Ghosh, Juliet Marillier, Zoran Zivkovic and Andy Griffiths will champion the merits of reading fantasy instead of reality.
Guest panellist and World Fantasy Award winner Zivkovic reckons that 90 per cent of everything written over the past 5000 years has drawn on fantasy.
He suggests it's part of human nature to crave something to read that challenges the imagination.
``What sets us apart from every other creature is our capacity to imagine,'' Zivkovic says.
Robert Hoge, who leads the Fantastic Queensland writers club, designed to boost the state's fantasy writing sector, notes it's hardly surprising that Brisbane enjoys a thriving market for fantasy books.
``What makes Brisbane distinctive is that readers are passionate and local writers are dedicated to satisfying them,'' Hoge explains.
Authors and readers frequently gather at seminars and events held by the numerous book clubs throughout the city.
Hoge believes the bond between authors and readers has enabled the industry to flourish, with Brisbane now home to approximately a dozen successful speculative fiction writers.
Naturally the seminars have also allowed writers to discover precisely what readers are keen to read.
Speak to any writer and they'll confirm that fantasy is among the hardest genres to master, and if you've encountered a fantasy enthusiast, you understand the challenge.
Natalie Billing from Borders Books in Brisbane's CBD says ``fantasy devotees'' are the most exacting of all readers.
``I've shown up to work on numerous occasions in the morning to find a few enthusiasts queuing at the door eager to purchase a copy of a new book,'' Billing says with a laugh.
``These folks constantly impress me. They are the university types, the truly intelligent ones who are keen to read something fresh.''
Stephanie Smith, acquisitions editor for the Voyager publishing company, says Australia's speculative fiction market really took off a decade ago. ``It started in Australia with writers like Sara Douglass, Traci Harding and Sean Williams,'' she says.
``Fantasy writing is all about magic, sorcery and fairytale plots that are typically based on some sort of quest to uncover something.''
There are 15 Australian fantasy writers attached to the Voyager label, many of whom export their books.
Smith says the resurgence in fantasy in recent years has been driven by the popularity of The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter novels.
Up-and-coming Brisbane author Kate Eltham says she could not think of any other place in the world to launch her writing career.
The accomplished 27-year-old writer, who creates fantasy short stories, believes the strong bonds between authors and readers in Brisbane have enabled countless emerging writers to advance their careers.
``We're incredibly supportive of one another and spend time together and back each other up. It's genuinely a tight-knit group,'' she explains.
Eltham is a co-founder of Clarion South Writers Workshop, an intensive six-week programme for writers pursuing professional writing.
She notes that the Brisbane Vision Writers collective and Fantastic Queensland authors collective similarly support the expansion of this thriving genre.
Essentially, Eltham suggests, aspiring writers such as herself have the opportunity to connect with publishing professionals.
``I'd been writing for quite some time and when I discovered this network I made the most of it,'' Eltham explains.
``You're able to speak with virtually any writer you choose. They're remarkably approachable and the greatest advantage is that they can connect you with publishers -- it's really about your connections in the industry.''
The Reality Versus Fantasy discussion event will be held this evening at the Powerhouse Theatre starting at 8.30, $15/$10. To book: 3255 0254
Courier Mail, Edition 1 - First with the news SAT 01 MAY 2004, Page M10
Brisbane in the spotlight, Wilkins cashing in sf files
By: Jason Nahrung
THE strategy to establish Queensland as a speculative fiction destination achieved significant momentum at last weekend's national gathering in Canberra. Brisbane not only secured its bid to host the 2006 natcon, to be named Conjure, but also confirmed that it would manage the Aurealis Awards for the coming two years.
Convention and awards are ventures of the Fantastic Queensland group, which was backed in Canberra by Brisbane Marketing.
Other Queensland ventures displaying colours were EnVision writing workshop (spots still obtainable) and Clarion South (which has commenced accepting applications).
* DITMAR award recipients announced at Canberra were:
Best Novel: The Etched City, Kirsten Bishop
Novella: La Sentinelle, Lucy Sussex
Short Story: Room for Improvement, Trudi Canavan
Collected Work: Tie between Agog! Terrific Tales (Catriona Sparks) and Forever Shores (Peter McNamara and Margaret Winch)
Artwork: Agog! Terrific Tales, Catriona Sparks
Fan Writer: Bruce Gillespie
Fan Artist: Les Petersen
Fan Production: Elsewhere Launch, Canberra Speculative Fiction Guild
Fanzine: The Australian SF Bullsheet, Edwina Harvey & Edwin Scribner
The William Atheling Jr Award: Bruce Gillespie
Best New Talent: Kirsten Bishop
The Peter McNamara Achievement Award went to Jack Dann.
Courier Mail, Edition 1 - First with the news SAT 03 JAN 2004, Page M06
Untitled
By: Jason Nahrung
BARBECUES, art classes, creative workshops and readings are being organised as part of the Clarion South writers workshop, and all are welcome.
Commencing on Tuesday, most of the Summer of Speculative Fiction activities are free, and many feature the Clarion mentors and regional writers.
Brisbane City Council libraries are also presenting talks by speculative fiction authors Karen Brooks, Paul Brandon, Marianne de Pierres (whose first novel Nylon Angel will arrive on shelves in February), and sessions led by Cory Daniells, Louise Cusack, Gary Crew and Kim Wilkins.
For young audiences, explore SF-inspired theatrical productions The Magic Faraway Tree (adapted from the Enid Blyton classic), Merlin the Magician and Circus Bizirkus: Achoo!
Several key moments of the festival feature a discussion with Terry Dowling and de Pierres exploring the Australian setting in SF on January 15, author gatherings on January 17 and February 7, Clarion participants showcasing their writing on January 29, and an opportunity to meet Tor Books publisher David Hartwell at functions on January 23 and 24.
An entertaining evening will be the open mic event on February 5, when emerging writers can trial their work, interspersed with performances from traditional band Sunas which includes, following the tradition of authors pursuing music, Paul Brandon on strings.
The Summer of Speculative Fiction continues through February 10, and is created by Brisbane City Council and Fantastic Queensland. Its objective is to broaden public awareness of the speculative fiction genre. Event locations differ. Information and schedule: www.clarionsouth.org/sosf/program.htm.
THOSE keen on composing speculative fiction might benefit from joining the Queensland Writers Centre's courses with Sean Williams. Having written 15 books, Williams is an acclaimed writer with a further Aurealis nomination this year for Orphans of Earth (co-authored with Shane Dix). He delivers a masterclass for young writers on July 2, sessions and a masterclass on July 3 and 4, and participates in a discussion on the direction of the field on July 7.
His appearance aligns with the QWC's wordpool initiative and the EnVision writing program -- the previous year's first EnVision proved beneficial for attendees and educators alike, and the forthcoming edition promises to be similarly rewarding.
Courier Mail, Edition 1 - First with the news SAT 27 SEP 2003, Page M08
Untitled
By: Jason Nahrung
BRISBANE-based Vision speculative fiction writing collective unveiled their inaugural anthology, Glimpses, during the Brisbane Writers Festival, which showcases multiple spec fic authors among its speaker lineup. The anthology presents over 20 narratives spanning the breadth of spec fic, authored by writers throughout Australia with many residing in Queensland.
Adelaide-based author Sean Williams, shown here, has freed himself from an exceptionally demanding schedule to unveil Glimpses at 1.30pm on the Roof Terrace at QPAC on October 4, after his discussion on Australian landscapes. Attending the launch as well will be host and fellow speaker Kim Wilkins.
Paul Brandon, whose second Brisbane-based novel arrives this year, features on the landscapes discussion, to be facilitated by Pulp Fiction's Ron Serduik.
Williams takes the stage again at 4.30pm for a talk regarding the authorship experience.
The following day, he returns to the Roof Terrace discussing earning income through writing.
Sunday also sees Brisbane spec fic author Louise Cusack participating in a talk led by colleague Cory Daniells about the idealised notion of world-building.
* VISION has spawned another venture, somewhat indirectly. Vision motivated the creation of Fantastic Queensland, which, supported by Brisbane City Council, was positioned to realise a long-held goal of organising a writers' programme for spec fic authors. The inaugural EnVision took place in July, with schemes for another iteration scheduled for next year, and it has additionally created a manuscript service.
Managed by the founding four EnVision educators (Cory Daniells, Marianne de Pierres, Kim Wilkins and Louise Cusack), the offering emphasises manuscript enhancement rather than critique. Writers will obtain both feedback on their original manuscript along with targeted activities to strengthen their craft and an opportunity to have their revised work evaluated.
Details: www.sf-envision.com
* ELLEN Datlow and Terri Windling have unveiled their 16th consecutive anthology documenting the year's finest fantasy and horror fiction, and Australian writers and periodicals have garnered recognition.
Agog, Redsine and Passing Strange each released several pieces receiving commendations from this distinguished pair.
This marks Windling's final year as the anthology's horror editor; she aims to devote more attention to her personal projects.
Details: http://www.endicott-studio.com/ybhome.html
Courier Mail, Edition 1 - First with the news SAT 08 MAR 2003, Page M01
Entirely Speculation
By: Jason Nahrung
Space travel, sorcerers, enchanters, the undead ... JASON NAHRUNG explores why speculative fiction is thriving
BRISBANE'S fig trees harbouring Celtic spirits? The phantom of an English youth haunting a city university's corridors, his essence bound to an occult tome being wielded for sinister ends?
And Brisbane earning an international standing as the creative epicentre for authors whose chief concern is tackling the question: What if?
If this all seems like mere imagination to you, then you're about to be proven wrong. Not only have the spirits in fig trees and phantoms in the university corridors materialised in the stories of Brisbane-based writers Paul Brandon and Kim Wilkins but they represent merely the beginning.
There's an expanding community of writers positioning Brisbane as a centre of speculative fiction excellence. Once confined to the stereotypical nerd demographic, speculative fiction, a broad category encompassing fantasy, horror, science fiction and numerous variations between, has delivered blockbuster films and several of Australia's most recent triumphs in literature.
Largely owing to J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, the category has entered popular culture, delivering narratives featuring goblins, sorcerers, bloodsuckers and extraterrestrial beings to homemakers, executives, young people and learners. Fantasy particularly represents substantial commercial activity, identified the previous year in the Australian Financial Review as the third biggest fiction segment ahead of mainstream fiction, valued at $26 million in shop sales during 2001.
Australian writer Garth Nix saw his most recent novel, Abhorsen, hold a position on The New York Times children's bestseller rankings for fourteen days, yet it remains accessible to all audiences. Though the category was previously dominated by male voices such as Tolkien, Stephen King and William Gibson, female creators are now more prominent as they draw inspiration from established authors like Ursula LeGuin.
Alice Springs author Jennifer Fallon recently secured a profitable agreement with an international publisher, and other Australian authors Sara Douglass and Kate Forsyth are among those shifting hundreds of thousands of volumes internationally.
Brisbane is home to Kim Wilkins, a prominent figure in speculative fiction who has worked across multiple subgenres—beginning with Gothic horror novels, progressing to a young adult series featuring a psychic student detective, and most recently creating the dark urban fantasy Europa Suite series inspired by Scandinavian mythology. She is convinced that Lord of the Rings has significantly expanded the fantasy audience.
``I believe (Rings director) Peter Jackson deserves more credit than most authors for this shift. Fantasy and science fiction have always maintained a devoted, enthusiastic, well-organised and strongly connected fan base, but Lord of the Rings has truly brought the genre to mainstream audiences.''
This momentum has been reinforced as viewers seek out escapist content amid periods of global instability and tension. Naturally, science fiction has traditionally functioned to examine societal values—Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 and George Orwell's 1984 are notable illustrations—and this continues within dark fantasy, where different manifestations of dread are materialised through storytelling.
Ultimately, whilst science fiction can be employed to analyse reality, fantasy provides an alternative to it.
Australia's publishing sector is largely concentrated in Sydney and Melbourne, though the emergence of dynamic regional hubs has enabled Perth and Canberra, followed by Brisbane, to establish themselves as centres for speculative fiction.
Given this opportunity, Brisbane City Council and the Department of State Development have supported efforts to develop speculative fiction sectors including film production, television content and interactive games.
Continued BAM 2
Purely Spec: facts on fiction
From BAM 1
As independent presses have resurged, with several based in Queensland, fresh opportunities have emerged for writing groups to develop and advance the genre.
Starting with just six founding members in 1996, the Vision writers group has expanded into a nationwide organisation of over 120 participants, spanning from emerging writers to those retired from the field.
``Other cities boast their own celebrated writers and active writing communities,'' says Vision president Robert Hoge. ``Yet Brisbane stands out because it has managed to bring both elements together.
``With individuals like Cory Daniells, Marianne de Pierres, Redsine's editor Trent Jamieson, Geoff Maloney and Craig Bolland taking active roles in Vision, I'd argue there's genuine alignment.
``And those not participating at an administrative or evaluative capacity, such as Kim Wilkins or Louise Cusack, still offer us their enthusiastic backing.''
Vision members Shane Brown and Chris McMahon have garnered several nominations in this year's Aurealis awards, and fellow members keep demonstrating their impact in national media.
Andromeda Spaceways, Orb and the Agog: Terrific Tales anthology will be launched at the national spec fic convention in Perth at Easter.
A pair of Vision's founding members, Daniells and de Pierres, have secured three-book contracts with international publishers, and remain active in Vision's expanding range of activities.
These efforts culminated in January with the formation of Fantastic Queensland, established with backing from the council and the Department of State Development.
FQ president Richard Pitchforth states the organisation aims to establish Queensland as Australia's globally recognised hub for the production, commercial expansion and recognition of speculative fiction.
``Queensland enjoys a strong profile in speculative fiction. We'd like to see that work not only get published more regularly but also serve as the foundation for Australian and worldwide film, television, computer games and other media ventures -- ideally created locally.''
The Brisbane City Council's support stems from its view that economic expansion will be partly driven by creative sectors as conventional industries such as manufacturing shift to regions with cheaper labour.
The council has backed several sectors, including digital game creation and film production, and the council's community policy director Cr David Hinchliffe notes speculative fiction aligns well with those sectors.
``It's about a dynamic and sustainable community, but ultimately it's about revenue,'' he remarks, and cites data indicating creative sectors contributed roughly $5.5 billion annually to Queensland.
One possibility is for FQ to establish its own dedicated publishing imprint, with the inaugural release being a pre-assembled collection, featuring short fiction by Vision contributors, called Glimpses.
Anthology curator Stephen Thompson, whose screenplay has been acquired by SBS, notes that the collection showcases the frequently underappreciated role of fantastical and contemporary realism within the field, noting that the publishing venture would embrace a broader range of speculative fiction beyond established conventions.
``Much of speculative fiction represents a form of magical realism or contemporary fantasy,'' he explains.
``When the average person encounters terms like science fiction, horror and fantasy they envision extraterrestrials, starships, extreme violence and sorcerers. The Vision anthology, by contrast, contains no starships, a handful of extraterrestrials, minimal violence and just a single sorcerer.''
Possibly the most significant FQ initiative in terms of worldwide acknowledgement is establishing the inaugural Clarion writers' workshop beyond North America. A pair of Clarions function in the US, the longest-running has operated for over three decades, and each maintains the standing for being an intense yet gratifying ``boot camp'' which includes writers of the stature of Kim Stanley Robinson among their alumni.
Clarion South, scheduled for Brisbane in January and February the following year, assembles a cohort of writers into a six-week residential workshop under the mentorship of accomplished writers and editors Nalo Hopkinson, David G. Hartwell, Brisbane's Wilkins, Jack Dann, Lucy Sussex and Terry Dowling.
``There's not a lot around aimed at, and specifically for, writers on the verge of breaking through,'' says Hoge.
``And teaching at that sort of intensity is something special -- a whole order of magnitude greater than a one or two-day workshop.''
The Brisbane City Council, with a $15,000 grant, and The Australia Council for the Arts are backing the project, initially pursued by Vision members Grace Dugan, Kate Eltham and de Pierres.
Clarion South will also host multiple community initiatives to boost awareness of speculative fiction and inspire emerging authors.
Prior to Clarion, a five-day EnVision workshop will take place in July, bringing together Brisbane-based writers Louise Cusack, Wilkins, de Pierres and Daniells.
The program provides spec fic writers the chance to refine their craft, whilst offering specialist critique on manuscripts aimed at achieving publication.
Clarion South tutor Dann is optimistic regarding Queensland's expanding role, and Australian writers' standing in global publishing.
Dann co-edited the award-winning speculative fiction collection Dreaming Down Under in 1999, which alongside an international spec fic symposium in Melbourne that year helped raise the profile of Southern Hemisphere authors. He has since assembled an anthology featuring contemporary Australian, English and American horror writers, Gathering the Bones.
``The mainstream response caught me off guard,'' Dann observes, pointing out that The Women's Weekly has run instalments of one of the pieces.
``Clarion South is genuinely quite significant,'' Dann remarks. ``The Queensland team undertook the groundwork and assembled it. It was substantial work. One advantage Queensland possesses is (Premier Peter) Beattie champions the arts, and the Queensland Writers Centre demonstrates strong initiative.''
Queensland Writers Centre marketing manager Samantha Bake notes speculative fiction and crime have consistently ranked among the centre's most attended workshops, with this pattern persisting this year featuring Nix, Wilkins and Delia Falconer.
The previous year's Brisbane Writers Festival also showcased numerous panels with speculative fiction authors, encompassing international writers Jasper Fforde, Scott Westerfeld and Justine Larbalestier, plus several Australian talents including Wilkins and fantasy author Cecilia Dart-Thornton.
Clarion South operates from January 4 for six weeks. Details: www.clarionsouth.org
EnVision: July 4-5, 7-9. Details: www.powerup.com.au/~coryd/envision.html
Queensland Writers Centre: www.qwc.asn.au
Fantastic Queensland: www.fantasticqueensland.com
Vision: www.visionwriters.com.au
Courier Mail, Edition 1 - First with the news SAT 25 JUN 2005, Page M08
Clarion South honoured
QUEENSLAND'S Clarion South writing workshop has been acknowledged for outstanding professional achievement at the annual Ditmar awards, unveiled at the national science fiction convention in Hobart.
Brisbane's workshop is the sole Clarion to operate outside of the US. A six-week residential workshop for emerging writers, the third instalment will be held in 2007.
The Courier-Mail speculative fiction reviewer Jason Nahrung shared the William Atheling Jr award for criticism and review with Robert Hood.
Other winners include: Best Novel: The Crooked Letter, Sean Williams; Best Collected Work: Black Juice, Margo Lanagan; Best Novella/Novelette: The Last Days of Kali Yuga, Paul Haines (NFG magazine, August 2004); Best Short Story: Singing My Sister Down, Margo Lanagan (Black Juice ).
Courier Mail, Edition 1 - First with the news THU 29 JAN 2004, Page 019
Writers shine at boot camp
By: Jason Nahrung
IT'S been described as a training programme for aspiring authors, yet Australia's initial group of Clarion South participants has won over their mentors.
The intensive course, focussing on speculative fiction (horror, science fiction, fantasy), represents a debut for the southern hemisphere, and is taking place at Griffith University's Nathan campus. It mirrors the US Clarion model, which has a cohort of authors residing on campus and receiving instruction from a different publishing professional every week across a six-week period.
Clarion South has brought together several of Australia's most accomplished authors alongside renowned international instructors including award-winning Canadian Nalo Hopkinson and Tor editor David Hartwell.
Both Hopkinson and Hartwell, who have previously mentored at Clarions in the US, have been struck by the calibre of Australian participants. Hartwell has even selected a piece by one writer for his prestigious Year's Best Fantasy anthology (subject to contract approval).
A significant factor is that most of the 17 attendees aren't newcomers to writing -- numerous have already seen their work published, and some have experience with independent presses.
Hopkinson and Hartwell note this background has been evident during the daily review sessions.
According to Hopkinson, the group's gatherings have a collaborative atmosphere, with instructors feeling they are gaining knowledge as well.
``I've had numerous works released so in that respect I'm further along, yet others have engaged in considerably more revision work than I have, so it's a reciprocal arrangement,'' she explains.
``It has the character of equals working together.
``I'm uncertain whether writing can truly be instructed -- I consider it an art form. What's feasible is attempting to convey ideas, experimenting with fresh approaches and observing what resonates. It's a trial-and-error, evolutionary endeavour.''
Hopkinson, who spent her early years in the Caribbean before relocating to Canada, describes attending a Clarion workshop in the US as transformative for her literary journey.
``Clarion truly motivated me to elevate my writing to a higher level. I was genuinely committed to developing my craft.''
The Clarion South writers have travelled from all across Australia, selected from in excess of 40 candidates evaluated on their submitted pieces.
For Andrew Macrae, 32, from Melbourne, Clarion represents an opportunity to refine his authorial abilities, though he evidently brought considerable talent as he gained acceptance with his inaugural short story.
``It's remarkable, how much you absorb in such a compressed timeframe. I reckon I've absorbed more in the past three weeks than I would have across 18 months of attending writing clubs. Everyone is incredibly forthcoming with their knowledge and expertise. There's a challenging environment and considerable intensity, yet it remains collegial rather than hostile.''
Nalo Hopkinson presents Thinking Aloud, a reading series featuring Clarion South contributors, tonight at Gilhooley's City, Albert St, Brisbane, 7pm to 9pm. Free.
Courier Mail, Edition 1 - First with the news SAT 28 JUN 2003, Page M08
No Headline
By: Jason Nahrung
DESPITE all the discussion surrounding bridges, tunnels and gas-powered buses, it appears the future Brisbane will still experience traffic congestion.
At least that's the sense created by examining the 16 submissions in the Museum of Brisbane's Bite the Blue Sky short story competition. Members of the city's speculative fiction writing group, Vision, were invited to imagine the city's future in 1000 words for the museum's inaugural exhibition, launching at City Hall in October.
The winning entry came from Shane Brown, pictured, whose stories have appeared in numerous reputable publications and earned several Aurealis nominations as well.
``Shane not only gets $500 for his win but will also see his story published and made available to bring home to the anticipated 75,000 visitors attending the exhibition during its run,'' remarks Vision president Robert Hoge.
Judges also bestowed highly commended awards on stories by Kate Eltham and Chris Quin.
Submissions ranged from cyberpunk to urban fantasy to science fiction, and the calibre of the work suggests many will secure publication well before their visions become reality.
IT'S a busy week for the Brisbane speculative fiction community, commencing on Tuesday evening with the debut of the Queensland Writers Centre's Wordpool program at the Terminus Hotel in South Brisbane.
Of special significance to SF enthusiasts is the program on July 29, titled Dark Dreaming, facilitated by Kim Wilkins and showcasing accomplished Louise Cusack amongst the speakers.
Cusack releases Glimmer in the Maelstrom, the third instalment of her Shadow Through Time trilogy, at Angus and Robertson in Post Office Square, Brisbane, on Wednesday night.
She returns on Friday for EnVision, where she is one of four Queensland authors coaching 20 speculative fiction writers from places as distant as Melbourne in the craft of perfecting manuscripts over five days.
Also visiting Brisbane next week is Melbourne's Lucy Sussex, pictured, conducting various workshops and seminars for the QWC, and joining the EnVision-meets-Clarion-South fundraiser dinner at Dymocks in Macarthur Chambers on Friday evening. A discussion at the dinner will explore what transpires after writers have published their debut novel. Speakers include writers Wilkins, Cory Daniells, Marianne de Pierres, Paul Brandon and Karen Brooks.
Courier Mail, Edition 1 - First with the news SAT 11 DEC 2004, Page M08
Science fiction documents spark interest
By: Jason Nahrung
THREE international authors will feature in the upcoming Clarion South workshop in Brisbane next year.
Now in its second year, the workshop has secured two writers from the US and one from Canada, alongside 14 Australian participants (including two from Queensland) undertaking the demanding six-week course.
Six tutors — four Australian and two American, including Sci-Fiction magazine editor Ellen Datlow and SF author Michael Swanwick — will run the workshop at Griffith University's Nathan Campus during January-February.
Clarion South director Kate Eltham notes the workshop will develop skills and create professional pathways for participants by introducing them to acclaimed authors.
``Clarion South follows a proven model established in the US over 30 years ago,'' Eltham explained. ``Brisbane remains the only venue outside America providing this opportunity for writers.''
Datlow will serve as guest of honour at the Aurealis Awards ceremony on January 22, delivering an industry seminar for finalists on January 23.
Finalists will be revealed on December 15.
The ceremony will be held at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music. The complimentary event concludes with a cocktail reception at Cafe San Marco, South Bank. $25 per person
Details: www.clarionsouth.org
www.aurealisawards.com.
