Due to unprecedented submission numbers, Anomalous Appetites are moving forward the deadline date for submissions to the inaugural issue.
The final deadline date for poetry submissions to AA is midnight Sunday, October 5th (local time). Entries received after this date will be automatically rejected.
Visit the forum and get a sneak preview of the poetry and art that will fill this 200 page anthology.
Source: John Irvine - Editor, Anomalous Appetites
In the 1970s and 80s there were two film industries in Australia. One produced films like Picnic at Hanging Rock and My Brilliant Career. This industry was like the favourite son that doting parents would boast to their friends about. Then there was the other industry. It produced films like Alvin Purple, Howling III: The Marsupials and Turkey Shoot. This was the son that had been locked in the attic for twenty years and never spoken about because of unspeakable acts that he had visited upon the vicar's daughter. Not Quite Hollywood is the biography of Australia's deranged cinematic child in the attic.
Jonathan Maberry, Citadel Press, 2008
P'Rea Press is proud to announce the release of Leigh Blackmore's Spores From Sharnoth and Other Madnesses.
No stranger to Australian literary fandom and fame, and acclaimed by international literary peers, Leigh Blackmore at last presents his first full foray into the wilds of uncanny expression. In this must have book of forty-five poems of fabulous horror and ghastly fantasy, the ides of the rest of your life might flicker before you. Within, meet Lovecraftian entities and other ghoulish things from Leigh’s own fevered imagination and burning brow. Face the toxic paranoia of mind-blowing fear, finely figured lines of roseate-tinged fantasia, and the stark staring mask of spectral terror itself.
The Victorian Writers' Centre is hosting a special panel discussion with some of Australia's most respected authors of speculative fiction. Panel: Speculating Fiction Sean Williams and Lucy Sussex in conversation with Paul Collins Host and author, Paul Collins taps into the imaginary minds of award-winning writers Sean Williams and Lucy Sussex as they discuss their literary careers and what fuels their inspiration in the world of speculative fiction. Sean Williams is the author of 25 novels and numerous short stories for readers of all ages, including several set in the Doctor Who and Star Wars franchises, and a seven-book fantasy series set in Australian landscapes. Lucy Sussex's fiction includes The Penguin Friend (1989), Deersnake (1990), Black Ice, The Revognase and The Scarlet Rider (1996). She has written three short story collections, My Lady Tongue, A Tour Guide in Utopia (2005) and Absolute Uncertainty (2006). She has also compiled three anthologies for younger readers, The Patternmaker, The Lottery (both 1994) and Shadow Alley (1996). She's Fantastical, an anthology of Australian women's non-realist fiction, was shortlisted for the 2005 World Fantasy Award. Paul Collins is one of Australia's leading fantasy and science fiction authors and has published over 120 books in both the trade and education fields. When: Friday 3 October, 6.30-8pm Cost: $20, Members $15/$12 Rating: A PLACES ARE STILL AVAILABLE. BOOK NOW! Source: Victorian Writers' Centre
The Regular Deadline for entries to A Night of Horror International Film festival is Friday October 3, 2008 (postmarked). That's just a little over one week away!
The Australian Science Fiction Bullsheet is changing ISP, and so the current email contacts and URLs are about to change.
Service will continue via the Bullsheet's two mirror sites:
WorldWide Alliance of Writers, an on-demand self-publishing website, is launching a horror writing contest on www.publishyourself.com. They are seeking some seed stories to get things rolling. Stories will be eligible to win the $250 first prize.
The rules are simple:
PublishYourself.com is running a FREE Halloween writing contest. There is no charge to enter, and you can submit as many stories and poems as you like.
Submitting is easy. Just create a FREE ACCOUNT HERE, then follow the step by step instructions to upload your work.
Source: Mark Lister, Web Marketing - Peleman Industries Inc
The Australian Horror Writers' Association is delighted to present a dedicated Horror Stream at Conflux 5: Dreaming.
The Conflux 5 Horror Stream program is as follows:
The Horror of the Apocalypse
Saturday (4 Oct) 1pm
What will bring civilisation to an end? The zombie hordes? A super-virus? Nuclear war? Cthulhu's return? Horror writers speculate on the best of times: the end times.
Panelists: Rob Hood, Deborah Biancotti, Richard Harland
Ghosts of the Past
Saturday (4 Oct) 2pm
Horror researchers discuss the unearthed treasures of Australian colonial ghost stories and gothic fiction, and how 'horror' has changed over the decades.
Panelists: Marty Young, James Doig, Leigh Blackmore
Dreaming or Nightmarish: Australian Horror Goes Bush
Saturday (4 Oct) 3pm
The Dreaming is characterised as something mysterious and wondrous but something dark lurks in our red heart. The outback is a desolate and scary place at times and its primordial inhabitants aren't always benevolent. Horror writers discuss the Australian landscape and Aboriginal myth as the foundation of nightmarish stories.
Panelists: Rob Hood, Deborah Biancotti, Leigh Blackmore, Andrew McKiernan, Jack Dann
From Beneath It Devours: The Resurgence of Australian Horror?
Sunday (4 Oct) 9am
Sales of horror books are up and paranormal fiction is hot, but what do the experts say about current state of Australian horror fiction?
Panelists: Keri Arthur, Rob Hood, Shane Jiraiya Cummings, Leigh Blackmore
Vamps and Tramps
Sunday (4 Oct) 10am
Paranormal fiction has exploded in popularity by using traditional horror tropes (vampires, werewolves) in sexy new ways. Take off your crucifix and strap on your leathers as we take a wild ride through what's infernally hot - and what's not.
Panelists: Keri Arthur, Amanda Pillar, Jason Nahrung, Richard Harland
From the Editor's Desk
Sunday (4 Oct) 11am
Editors discuss their views of the writing world, what trends they see, what works well and what doesn’t, what are some of the common pitfalls writers fall into, how to hook an editor, etc.
Panelists: Shane Jiraiya Cummings, Cat Sparks, Amanda Pillar
Australian Shadows Out Of Time: AHWA's guide to the best and worst of Aussie horror
Sunday (4 Oct) 1pm
Is Dowling's work shades of grey or Basic Black? Does Immaterial have enough under the Hood? Has Dedman had a resurrection? Was Hague the Voice of Evil that killed horror in the 90s? Marvel at AHWA's definitive, entirely subjective, and very contentious guide to the best (and worst) ever Australian dark fiction. The award presentation to the winner’s of the AHWA Flash and Short Story Competition 2008 will be made at the end of this panel.
Panelists: Marty Young, James Doig, Leigh Blackmore, Shane Jiraiya Cummings
AHWA presents: 60 minutes of fear
Sunday (4 Oct) 5pm
Australian Horror Writers' Association members read their darkest work, with the audience voting on who is Australia 's scariest author (prizes will be awarded!). Something fun to end the show with! Nothing serious here at all!!
Panelists: Marty Young (MC), with Rob Hood, Shane Jiraiya Cummings, Leigh Blackmore, Andrew McKiernan
Dread Acquisitions - The AHWA Dealer's Table
To be overlooked at your peril, The AHWA Dealer's Table will operate on Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th of October during Conflux. The table will also act as a meeting point, a place for horror folk and AHWA members to congregate between panels. If you have nowhere to go and/or don't know anyone at the convention, please feel free to meet there. Marty Young, Shane Jiraiya Cummings, and Angela Challis will be regulars at the table, and you're bound to meet other AHWA members throughout the weekend.
If you have any questions, have books you would like to sell on the Dealer's Table, or are just interested in helping out, please contact Marty Young via email - ahwa@australianhorror.com
To find out more about the Australian Horror Writers' Association, visit www.australianhorror.com, and to peruse the Conflux 5 general program visit www.conflux.org.au
Source: Marty Young, President - Australian Horror Writers' Association
A Night of Horror is proud to bring a selection of the world’s best and bloodiest short films to MUFF!
The program features a cornucopia of terrifying Melbourne premieres, including: THE DEMONOLOGY OF DESIRE, a pulse-charger about teenage love gone disturbingly wrong from Rodrigo Gudino (founder of Rue Morgue, the world’s top horror magazine). Some other highlights are: DARA, a stylish and action-packed exercise in torture porn by Indonesia’s Mo Brothers; and THE ANCIENT RITE OF COREY MCGILLIS, Australian auteur Dalibor Backovic’s breathtaking tale of terror from beyond the grave.
SPECIAL SCREENING AT MELBOURNE UNDERGROUND FILM FESTIVAL
Friday 9th October, 9:00pm at The George
Whatever your taste in horror, your appetite will be fully satiated with this blood-soaked cinematic buffet! More details at the MUFF website.
Source: Dr Dean Bertram
The Society of Editors (SA) is proud to announce the 4th IPEd National Editors Conference will be held in Adelaide 8-10 October 2009. The conference will take place at the Festival Centre on the banks of the River Torrens, with associated events taking place in and around the city centre.
Information about the conference will be posted as it becomes available.
"So listen, discuss, learn, edit, eat, drink … and join us in Adelaide in 2009!"
Further information at The Society of Editors blog.
Source: The Society of Editors
The British Fantasy Society is delighted to announce the winners of the British Fantasy Awards for 2008. The presentations were made at the awards banquet of Fantasycon 2008 in Nottingham on 20th September.
BFS Awards Winners 2008
Milo, son of Hollywood dream couple, Ethan and Rebecca Kane, is found dead in the basement of their luxury mansion. The LAPD are quick to lay the blame on the parents but FBI agent, Sarah Reilly gets involved and soon it's obvious that the reality of the situation is far more complex. A criminal, quickly dubbed 'The Sandman' is targeting children of the rich and famous.
Sarah is one of those old thriller staples, a cop on the edge. Severely traumatized by her previous case, she's prone to becoming emotionally involved in her work. Now before you rush off to telephone the cliche police, I need to add that she's a believable and well-sketched character you empathise with. This is a slick, well written thriller with a couple of nicely executed twists. There are two action set-pieces - a car chase ending in an airport and a pursuit at the U.S./Mexico border that are particularly exciting.
It wouldn't take any great leap of faith to see this turned into a Hollywood blockbuster. Surprising then to see this has been written by an Australian author (though perhaps the presence of an Aussie hitman should have tipped me off).
AntipodeanSF #124 is available for your enjoyment at www.antisf.com.
AntiSF features the best in flash speculative fiction from around the world.
Dreaming
The Marque Hotel,
October 3 to 6
The fifth Conflux science fiction convention is now just over three weeks away. This year, with a theme of Dreaming, the convention will be paying homage to Australia ’s indigenous heritage, as well as looking at the dreams that inevitably unfold the first time you read science fiction, fantasy or in the case of horror, nightmares.
The convention will run over four days and features six guests with great histories in the field of science fiction, fantasy and horror – Liz Gorinsky, Jack Dann, Mark Shireffs, Cat Sparks, Gillian Polack and Bruce Gillespie. A total of 13 workshops, covering aspects from superstition through blogging to using a longsword, and nearly 50 panels will provide a lot of information and inspiration for attendees.
Friday night is the Great Debate – this year’s topic “Is this a dream or is it reality?” and following that, a major event for anticipated anthology Dreaming Again, featuring editor Jack Dann and several of the writers. Saturday afternoon will see a mass book signing, with around 30 authors gathered in the one place. Saturday night is the now famous Conflux dinner, this year with the theme of Prohibition New York. The 1920s was when the term science fiction was coined, and the modern genre was born.
For anyone with an interest in science fiction, fantasy or horror, written or on the screen, Conflux 5 is the place to be. More information at www.conflux.org.au
WHAT: Conflux 5 – Dreaming
WHERE: The Marque Hotel, Northbourne Avenue , Canberra
WHEN: October 3 to 6 2008
COST: Memberships at the door – Adult $240, student $180 (cheaper if bought before hand), day memberships Friday and Monday $50, Saturday and Sunday $100
CONTACT: www.conflux.org.au, info@conflux.org.au
GUEST INFORMATION
Liz Gorinsky is an editor with Tor, one of the largest publishers of science fiction and fantasy in America . She edits a list that includes acclaimed speculative fiction authors Ben Bova, Dave Duncan, A.J. Hartley, George Mann, Cherie Priest, Brian Slattery, and Jeff VanderMeer. She also assists editors Ellen Datlow, Jim Frenkel, and Patrick and Teresa Nielsen Hayden.
Jack Dann is the editor of the only Australian book to win a World Fantasy Award – Dreaming Down Under. He himself is also one of the acknowledged experts in alternate history, with novels such as The Memory Cathedral and The Rebel. Jack has just launched the follow up to Dreaming Down Under – Dreaming Again, which will be a feature of Conflux 5.
Mark Shireffs is a screen writer whose short film The Mysterious Geographical Explorations of Jasper Morello was nominated for an AFI and BAFTA award. He is almost solely responsible for the strong showing of science fiction and fantasy in Australian children’s television, having written Spellbinder, The Girl from Tomorrow and Pig’s Breakfast.
Cat Sparks is a multi-award winning short story writer, editor and illustrator who was the official photographer for two NSW premiers. She has recently won her first Aurealis and Ditmar awards for her own writing, and is now working on her first novel.
Gillian Polack has a doctorate in medieval history, teaches extensively across Canberra and has one novel in print with a small new US press and another forthcoming. Twelve of her short stories have been published. One of these stories won a Victorian Ministry of the Arts award and three more have been listed as recommended reading in the international lists of world's best fantasy and science fiction short stories.
Bruce Gillespie is one of the grand old gentlemen of Australian science fiction fandom, having started attending meetings and conventions in 1967. He has been publishing critical essays on the genre and the industry since 1969. He has won many awards for his work for fandom, including being the past president of the Fan Writers of America. He currently publishes Steam Engine Time, one of the few fanzines still in existence in Australia .
The Australian Horror Writers' Association will be presenting a special program of panels at Conflux 5 - stay tuned to HorrorScope for all the details!
Source: Nicole R Murphy, Programmer, Conflux 5
Votes have been tallied in the Horror Writers' Association's recent elections - for the first time in a long time (probably ever), there will be an Australian on the HWA Board!
HWA Election Results
Voting for President, Vice President, Secretary and three Trustee positions closed on 9/15, and results were:
Richard M. Vickers' new novel Woodlife is now available from Rambrook House.
This fast-paced supernatural thriller follows ex-footballer Nick Wheaton's desperate search for a former lover who has disappeared in mysterious circumstances. Forced into an uneasy alliance with an enigmatic partner, the pair slowly unearth a murderous conspiracy of monumental proportions with sinister links to Britain's ancient past.
BONE SONG
John Meaney
Gollancz, April 2008 Reissue
Straight off the bat, I’m going to say the biggest thing this novel, ‘Bone Song’ (the first part in a series), has going for it is its vision. Author John Meaney has created a magnificent world that combines most of the speculative fiction range, from fantasy to sci-fi, with a dash of gothic horror. There are so many nuances here, so many little touches, that you cannot help but become drawn in to the story, which is also somewhat of a hardboiled crime affair.
I’ll try my best to explain. In the city of Tristopolis, where references to God, the afterlife and profanities have been largely reclaimed from Greek mythology (Oh Hades! Thanatos! Death!), where magic is applied to almost everything and concepts such as spirits and the undead have been embraced as scientific rationale to run the world, our hero, Lieutenant Donal Riordan, is on a case that still has the ability to feel bizarre. You see, the city’s power is generated by bones of the deceased (each necroflux generator require the bones of two thousand bodies), but some of these bones have a different use. Those people who showed a unique creative flair in life (such as performers) have a ‘song’ in their bones, which allows a possessor of their remains to escape into realms beyond description. These bones are hunted down on the black market, but someone is being a bit more conspicuous. Four stage performers have died in State capitals, and a legendary diva is about to arrive in Tristopolis. She is believed to be the next target, and Riordan must lead a team to make sure nothing happens to her.
And that’s just the start of the novel. Because Riordan is not meant to succeed. And when all goes wrong, he is left to expose a secret sect, a path of corruption in the police force, and the shady dealings of another country/city, Illurium, where their power is generated by something much worse than bones (think ‘The Matrix’), all in the name of revenge.
I’ll give you a preview of the novel’s many wonderful dark combinations from the speculative realm: Enormous Lycaon werewolves keep sentry over the police tower; bats and dinosaur-like creatures fly over the city and scan it as a means of security surveillance; wraiths are used for almost every slave-like chore imaginable – from opening doors and drawers to taking the place of a lift and carrying passengers to their destination (there’s no reprieve for most of the dead); to vehicles that are powered by spirits and are therefore alive, that mould with their rider, change shape and defend themselves. And let’s not forget zombies – not the Romero kind but corpses reanimated via an internal system that is recharged much like a mobile phone (just plug it in), corpses that are still intelligent and blend in with the rest of society’s fabric, their skin just a little paler. Riordan happens to fall in love with one of these zombies – Commander Laura Steele, who leads the team out for revenge.
There are even tiny details embedded in the text, which feel so natural you just skim over – for example, having purple taxis instead of yellow/white. They’re not needed, but they add to the genuine feel of being in the city of Tristopolis. I could vividly picture many of the dark scenes.
If there were to be any complaints, I would start by saying that at times I felt overloaded with the bizarre concepts in Tristopolis to the point where some passages were a little awkward to read until I understood exactly what was happening (though I must say that I am currently reading the second instalment of the series, ‘Dark Blood’, and the concepts feel a lot more natural). Some of the descriptive prose should have been cut to lead into the tense scenes, which are handled a lot better. I was also disappointed with the cheesy union of Riordan and his zombie love-interest, Commander Steele. It is typical of too many sci-fi laced stories – where man meets woman, falls in love with her because, hey, she’s the only woman who has, to that point, been given enough depth in the story (and didn’t die). They spend one night together and they’re already professing love and, well… I guess this is fiction. The believability of their union does strengthen towards the end of the novel, though, but Steele’s character is just a little too flat for it to matter. And of course, the dialogue… Snappy, basic, reminiscent of bad action movies, comic books and pulp fiction. At times, that’s a good thing – and it certainly fits with the style of story. However, I was often left wanting more natural responses – that’s just my preference.
I recommend this novel to anyone interested in absorbing a highly-imaginative mix of all things speculative, or a crime story with a unique angle. I won’t give the ending away, of course, but the pace becomes frantic, with red herrings aplenty, giving hints that this series will be getting a lot better.
Tasmaniac Publications have just released an E-package to coincide with the release of STONE COLD CALLING, a novella by Simon Clarke.
Simon Clark's THE CALLING & OTHER WRAITHS is a unique concept that contains THE CALLING, a near ten thousand word short story. A distinct work from the novella, The Calling takes us on a tangent with a recognized character. In addition the package includes a non-fiction piece, MAKE ME FRIGHTFUL, where Simon offers tips to the budding horror writer in us all - and a short video entitled THE HAUNTED PAGE.
All this for the handsome sum of 99 cents! Available exclusively from the Tasmaniac Publications website.
Source: Steve Clarke, Publisher - Tasmaniac Publications
Ralan's Webstravaganza, the Bram Stoker Award winning market guide, is fundraising this September.
From Ralan - "Any amount is appreciated. Give what you think Ralan.com is worth to you."
A paypal feature is available on the site, to facilitate support.
Source: Ralan
Black Box, the sequel to the critically-acclaimed Shadow Box e-anthology, is at last available to the general public. On sale as a two-disk set for only $12.95, the 'Box contains:
Order your Black Box now from Brimstone Press and enjoy what's inside the box!
Source: Brimstone Press
On Tuesday the 29th of July the Australian Horror Writers' Association hosted a special Australian publisher showcase in the AHWA chatroom.
Special Guests were:
Transcripts of this online event are now available to peruse at the AHWA website:
Participation in the AHWA Chatroom is available exclusively to AHWA Members and invited guests. To find out more about joining the Australian Horror Writers' Association visit www.australianhorror.com.
The Australian Horror Writers Association would like to thank Adam Wieland, AHWA Chatroom Administrator, for facilitating this special online event.
Source: Talie Helene, AHWA News Editor
Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine #36 
- you can't afford to miss this issue! Dip your toes into new fiction from Golden Aurealis winner Cat Sparks, and internationally acclaimed authors such as Rachel Swirsky and Lisa Mantchev. Then dive on in, because the rest is just as fine!
Fiction
Morrigan Books have joined the fundraising effort to assist author Paul Haines; for every copy sold of the Australian edition of Voices, $2.00 will be donated to the fund.
To purchase your copy of Voices, visit the easy to use online order form at Morrigan Books.Every room has a story to tell - the question is: can you bear to listen; can you bring yourself to hear the voices?
In every room, there is a story.
In this hotel, the stories run to the wicked and macabre.
Well crafted psychological and supernatural horror offerings await you, each written by a master storyteller. Whether you are looking to be shocked, disturbed or out-right frightened, Voices will have something to titillate your nerves and make your hair stand up on end. Leave the lights on and brew a strong cup of tea, the voices in the room plan on keeping you up all night.
Kryptographik is a trans-continental podcast featuring Brian (in the U.S.) and Damian (in Australia), providing news, reviews, commentary and interviews covering horror, dark fantasy and science-fiction.
In the 4th Direktor's Kut, Brian and Damian sit down with Kat and Josh from the comic, Titanium Rain, which is being published by Archaia Studio Press.
This is the first in the series of interviews and comic commentary - so if you have your copy of Titanium Rain #1, go and get it and be ready to go through the book page by page with all of us!
109 minutes of Kryptography in only 49.8 MB
Listen to streaming audio online, by Direct Download (iPod not required), or visit the homepage for show notes, links and iTunes/Zune/Podcatcher feeds.
Source: Damian, Co-host of Kryptographik
RML have cut up the August 31 deadline and remixed a brand new one for you: 19 October 2008!
Get inspired by the remixable short stories, show your vision through revision, and submit your own version to anthology@creativecommons.org.au for your chance to be published in an anthology alongside these awesome established Australian authors -
Melbourne Workers' Theatre, in association with with Melbourne University Student Union House Theatre, present The Zombie State!
Your taxi-driver is distracted, your surgeon keeps getting your name wrong, the girl selling you shoes is maniacal…The Zombie State
The Living Wage?
More like the working dead in a world-class city.
The nightmare begins with a deranged Southbank seagull and converges in a secret government project in the bowels of the city… As Melbourne finds itself in the grip of the vengeful dead, who will stand and fight?
Directed by Daniel Schlusser
Design by Kate Davis
Lighting by Niklas Pajanti and Danny Pettingill
Sound by Darrin Verhagen
Video Design by Matthew Gingold
17–27 September 8pm
Union Theatre, Ground Floor, Union House, The University of Melbourne
Tickets: Full $25/Concession $15/Union Members $12
Preview 16 September: All tickets $10
union.unimelb.edu.au/tickets
You can also buy tickets in person from the Union House info desk, ground floor, Union House.
For more information, please contact Melbourne Workers' Theatre or Union House Theatre directly, or visit The Zombie State on Facebook.
The Australian Horror Writers' Association, in association with The Writing Show, is proud to present the schedule for this year's Halloween Ghast Fest 2008 broadcasts.
October 27th Marty Young
October 28th Alison Pearce
October 29th Chuck McKenzie
October 30th David Conyers
October 31st Rick Kennett (with story read by Alan Chaney)
Master of ceremonies: Stephen Studach
ABOUT THE HALLOWEEN SPECIAL
The Halloween Special was the brainchild of Paula B., host and founder of the The Writing Show. Catch Members of the AHWA reading their own horror stories, one author a day up until Halloween, with the podcasts made freely available from The Writing Show's website from October 27. Some of the stories also feature sound effects like the radio shows of old, guaranteed to give you chills...
Source: Marty Young, President AHWA
Doctor Stephen Dedman, the Academic Programme Co-ordinator for Swancon, has issued the following call for papers:
Email Attention of Stephen Dedman at swancon@swancon.com
The Academic Stream at Swancon 2008 was an outstanding success, and as Academic Programme Co-ordinator for Swancon 2009, I would love next year’s to be as good or even better.
With this in mind, I am calling for papers on any subjects of interest to sf and fantasy writers, students, and fans. Possible topics include, but are not limited to:
- Studies of sf /fantasy in any media
- Future trends (technological, social/political, linguistic, environmental, etc.)
- Comparisons of fantasy and history
- Alternative or parallel history
- Astronomy, exobiology and space sciences
- Forensic sciences
- Psychology or sociology of fandom
- Fan fiction, slash, filk, zines, vids, cosplay, and other forms of fan creativity
If you are interesting in submitting a paper, proposals should include a 500-word abstract, current/working contact information (snailmail AND email addresses), and details of any audio-visual equipment your presentation requires.
Many thanks,
Stephen Dedman PhD
Academic Programme Co-ordinator
This year The 2008 Macabre Mansion Special Halloween Broadcast will be
featuring two Dark Shadows programs; Dark Shadows - Return to Collinwood and Dark Shadows - The House of Despair.
Beginning Saturday October 25th, and continuing through Halloween, listen to Macabre Mansion for these two Dark Shadows audio productions, as well as a special broadcast introduction by Mr. David Selby.
In addition to Dark Shadows, this year Macabre Mansion are pleased to be including two Alien Voices productions; Alien Voices - The Invisible Man and Alien
Voices - The Time Machine.
Alien Voices is the audio theater production company founded by Mr. Leonard Nimoy and Mr. John de Lancie and their audio productions feature the voice talent of fellow Star Trek actors. Macabre Mansion are pleased and thankful having been given special permission from Mr. Leonard Nimoy and Mr. John de Lancie to broadcast these two excellent Alien Voices
productions. Listen during the Halloween Special for a special broadcast introduction recorded for us by Mr. John de Lancie.
For more information visit Macabre Mansion on the web.
Source: Uncle Mortimer
Tasmaniac Publications are thrilled to announce two new titles in their range of horror novellas!
STONE COLD CALLING by Simon Clark
Introduced by Kealan Patrick Burke
Illustrated by Vince Natale
Limited to 300 soft covers ($22.95)
& 26 lettered hard covers ($150.00)
Lettered edition sold out!
Release date September 15th (available to pre-order).
140 pages.
It beats but has no heart Calls without voice Desires, yet is void of emotion It waits to destroy anyone unlucky enough to grant it freedom... Stone Cold Calling - it may well be the end of us all...
Michael McBride, author - THE INFECTED and the GOD'S END TRILOGY"Hang onto this book with both hands, folks. STONE COLD CALLING takes you on a wildly imaginative ride from page one, masterfully twisting and turning and still never going the direction you think it might. Part Indian legend, part treasure hunt, part ancient mystery, but 100% Simon Clark at his horrific best. Wow! I stone cold loved it!"
Gord Rollo, author - THE JIGSAW MAN and LOST IN TRANSLATION
Greg F. Gifune, author - THE BLEEDING SEASON, DEEP NIGHT, DOMINION and BLOOD IN ELECTRIC BLUE.
THE NOBODY by Tom PiccirilliCryer once had another name, but he can't remember it.
The man he used to be was stabbed in the head by an assailant. After months of catatonia, Cryer awakens in a mental facility to find that his former life is almost completely forgotten. He knows his wife and daughter have been murdered - he saw them die moments before his own assault - but his shattered mind is incapable of retaining their names. Or even his own.
Now Cryer is free again and trying to track down an elusive killer through his own unknown past. But how do you investigate the murders of your loved ones when you can't remember them? When you have no idea who your friends or enemies were? Where you lived and worked? And what secrets you might have once had and failed to keep?
And how is he supposed to deal with the little man who keeps crawling in and out of his skull?
Cryer is a nobody now, but that won't stop him from finding a vicious murderer and making him pay.
Larry Roberts - Bloodletting Press"Clichés: can't live with 'em but, as I discovered when I read this remarkable novella, you can't live without 'em. Part vigilante procedural part hard-boiled PI yarn and part examination-of-post-loss-survival weepie, THE NOBODY is Tom Piccirilli at his uncompromising best. The dialogue is so crisp it's like Leonard on speed, and the second and third pages are the literary equivalent of being hit in the face with a shovel. A roller-coaster ride? You bet. A page-turner, even? Yep, no question. A palpable atmosphere, larger-than-life characterisation and impeccable plotting? They're all there. Like I said - clichés: can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em."
Peter Crowther - PS Publishing
RJ Sevin - Creeping Hemlock Press
Eric Henshall, creator of the Fenwick comic, is staging an exhibition titled 'In between days' – An Exhibition of New Paintings by Eric Henshall.
Opening Night
Tuesday September 16th from 6 - 8pm
September 16th to 21st – One Week Only
Dantes Upstairs Gallery
150 – 156 Gertrude St
Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia
(tel: +613 94172468)
Visit www.erichenshall.com for more information.
Source: David Carroll
The Infinitas Newsletter - published by Infinitas Bookshop - is now available for September 2008 at www.infinitas.com.au. This months edition features a short story by David Such, some readers' book reviews, genre news, and lots of new release books. Scan through for your favourite authors and series and be tempted.
Readers are invited to join in online discussions at: www.infinitas.com.au/forums
Source: Tim, Infinitas Bookshop
Marty Young catches up with Hannah Tinti, author of The Good Thief (Headline Review 2008), a noir fairytale with a Dickens meets Dahl meets Lemony Snicket style.
When the world gives you nothing, you take what you can.
Young Ren is missing his parents and a hand, and doesn’t know what happened to any of them. He is beginning to fear that he will never be claimed from his cold New England orphanage; that his dream of a family – of a life – will come to nothing.
But one day a glamorous stranger arrives at the orphanage. To Ren’s astonishment, the handsome, charming Benjamin Nab says he is his brother. He says he has come to bring him home. And even when his stories grow more and more extraordinary, when he puts Ren’s life in danger again and again, and leads him into theft and grave-robbing, Ren will not abandon hope. He believes that one day all the hunger, danger and unwanted excitement will be worth it. That he will find a family, at last. But trusting Benjamin is another story…
- from Hachette Livre
This September SCREEN SECT present a variety of cult and classic cinema, including a film adaptation of Daphne Du Maurier's Don't Look Now.
THE VANISHING (George Sluizer, 1988)
Monday, September 8, 2008
Life is a cabaret... a dark cabaret.
For your strict enjoyment Melbourne Fringe Festival present The Tenth Stage performing a selected assortment of their dark tales of murder, mystery, lust and betrayal. With a stage show including some unique visual performances and brand new instrumentation this show will thrill you! Also appearing are Opera Macabre, who will send chills down your spine with their songs of doom presented by vocalist The Baroness.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008 | |
7:00pm - 11:55pm | |
Toff In Town | |
Level 2 / 252 Swanston Street | |
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
Chauvel Cinema present a Philipe Mora double feature this Sunday!
Sun 4.00pm
COMMUNION (1989) (M) / 35mm
Christopher Walken stars in this dramatization of Whitley Strieber’s ‘non-fiction’ account of his encounters with extraterrestrials.
plus 6.00pm
HOWLING III (1987) (M) / 35mm
A professor (Barry Otto) goes searching for a rare breed of werewolf, and falls in love with one of the females in this satirical comedy.
Tickets just $11.00
Now on sale at the Chauvel or online.
Sunday, September 7, 2008 | |
4:00pm - 8:00pm | |
Chauvel Cinema | |
Cnr Oxford St + Oatley Rd | |
Paddington, NSW, Australia |
The first Wednesday of every month is Babble Slam at Bar Open, where poets duke it out for a grand prize of TEN DOLLARS!!!
Wednesday, October 1, 2008 | |
7:30pm - 11:30pm | |
Bar Open | |
317 Brunswick St | |
Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia |
· Publisher: Hodder Hb (August 7, 2008) 
· ISBN-10: 1845799941
· ISBN-13: 978-1845799946
A couple of disclaimers: I’ve never read any of the previous 18 Chief Inspector Banks novels and I’m not a big fan of crime novels although I have read the genre occasionally and found it to be enjoyable.
This is not the case here. Drowned in detail would be the most obvious point to make. The author obviously has a large CD collection and considers music an important part of what makes up a character, mood, setting, and anything else to which he can link it. I found this all very disappointing as Robinson is an author of mutli-award winning novels and short stories. Could this book be a hiccup or am I simply not seeing what the major crime literary organisations see?
A lovers spat that gets out of hand and results in a murder-suicide, attempts to get all mysterious as it’s wrapped up in the shadows of international espionage, terrorism, and the British Secret Intelligence Services. The plot is slow and convoluted with very little encouragement to the reader to turn the page.
The need to describe every scene in minute detail becomes boring and most indoor settings are tied into a musical offering as if that will help the reader better connect with the lame plot. The story meanders through the efforts of Inspector Banks and DI Annie Cabbot as they attempt to prove far-fetched leaps of imagination while they continue with their very average mundane lives. Lots of red herrings are left around the place and obvious questions are left unasked. The author also seems to have a bad habit of showing us a detailed scene and then confirming we understood it by telling us the same thing all over again at the end.
Occasional references back to things that happened in earlier books, makes this less of a stand-alone tale as the reader is left with unanswered questions about character and motivation. The author also makes his feelings plain on things ranging from past and present governments to drink driving. Worse still are the typos littered through the book; missing words here and there further detract from the work. The cover work by Michal Affanasowicz/Trevillion Images is exceptional though.
But the plot never really gets anywhere, winding up with no real solution that the characters spend the entire book searching for; a case of the little man being left in the dark by the powers that be. Not particularly satisfying.
I read a story to suspend my belief and be entertained – this offering did neither.
In the end, this is not a work of horror or dark fiction; not even disturbing in its content. International terror and the way government intelligence services work is very disturbing, but that isn’t conveyed here, or rather it’s drowned in the way it’s presented. The images are over explained, over shown, and the descriptions of locations are done in such a travel brochure manner I’m sure I could walk the same path as the character and pick out all the same landmarks – but I’m guessing I’d have more emotion tied to them.
Murky Depths is a quarterly anthology with a difference. It features top quality speculative fiction with sprinklings of horror and fantasy that push the boundaries of science fiction. Each story is complimented with its own unique artwork. Alongside the straight prose stories are cutting edge graphic stories. Articles across the genres and mixed disciplines add authority, humour and maybe a little controversy. Can you afford to pass on this?
Issue #5 features 15 stories by the likes of Ed Norton, Bill Ward, James Johnson, and Christopher Hawkins, with cover art by Luke Cooper. Check it out now at www.murkydepths.com
Source: Marty Young, President AHWA
Dymocks Southland is a general bookshop in Cheltenham, Victoria, boasting a fairly extensive range of genre stock. Below are listed the top 10 bestselling horror titles for August 2008.
Breaking Dawn (Twilight #4) – Stephanie Meyer
Black: Australian Dark Culture – ed. Angela Challis
At the Mountains of Madness – H. P. Lovecraft
Every Which Way But Dead – Kim Harrison
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde – Robert Louis Stephenson
Twilight Watch – Sergei Lukyanenko
Vampyres and Other Perilous Creatures (Art Book)
For a Few Demons More – Kim Harrison
Immaterial: Ghost Stories – Robert Hood
Day Watch – Sergei Lukyanenko
Dymocks Southland also publishes a monthly SF, fantasy and horror newsletter – Dymensions - which can be subscribed to here.
Directed by Frank Darabont, from the novella by Stephen King, Dimension Films, 2008
Richard Morgan, 2008, Orion Books
Jeff Lindsay, 2004, Orion Books
C'mon, admit it. You've been waiting your whole life for a movie that combines the visceral body horror of David Cronenberg, the slapstick violence of Raimi's Evil Dead 2 and the 
twisted social satire of Verhoeven's Robocop. Wait no longer. Tokyo Gore Police does exactly what it says on the label.
This berserk (and I mean that in the nicest possible way) movie features Eihi Shiina, whom many would have last seen torturing the hapless salaryman in Takashi Miike's Audition. She plays Ruka, a police officer in a near future Tokyo involved in hunting down 'engineers' - genetically modified mutants who, when injured, turn their wounds into weapons. She's driven by the memory of her late father who was shot and killed in front of her when she was a child. His head being ripped apart by the bullet is shown in loving detail right at the beginning of the film and the violence manages to escalate from there.
Yoshihiro Nishimura directs this insanity with the verve of a zombie in an abattoir (one of those crazy, fast 28 Days Later Zombies, not the shuffling Romero Zombies). He cut his teeth as a special effects supervisor and it shows. Bodily fluids of all kinds, though mainly blood, are washed across the screen at every opportunity; bodies are ripped, blown and shot apart. You could bemoan the lack of a credible storyline or the offensiveness of some of the images but that would be missing the point. There is just so much imagination underwriting the carnage and it's done in such a gleeful way that your critical facilities eventually surrender. Not convinced yet? The villain of the piece spends most of the movie with his brain exposed and shot gun barrels in lieu of eyes, while another character employs a huge gun which shoots human fists.
Now the bad news. I saw this film at the recent Brisbane International Film Festival so I'm not sure if we'll be seeing a general cinema release for this little gem. If your stomach is made of stern stuff, hunt it down. Then put your mind on hold and enjoy the ride.
The Art That Scares You fundraiser auction, held in support of author Paul Haines, has been a stunning success!
Paul and his family are currently dealing with Paul's on-going treatment. After being diagnosed with bowel cancer, having sections of his bowel removed and enduring six months worth of chemotherapy, Paul recently discovered he has spots on his liver. Paul has met this news by reloading his guns and is fighting it with two forms of chemotherapy, combined with a monoclonal antibody called Avastin. Unfortunately Avastin is not part of Medicare or the private health system's funding at this stage. The expense is costed at $20,000 - news of which galvanized members of the Australian speculative fiction community into fundraising action.
One of the auctions four co-director's, Tansy Rayner Robers, has announced the results. "Our official tally of bids is $4215. All in all, over 90 separate items sold, which is BEYOND AWESOME. Assuming all bids are paid, that puts the fundraiser for Paul Haines over the $20,000 goal we wanted to pay for his Avastin treatments. As said elsewhere, this means we can contribute a bit extra to Paul and his family to help them with their other expenses during this difficult time."
Tansy's partner in this endeavour, Alisa Krasnostein, has expressed the emotion of this fundraiser. "As organisers we have received so many really kind messages along the way from contributors and from the community at large. It's definitely been a reward in itself to be at this end and get caught in the periphery of the warm glow being shone in Paul's, and his family's, direction... donations and contributions have come from far and wide and it takes more than a few people to raise over $20 000, especially in basically just one month. I'm uplifted and inspired by the generosity, warmth and love and I'll never forget how quickly and kindly it was mobilised. The world is a good and amazing place full of wonders and beauty and love. We love you Paul and we hope for your speedy recovery. "
If you are paying for a winning item, please send your donation to the Paul Haines Paypal fund via a donate button and email artscaresyou@gmail.com
If you'd like to make a general donation via paypal, you may still do so at any time by clicking the button:
Do you enjoy reading or writing crime stories or novels?
Come along to the 2008 Maroondah Writers' and Readers' Festival - where this year's theme is Crime.
October 3-5 2008
Check out the Program for full details of events including workshops, discussion groups and keynote speakers.
Featured writers include Shane Maloney, Jarad Henry, Dale Campisi, Robin Bowles, Adrian Hyland, Marshall Browne, Adrian Puckering, Robert Dessaix, Sophie Cunningham, John Silvester, Vikki Petraitis, Sue Turnbull, and Rochelle Jackson. The Eastern Regional Libraries Short Story Competition Winner will also be announced at a special ceremony.
Source: Eastern Regional Libraries
This year's Ned Kelly Awards were presented by the Crime Writers' Association of Australia at Federation Square in Melbourne, on August 29th 2008.
2008 Ned Kelly Award Winners
Best First Fiction
Best First Fiction Short List
Best Non-Fiction Short List
The Victorian Writers' Centre is proud to be presenting a major literary event as part of Indigenous Literacy Day, to fundraise and raise awareness for the project in Melbourne. Alexis Wright, John Marsden, Adrian Hyland, and Arnold Zable will be discussing the importance of literacy in their lives, and development as writers, as well as literacy issues within the Indigenous and broader communities. Originally the brainchild of Queensland bookseller Suzy Wilson, the Indigenous Literacy Project has developed into a national campaign to raise funds and help address the literacy crisis in remote Indigenous communities. The project has grown enormously, with fabulous response from the broad literary community and the Patron support of Therese Rein. Following the discussion, thanks to the very generous support of the publishing community, there will be an auction - a chance to do your Christmas shopping early, with a tax deductible donation. Special thanks go to the participants and to the State Library - all of whom are donating their time, venue and services. Indigenous Literacy Day Forum When: Wednesday 3 September, 6:30pm start Where: Village Roadshow Theatrette, State Library of Victoria, entry via Lonsdale Street Bookings: VWC - email: info@writers-centre.org or phone 9654 9068 Cost: By donation Source: Victorian Writers' Centre
News items to:
Talie Helene, AHWA News Editor
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