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Just saw a report that Delta Airlines launched its inaugural Los Angeles-to-Sydney route on Wednesday.
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Aussiecon 4
17 June 2009 @ 09:29 am
Tales from Outer Suburbia continues to be recognised, with the book winning the Ditmar Award for Best Artwork at the 2009 Australian Natcon, Conjecture, held in Adelaide earlier this month.
The book has also been nominated for Best Illustrated Work in the 2009 Australian Book Industry Awards, with the winners to be announced on June 23. Good luck Shaun.
You can now get a free wallpaper for your computer of a piece of Shaun's art, as part of his nomination for a Hugo Award. Go to http://42blips.dailyradar.com/story/shau
The book has also been nominated for Best Illustrated Work in the 2009 Australian Book Industry Awards, with the winners to be announced on June 23. Good luck Shaun.
You can now get a free wallpaper for your computer of a piece of Shaun's art, as part of his nomination for a Hugo Award. Go to http://42blips.dailyradar.com/story/shau
09 June 2009 @ 09:24 pm
Aussiecon 4 GoH Kim Stanley Robinson is renowned for his Mars series, considered some of the best writing on the colonisation of Mars that’s been published. IEEE Spectrum asked him his top ten favourite Mars stories, and he’s provided the list here: http://spectrum.ieee.org/aerospace/space-f
Another of our guests, Shaun Tan, is in
Several members of the Aussiecon 4 committee were at Conjecture, the Australian Natcon that took place in
01 June 2009 @ 10:05 am
Sherwood Smith – Exhilarating
Jack Dann – Exhausting
Dave Cake – smorgasboard
Ian Nichols – spontaneity
Stephanie Smith (HarperVoyager editor) – conversational, exciting, masqueradicious (ok, not a word)
Gene Melczak - overwhelming
22 May 2009 @ 08:29 am
We've asked a group of fans, writers, artists and editors to sum up Worldcons in just one word. Here's the first lot of responses. Please, feel free to share your own!
Robin Johnson (Aussiecon 4 GoH) – contact
Lewis Morley and Marilyn Pride – BIG!
Lucy Sussex – fun
Simon Brown – mates
Ellen Datlow – crowded
Kevin J Anderson – voluminous
Sharyn November – transformative
Liz Gorinsky – invigorating
Sean Williams – community
Jenny Blackford – busy
Chuck McKenzie – revelatory
Rose Mitchell (Aussiecon 4 co-chair) – extremely exhausting but fulfilling (yes, it’s more than one word)
Russell Blackford - Plenitudinous.
15 May 2009 @ 02:56 am
Looking around for more cons to add to my listings, I came across this press release from a company putting in some cabling for the Melbourne Convention Centre and Hilton. What one event do they choose to mention to emphasize what a prestigious facility this is? The World Science Fiction Convention!
09 May 2009 @ 07:32 am
The Ditmar sub-committee is very pleased to release the Australian SF ("Ditmar") Awards ballot for 2009, and declare voting open. Only members of the 2008 Natcon (Swancon) and 2009 Natcon (Conjecture) are eligible to vote.
Postal ballots will be distributed by post in the near future. Voting may also take place directly via email to ditmars@conjecture2009.org, and an online voting form will be made available as soon as we can.
The Ditmar Rules can be found online at http://wiki.sf.org.au/Ditmar_rules
Voting is an optional preferential ballot in all categories. Information on this form of voting can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optional_Pr
Any correspondence on the Ditmars may be addressed to ditmars@conjecture2009.org
David Cake
Sub-committee Chair
( Ditmar ballot )
If you're interested in reading up on Australian science fiction and fandom before Aussiecon 4, you can't do worse than work your way through this list!
05 May 2009 @ 10:01 am
Melbournians can catch up with Aussiecon 4 GoH Shaun Tan at Dymocks Melbourne this Thursday for the launch of his latest project, the graphic novel Flinch. As reported here earlier, Flinch is a collection of stories and artwork by various contributors that explores the ideas of what makes you Flinch. Should be fun :)
If you want to join int he fun, go to Dymocks Melbourne (234 Collins Street) at 6.30pm.
If you want to join int he fun, go to Dymocks Melbourne (234 Collins Street) at 6.30pm.
28 April 2009 @ 05:20 pm
Aussiecon 4 GoH Shaun Tan's sensational talent has again been recognised, this time nominated for best Non-Fiction/Art Book in the 2009 Locus Awards for Tales from Outer Suburbia, along with a nomination as Best Artist. Congratulations Shaun, the recognition of what you're doing is just fantastic!
You can see the full list of nominations at http://www.locusmag.com/News/2009/04/200
You can see the full list of nominations at http://www.locusmag.com/News/2009/04/200
13 April 2009 @ 10:05 am
We here at Aussiecon 4 want to make the blog an interesting, fun and informative place for people to come to. To that end, we're looking for articles to post on the blog. What we're looking for are articles that speak to Worldcons, Aussiecons in particular, our Guests of Honour (Kim Stanley Robinson, Shaun Tan and Robin Johnson) and Australian science fiction.
Possible topics include - Flavours of Worldcons (what differences come from the different locations), Memories of Worldcons or Aussiecons, Why I want to come to Aussiecon 4, Why Australia 2010 was a good idea, environmental issues, the growth of graphic novels or history of Australian fandom. You might have better ideas than these and if so, then shoot us an email to discuss them with us.
Send your articles, or article ideas, to nicole@nicolermurphy.com so they can be considered.
Possible topics include - Flavours of Worldcons (what differences come from the different locations), Memories of Worldcons or Aussiecons, Why I want to come to Aussiecon 4, Why Australia 2010 was a good idea, environmental issues, the growth of graphic novels or history of Australian fandom. You might have better ideas than these and if so, then shoot us an email to discuss them with us.
Send your articles, or article ideas, to nicole@nicolermurphy.com so they can be considered.
13 April 2009 @ 10:01 am
Aussiecon 4 GoH Shaun Tan gave the Colin Simpson Memorial Lecture for the Australian Society of Authors on March 28. This lecture is one of the most anticipated events in that ASA calendar, and it speaks highly for the respect held for Shaun in Australia that he was invited to deliver this speech.
Luckily, we don't need to be members of the ASA in order to hear what he said. You can find a video of the lecture here and audio of the lecture here. And kudos to the ASA for making the speech available for free to anyone interested.
Luckily, we don't need to be members of the ASA in order to hear what he said. You can find a video of the lecture here and audio of the lecture here. And kudos to the ASA for making the speech available for free to anyone interested.
10 April 2009 @ 09:42 am
I'm delighted to announce that the two winning stories ares Passport Control, written by Australian author Laura E. Goodin (well, when I say Australian, I mean American now living in Australia :)), and Solution by Australian and Writers of the Future 2008 winner Ian McHugh (who is definitely Australian).
Congratulations, Laura and Ian. I'll contact you for your address and send you each a copy of Johnny Werewolf by Robbie Matthews.
Look out for another blog competition in a couple of months.
Congratulations, Laura and Ian. I'll contact you for your address and send you each a copy of Johnny Werewolf by Robbie Matthews.
Look out for another blog competition in a couple of months.
08 April 2009 @ 01:27 pm
The long-awaited Hugo Awards Logo Design Contest has opened. Announcement at http://community.livejournal.com/worldc
06 April 2009 @ 08:24 am
Due to the small number of entries, the judges have chosen just four finalists. Please read, and then vote on the poll below. The story with the most votes will be declared the winner.
Poll #1378638 Aussiecon 4 Blog Competition One
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: None
( Story One - Home )
( Story Two - Solution )
( Story Three - Passport Control )
Poll #1378638 Aussiecon 4 Blog Competition One
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: None
Which story is your favourite?
Home
1 (7.1%)
Solution 3 (21.4%)
Passport Control 9 (64.3%)
White Line 1 (7.1%)
03 April 2009 @ 08:37 am
Whether you're a member or not, you can access and read Progress Report One here. It features articles on our three guests, as well as introductions to some of the committee and a full list of the people currently working hard to make Aussiecon 4 a great con.
If you are a member, the mailed reports should be winging their way to you very, very soon.
If you are a member, the mailed reports should be winging their way to you very, very soon.
01 April 2009 @ 08:25 pm
I saw a copy of this Kim Stanley Robinson book last week at a used bookstore in... Kathmandu.
A good read BTW but I'd recommend picking it up locally and save yourself the plane fare.
A good read BTW but I'd recommend picking it up locally and save yourself the plane fare.
30 March 2009 @ 07:35 pm
Aussiecon 4 GoH Kim Stanley Robinson is the subject of a new book of critical essays called Kim Stanley Robinson Maps the Unimaginable, Edited by William J. Burling
The description of the text says "Along with aspects of sociology and ecology in the Mars trilogy and other topics, these essays examine Robinson’s use of alternate history and politics, both in his many novels and in his short stories. While Robinson has long been a subject of literary criticism, this collection, which includes five new essays and is drawn from writers on four continents, broadens the interpretive debate surrounding Robinson’s science fiction and argues for consideration of the author as an intellectual figure of the first rank"
You can find out more about it and get yourself a copy if you want here.
The description of the text says "Along with aspects of sociology and ecology in the Mars trilogy and other topics, these essays examine Robinson’s use of alternate history and politics, both in his many novels and in his short stories. While Robinson has long been a subject of literary criticism, this collection, which includes five new essays and is drawn from writers on four continents, broadens the interpretive debate surrounding Robinson’s science fiction and argues for consideration of the author as an intellectual figure of the first rank"
You can find out more about it and get yourself a copy if you want here.
24 March 2009 @ 01:14 pm
Yet again, we offer a hearty well done to our Artist Guest of Honour Shaun Tan. This time, Shaun has been nominated for a Hugo Award. If you've not seen any of Shaun's work, then you can trip over to his website. Once you've looked there, I defy you not to go out and try to get hold of some of his stuff. I bought The Arrival last week, and keep looking at it and sighing. Such a beautiful, beautiful book.
Well done, Shaun.
Well done, Shaun.
23 March 2009 @ 04:25 pm
Started looking at my travel book for ideas today, and ran into a listing for Grampians National Park. It seems a bit of a distance from Melbourne, but are there any easy ways of getting to the national park?
Would any locals suggest a visit there?
Thanks.
Would any locals suggest a visit there?
Thanks.
Current Mood: 
curious
curious15 March 2009 @ 07:21 pm
Aussiecon 4 announces a change to the child rates for Aussiecon 4. The child rate currently AU$50 is being extended for children up to 16 years. This means that more young adults can enjoy the program without placing a heavy financial burden of their families. Aussiecon 4 is hoping to have a dedicated young adult stream as well as crèche facilities.
Membership for birth to up to five years as at 2 September 2010 is free and membership for 5‑16 year olds as at 2 September 2010, accompanied by a parent, is currently AU$50.
Get your memberships here.
Membership for birth to up to five years as at 2 September 2010 is free and membership for 5‑16 year olds as at 2 September 2010, accompanied by a parent, is currently AU$50.
Get your memberships here.