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Month: March 2011

Tides of Hope

Tides of Hope

Doesn’t the cover look pretty?
Supanova just announced further details of their Queensland Flood Appeal anthology “Tides of Hope.” On sale for $10 at Melbourne and Brisbane Supanova.

It’s always great to have a story in the anthology that looks gorgeous (and I’m extra pleased to have worked with Chew Chan, who was one of the first friendly faces I met in comics and we haven’t had a chance to hang out since)

More info on the Supanova website.

Rachel Funari – in Memoriam

Rachel Funari – in Memoriam

Rachel, April 2009. Photo by Michelle Lovi

Rachel Funari went missing while backpacking in Tasmania and was last seen on March 3 2011. Given the rugged wilderness area she was in and the searches conducted she is, in all likelihood, dead. More information here. Most recent police update. But she is more than one event, stuff Rachel did.

I first met Rachel at the Banana (Canberra, Australia). The Banana was at S&E’s place and was a large, yellow corner couch that could envelop a dozen people with ease. The Banana was an institution, after a pleasant night out with friends someone would say “Banana?” to which the reply was invariably Banana. Towards the end of my degree the Banana was often where I would be, for tea, coffee, comics and politics. E introduced me to great indy comics like Dykes to Watch Out For, Joe Sacco’s Palestine and what felt like half the back catalogue of Fantagraphics.

And it was on the Banana that I met Rachel Funari. She had a prophet-like glow to her eyes and E was so excited to finally introduce us. Rachel had the insane passion to start a magazine. I was bowled over by Rachel’s determination, passion and how she was going to make it happen come hell or high water. Her own lip magazine.

Read More Read More

Campbell Awards

Campbell Awards

Hugo Award nominations and Campbell Award nominations are due at the end of the week. I haven’t done much spruiking in this regard, other than keeping my writertopia bio page up to date.

But Mary Robinette Kowal wrote about me here, amongst other worthy candidates.

And the Ferret (also eligible for the Campbell) wrote this lovely stuff here.

Thank you both. I am happy to be in such excellent company.

Edit:

And Emily Jiang wrote Haiku for the Campbell nominees she knows, including one about me.

Norwescon Panels – craft, feminism, the urban fantastic & Patricia McKillip

Norwescon Panels – craft, feminism, the urban fantastic & Patricia McKillip

I’ll be on a range of panels at Norwescon. This will be my first time on the other side of the table since coming to America! If you have any questions for Patricia McKillip or stuff you would love to see covered/mentioned in the other panels please let me know. My brain is hungrily exploring what would be the most interesting questions & discussions for panelists and audiences.

My Norwescon Schedule

Thursday 9pm Cascade 8 Fantastic Fantasy Females

Is fantasy the new vanguard of feminist politics? Fantasy authors discuss the role of gender issues in their work.
Jean Johnson, Liz Argall, Kim Ritchie, J A Pitts, Julie McGalliard

Friday 9am Cascade 5&6 Can’t -Put-it-Down Pacing
What distinguishes the book you can’t put down from an interesting character story or a stylistic triumph? How do they do that?

Mike Shepherd Moscoe, Liz Argall, G. David Nordley

Friday 1pm Evergreen 1&2 The Fiction of Patricia K. McKillip
Patricia McKillip is approaching the fortieth anniversary of her first novel, and she just keeps getting better. Often cited as one of the best living writers of fantasy, her work is complex, lyrical, and enchanting. We’ll discuss Pat’s legacy (well over 30 books and counting) and take this opportunity to ask her questions about her work. Pat’s awards include the Mythopoeic Award in 1995, the World Fantasy Award in 1975 and 2003, and the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement in 2008.

Patricia K. McKillip, Leslie Howle, Kris Millering, Liz Argall

Saturday 2pm Evergreen 3&4 Writers Workshops from Local to national
Writers who have participated in both local and national workshops like Clarion West, Writers of the Future, Fantastic Fiction, and more will share their experience and answer your questions.

Eileen Gunn, K.C. Ball, Liz Argall, Keffy R. M. Kehrli, Patrick Swenson, Leslie Howle

Sunday 3pm Cascade 10 The Psychology of Urban Fantasy
If Dracula and Frankenstein were commentaries on the fears and desires of the time when they were written, how does Urban Fantasy reflect the modern world? Is Urban Fantasy a worldview that frightens us or is it one that we wish were
true? Should you write your story with this in mind?

Mark Teppo, Kat Richardson, Kurt Cagle, Liz Argall

Tides of Hope – Queensland Floods fundraising anthology

Tides of Hope – Queensland Floods fundraising anthology

The comic anthology will be available at Supanova Pop Culture Expo Brisbane & Melbourne this coming April for $10. 100% of the proceeds raised will be donated.

It was an honour to be asked to contribute a 1 page script to the “Tides of Hope” anthology and a challenge to write something within those narrow confines. I did a bunch of my growing up in the bush in flood and fire country and the theme touches on stuff ingrained into my psyche – from endless water to the wonderful and somewhat dangerous playground that is a creek latticed by hundreds of stacked up fallen trees. I haven’t seen the art for my story yet but I found one of the gorgeous pages that will be in it.