Satima's Blogspot: August 2010

Sunday, 22 August 2010

Ups instead of downs

Sunday, August 22, 2010 |

Posted by Satima Flavell

The one thing we can be sure of in life is that things will change. People come and go, workplaces alter, and the weather is a constant reminder of the basic unreliability of life. A lot of changes bring sadness, and even fortunate changes are stressful. All the same, isn't it nice when things look up a bit for a change?

I'm going through a period when positive things seem to be happening. First, there's the keen anticipation of the Worldcon - the World Science Fiction Convention - which will enliven the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from 2-6 September. I was among the first to put my money down, courtesy of a kind and generous friend, so I've been looking forward to this event for months.

There will be loads and heaps and tons of panels to attend, all featuring writers, publishers, artists, agents, editors and fans of note: names like Ellen Datlow, Cory Doctorow, Glenda Larke, Juliet Marillier, George R.R. Martin, China Mieville, Karen Miller, Charles Stross, Catherynne M. Valente, Sean Williams, and scores of others including the fabulous Guests of Honour: Kim Stanley Robinson, Shaun Tan and Robin Johnson. And I am even on a panel myself, with fellow Aussies Amanda Pillar, Crisetta McLeod and Tehani Wesley. Wow. Me. On a panel. At a Worldcon. Wow.

The problem is one of being spoilt for choice, as there are times when I shall want to attend two or three panels or events in the same time-slot. Not having mastered bi-location yet, I just won't be able to go to everything, but I'm darned well going to try!

You can find out all about "Aussiecon4" at http://www.aussiecon4.org.au/.

You will have gathered that I'm feeling pretty happy at present, and all the more so because I've had a couple of exciting things happen in the last few weeks. First, a well-known and widely respected literary agent from London opened his books to down-under writers who planned to attend Aussiecon4. I queried him by email and he was kind enough to not only look at my package, but to say a few complimentary things about my writing and to give me some very useful feedback. He even said nice things about my blog! And while he wasn't willing to represent my book "in its present form", his generous interest in my work was very encouraging.

Then, a couple of weeks later, I learnt that I'd been shortlisted for the Katharine Susannah Prichard Speculative Fiction Award. I only wound up with a commended certificate and a whole ten dollars in prize money, but to be in the top 10% of a large field in a respected competition feels like a validation of my work. My friend Carol Ryles won third prize. She's a better writer than I am, and more experienced, and having read her story, I know the competition was pretty fierce. I'd love to read the stories submitted by the first and second placegetters, Victorian writers Denis Bastion and Janeen Samuel. Fellow Egobooer Joanna Fay read the winning entry out loud, but sadly I was in South Australia so I didn't hear it.

So, in an optimistic frame of mind, I'm eagerly waiting to head off to Melbourne in ten days' time to see and maybe even meet some of the greats in my chosen genre; to catch up with old friends and meet new ones, and to put faces to the names of some of the many lovely people I've previously only "met" online. Be assured that I'll be back with a blow-by-blow commentary in a couple of weeks!

BTW, those of you who are interested in such trivia might like to check out a post I wrote for the Egoboo blog last week about the different kinds of adjectives, the proper order for them, and when to use and not to use commas while doing so. Fascinating stuff, I assure you!:-)

Labels: Aussiecon4, KSP |

2 comments

Sunday, 1 August 2010

Specusphere, August-September 2010

Sunday, August 01, 2010 |

Posted by Satima Flavell

The new Specusphere is live. Just look at the great table of contents!

Editorial

Voting, FIFA and the Moon by Stephen Thompson

Features

Do I really like speculative fiction? by Stephen Thompson
Medical Bag: Briar Rose by Brendan Carson
Fantasy genre paradigm shift by Amanda Greenslade

Writing and Publishing

Tips for the older writer by Satima Flavell
Challenges and Denizens of the Road of Trials by Stephen Turner
Patience by Anne Hamilton

Book Reviews

* Ancient Whispers by Marie-Claude Bourque, reviewed by Bobbi Sinha-Morey
* Angel’s Blood and Archangel’s Kiss by Nalini Singh, reviewed by Damien Smith
* Burning Lamp by Amanda Quick, reviewed by Bobbi Sinha-Morey
* The Crows of Bedu by Nye Joell Hardy, reviewed by Katherine Petersen
* Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris, reviewed by Felicity Dowker
* Dragon Haven by Robin Hobb reviewed by Satima Flavell
* Instructions by Neil Gaiman, reviewed by Felicity Dowker
* Legends by Jack Dann & Jonathan Strachan (eds) reviewed by Satima Flavell
* Naamah’s Kiss by Jacqueline Carey, reviewed by Satima Flavell
* New Model Army by Adam Roberts, reviewed by Ross Murray
* Shadow Bound by Erin Kellison, reviewed by Bobbi Sinha-Morey
* The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer, reviewed by Felicity Dowker
* The Song of the Silvercades and The Cry of the Marwing by KS Nikakis, reviewed by Donna Hanson
* Soulless & Changeless by Gail Carriger, reviewed by Damien Smith
* Tome of the Undergates by Sam Sykes, reviewed by Damien Smith
* White Cat by Holly Black, reviewed by Ian Banks

Game Reviews

Machinarium by Amanita Design, reviewed by Marisa Wikramanayake

Fiction

Serial 8: Toyol by Yusuf Martin

So hop over to http://www.specusphere.com/ and have yourself a nice big read!

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Ups instead of downs

Specusphere, August-September 2010

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