The Aurealis Awards<\/a> are a judged award, with a lot of dedicated SF fans and writers volunteering a lot of time to review, shortlist and ultimately pick a winner. The 2015 finalists\u00a0were announced recently<\/a>, and I blush to admit that I haven’t read\u00a0many of the works listed. I am impressed by the wide range of authors and creators listed – I haven’t heard of many of them, which speaks volume for the health of the Australian scene at the moment. I can see I’m going to have to do a lot more reading to keep in touch with what’s going on in the field.<\/p>\n The awards will be held at the Australian national convention<\/a>, being held this year in Brisbane on Friday 25th March (i.e. the Easter long weekend). It’s great to see the awards being presented at different venues around the country over the last few years – it gives more people a chance to attend and celebrate. Sadly I won’t be able to make it up to Brisbane myself – I’ve attended a few Aurealis Award ceremonies and they are always fun events. If you’re going to be in Brisbane over Easter, I’d highly recommend attending.<\/p>\n The introduction of the novella categories<\/a> for science fiction, fantasy and horror says interesting things about the state of the field. Clearly, the award process must be attracting enough short fiction to make dividing the category into two parts viable. I wonder if it is also another indicator of the rise of the novella. I’ve heard it said that novellas are gaining a new momentum in the world of the eBook – clearly there are enough publishing opportunities for authors to justify a whole set of categories.<\/p>\n The Sara Douglas award<\/a> is another interesting addition, trying to recognise whole series of works rather than individual books. I note that the award won’t necessarily be given out every year, which makes sense. The series that made the short list have all received a fair amount of critical acclaim, so I couldn’t possibly guess who might win it. But the creation of the award does show an ongoing trend towards recognising how people engage with novels in the 21st century, especially when looked at in light of the introduction of the novella categories mentioned above.<\/p>\n It seems that the Aurealis Awards are engaging in a certain amount of renewal and regeneration.\u00a0I, for one, welcome our new award giving overlords.<\/p>\n BEST CHILDREN\u2019S FICTION<\/b><\/p>\n A Week Without Tuesday<\/i>, Angelica Banks (Allen & Unwin)<\/p>\n The Cut-Out<\/i>, Jack Heath (Allen & Unwin)<\/p>\n A Single Stone<\/i>, Meg McKinlay (Walker Books Australia)<\/p>\n Bella and the Wandering House<\/i>, Meg McKinlay (Fremantle Press)<\/p>\n The Mapmaker Chronicles: Prisoner of the Black Hawk<\/i>, A.L. Tait (Hachette Australia)<\/p>\n BEST GRAPHIC NOVEL \/ ILLUSTRATED WORK<\/b><\/p>\n The Undertaker Morton Stone Vol.1<\/i>, Gary Chaloner, Ben Templesmith, and Ashley Wood (Gestalt)<\/p>\n The Diemenois<\/i>, Jamie Clennett (Hunter Publishers)<\/p>\n Unmasked Vol.1: Going Straight is No Way to Die<\/i>, Christian Read (Gestalt)<\/p>\n The Singing Bones<\/i>, Shaun Tan (Allen & Unwin)<\/p>\n Fly the Colour Fantastica<\/i>, various authors (Veriko Operative)<\/p>\n BEST YOUNG ADULT SHORT STORY<\/b><\/p>\n \u201cIn Sheep\u2019s Clothing\u201d, Kimberly Gaal\u00a0(Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine<\/i>\u00a0#61<\/i>)<\/p>\n \u201cThe Nexus Tree\u201d, Kimberly Gaal (The Never Never Land<\/i>, CSFG)<\/p>\n \u201cThe Miseducation of Mara Lys\u201d, Deborah Kalin (Cherry Crow Children<\/i>, Twelfth Planet Press)<\/p>\n \u201cThe Heart of the Labyrinth\u201d, DK Mok (In Memory: A Tribute to Sir Terry Pratchett,<\/i>\u00a0Sorin Suciu)<\/p>\n \u201cBlueblood\u201d, Faith Mudge (Hear Me Roar<\/i>, Ticonderoga Publications)<\/p>\n Welcome to Orphancorp<\/i>, Marlee Jane Ward (Seizure)<\/p>\n BEST HORROR SHORT STORY<\/b><\/p>\n \u201cBullets\u201d, Joanne Anderton (In Sunshine Bright and Darkness Deep<\/i>, AHWA)<\/p>\n \u201cConsorting with Filth\u201d, Lisa L Hannett (Blurring the Line<\/i>, Cohesion Press)<\/p>\n \u201cHeirloom Pieces\u201d, Lisa L Hannett (Apex Magazine<\/i>, Apex Publications)<\/p>\n \u201cThe Briskwater Mare\u201d, Deborah Kalin (Cherry Crow Children<\/i>, Twelfth Planet Press)<\/p>\n \u201cBreaking Windows\u201d, Tracie McBride (Aurealis #84<\/i>)<\/p>\n \u201cSelf, Contained\u201d, Kirstyn McDermott (The Dark<\/i>, TDM Press)<\/p>\n BEST HORROR NOVELLA<\/b><\/p>\n \u201cNight Shift\u201d, Dirk Flinthart (Striking Fire<\/i>, FableCroft Publishing)<\/p>\n \u201cThe Cherry Crow Children of Haverny Wood\u201d, Deborah Kalin (Cherry Crow Children<\/i>, Twelfth Planet Press)<\/p>\n \u201cThe Miseducation of Mara Lys\u201d, Deborah Kalin (Cherry Crow Children<\/i>, Twelfth Planet Press)<\/p>\n \u201cWages of Honey\u201d, Deborah Kalin (Cherry Crow Children<\/i>, Twelfth Planet Press)<\/p>\n \u201cSleepless\u201d, Jay Kristoff (Slasher Girls and Monster Boys<\/i>, Penguin)<\/p>\n \u201cRipper\u201d, Angela Slatter (Horrorology<\/i>,<\/i>\u00a0Jo Fletcher Books)<\/p>\n BEST FANTASY SHORT STORY<\/b><\/p>\n \u201cThe Giant\u2019s Lady\u201d, Rowena Cory Daniells (Legends 2<\/i>, Newcon Press)<\/p>\n \u201cThe Jellyfish Collector\u201d, Michelle Goldsmith (Review of Australian Fiction\u00a0<\/i>Vol. 13 Issue 6)<\/p>\n \u201cA Shot of Salt Water\u201d, Lisa L Hannett (The Dark<\/i>, TDM Press)<\/p>\n \u201cAlmost Days\u201d, DK Mok (Insert Title Here<\/i>, FableCroft Publishing)<\/p>\n \u201cBlueblood\u201d, Faith Mudge (Hear Me Roar<\/i>, Ticonderoga Publications)<\/p>\n \u201cHusk and Sheaf\u201d, Suzanne Willis (SQ Mag 22<\/i>, IFWG Publishing Australia)<\/p>\n <\/b>BEST FANTASY NOVELLA<\/b><\/p>\n \u201cLodloc and The Bear\u201d, Steve Cameron (Dimension6, coeur de lion)<\/p>\n \u201cDefy the Grey Kings\u201d, Jason Fischer (Beneath Ceaseless Skies<\/i>, Firkin Press)<\/p>\n \u201cBroken Glass\u201d, Stephanie Gunn (Hear Me Roar<\/i>, Ticonderoga Publications)<\/p>\n \u201cThe Flowers that Bloom Where Blood Touches the Earth\u201d, Stephanie Gunn (Bloodlines<\/i>, Ticonderoga Publications)<\/p>\n \u201cHaunting Matilda\u201d, Dmetri Kakmi (Cthulhu: Deep Down Under<\/i>, Horror Australis)<\/p>\n \u201cOf Sorrow and Such\u201d, Angela Slatter (Tor.com)<\/p>\n BEST SCIENCE FICTION SHORT STORY<\/b><\/p>\n \u201c2B\u201d, Joanne Anderton (Insert Title Here<\/i>, Fablecroft)<\/p>\n \u201cThe Marriage of the Corn King\u201d, Claire McKenna (Cosmos<\/i>)<\/p>\n \u201cAlchemy and Ice\u201d, Charlotte Nash (Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine<\/i>\u00a0#61<\/i>)<\/p>\n \u201cWitnessing\u201d, Kaaron Warren (The Canary Press Story Magazine #6<\/i>)<\/p>\n \u201cAll the Wrong Places\u201d, Sean Williams (Meeting Infinit<\/i>y, Solaris)<\/p>\n BEST SCIENCE FICTION NOVELLA<\/b><\/p>\n \u201cBlood and Ink\u201d, Jack Bridges, Prizm Books<\/p>\n \u201cThe Molenstraat Music Festival\u201d, Sean Monaghan (Asimov\u2019s Science Fiction<\/i>)<\/p>\n \u201cBy Frogsled and Lizardback to Outcast Venusian Lepers\u201d, Garth Nix (Old Venus<\/i>, Random House)<\/p>\n BEST COLLECTION<\/b><\/p>\n The Abandonment of Grace and Everything After<\/i>, Shane Jiraiya Cummings (Brimstone Press)<\/p>\n Striking Fire<\/i>, Dirk Flinthart (FableCroft Publishing)<\/p>\n Cherry Crow Children<\/i>, Deborah Kalin (Twelfth Planet Press)<\/p>\n To Hold the Bridge<\/i>, Garth Nix (Allen & Unwin)<\/p>\n The Fading<\/i>, Carole Nomarhas (self-published)<\/p>\n The Finest Ass in the Universe<\/i>, Anna Tambour (Ticonderoga Publications)<\/p>\n BEST ANTHOLOGY<\/b><\/p>\n Hear Me Roar<\/i>, Liz Grzyb (ed.) (Ticonderoga Publications)<\/p>\n The Year\u2019s Best Australian Fantasy and Horror 2014<\/i>, Liz Grzyb and Talie Helene (eds.) (Ticonderoga Publications)<\/p>\n Bloodlines<\/i>, Amanda Pillar (ed.) (Ticonderoga Publications)<\/p>\n Meeting Infinity<\/i>, Jonathan Strahan (ed.), (Solaris)<\/p>\n The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year: Volume 9<\/em>, Jonathan Strahan (ed.) (Solaris)<\/p>\n Focus 2014: highlights of Australian short fiction<\/i>, Tehani Wessely (ed.) (FableCroft Publishing)<\/p>\n BEST YOUNG ADULT NOVEL<\/b><\/p>\n In The Skin of a Monster<\/i>, Kathryn Barker (Allen & Unwin)<\/p>\n Lady Helen and the Dark Days Club<\/i>, Alison Goodman (HarperCollins)<\/p>\n The Fire Sermon<\/i>, Francesca Haig (HarperVoyager)<\/p>\n Day Boy<\/i>,Trent Jamieson (Text Publishing)<\/p>\n Illuminae<\/i>, Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (Allen & Unwin)<\/p>\n The Hush<\/i>, Skye Melki-Wagner (Penguin Random House Australia)<\/p>\n BEST HORROR NOVEL<\/b><\/p>\n No Shortlist Released<\/i><\/p>\n <\/b>BEST FANTASY NOVEL<\/b><\/p>\n In The Skin of a Monster<\/i>, Kathryn Barker (Allen & Unwin)<\/p>\n Lady Helen and the Dark Days Club<\/i>, Alison Goodman (HarperCollins)<\/p>\n Day Boy<\/i>,Trent Jamieson (Text Publishing)<\/p>\n The Dagger\u2019s Path<\/i>, Glenda Larke (Hachette Australia)<\/p>\n Tower Of Thorns<\/i>, Juliet Marillier (Pan Macmillan Australia)<\/p>\n Skin<\/i>, Ilka Tampke (Text Publishing)<\/p>\n BEST SCIENCE FICTION NOVEL<\/b><\/p>\n Crossed<\/i>, Evelyn Blackwell (self-published)<\/p>\n Clade<\/i>, James Bradley (Penguin)<\/p>\n Illuminae<\/i>, Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (Allen & Unwin)<\/p>\n Their Fractured Light<\/i>, Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner (Allen & Unwin)<\/p>\n Renegade<\/i>, Joel Shepherd (Kindle Direct)<\/p>\n Twinmaker: Fall<\/i>, Sean Williams (Allen & Unwin)<\/p>\n SARA DOUGLASS BOOK SERIES AWARD<\/b><\/p>\n The Chronicles of King Rolen\u2019s Kin\u00a0<\/b>[The King\u2019s Bastard<\/i>\u00a0(2010),\u00a0The Uncrowned King<\/i>\u00a0(2010),\u00a0The Usurper<\/i>\u00a0(2010),\u00a0The King\u2019s Man<\/i>\u00a0(2012),\u00a0King Breaker<\/i>\u00a0(2013)], Rowena Cory Daniells (Solaris Press)<\/p>\n The Watergivers\u00a0<\/b>[The Last Stormlord<\/i>\u00a0(2009),\u00a0Stormlord Rising<\/i>\u00a0(2010),\u00a0Stormlord\u2019s Exile<\/i>(2011)], Glenda Larke (HarperVoyager)<\/p>\n The Lumatere Chronicles<\/b>\u00a0[Finnikin of the Rock<\/i>\u00a0(2008),\u00a0Froi of the Exiles\u00a0<\/i>(2011),\u00a0Quintana of Charyn<\/i>\u00a0(2012)], Melina Marchetta (Penguin Random House)<\/p>\n Sevenwaters<\/b>\u00a0[Daughter of the Forest<\/i>\u00a0(2000),\u00a0Son of the Shadows<\/i>\u00a0(2001),\u00a0Child of the Prophecy\u00a0<\/i>(2002),\u00a0Heir to Sevenwaters<\/i>\u00a0(2009),\u00a0Seer of Sevenwaters\u00a0<\/i>(2011),\u00a0Flame of Sevenwaters\u00a0<\/i>(2013)], Juliet Marillier (Pan Macmillan Australia)<\/p>\n The Laws of Magic\u00a0<\/b>[Blaze Of Glory<\/i>\u00a0(2007),\u00a0Heart Of Gold<\/i>\u00a0(2007),\u00a0Word Of Honour<\/i>\u00a0(2008), \u00a0Time Of Trial\u00a0<\/i>(2009),\u00a0Moment Of Truth\u00a0<\/i>(2010),\u00a0Hour Of Need<\/i>\u00a0(2011)], Michael Pryor (Random House Australia)<\/p>\n Creature Court\u00a0<\/b>[Power and Majesty<\/i>\u00a0(2010),\u00a0Shattered City<\/i>\u00a0(2011),\u00a0Reign of Beasts<\/i>\u00a0(2012)], Tansy Rayner Roberts (HarperVoyager)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" <\/p>\n <\/p>Hi,\n Welcome to Mark Webb’s author website. At this point the site is rather sparse – I’ve only recently started writing and there isn’t a lot to show for it right now. You can check out\u00a0my biography<\/a>, see …<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[21,15],"class_list":["post-2849","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","tag-news-2","tag-specfic"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.markwebb.name\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2849","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.markwebb.name\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.markwebb.name\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.markwebb.name\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.markwebb.name\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2849"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.markwebb.name\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2849\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2850,"href":"https:\/\/www.markwebb.name\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2849\/revisions\/2850"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.markwebb.name\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2849"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.markwebb.name\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2849"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.markwebb.name\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2849"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}2015 Aurealis Awards \u2013 Finalists<\/b><\/h1>\n