sean the bookonaut

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While I was offline… and OMG look at all the Conflux book launches!

  • Sean the Bookonaut has been blogging up a storm. Viz, an examination of Grimdark — a category of genre coding I hadn’t even heard of.
  • Angela Slatter is having a book, Narrow Daylight, published by my digital publisher Xoum — yay for being stablemates (and stable mates, though are we, as individuals, stable? argh!)
  • Lisa L Hannett has had a new essay published at This Is Horror, calling for a consideration of less used/abused things that go bump in the night, which in turn leads to an essay from James Bradley about the ever-evolving vampire metaphor.
  • Random House is taken to task for onerous conditions in its digital imprint Hydra, and makes amends, as reported by Locus.
  • A Brissie launch on April 9 for Charlotte Nash’s debut novel Ryders Ridge.
  • Dymocks ends its publishing effort, D Publishing, perhaps on the nose from the get-go due to a roundly criticised contract base.
  • Margo Lanagan makes the long list of the Stella Prize with Sea Hearts.
  • And I’ve sifted the program for Conflux next month to find the book launches — hold onto your hats!

    I’m not sure if it counts as a launch, but Angry Robot (whose supremo Marc Gascoigne is a guest of honour at the con) is having ‘an hour’ from 1.30pm on the Sunday. Angry Robot is chockers with Aussie writers (Kaaron Warren, Jo Anderton, Trent Jamieson, Lee Battersby …) so it’ll be bookish, whatever it is.

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    A Salvage interview, reviews, and a copy up for grabs

    Salvage by Jason NahrungSome Salvage washing up on the interwebs:

  • Sean the Bookonaut has reviewed Salvage, most kindly, and it’s so pleasing to see reviewers respond to the relationship drama of the story and treat the narrative with such sensitivity, for it is a slow-build, this one, and it is anchored in matters of the heart. And of course, it’s very pleasing indeed to see reviewers enjoying it!
  • The Galactic Suburbia podcast has also mentioned Salvage, again kindly, in the reading lists of both Tansy and Alex, and again focusing on the relationship of the heroine with her husband and the woman who gives her pause for thought. Favourite quote courtesy of Alex: ‘compassionate and cold-blooded’. You probably need to hear it in context, but it made my ears warm with satisfaction.
  • Rowena Cory Daniells has been running an informative series of blog interviews with women fantasy writers — Australia is privileged and perhaps, the suggestion is, unusually blessed, with a high ratio of talented ones. But now she’s branching out, kindly inviting me in with some thoughtful queries about writing and publishing. She’s also giving away a copy of Salvage, so let’s read who you’re favourite vampires are: my money’s on Bram Stoker’s version of Dracula, simply because he blew my 16-year-old mind. I’ve listed 15 of the best movie vampires here, in case you need some inspiration, and top 5 vampire and werewolf movies to chew over.
  • Which is as good a time as any to mention again the forthcoming launch in Brisbane, on August 10 at Avid Reader, and the Twelfth Planet Press Showcase at Melbourne Writers Festival on August 26, at the Yarra Building.
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    Writerly news

    Catching up after time away and largely off-line at Adelaide Writers Week, and there’s good news:

    when we have wings by claire corbettBarbara Jefferis Award shortlist: Claire Corbett’s SF novel When We Have Wings (which I am STILL to read, damnit) is on the shortlist of the Barbara Jefferis Award. Sean the Bookonaut, who I met for the first time in Adelaide, recently interviewed Claire: listen here.

    Mythic Resonance: editor Stephen Thompson — how long has it been since he compiled the Vision writers group’s Glimpses anthology? — has a new anthology, Mythic Resonance, which, as the name suggests, riffs off myths. Excerpts are available at the Specusphere.

    Thirteen O’Clock: a new aggregator of dark fiction news has hit the interwebs. The blog also posted an excellent piece on the difference between horror and dark fantasy recently.

    Narrelle Harris reveals Showtime: The Melbourne author of The Opposite of Life is the latest in Twelfth Planet Press’s Twelve Planets series, offering ghosts, vampires and zombies in a four-story collection that includes an appearance of some old friends.

    Aurealis #48 in the ether: Aurealis #48, with stories by Rick Kennett and Greg Mellor, is available from Smashwords.

    Ticonderoga living large in 2013: the WA press already has an exciting schedule for 2013, including several collections by both veteran and tyro writers and the continuing Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror.

    And Chris Meade on Queensland’s writing future: the if:book pioneer reflects on his experience in Queensland and considers how my home state might leverage itself in the global literary landscape with ‘big sky writing‘. It’s also worth checking out if:book Australia’s 24 Hour Book Project for a hands-on view of how technology is changing the publishing industry.

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    Dymocks still fumbling the D Publishing ball, and other writerly news

    It has been a case of third time unlucky for Dymocks, which has presented three versions of its author contract for those wanting to publishing under its imprint — and been criticised each time for imposing unpalatable terms on the author. Crikey’s Lit-icism blog provides a nice overview of the continuing reservations about the service. Perhaps check for version four and, as with any contract, check the fine print, decide if the service is worth the price, be aware of what it might mean down the track…

    Also on the nose, but in a rather more fetching manner, is Kim Wilkins, polishing off another manuscript in her ‘fetid nightie‘.

    And now for the fresh air:

    Last week, I had the pleasure — I guess that should be the joy, really — of umming and ahing my way through a wonderful episode of Scifi and Squeam with Joy94.9 host Sonja and fellow guest Rob Radcliffe. We gushed over Gothic movies and paid special mention to the late Ken Russsell, in particular his Gothic and Lair of the White Worm.

    Also: Jay Kristoff reports there was a kerfuffle over at Goodreads, once again delivering the message about being ever so careful when replying to or commenting on unfavourable reviews; Louise Cusack shares the sharp covers of the new e-versions of her fantasy trilogy; and Sean the Bookonaut speaks up for the Stellas in an argument I’m still catching up with…