Introduction:
This is the Chronicle's first birthday, as well as being the third anniversary of my starting to build this site. All I can say is it's been a fun time, I never realised what we were starting.
We have had contact with so many wonderful people - artists, authors, editors, publishers and fans. I would just like to thanks everyone who's been in touch for making this such fun to do. And to apologise to anyone who I've forgotten to do something for, I have a memory like a Swiss cheese - I try to write down all the things I need to do but I guess some get missed. If I have missed doing something, send me an email, give me a gentle nudge and I'll get on it.
methos@eternalnight.co.uk
I went along last night to a meeting of the Birmingham Science Fiction Group (http://www.bsfg.freeservers.com/). This group of people all based around my home town includes newly re-opened (see below for details) Andromeda Bookshop manager Rog Peyton and SF artist David A. Hardy. Before last night I think that I had only known about three or four sf fans personally (I have been in contact with many via the internet).
Meeting once a month in the centre of Birmingham and usually with a guest speaker (author/artist etc) although last night's guest had accidentally double booked himself and was unable to attend - it is a group I now plan to attend as regularly as my work schedule will allow.
This is also my first real taste of fandom. We have been reading sf for over twenty years, but mainly in isolation. To encounter a group was a novel experience. This is certaily not the only regional sf group out there on the planet (I know of one in Leicester UK for instance) but there are probably many people in a similar position to myself.
So one thing I think might be to gather a listing of these societies - and I think I might be volunteering. If anyone knows any groups out there let me know and I'll list them on the site.
Anyone onto the Chronicle itself, I hope you enjoy what you find. Oh, and the giveaway competition's back.
Site News:
We've won an award. The Eternal Night has won the Preditors and Editors Truly Useful Site Award for April 2002. I promise I won't let it go to our heads though. If you click on the image above you can see the full list of all winners as well as the whole of the Preditors and Editors site - it's worth a look.
Author/Book News:
Kim Newman's yet to be published novel 'An English Ghost Story' looks likely to become a movie. Ministry of Fear, the new horror division of Little Bird Films will be turning this novel into a film, with Mr. Newman involved in the writing of the script.
Stephen Baxter will see the publication of a short story collection 'Phase Space' this August, with a new novel 'Evolution' due in November. He has recently signed a new publishing deal with Gollacz (UK) ensuring the release of three further novels and another short story collection.
UK author Stephen Laws is writing a TV pilot for Yorkshire Television. He descibes Chacronez as "my new supernatural-thriller/comedy story for television". He is due to deliver the final draft next month.
Australian fantasy author Cecelia Dart-Thornton has The Bitterbynde Map-Drawing Contest running at the moment for people to create a good, detailed map of The Known Lands of Erith from the description in the first two books in the series. Full details will be posted on her website and sent to all subscribers to her mailing list. Find her at http://www.dartthornton.com.
Paul Collins and Michael Pryor have signed a six book deal with Lothian Books Australia. The Quentaris Chronicles will be Australia's first shared world scenario. Other authors contracted to date are Lucy Sussex and Jenny Pausacker. Messrs. Collins and Pryor will be writing four of the titles. This fantasy series targets 10-13 year olds. Collins and Pryor are also negotiating a picture book to complement the series. Paul Collins also has a redesigned website which you can find at http://www.plasticine.com/pcollins.
Fantasy author James Barclay has a new website. This new site (http://www.ravengazetteer.comis a guide to his fantasy world Balaia and the mercenary team The Raven. The site is in addition to his existing main site at http://www.jamesbarclay.com/.
Peter Nicholls, one of the people behind the Encyclopedia of SF has Parkinson's disease. We wish him and his family well.
Some good news for anyone in the UK who's a fan of Nick Pollotta. His latest book 'Full Moonster' is getting a UK release from Wildside Press as are the previous volumes of his Bureau 13 series (Judgment Night & Doomsday Exam). So we should see them on the bookshelves sometime soon.
Hollywood Film Studio Radar Pictures have signed a deal with Graham Joyce to produce a script adaptation of his novel 'The Tooth Fairy'. More news can be found at http://www.grahamjoyce.net/.
Jack Dann's wife Janeen is undergoing chemotherapy in an attempt to conquer her cancer - we wish you well.
US horror author/editor/Lone Wolf Publishing Marketing Guru Judi Rohrig has a new URL for her website. You can find her at http://www.judirohrig.com/.
Kimile Aczon, author of the well received, self-published novel, 'BJ' A Supernatural Horror Story, has signed up with the influential agent, Manie Barron, of William Morris Talent and Literary Agency.
Ms. Aczon is currently working on her next supernatural novel, 'The Forthcoming.'
Kate Hill's latest book has just seen release. Entitled 'God of the Grim', it is the third in her vampire series and can be purchased at RFI West.
TV Channel, Sci-Fi are making more mini-series based on SF books. 'Children of Dune' is based on books 2 & 3 of Frank Herbert's Dune series ('Dune Messiah' & 'Children of Dune'). Roger Zelazny's 'The Chronicles of Amber' and Joe Haldeman's 'The Forever War' are also in production as mini-series.
Artists/Art News:
Paper Tiger have announced Dragonhenge, a new Book from Bob Eggleton (art) and John Grant (text)...More.
SF/Astro Artist David A. Hardy has a newly revamped website now online. To visit it, find out more about him and view some of his work, it can be found at http://www.astroart.org/.
Competition:
Two books from Kim Stanley Robinson are available to the winner of the May competition...More
Market News:
October 2002 sees the launch of a new print SF magazine in the UK from publisher Big Engine. Entitled 3SF, it will run as a bi-monthly and will be edited by Liz Holliday. For more details click on the logo.
Double Dragon eBooks is actively seeking submissions for their Summer lineup in the SF, fantasy, suspense/thriller, horror and supernatural genres. For further information click on the logo above to visit their website.
Publisher News:
Lone Wolf Publication have just announced the release of their first CD Audiobook. The debut title in this new range will be Mort Castle's 'Buckeye Jim in Egypt'. They are currently offering a 25% discount on pre-orders, full details on their website - click the logo above.
Twilight Times have signed a contract with Editura Eminescu (the larget Romanian Publishing House) that will see Romanian print editions (5000 paperback print runs) of four of their titles. The four in question are Ardy M. Scott's 'Prophecy: The Awakening', Bent Lorentzen's 'Dragon's Moon', Mark Misercola's 'Death to the Centurion' and Linda Suzane's 'Eyes of Truth'. Depending upon the sales these could be the first of many. Good luck!
Peter McNamara, publisher of Aphelion Books, has been diagnosed with Terminal Brain Cancer, and has been given less than a year to live. Our sympathies with him, his family and friends.
Ardy M. Scott been promoted from Publishing Manager to Co-Publisher of Futures Magazine along with holding down the Art Director position. She is also the author of 'Prophecy: The Awakening', a multimedia digital novel available on CD-ROM with a New Age soundtrack by Jim Farris.
eBook News:
Samsung are bringing out a new paperback sized eBook reader. Measuring 6.7" x 5" and folding along a central hinge, this device is expected to begin production late in 2002.
Award News:
The Writer's 2002 Writer Awards are currently accepting nominations. "Nominees should be writers who... have helped their peers, brought about changes that benefit their vocation, increased awareness of issues important to writers, influenced other writers through their teaching or writing, or helped create space for new voices." Nominations and a brief explanation can be sent to The Writer, P.O. Box 1612, Waukesha, WI, 53187-1612, U.S.A. or by email to nomination@writermag.com. Include your name, postal address, and email address with nominations. Deadline is 15 July 2002.
2001 Nebula Awards Winners Announced...More.
2001 Hugo Awards Nominees Announced...More.
2001 Prism Awards Nominees Announced...More.
2002 Ditmar (Australia) Awards Nominees Announced...More.
2001 Asimov's Readers Awards Winners Announced...More.
2001 Analog AnLab Awards Winners Announced...More.
2002 International Horror Guild Awards Winners Announced...More.
Hiromi Goto won this year's James Tiptree Jr. for the novel 'The Kappa Child'. Also on the shortlist were Sheri S. Tepper ('The Fresco'), Hugh Niseenson ('The Song of the Earth'), Joan Givner ('Half Known Lives') and Ken MacLeod ('Dark Light').
The 14th Annual Lambda Awards were announced on May 2 2002. These awards honour the best gay and lesbian fiction. The SF/F category was won by Lisa A. Barnett & Melissa Scott with their novel 'Point of Dreams'. Full details at the Lambda Literary Society Website at http://www.lambdalit.org/.
Net News:
The Alien Online has posted new interviews with authors Jacqueline Carey (Kushiel's Dart) and Richard Morgan (Altered Carbon). You'll also find genre news, reviews and many great articles. Go and enjoy!
Bookseller News:
Andromeda Books in Birmingham has been rescued. An announcement was made that they had been rescued and that the doors have re-opened for business. Details of their rescuers are sketchy, however a company known as Boomclear Ltd is now the parent company. Visit their website by clicking the logo above.
Societies News:
The results of the SFWA elections were announced April 27, 2002. Sharon Lee takes over from Norman Spinrad as President, with Catherine Asaro becoming Vice-President. Chuck Rothman became Treasurer, Elizabeth Gilligan secretary - both unopposed.
David Truesdale, the Editor of Tangent, the SFWA Bulletin has resigned from the position. He served as editor from 1999-2002 and oversaw sixteen issues. As yet no successor has been named.
Obituary News:
UK author Richard Cowper (real name John Middleton Murry Jr) died April 29, 2002 from a massive stroke less than a month after the death of his wife. He wrote SF novels from the mid 1960's until he retired from writing in the mid 1980's and was a multiple nominee for Hugo/Nebula/British Fantasy and many other awards. His best known works inlcude 'The Twilight of Briareus' and 'A Dream of Kinship'.
George Alec Effinger died in New Orleans. Born 1947, the author of the multi-award winning novellette 'Schrödinger's Kitten' and a noted Cyberpunk series beginning in 1987 with 'When Gravity Fails' he had been ill for some time.
Joan Harrison, wife of SF great Harry Harrison died on April 21, 2002. They were married for 48 years. Our sympathies are with him and their family and friends.
SFWA Grand Master of SF, Damon Knight died April 15, 2002 in Eugene Oregon. He was 79. A prolific short story writer form the 1950's onward, and a writer of many fine novels, although he is best remembered as the editor of the Orbit series of original anthologies. Starting in 1966 and running for 21 volumes (the last in 1980) he published early stories by many great authors including Kate Wilhelm, R.A. Lafferty, Gene Wolfe and Gardner Dozois.
Henry Slesar died April 2, 2002 from complications arising from minor surgery. Born in 1927 and an active SF author for over fifty years, his last tale being 'The Dinner Party' published in F&SF, January 2001.
SF Art historian and author Jon Gustafson died April 13, 2002. He had been hospitalised since January following a stroke resulting from diabetes.
Author Interviews:
Eric S. Brown (h)
E.L. Noel (sf)
Megan Powell (f)
Jaye Roycraft (h)
This Month's Short Fiction:
Paul Collins & Keith Taylor - The Lady and the Demon
J.F. Gonzalez - Going Home (Horror)
Paul Kane's The Séance (Horror)
W.B. Vogel - So Long (Horror)
This Month's Sample Chapters:
Nick Pollotta - Full Moonster (sf)
Megan Powell - Vocation (f)
Jessica Rydill - Children of the Shaman (f)
Author Resource:
Authors and Experts is a commercial promotional site maintaining a searchable database of authors, experts and guest speakers categorised by topic. To be listed on the site does cost money but the site does allow searches to be made without having to be a member. The site seems in its early days but I did find listings for some people on the site. Might be worth a look but I haven't had confirmation of its success at promoting people.
Writing-World.Com. A World of Writing Tips... For Writers Around the World.
New Reviews Added:
Isaac Asimov - The Caves of Steel (sf)
Elena Dorothy Bowman - The House on the Bluff (h)
Barry Hoffman - Eyes of Prey (h)
Bent Lorentzen - Dragon's Moon (f)
Graham Masterton - The Chosen Child (h)
Christopher Priest - A Dream of Wessex (sf)
Christopher Priest - Fugue for a Darkening Island (sf)
Mike Resnick - Eros Ascending (sf)
Mike Resnick - Prophet (sf)
Jaye Roycraft - Double Image (h)
F. Paul Wilson - The Keep (h)
T.M. Wright - The School (h)
New Bibliographies Added
Jason Brannon Main Bibliography (h)
Loren W. Cooper Main Bibliography
Kenneth James Crist Main Bibliography (sf/h)
Christopher Fulbright Main Bibliography (sf/h)
Christopher Fulbright Short Story Listing (sf/h)
Robert L. Hecker Main Bibliography
Walt Hicks Main Bibliography (h)
Walt Hicks Short Story Listing (h)
Jon Hodges Editors Bibliography
Barry Hoffman Main Bibliography (h)
Horns Main Bibliography (h)
Horns Short Story Listing (h)
Damon Knight Main Bibliography (sf)
D.L. Major Main Bibliography (sf)
Paul Melniczek Main Bibliography (h)
Megan Powell Main Bibliography (f)
Jessica Rydill Main Bibliography (f)
Mario Marcel Salas Main Bibliography (h)
Deon C. Sanders Main Bibliography (h)
Tom Williams Short Story Listing
Updated Bibliographies
Stephen Baxter Main Bibliography (sf)
Paul Collins Main Bibliography (sf/f)
Christopher Priest Main Bibliography (sf)
Books Received
Charlotte Boyett-Compo - The Windweeper (RFI West)
Kenneth James Crist - Dreaming of Mirages (Fossil Publications)
Roger Garland & Linda Garland - The Book of the Unicorn (Paper Tiger)
D.L. Major - The Day of the Nefilim (Metropolis Ink)
Megan Powell - Vocation (Double Dragon eBooks)
Jaye Roycraft - Afterimage (ImaJinn Books)
Jaye Roycraft - Double Image (ImaJinn Books)
Tony Ruggiero - Mindtrap (RFI West)
Tony Ruggiero - Team of Darkness (Hard Shell Word Factory)
New Links
Patrick Constable (f author)
Ahmed A. Khan's Index of Online Fiction (sf/f/h author)
Nnedi Okorafor (sf author)