The Australian Science Fiction Bullsheet 55 – October 2006

The Australian Science Fiction Bullsheet 55
October 2006 
ISSN 1445-4319 (print version), ISSN 1445-4327 (online version)

GENERAL NEWS

CONVERGENCE II, the Australian Natcon to be held in Melbourne in June 
07 (q.v. conventions)
Is now also accepting paypal payments for people wanting to buy their 
memberships..Convergence also recently announced that MELINDA M 
SNODGRASS, Star Trek script writer, author of The Circuit Trilogy and 
co-author of the Wild Cards series with George R.R. Martin will also 
be a GoH at Convergence. (Reported by Rose Mitchell.) 

AD ASTRA is a new spec fic writing group that meets monthly in the SA 
Wruters Centre. Meetings concentrate on critiquing in the morning and 
business/industry related discussions in the afternoon. See 
www.adastra-au.org.. (Reported by Astrid Cooper on the visions list) 

TERRY DOWLING's new website is www.blumedvision.net/terrydowling/.
(Reported by Ted Scribner)

FRIENDS OF SCIENCE FICTION has changed venues for their monthly 
meetings. After 11 years of holding meetings at Dooley's Lidcombe 
Catholic Club, due to a sharp increase in room hire rates, they have 
decided to change their meeting venue to Bankstown Sports Club, 8 
Greenfield Pde, Bankstown (a short wallk from Bankstown railways 
station.) Meetings will be held on the 2nd Sunday of each month 
starting 8th October. Check fsf.net.au for more information.

ANDROMEDA SPACEWAYS INFLIGHT MAGAZINE will be closed to submissions 
for October due to a breakdown in the slush-o-matic. (That's him 
sobbing quietly in the corner over there : - ) - Edwina.)

TICONDEROGA ON LINE and ASiF have extended their donation drive. 
Anyone donating by Oct 15th eill get a free copy of an ebook 
featuring fiction by Simon Brown, Martin Livings, Lee Battersby, Lily 
Chrywenstrom, Shane Jiraiya Cummings & Peter McGregor, and the chance 
to win one of several prizes. See www.asif.dreamhosters/com or 
www.ticonderogaonline.org/donationdrive.htm 

THYLACON 2005 Souvenier Book has been published and is being 
distributed to all attending and supporting members of the 2005 
Natcon. If you had a Thylacon membership, but have changed address in 
the meantime, please e-mail thylacon@thylancon.com. (Reported by 
Tansy Rayner Roberts.)

HIGHLAND LITERARY AWARDS has Magic or an original Fairy Tale as the 
themes for its Childrens' Fiction award. Stories should be up to 
3,000 words. $5 entry fee (?) First prize $150. They also have a 
poetry section with a $5 entry fee per poem, or 5 poems for $20. 
Competition closes 31st Oct. Send an sase to Pat Kelsall, PO Box 1563 
Mail Centre, Ballarat, VIC, 3354 for an entry form. (Reported by 
Rowena Cory Daniells on the Visionwriters list)

FANS ON THE ROAD:

ROBIN JOHNSON took the scenic route to LAconIV travelling via 
England, France, Germany and Washington. He'd been sending us regular 
travel updates and sounds like he had a terrific time! (I can 
sympathise with worrying about excess baggage, Robin! - Edwina)

EDWINA'S HOLIDAY IN A NUTSHELL: How many times can you say "Wow!" in 
3 weeks? I got to see a bear, orca, humpback whales, sealions, sea 
otters, bald eagles, puffins, (heard wolves, didn't see them) 
glaciers, salmon and some absolutely spectacular scenery while 
cruising Alaska's Inner Passage on board MV Spirit of Endeavour - a 
small cruise ship (102 guests). For once being a whale geek paid a 
dividend! I won 2 free drinks for knowing how to tell the age of a 
whale. Thanks to Bill Hupe (and Mystique!) who met us at Ketchikan 
airport and showed us the Ketchikan sights including the local totem 
pole park. Going to Disneyland and LAconIV was travelling from one 
extreme to another, but it was also a mind boggling experience. An 
entire convention hall devoted to art show, special displays, and 
dealers room: Sitting 7 feet away from one of my favourite authors 
while he gave a reading, seeing Robert Picardo, Connie Willis, Sue 
Dawes. Bliss! Meeting my e-mail buddy after 10 years of friendship, 
and going to Disneyland: Fantastic! Thanks for doing the last 
Bullsheet for me, Ted.

SUSAN AND GRAEME BATHO have been sending almost daily accounts of 
their sight-seeing trip around Alaska with Bill Hupe. (Blue skies in 
Anchorage??? Are you sure we went to the same place? - Edwina) 

BOOKS AND PUBLICATIONS
"Outside a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside a dog it's too 
dark to read"- Groucho Marx 

TWENTY-ONE TODAY! Sean Williams 21st novel, The Devoured Earth, the 
third title in "The Stone Mage and the Sea" universe, was released in 
September.

Congratulations to SIMON HAYNES. His novel, Hal Spacejock, was in the 
top 5 of the Dymocks bestsellers list in September.

AUSTRALIAN SCIENCE FICTION BIBLIOGRAPHY is a comprehensive record of 
SF written by Australiansn printed locally or overseas, and works of 
overseas origin printed in Australia. It provides info on approx 800 
books, and over 2000 short stories in magazines, newspapers and 
anthologies from 1848-1999. 282 pgs, A4, and handcrafted binding. $50 
including postage (?) available from Graham Stone, 205/24 Victoria 
St, Burwood, NSW, 2134.

cock anthology - Adventures in Masculinity edited by Keith Stevenson 
and published by coeur de lion ISBN 0 646 46206 7, 142 pages, is 
available  for sale on-line at www.cock-anthology.com  for $17.50 
including postage. Pay via paypal.

McFARLAND & COMPANY Publishers, Box 611 Jefferson, North Carolina, 
USA www.mcfarlandpub.com is a publisher of non-fiction books that was 
keenly seeking non-fic submissions at LaconIV. A few of the titles 
from their catalogue include "I Spy: History and Episode 
Guide" . "Science Fiction Television Series", "A History and Critical 
Analysis of Blake's 7", "The Essential Joss Whedon.", and "Dinosaurs 
in Fantastic Fiction". (And you thought I was just having a relaxing 
holiday, didn't you? - Edwina.) 

ANDROMEDA SPACEWAYS INFLIGHT MAGAZINE: Issue 25 featuring fiction 
from Kevin Veale, Geoffrey Maloney, Jessica Elizabeth, Ayne Terceira, 
Thomas Canfield, Dirk Flinthart, Deby Fredricks, Greg Beatty, Sarah 
L. Edwards & Christopher Johnstone, edited by Nicole R. Murphy and 
featuring a great cover by Richard Bartrop, is now available in 
specialty stores around Australia and via 
www.andromedaspaceways.com . NB: ASIM is closed to fiction 
submissions for the whole of October as we clear our current backlog.

ANTIPODEAN SF ISSUE 100!features short stories (500 words) from 
Geoffrey Maloney, Martin Livings, Ashley Arnold, Chuck McKenzie, 
Shaun A. Saunders, Catriona Hoy, Richard Kerslake, Shane Jiraiya 
Cummings, Barbara Holten, David L. Kok, Rick Kennett, C.C. Eaton, 
Damien Conn, Chris Salisbury, Jason Batmer, Jeff Harris, Paul 
Sheringham, Rob Riel, Tim Calnan & Carl Palmer. can be viewed at 
http://www.antisf.com or http://purl.nla.gov.au/NET/antisf/ (Yay Nuke 
for scoring a century! And many Happy Returns!) 

DARK ANIMUS 9 was released in late August. Print copies have been 
sent to subscribers. Copies can be purchased on-line at 
www.darkanimus.com (reported by James R. Cain.)

RICK KENNETT's story, "Chinese Whispers" originally published in AGOG!
Fantastic Fiction, has recently been published in Weird Tales #340.

TICONDEROGA ONLINE will be accepting submissions from international 
writers from 1-31 January 07 only. Payment is Aus $49- per story. See 
http://ticonderogaonline.org/guidelines.html. The closing date for 
the Ticonderoga anthology, Workers Paradise has been extended until 
15th November.

WYR[E]D: http://www.wyredzine.com is a new online spec fiction zine 
looking for submissions and also copy editors and website helpers.

LEIGH BLACKMORE's Raven books, specialising in dark and horror 
fiction also includes Sequence comics. For a catalogue e-mail 
lvxnox@iinet.net.au. Leigh has also recently launched an e-bay store 
called Quoth Raven Books which can be viewed at 
http://www.stores.ebay.com.au/QuothRavenBooks. 

MERV BINNS perzine, Out of the Bin is available from PO Box 315, 
Carnegie, Vic, 3163. 

MUMBLINGS FROM MUNCHKINLAND 23: the only WA fanzine published in 
Fiji. (Last time I got a copy, I think the editor was publishing from 
Samoa!) A perszine from Chris Nelson, PO BOX U72, USP Laucala Campus, 
Suva, Fiji. E-mail nelson_c@usp.ac.fj Great cover art, colour 
centrefold. An interesting "now and then" article about Kiribati. I 
could sympathise with the small, hot and crowded computer lab, even 
if ours don't have tin roofs! The review of Joe Haldeman's book, 
Camouflage, with its Samoan references made me smile recalling the 
story about Haldeman's aversion to eggplant I read in an earlier 
issue of this perzine. Letters of Comment (LoCs). Why not contact 
Chris and ask him how to get a copy so you can respond with a LoC? 
It's well worth a read. (Edwina) 

STEAM ENGINE TIME: The latest issue of Bruce Gillespie's zine can be 
viewed at http://efanzines.com

FRIENDS OF LINDA COX CHAN (FOLCC) raise money to donate to Juvenile 
Diabetes Research, Australia by selling donated books etc. (Current 
tally $0) Books looking for new homes: "The Truth About Magic" by 
Dave Luckett (new and autographed by the author!), World's Apart by 
Chuck McKenzie.(Autographed by the author!) Audiobook: "Journey to 
the Centre of the Earth" by Jules Verne featuring John de Lancie and 
Leonard Nimoy, and A-Team colouring and activity books: Art cards 
autographed by Marianne Plumridge and Bob Eggleton are also for sale. 
See images of the available cards on the Bullsheet website. To buy 
items e-mail Edwina Harvey at edwinafan@yahoo.com or snail mail 
Edwina, c/- 12 Flinders St, Matraville, NSW 2036. *Make cheques 
payable to Edwina Harvey please, FOLCC is an informal entity.) You 
can also pay via direct deposit and paypal. 

HATCH, MATCH AND DISPATCH
BIRTHS:
Congratulations to KIM WILKINS and MURKO RUCKELS on the birth of 
their baby daughter, Astrid Ramona Ruckels on Tuesday 5th Sept. 
Weighing 3.7 kg (8lb 3 oz). A baby sister for Luka. (repored by the 
proud Mum on the Visions List) 

DEATHS: 
SHAYNE HALL, founding member of The Specusphere, and member of 
Visions, passed away on 16th September. (Reported by Stephen 
Thompson.) 

JIM BAEN: We reported that Jim Baen, publisher of Baen's books, had 
suffered a massive stroke at the end of June. It was only while I was 
at LAconIV that I heard he'd passed away on June 28th. I'm belatedly 
passing on this news in case anyone else hadn't heard. Edwina. 

CLUBS & MEETINGS

MELBOURNE SCIENCE FICTION CLUB, Meet most Friday nights at 74 
Melville Road, West Brunswick 3055.Membership to the MSFC is $25 
single, or $35 family p.a. For further details on the MSFC see 
www.vicnet.net.au/~msfc. Can't find details for October on their 
website yet - Edwina. 

AUSTREK, the Star Trek fan club in Victoria will be celebrating its 
30th anniversary this year and is still going strong.

SPACED OUT: a science fiction club for gays, lesbians and associated 
communities. $5 joining fee, then $20 annual membership. ($15 
concession.) to Spaced Out Inc. PO Box 363, Preston, Vic. 3072.Non-
profit SF club offering monthly meetings, "Diverse Universe" 
newsletter and "Solar Spectrum" annual anthology.

CANBERRA SCIENCE FICTION SOCIETY meets on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays 
of the month. It's a relaxed social society for the discussion of SF 
and fantasy. Membership $24 p.a. For more info write to CSFS PO Box 
47, Civic Square, ACT 2608, or e-mail canberrascifi@hotmail.com.

SFSA (South Australian Dr Who fan club) Two regular meetings each 
month. Annual membership $15. The regular club meeting is held at the 
Adelaide High School from 3pm-10pm on the 3rd Saturday of the month. 
See http://www.sfsa.org.au/ for full details or write to PO Box 3227, 
Rundle Mall, SA 5000. (Reported by Martin Dunne.) 

The Doctor Who Club of Australia (DWCA) Membership $16 within Aust. 
provides 6 issues of Data Extract, membership pack, access to the 
club's member-only internet mailing list, discount prices on a range 
of merchandise, admission prices to club functions (including 
Whovention, discounts at selected retail outlets for Doctor Who 
merchandise. For more information contact Dwayne Bunney - 
corporate@doctorwhoaustralia.org or 0416 269 726 or check 
www.doctorwhoaustralia.org

SHUTTLE MAWSON (www.shuttlemawson.com) is a South Australian Star 
Trek fan club, & chapter of Starfleet Internatioinal, run by Stuart 
Blair. They will be curating a SF exhibit in the SA Museum as part of 
National Science Week, Aug 12 - 20. This exhibit will also feature a 
SF film festival from 12th August.) They will also be having a SF 
weekend featuring Star Trek & Stargate on 4-5 November. (Reported by 
Stuart Blair.)

QUEST Queensland Star Trek club. Contact the club at PO BOX 2084, 
Brisbane, QLD. 4001, or check www.conquestforever.com  (Reported by 
Kevin Sheehan.)

The Brisbane Babylon 5ers website is at www.geocities.com/bb5ers 
(Reported by Erica Sharp, president of the Brisbane Babylon5ers )

VISIONS WRITERS GROUP offers meeting and critiquing for SF, Fantasy 
and Horror writers in QLD Monthly meetings from 11am –2 pm, first 
Sunday of the month (except Jan and Dec) at Dymocks City Store, Queen 
St, Brisbane. $10 joining fee, and $4 per meeting. (reported by Nigel 
Stone)

INFINITAS BOOKSHOP/Blokey Stuff, Shop 22 Civic Arcade, 48 - 50 George 
Street Parramatta NSW. has 2 groups regularly meeting at its 
premises. The SF Discussion Group meets at 6:30pm on the first 
Thursday of each month except January. A SF Writers Group also meets 
at the shop once a month on Saturdays See 
http://www.infinitas.com.au/WritersGroup.php for meeting dates. 
(Reported by Tim Martin via Ted Scribner). 

SYDNEY MECHANICS' SCHOOL OF ARTS at 280 Pitt St, Sydney, regularly 
holds a members reading group for Mystery and Crime starting at 10am 
and Science Fiction and Fantasy from approx.12 noon. Attendance at 
the first meeting is free, but if you're interested in attending more 
meetings, you are asked to join the Sydney Mechanics' School of Arts. 
(Annual fee $15.50 ?) This also entitles you to borrowing rights at 
the School of Arts library. Upcoming meetings: Sat, 7th Oct, 28th 
Oct, 18th Nov, 9th Dec.

SYDNEY FANS IN THE PUB. Meet on the first Tuesday of the month at the 
Civic Hotel, Saloon Bar, Crn Pitt & Goulburn Sts, Sydney. From 
6.30pm.  (Reported by Zara Baxter.)

SYDNEY FUTURIANS now affiliated with the Student Assoc of UTS. 
Meetings in room 510C (5th floor) of The University of Technology, 
Broadway, Sydney, at 7 pm on Oct 20th, Nov 17th, Dec 20th. Check 
http://users.secsme.org.au/~futurians, or e-mail John.Fox@uts.edu.au 
for full details. 

STARWALKING: http://sydskyforce.starwalking.net holds meetings af the 
Lidcombe Catholic Workers Club, 24 John St, Lidcombe, opposite 
Lidcombe Railway station on the third Sunday of some months. 
Attendance costs $8 members, $10 non-members.

FRIENDS OF SCIENCE FICTION (fsf) meet at Bankstown Sports Club, 8 
Greenfield Pde, Bankstown (a short wallk from Bankstown railways 
station.) on the 2nd Sunday of each month starting 8th October. Check 
fsf.net.au for more information.

EVENTS

VORTEX: SF Events happening in Brisbane, can be found at 
www.vortexevents.com

FAN FUNDS AND WRITERS GRANTS

FFANZ (Fan Fund for Australia and New Zealand) Nominations for 2007 
(sending someone from Australia to the NZ natcon, Conspiracy 2, in 
June) close December 31st. Voting closes 31st March, 07
Nominations must be signed by the nominee and accompanied by a 
donation of AUD$10.00 to FFANZ. Each nomination must also have the 
signed support of one fan currently residing in NZ and two fans 
currently residing in Australia (these can be sent separately). The 
nominee should provide a written platform of 100 words or less for 
the ballot and a photo if possible. Nominations should be sent to 
Rose Mitchell, GPO Box 1212K, Melbourne,Vic, 3001. E-mail 
Mitchell@vicnet.net.au for further information, More information 
about FFANZ Fan Fund can be found at http://ffanz.sf.org.nz/index.htm 

CONVENTIONS
GoH = Guest of Honour, OCP = Other Commitments Permitting, tba= to be 
announced.

TERRA NOVA 14th Oct. Mercure Grosvenor Hotel, Adelaide. See 
novaevents.com for full details.

The Hub Convention (www.thehubproductions.com) is hosting a BUFFY 
con, October 14th, Sydney, October 15th Melbourne. GoH's: Amber 
Benson, Adam Bush, Tom Lenk & Danny Strong. (Reported by Thomas Bull.)
  
FRIENDS OF SCIENCE FICTION STARGATE CON October 28th Sydney. GoH 
Rachel Luttrell and Gary Jones. Membership $120 FSF members, $130 non-
members, $400 VIP. See www.fsf. www.fsf.net.au, or phone 02 9523 
8385 PLEASE NOTE The proposed Brisbane Convention featuring the same 
GoH's has been cancelled due to low ticket sales. (Reported by fsf 
newsletter.)

SUPANOVA Sydney, Comics/Pop culture. 27-29 October, Wharf 8, 53-59 
Hickson Rd, Sydney.

ARMAGEDDON (NZ) 21-23 Oct. Aotea Centre, Auckland. GoH: JMS (Bab 5) 
and others. (NZ)$15
Of $350 gold. See www.pulpexpo.com/info.html.

SHUTTLE MAWSON ( www.shuttlemawson.com q.v.) is hosting a SF weekend 
featuring Star Trek & Stargate on 4-5 November. (Reported by Stuart 
Blair.)

NULLUS ANXIETAS The First Australian Discworld Convention. Feb 9-11, 
2007. Melbourne. GoH's Terry Pratchett. Virtual GoHs: Stephen Briggs, 
Bernard Pearson & Colin Smythe. Attending $160, but will be rising 
soon. Buy your membership before November for the chance to win 
coffee and chat with Terry Pratchett and a small group of other 
winners. (Gala dinner to cost an extra $90) see www.ausdwcon.org for 
further details. 

XIVAMC, Medieval re-enactment group. Easter 5-8 April, 2007. Meeting 
at the Danelaw property, Charley's Forest Rd, Wog Wog, NSW. (35 min 
drive north of Braidwood, 3 hrs south of Sydney, 1.5 hrs east of 
Canberra. Registration $150 fully catered for 4 days. See 
www.danelaw.org.au for more details. (Reported by J. Gibbins.) 

INCONCEIVABLE, SWANCON 32, Easter 6-8 April, 2007. Acacia Hotel, 
Northbridge, W.A. GoH's: Elizabeth Moon, David Gerrold, Matthew 
Reilly, Russell B. Farr. Damian Magee. Membership $110 ($90 
concession. See http://www.swancon.com. Or e-mail 
swancon32@gmail.com 

CONVERGENCE 2. Australian Natcon, 2007. Rydges Hotel, Melbourne. 
Queens Birthday weekend, 8-11 June, 07. Theme:YA genre fiction. GoHs 
Australian fantasy author Isobelle Carmody & Melinda M Snodgrass, 
Star Trek script writer, author of The Circuit Trilogy and co-author 
of the Wild Cards series with George R.R. Martin.. See 
http://www.natcon.org.au/2007. Attending membership $153, concession 
$103 until 31.12.06. Student membership $55, supporting membership 
$33 (Prices sourced from Convergence promotional postcards). You can 
pay using paypal (Reported by Rose Mitchell.)

CONSPIRACY II, NZ Natcon http://conspiracy2.sf.org.nz Marianne de 
Pierres is GoH.

TOLKIEN SEMINAR: 25th August, 2007. NSW Writers Centre, Rozelle, 
Sydney. As the first Tolkien seminar to be held outside the UK, this 
event is endorsed by the Tolkien Society. To get updates of this 
function, you can join Tol Harndor e-mail list. Tol Harndor is the 
official Australian smial (associate group) of the Tolkien Society. 

NIPPON 2007. Worldcon. Aug 30-Sept 3 2007. Pacifico Yokohama 
convention centre, Japan. Gohs: David Brin and Sakyo Komatsu. Artist 
Gohs: Yoshitaka Amano and Michael Whelan. Details at 
www.nippon2007.org . Australian agent Craig McBride. Membership A$210 
until Sept 30 2005. You can also join 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nippon2007 

DENVENTION: The Worldcon in 2008 will be held in Denver, 6-10 August 
08. See http://www.denver2008.com.

Geneva Convention a civilised worldcon bid for Switzerland in 2008. 
http://www.thegenevaconvention.org/

Australia 2010 Worldcon bid. Let's do it again in 2010! The Aussie 
Worldcon bid seems to be getting good support from overseas. Pre-
supporting m/ships $20. Firend m/ships $100. E-mail 
treasurer@vsfc.org.au for information about paypal and credit card 
payments. See http://www.australia2010.org/ or e-mail 
info@vsfc.org.au. Postal address Australia in 2010, GPO Box 1212 
Melbourne, Australia. 3001. US AGENT: David Evans, UK Agents Eve & 
John Harvey, European Agent: Vince Docherty.

OTHER INFORMATION RESOURCES:

Ted Scribner's Australian SF&F home page is: 
http://members.optushome.com.au/aussff/
and his list of SF oriented groups in NSW is at 
http://members.optushome.com.au/aussff/SFNSW.html. 

The Inkspillers web site, http://www.inkspillers.com. is a great 
source of market information that is always being updated by Tony 
Plank. 

For links to books, movies and television shows see John Tipper's 
homepage: http://www.collecting books andmagazines.com

Sci-fi REPORTER is a SF news service covering cons, fan clubs and 
media, edited by Stuart Blair. To subscribe to this list send an e-
mail to scifireporter@yahoo.com

The Bullsheet is available as a FREE monthly e-mail through the 
AUSSFBULL mailing list. To join send a blank e-mail to AUSSFBULL-
subscribe@yahoogroups.com. The latest version is also on the 
Bullsheet web page 
http://members.optusnet.com.au/aussfbull/bullsheet, 
http://www.geocities.com/edwinafan/bullsheetThe Bullsheet is also 
available as a snail-mail subscription for 20x50 cent stamps (or $10) 
sent to Edwina Harvey c/- 12 Flinders St, Matraville, 2036. Send your 
news e-mail to edwinafan@yahoo.com, 

Visit Celestial Cobbler for ceramic craft with a SF & Fantasy bent 
see. http://members.optushome.com.au/Cobbler42.

Any particularly odd typos in this issue can be blamed on my cat 
who's taken to sub-editing by walking over the keyboard...maybe she's 
just a critic? The earlier edition of the October Bullsheet was 
posted yesterday, but seems to have been abducted by aliens, or else 
it disappeared into a wormhole in space This version has a little bit 
more news at no extra cost! Edwina 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

For no sufficiently explained reason this Fanzine still supports The 
Minneapolis in '73 Worldcon Bid