Aurealis Award for best science fiction short story
Encyclopedia
The Aurealis Awards are presented annually by the Australia-based Chimaera Publications
and SpecFaction NSW to published works in order to "recognise the achievements of Australian science fiction
, fantasy
, horror
writers". To qualify, a work must have been first published by an Australian citizen or permanent resident between 1 November of the prior year and 31 October of the current year; the presentation ceremony is held the following year. It has grown from a small function of around 20 people to a two-day event attended by over 200 people.
Since their creation in 1995, awards have been given in various categories of speculative fiction
. Categories currently include science fiction, fantasy, horror, speculative young-adult fiction—with separate awards for novels and short fiction—collections, anthologies, illustrative works or graphic novel
s, children's novel
s, children's illustrative work or picture book, and an award for excellence in speculative fiction. The awards have attracted the attention of publishers by setting down a benchmark in science fiction and fantasy. The continued sponsorship by publishers such as HarperCollins
and Orbit
has identified the award as an honour to be taken seriously.
The results are decided by a panel of judges from a list of submitted nominees; the long-list of nominees is reduced to a short list of finalists. The judges are selected from a public application process by the Award's management team.
This article lists all the short-list nominees and winners in the best science fiction short story category, as well as short stories that have received honourable mentions or have been highly commended. Since 2003, hounarable mentions and high commendations have been awarded intermittently. Of the 17 winners, Brendan Duffy is the only person to have won the award multiple times, with two wins. Stephen Dedman
holds the record for most nominations and most nominations without winning, having been a losing finalist six times.
Winners and joint winners
Nominees on the shortlist
Highly commended
Honourable mentions
Chimaera Publications
Chimaera Publications is a publisher based in Mount Waverley, Victoria, Australia. The company currently publishes the speculative fiction magazine Aurealis as well as running the Aurealis Awards.-History:...
and SpecFaction NSW to published works in order to "recognise the achievements of Australian science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
, fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
, horror
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
writers". To qualify, a work must have been first published by an Australian citizen or permanent resident between 1 November of the prior year and 31 October of the current year; the presentation ceremony is held the following year. It has grown from a small function of around 20 people to a two-day event attended by over 200 people.
Since their creation in 1995, awards have been given in various categories of speculative fiction
Speculative fiction
Speculative fiction is an umbrella term encompassing the more fantastical fiction genres, specifically science fiction, fantasy, horror, supernatural fiction, superhero fiction, utopian and dystopian fiction, apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, and alternate history in literature as well as...
. Categories currently include science fiction, fantasy, horror, speculative young-adult fiction—with separate awards for novels and short fiction—collections, anthologies, illustrative works or graphic novel
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
s, children's novel
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
s, children's illustrative work or picture book, and an award for excellence in speculative fiction. The awards have attracted the attention of publishers by setting down a benchmark in science fiction and fantasy. The continued sponsorship by publishers such as HarperCollins
HarperCollins
HarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
and Orbit
Orbit Books
Orbit Books is an international publisher that specialises in science fiction and fantasy books. It was founded in 1974 as part of the Macdonald Futura publishing company...
has identified the award as an honour to be taken seriously.
The results are decided by a panel of judges from a list of submitted nominees; the long-list of nominees is reduced to a short list of finalists. The judges are selected from a public application process by the Award's management team.
This article lists all the short-list nominees and winners in the best science fiction short story category, as well as short stories that have received honourable mentions or have been highly commended. Since 2003, hounarable mentions and high commendations have been awarded intermittently. Of the 17 winners, Brendan Duffy is the only person to have won the award multiple times, with two wins. Stephen Dedman
Stephen Dedman
Stephen Dedman is an Australian author of dark fantasy and science fiction stories and novels.-Biography:...
holds the record for most nominations and most nominations without winning, having been a losing finalist six times.
Winners and nominees
In the following table, the years correspond to the year of the story's eligibility; the ceremonies are always held the following year. Each year links to the corresponding "year in literature" article. Entries with a blue background have won the award; those with a white background are the nominees on the short-list. If the short story was originally published in a book with other stories rather than by itself or in a magazine, the book title is included after the publisher's name.Winners and joint winners
Nominees on the shortlist
| Year | Author(s) | Short story | Publisher or publication | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| * | Asimov's Asimov's Science Fiction Asimov's Science Fiction is an American science fiction magazine which publishes science fiction and fantasy and perpetuates the name of author and biochemist Isaac Asimov... |
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| Asimov's Asimov's Science Fiction Asimov's Science Fiction is an American science fiction magazine which publishes science fiction and fantasy and perpetuates the name of author and biochemist Isaac Asimov... |
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| Interzone Interzone (magazine) Interzone is an award-winning British fantasy and science fiction magazine. Published since 1982, Interzone is the eighth longest-running science fiction magazine in history and the longest-running British SF magazine... |
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| Legend (New Legends) | ||||
| Eidolon | ||||
| * | MirrorDanse (Borderline) | |||
| Eidolon | ||||
| Eidolon | ||||
| Interzone Interzone (magazine) Interzone is an award-winning British fantasy and science fiction magazine. Published since 1982, Interzone is the eighth longest-running science fiction magazine in history and the longest-running British SF magazine... |
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| Aurealis Aurealis Aurealis is a Australian speculative fiction magazine published by Chimaera Publications. The magazine was launched in September 1990 to provide a market for speculative fiction writers, with a particular emphasis on raising the profile of Australian authors.In 1995 the magazine instituted the... |
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| & Jack Dann Jack Dann Jack Dann is an American writer best known for his science fiction, an editor and a writing teacher, who has lived in Australia since 1994. He has published over seventy books, in the majority of cases as editor or co-editor of story anthologies in the science fiction, fantasy and horror genres... * |
DAW DAW Books DAW Books is an American science fiction and fantasy publisher, founded by Donald A. Wollheim following his departure from Ace Books in 1971. The company therefore claims to be "the first publishing company ever devoted exclusively to science fiction and fantasy." The first DAW Book published was... (Black Mist and Other Japanese Futures) |
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| Eidolon | ||||
| Eidolon | ||||
| Interzone Interzone (magazine) Interzone is an award-winning British fantasy and science fiction magazine. Published since 1982, Interzone is the eighth longest-running science fiction magazine in history and the longest-running British SF magazine... |
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| Roc Roc Books Roc Books is a fantasy imprint of Penguin Group, as part of their New American Library. The imprint was launched in April 1990 after Penguin Chairman, Peter Mayer, asked John Silbersack, the editor in chief of New American Library's science fiction program, to launch a new imprint that would draw... (The Horns of Elfland The Horns of Elfland The Horns of Elfland is a 1997 fantasy anthology edited by Ellen Kushner, Delia Sherman and Donald G. Keller.-Background:The Horns of Elfland was first published in April 1997 by Roc Books in paperback format. It was a nominee in the 1998 Locus Awards for best anthology, finishing eighth out of 17.... ) |
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| * | Voyager (Dreaming Down-Under Dreaming Down-Under Dreaming Down-Under is a 1998 speculative fiction anthology edited by Jack Dann and Janeen Webb-Background:Dreaming Down-Under was first published in Australia in November 1998 by Voyager Books in trade paperback format.... ) |
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| Asimov's Asimov's Science Fiction Asimov's Science Fiction is an American science fiction magazine which publishes science fiction and fantasy and perpetuates the name of author and biochemist Isaac Asimov... |
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| Asimov's Asimov's Science Fiction Asimov's Science Fiction is an American science fiction magazine which publishes science fiction and fantasy and perpetuates the name of author and biochemist Isaac Asimov... |
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| Voyager (Dreaming Down-Under Dreaming Down-Under Dreaming Down-Under is a 1998 speculative fiction anthology edited by Jack Dann and Janeen Webb-Background:Dreaming Down-Under was first published in Australia in November 1998 by Voyager Books in trade paperback format.... ) |
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| Aurealis Aurealis Aurealis is a Australian speculative fiction magazine published by Chimaera Publications. The magazine was launched in September 1990 to provide a market for speculative fiction writers, with a particular emphasis on raising the profile of Australian authors.In 1995 the magazine instituted the... |
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| * | Asimov's Asimov's Science Fiction Asimov's Science Fiction is an American science fiction magazine which publishes science fiction and fantasy and perpetuates the name of author and biochemist Isaac Asimov... |
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| Interzone Interzone (magazine) Interzone is an award-winning British fantasy and science fiction magazine. Published since 1982, Interzone is the eighth longest-running science fiction magazine in history and the longest-running British SF magazine... |
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| Eidolon | ||||
| Interzone Interzone (magazine) Interzone is an award-winning British fantasy and science fiction magazine. Published since 1982, Interzone is the eighth longest-running science fiction magazine in history and the longest-running British SF magazine... |
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| F&SF | ||||
| * | Eidolon | |||
| Orb | ||||
| Eidolon | ||||
| Allen & Unwin Allen & Unwin Allen & Unwin, formerly a major British publishing house, is now an independent book publisher and distributor based in Australia. The Australian directors have been the sole owners of the Allen & Unwin name since effecting a management buy out at the time the UK parent company, Unwin Hyman, was... (White Time) |
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| Eidolon | ||||
| * | Aurealis Aurealis Aurealis is a Australian speculative fiction magazine published by Chimaera Publications. The magazine was launched in September 1990 to provide a market for speculative fiction writers, with a particular emphasis on raising the profile of Australian authors.In 1995 the magazine instituted the... |
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| CSFG Publishing (Nor of Human...) | ||||
| F&SF | ||||
| Aurealis Aurealis Aurealis is a Australian speculative fiction magazine published by Chimaera Publications. The magazine was launched in September 1990 to provide a market for speculative fiction writers, with a particular emphasis on raising the profile of Australian authors.In 1995 the magazine instituted the... |
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| F&SF | ||||
| * | F&SF | |||
| Redsine | ||||
| Aurealis Aurealis Aurealis is a Australian speculative fiction magazine published by Chimaera Publications. The magazine was launched in September 1990 to provide a market for speculative fiction writers, with a particular emphasis on raising the profile of Australian authors.In 1995 the magazine instituted the... |
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| Agog! Agog! Press Agog! Press is an independent Australian book publisher, specializing in speculative fiction short story collections. It was founded in 2002 by Cat Sparks.... (Agog! Fantastic Fiction) |
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| Redsine | ||||
| * | Agog! Agog! Press Agog! Press is an independent Australian book publisher, specializing in speculative fiction short story collections. It was founded in 2002 by Cat Sparks.... (Agog! Terrific Tales) |
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| Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine or ASIM is a fantasy and science fiction magazine and webzine published out of Glenn Innes, New South Wales, Australia. The publishers of ASIM describe it as "Australia's Pulpiest SF Magazine". The magazine is currently edited by Robbie Matthews and is... |
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| Orb | ||||
| Agog! Agog! Press Agog! Press is an independent Australian book publisher, specializing in speculative fiction short story collections. It was founded in 2002 by Cat Sparks.... (Agog! Terrific Tales) |
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| CSFG Publishing (Elsewhere Elsewhere (Anthology) Elsewhere: An Anthology of Incredible Places is the third short story anthology published by the Canberra Speculative Fiction Guild. Printed in 2003 and edited by Michael Barry, it contains stories from several Australian speculative fiction authors.... ) |
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| * | Agog! Agog! Press Agog! Press is an independent Australian book publisher, specializing in speculative fiction short story collections. It was founded in 2002 by Cat Sparks.... (Agog! Smashing Stories Agog! Smashing Stories Agog! Smashing Stories is a 2004 speculative fiction anthology edited by Cat Sparks.-Background:Agog! Smashing Stories was first published in Australia in 2004 by Agog! Press in trade paperback format. It was a short-list nominee for best collected work at the 2005 Ditmar Awards but lost to Black... ) |
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| Oceans of the Mind Oceans of the Mind Oceans of the Mind was a quarterly science fiction magazine published in 2001-2006. Each themed issue focused on some aspect of the future, such as space colonization, future crime, spirituality, or the military. The magazine closed in 2006 due to a lack of subscriptions.... |
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| Prime Books Prime Books Edited by two-time Hugo-nominee and 2006 World Fantasy-winner Sean Wallace, Prime Books is an award-winning independent publishing house, specializing in a mix of literary/commercial anthologies, collections, novels, and two magazines: Fantasy Magazine and Lightspeed Magazine. Some of its... (Tales from the Crypto-System) |
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| Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine or ASIM is a fantasy and science fiction magazine and webzine published out of Glenn Innes, New South Wales, Australia. The publishers of ASIM describe it as "Australia's Pulpiest SF Magazine". The magazine is currently edited by Robbie Matthews and is... |
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| Orb | ||||
| * | Aurealis Aurealis Aurealis is a Australian speculative fiction magazine published by Chimaera Publications. The magazine was launched in September 1990 to provide a market for speculative fiction writers, with a particular emphasis on raising the profile of Australian authors.In 1995 the magazine instituted the... |
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| Aurealis Aurealis Aurealis is a Australian speculative fiction magazine published by Chimaera Publications. The magazine was launched in September 1990 to provide a market for speculative fiction writers, with a particular emphasis on raising the profile of Australian authors.In 1995 the magazine instituted the... |
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| Fables and Reflections | ||||
| Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine or ASIM is a fantasy and science fiction magazine and webzine published out of Glenn Innes, New South Wales, Australia. The publishers of ASIM describe it as "Australia's Pulpiest SF Magazine". The magazine is currently edited by Robbie Matthews and is... |
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| Aurealis Aurealis Aurealis is a Australian speculative fiction magazine published by Chimaera Publications. The magazine was launched in September 1990 to provide a market for speculative fiction writers, with a particular emphasis on raising the profile of Australian authors.In 1995 the magazine instituted the... |
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| * | Bulletin Summer Reading Edition | |||
| Prime Books Prime Books Edited by two-time Hugo-nominee and 2006 World Fantasy-winner Sean Wallace, Prime Books is an award-winning independent publishing house, specializing in a mix of literary/commercial anthologies, collections, novels, and two magazines: Fantasy Magazine and Lightspeed Magazine. Some of its... (Through Soft Air Through Soft Air Through Soft Air is the first short story collection from Australian speculative fiction writer Lee Battersby. Printed in 2006, it was published by US Publisher Prime Books.-Stories:The collection contains the following stories:... ) |
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| Agog! Agog! Press Agog! Press is an independent Australian book publisher, specializing in speculative fiction short story collections. It was founded in 2002 by Cat Sparks.... (Agog! Ripping Reads) |
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| Science Fiction Chronicle | ||||
| * | On Spec On Spec On Spec is a digest-sized, perfect-bound, Canadian quarterly magazine publishing stories and poetry in science fiction, fantasy, and allied genres broadly grouped under the "speculative ficton" umbrella. Based in Edmonton, Alberta, On Spec was founded in 1989 by a small group of Edmonton writers... |
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| Ticonderoga Publications Ticonderoga Publications Ticonderoga Publications is an Australian independent publishing house founded by Russell B. Farr in 1996 and now run by Farr and Liz Grzyb. The publisher specialises in collections of science fiction short stories.-History and current:... (Fantastic Wonder Stories) |
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| Elise Bunter (Shadow Plays) | ||||
| Agog! Agog! Press Agog! Press is an independent Australian book publisher, specializing in speculative fiction short story collections. It was founded in 2002 by Cat Sparks.... (Daikaiju! 2: Revenge of the Giant Monsters) |
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| Ticonderoga Publications Ticonderoga Publications Ticonderoga Publications is an Australian independent publishing house founded by Russell B. Farr in 1996 and now run by Farr and Liz Grzyb. The publisher specialises in collections of science fiction short stories.-History and current:... (Fantastic Wonder Stories) |
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| * | HarperVoyager (Dreaming Again) | |||
| Ticonderoga Publications Ticonderoga Publications Ticonderoga Publications is an Australian independent publishing house founded by Russell B. Farr in 1996 and now run by Farr and Liz Grzyb. The publisher specialises in collections of science fiction short stories.-History and current:... (The Workers' Paradise) |
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| Cosmos Cosmos (magazine) Cosmos is an Australian popular science magazine that is published six times a year. It is subtitled "the science of everything" and is described as "a magazine of ideas, science, society and the future".... |
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| HarperVoyager (Dreaming Again) | ||||
| Twelfth Planet Press (2012) | ||||
| * | Apex Magazine | |||
| Apex Magazine | ||||
| "A Hundredth Name" | Abyss & Apex | |||
| Cosmos Cosmos (magazine) Cosmos is an Australian popular science magazine that is published six times a year. It is subtitled "the science of everything" and is described as "a magazine of ideas, science, society and the future".... |
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| & Lezli Robyn | Asimov's Asimov's Science Fiction Asimov's Science Fiction is an American science fiction magazine which publishes science fiction and fantasy and perpetuates the name of author and biochemist Isaac Asimov... |
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| Subterranean Online | ||||
| Twelfth Planet Press (The Company Articles of Edward Teach/The Angaelian Apocalypse) | ||||
| Ticonderoga Publications Ticonderoga Publications Ticonderoga Publications is an Australian independent publishing house founded by Russell B. Farr in 1996 and now run by Farr and Liz Grzyb. The publisher specialises in collections of science fiction short stories.-History and current:... (Belong) |
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| Asimov's Asimov's Science Fiction Asimov's Science Fiction is an American science fiction magazine which publishes science fiction and fantasy and perpetuates the name of author and biochemist Isaac Asimov... |
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| Twelfth Planet Press (Sprawl) |
Honourable mentions and high commendations
The honourable mentions and high commendations are announced alongside the list of finalists for their respected year of eligibility. In the following table, the years correspond to the year of the book's eligibility; the ceremonies are always held the following year. Each year links to the corresponding "year in literature" article. Entries with a grey background have been noted as highly commended; those with a white background have received honourable mentions. If the short story was originally published in a book with other stories rather than by itself or in a magazine, the book title is included after the publisher's name.Highly commended
Honourable mentions
| Year | Author | Short story | Publisher or publication | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 2003 in literature The year 2003 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-New books:*Peter Ackroyd - The Clerkenwell Tales*Atsuko Asano - No... |
Vision Writers Group (Glimpses) | |||
| 2003 2003 in literature The year 2003 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-New books:*Peter Ackroyd - The Clerkenwell Tales*Atsuko Asano - No... |
Vision Writers Group (Glimpses) | |||
| 2003 2003 in literature The year 2003 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-New books:*Peter Ackroyd - The Clerkenwell Tales*Atsuko Asano - No... |
Vision Writers Group (Glimpses) | |||
| 2003 2003 in literature The year 2003 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-New books:*Peter Ackroyd - The Clerkenwell Tales*Atsuko Asano - No... |
Vision Writers Group (Glimpses) | |||
| 2005 2005 in literature The year 2005 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*February 25 - Canada Reads selects Rockbound by Frank Parker Day as the novel to be read across the nation.... |
* | Borderlands | ||
| 2007 2007 in literature The year 2007 in literature involves some significant new books.-Events:*November 19 - First Kindle e-book reader released.*December 11 - Terry Pratchett informs fans on-line that he has been diagnosed with a rare form of Alzheimer's disease.-Literature:... |
Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine or ASIM is a fantasy and science fiction magazine and webzine published out of Glenn Innes, New South Wales, Australia. The publishers of ASIM describe it as "Australia's Pulpiest SF Magazine". The magazine is currently edited by Robbie Matthews and is... |