Rick Kennett
Encyclopedia
Rick Kennett is an Australian writer of science fiction, horror and ghost stories. He is the most prolific and widely-published author in Australia after Paul Collins
, Terry Dowling
and Greg Egan
, with stories in a wide variety of magazines and anthologies in Australia, the US and the UK.
His first published short story was "Troublesome Green" (1979).
In 1981, Melbourne community radio station 3CR broadcast no less than twelve of Kennett's stories to air.
A number of his stories have been printed multiple times due to his habit of resubmission - for instance, "Isle of the Dancing dead" and "The Battle of Leila the Dog".
A number of his ghost stories feature the recurring character Ernie Pine, known as "the reluctant ghost-hunter". Another continuing character in his work is the Lesbian "trained killer for the state", Cy De Gerch, the heroine of his first novel, A Warrior's Star.
Some of Kennett's work is science fiction, but some of his science fiction stories feature ghosts, thus his work crosses genre boundaries that are often kept separate.
Kennett was an early contributor to The Australian Horror and Fantasy Magazine
and has also had stories published in its successor Terror Australis
and the anthology Terror Australis: Best Australian Horror
. Several stories by Kennett including "Out of the Storm", his story from the Terror Australis anthology, have been produced as audio productions at Dunesteef Audio: http://dunesteef.com/2011/03/14/episode-95-out-of-the-storm-by-rick-kennett/
He has collaborated on occasion with other Australian writers of horror, for instance Barry Radburn, Paul Collins
and Bryce J. Stevens
.
The St James Guide to Horror, Ghost and Gothic Writers points out that Kennett is "really the one Australian writer to have produced a substantial body of work in the ghost-story field" - while Rob Hood
and Terry Dowling
have also produced significant quantities of ghost stories, Kennett's concentration on the genre makes him the leading specialist in Australia.
Reggie Oliver, reviewing 472 Cheyne Walk: Carnacki, the Untold Stories, has called Kennett "prodigally inventive" and Peter Worthy of Black Book webzine has called the book "a dazzling continuation of William Hope Hodgson's Carnacki the Ghost-Finder"
Kennett has worked as an apprentice fitter and turner, and as a long-serving motorbike courier in Melbourne.
Paul Collins (fantasy writer)
Paul Collins is an Australian writer and editor who specializes in science fiction and fantasy.Collins has written many books for younger readers...
, Terry Dowling
Terry Dowling
Terence William Dowling, born at Lystra Private Hospital , is an Australian writer, freelance journalist, award-winning critic, editor, game designer and reviewer...
and Greg Egan
Greg Egan
Greg Egan is an Australian science fiction author.Egan published his first work in 1983. He specialises in hard science fiction stories with mathematical and quantum ontology themes, including the nature of consciousness...
, with stories in a wide variety of magazines and anthologies in Australia, the US and the UK.
His first published short story was "Troublesome Green" (1979).
In 1981, Melbourne community radio station 3CR broadcast no less than twelve of Kennett's stories to air.
A number of his stories have been printed multiple times due to his habit of resubmission - for instance, "Isle of the Dancing dead" and "The Battle of Leila the Dog".
A number of his ghost stories feature the recurring character Ernie Pine, known as "the reluctant ghost-hunter". Another continuing character in his work is the Lesbian "trained killer for the state", Cy De Gerch, the heroine of his first novel, A Warrior's Star.
Some of Kennett's work is science fiction, but some of his science fiction stories feature ghosts, thus his work crosses genre boundaries that are often kept separate.
Kennett was an early contributor to The Australian Horror and Fantasy Magazine
The Australian Horror and Fantasy Magazine
The Australian Horror and Fantasy Magazine was edited by Barry Radburn and Stephen Studach. It was published by Radburn's imprint Dark Press...
and has also had stories published in its successor Terror Australis
Terror Australis
Terror Australis: the Australian Horror and Fantasy Magazine was Australia's first mass market horror magazine. It succeeded the Australian Horror and Fantasy Magazine edited by Barry Radburn and Stephen Studach and was the first magazine of its kind in Australia to pay authors...
and the anthology Terror Australis: Best Australian Horror
Terror Australis: Best Australian Horror
Terror Australis: Best Australian Horror was Australia's first original mass-market horror anthology for adults. It was edited by Leigh Blackmore....
. Several stories by Kennett including "Out of the Storm", his story from the Terror Australis anthology, have been produced as audio productions at Dunesteef Audio: http://dunesteef.com/2011/03/14/episode-95-out-of-the-storm-by-rick-kennett/
He has collaborated on occasion with other Australian writers of horror, for instance Barry Radburn, Paul Collins
Paul Collins (fantasy writer)
Paul Collins is an Australian writer and editor who specializes in science fiction and fantasy.Collins has written many books for younger readers...
and Bryce J. Stevens
Bryce J. Stevens
Bryce John Stevens is a horror writer/artist.Between 1987 and 1992 he co-edited, , Terror Australis: The Australian Horror and Fantasy Magazine...
.
The St James Guide to Horror, Ghost and Gothic Writers points out that Kennett is "really the one Australian writer to have produced a substantial body of work in the ghost-story field" - while Rob Hood
Rob Hood
Robert Hood is an Australian writer and editor recognised as one of Australia's leading horror writers. He has published five young adult novels, three collections of his short fiction, fifteen children's books and over 100 short stories in anthologies and magazines in Australia and overseas...
and Terry Dowling
Terry Dowling
Terence William Dowling, born at Lystra Private Hospital , is an Australian writer, freelance journalist, award-winning critic, editor, game designer and reviewer...
have also produced significant quantities of ghost stories, Kennett's concentration on the genre makes him the leading specialist in Australia.
Reggie Oliver, reviewing 472 Cheyne Walk: Carnacki, the Untold Stories, has called Kennett "prodigally inventive" and Peter Worthy of Black Book webzine has called the book "a dazzling continuation of William Hope Hodgson's Carnacki the Ghost-Finder"
Kennett has worked as an apprentice fitter and turner, and as a long-serving motorbike courier in Melbourne.
Collections
- The Reluctant Ghost-Hunter (UK: Ghost Story Society, 1991)
- No. 472 Cheyne Walk (UK: Ghost Story Society, 1992) (with A. F. 'Chico' Kidd)Chapbook
- Thirteen: Ghost Stories (Jacobyte Books, 2001)
- 472 Cheyne Walk: Carnacki, the Untold Stories (with A.F. 'Chico' Kidd) (Ash-Tree Press, 2002)
Short fiction
- "In Quinn's Paddock" (2003) in Southern Blood: New Australian Tales of the SupernaturalSouthern Blood: New Australian Tales of the SupernaturalSouthern Blood: New Australian Tales of the Supernatural is a 2003 speculative fiction anthology edited by Bill Congreve-Background:Southern Blood was first published in Australia in June 2003 by Sandglass Enterprises in trade paperback format...
(ed. Bill CongreveBill Congreve-Biography:Congreve's first work was published in 1987 with his short story "Collector" which was featured in the Summer 1986/1987 edition of Aphelion Science Fiction Magazine. In 1992 Congreve's first edited anthology was released by Five Islands Press, featuring a short story and introduction by...
) - "The Dark and What It Said" (2007) in Andromeda Spaceways Inflight MagazineAndromeda Spaceways Inflight MagazineAndromeda 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...
#28 (ed. Zara Baxter)
Wins
- EOD magazine Best Short Story Award (for "Dead Air"), 1992.
- 2008 Ditmar Award: Short Fiction: "The Dark and What it Said"
Nominations
- 2008 Ditmar AwardDitmar AwardThe Ditmar Award has been awarded annually since 1969 at the Australian National Science Fiction Convention to recognise achievement in Australian science fiction and science fiction fandom...
, Short story: "The Dark and What It Said" - 2008 Aurealis AwardAurealis AwardAurealis Award for Excellence in Speculative Fiction is an annual literary award for Australian science fiction, fantasy and horror fiction. Only Australians are eligible for the award.-History:...
, Horror short story: "The Dark and What It Said" - 2002 Ditmar Award: Short fiction: "Whispers" (with Paul Collins)
- 2002 Aurealis Award: Horror short story: "Whispers" (with Paul Collins)
- 1998 Ditmar Award: Short fiction: "The Willcroft Inheritance" (with Paul Collins)
- 1993 Ditmar Award: Short fiction: "The Seas of Castle Hill Road"