November 2011

Winners of last month’s competition have been notified and their books are on the way. We have a quantum sort of competition this month. I may or may not have complimentary passes to give away to ATTACK THE BLOCK, opening nationally on December 1. It’s a SF comedy starring Nick Frost and from Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead, where aliens drop in on a London housing project and the only line of defence against the extraterrestrial invaders is a group of teenage hoodlums. If I have passes, three winners will be selected randomly from among the Bullsheet newsletter subscribers and twitter followers. If I don’t have passes, they won’t be. I won’t know I have passes or not until I find a dead cat. Or something. That’s quantum for you.

Powerhouse Museum in Sydney will be the only place in Australia to see HARRY POTTER: The Exhibition, opening on November 19. The exhibition offers fans a look at the artistry and craftsmanship that went into creating the iconic props and costumes that have appeared throughout the Harry Potter film series. (www.powerhousemuseum.com)

Issue 30 of Apex Magazine features an article on “The Australian Dark Weird” by TANSY RAYNER ROBERTS. (apex-magazine.com)

Australian writer ISOBELLE CARMODY talked about fantasy writing on Radio National’s Life Matters. (abc.net.au/rn/lifematters)

The Australian Society of Authors (ASA) is organising a COMICS AND GRAPHIC NOVELS MASTERCLASS, run by US illustrator Colleen Doran. It runs on the weekend of 19—20 November from 9am—5pm each day, at the Aerial UTS Function Centre, Broadway, Sydney, and costs $135 for ASA members, $165 for students, and $195 for non-members. (comicsmasterclass.com)

NEW RELEASES

Glide in Slowtime is a new book by Australian author BARRY ROSENBERG. Glide has the pen pusher blues until the day his black cloud of depression turns into a magic man who whisks him off to Auslan, a former paradise in need of a hero. But first Glide has to untangle the secret of Slowtime. A comedic fantasy reminiscent of early Pratchett, with a uniquely Australian flavour and a steampunk twist, Glide in Slowtime will take you on a romp where science is magic and magic is science. Available in print and ebook formats. Find out more at Winterbourne Publishing. (winterbournepublishing.com.au)

Trade and hardback editions of the Year’s Best Australian FANTASY AND HORROR ANTHOLOGY are available through Ticonderoga Publications. It features the best 33 genre stories from Australian authors published in 2010. The collection process for 2011 hus begun.

AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS

Congratulations to ALISA KRASNOSTEIN, winner of a Special Award—Non-professional for Twelfth Planet Press at the World Fantasy Awards. (worldfantasy.org/awards/)

Voting for the 2012 GUFF (Get Up and over Fan Fund or Going Under Fan Fund) is open and you can download the voting ballot.

CONVENTIONS

The Fantastic Asian Film Festival (FAFF) is a celebration of the diversity and invention of Asian genre films, kicking off with Yoshihiro Nishimura’s hilarious and mind bogglingly excessive zombie-splatter-comedy, Helldriver, and ending with one of the funniest, cutest, sweetest and yet downright filthiest films ever produced, Shinji Imaoka’s Underwater Love. It’s on in Melbourne next week from November 10—13 at Cinema Nova, Carlton. (faff.com.au)

SUPANOVA Pop Culture Expo is on next weekend in Melbourne (12 November, The Plenary MCEC). (www.supanova.com.au)

Continuum in June 2012 is the Australian National SF Convention for 2012, and is seeking volunteers — info@continuum.org.au. (continuum.org.au)

Got more news? Add it in the comments and/or send an email to have it included in next month’s issue.