Month: July 2020

The 2020 Sir Julius Vogel Awards have been presented at CoNZealand, the 78th World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon).

The Awards recognise excellence and achievement by New Zealanders, both amateur and professional, in the science fiction, fantasy and horror genres. They are usually presented at New Zealand's National Science Fiction Convention which this year, is hosted as part of CoNZealand.

Voting was open to members of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Association of New Zealand (SFFANZ) and members of CoNZealand.

A closed, in-person ceremony was held in Wellington on July 26, and streamed as part of CoNZealand’s programme.

SFFANZ president John Toon said, "It's always a pleasure and an honour to showcase some of the best contemporary New Zealand science fiction and fantasy, and especially so this year, with the eyes of international fandom on us. On behalf of SFFANZ, hearty congratulations to all this year's Sir Julius Vogel Award winners and nominees."

SFFANZ congratulate all the winners and nominees and look forward to honouring more of New Zealand’s talent in 2021. A full list of winners is below.

For further information, please contact <press@sffanz.org.nz>.

2020 Sir Julius Vogel Award winners below:

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Brackett, Bradbury, Lovecraft honoured with 1945 Retro Hugos

“Shadow Over Mars” (The Nemesis from Terra) by Leigh Brackett has been honoured with a Retrospective Hugo Award for Best Novel during a virtual ceremony at CoNZealand today.

“I, Rocket”, by Ray Bradbury was chosen as the Best Short Story, and The Cthulhu Mythos, by H. P. Lovecraft, August Derleth, and others dominated the Best Series category.

For the first time, the Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form category resulted in a tie. The award is shared by the The Canterville Ghost, screenplay by Edwin Harvey Blum from a story by Oscar Wilde, directed by Jules Dassin (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)) and The Curse of the Cat People, written by DeWitt Bodeen, directed by Gunther V. Fritsch and Robert Wise (RKO Radio Pictures).

The Hugo Awards are the most prestigious accolades for science fiction and fantasy literature, media and fan activities and have been presented at World Science Fiction Conventions (Worldcons).

Worldcon was established in 1939, but Hugo awards weren't presented until 1953. In 1996, Worldcon committees were given the option of presenting Retrospective Hugo Awards to honour works published in the earlier years of the Worldcon when no Hugos were awarded.

The 1945 Retro Hugos recognise works created or published in 1944.

The base for the 1945 Retro Hugo Award has been designed by New Zealand artist James Brown.

A full list of winners is below.

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The Canberra Speculative Fiction Guild and Conflux have jointly announced the opening of their 2020 short story competition, still to go ahead without this year's annual convention.

Get writing now! Stories should be 4000 words or less, in any speculative fiction genre, on the theme "Apocalypse".

The competition is open to all Australian residents and members of either The Canberra Speculative Fiction Guild or Conflux 16.

Entry is $5, unless you are a member of CSFG or Conflux 16 — or you area aged 16 or under, in which case it's free.

The winning stories will be published online as a part of the Conflux October 2020 activities.

First prize is $200 and 2021 Conflux 16 membership.

Second prize is $50 and a discounted Conflux 16 membership.

Third prize is $25 and a discounted Conflux 16 membership.

Stories should be written in English, be suitable for a general audience (ie no gratuitous violence or erotica), and, of course, be your own original and unpublished work.

Please submit your stories in the following format: RTF, courier font, double-spaced, with the story title in the top-right header.

Make the first page of your submission a cover sheet that includes your name, contact details and story title. This page will be removed before the stories are forwarded to the judges. Your name must not appear on any of the other pages of your story.

Get it through to Conflux via this address: <chair@conflux.org.au> before midnight August 31 2020.

Entry fees may be paid by direct deposit (Account Canberra Speculative Fiction Guild, BSB: 805-022, Acct: 03421621 or via Paypal to <canberra.specfic@gmail.com>

Conflux, Canberra's annual speculative fiction convention has announced that "Visions of Time" is now to be held in 2021, on Saturday October 2 2021 till Monday October 4 2021 at the Rex Hotel Canberra.

Special guests are, John Birmingham, Helen Marshall, and Artist in Residence Shauna O'Meara.

More information can be found at <www.conflux.org.au>.