Showing posts with label Aurealis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Aurealis. Show all posts

Jun 10, 2015

The Sara Douglass Book Series Award

battleaxe I can remember, particularly after the Hugo in which the final book of the Wheel of Time series featured, a number of people suggesting that there really should be an award that examines a series as a whole.  It seems the wonderful folk at the Aurealis Awards have done just that, for an Australian series at least.  With the blessing of Sara Douglas’ executor, The Sara Douglass Book Series is now open for submissions.

This Award is named for one of Australia’s best known speculative fiction writers. Sara Douglass was the flagship author of the HarperVoyager Australian line, which launched the careers of many of our most popular writers, and paved the way for the vibrant and diverse speculative fiction scene Australia has today. Sara’s contribution to the state of speculative fiction in Australia cannot be underestimated, and we are proud to commemorate her in this Award.

Please check their website for more.

 

 


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Jul 24, 2014

Get the rest of the Year’s subscription to Aurealis free

image003 Yes.  You did read correctly.

As part of Aurealis magazine's upcoming celebration of 25 years of continuous publication, they are offering  ABSOLUTELY FREE HALF-YEAR SUBSCRIPTIONS for 2014. To get your free subscription to the last 5 issues of the year (Aurealis #72 to Aurealis #76), go to their Subscriptions Page.

Hurry, the offer is only open until the end of July!


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Apr 5, 2014

The Aurealis Awards 2013

May 18, 2013

Aurealis Awards 2012 (Held May 2013)

Mar 26, 2013

Aurealis Overhaul

aurealis_58_cover_180_pixel The crew at Aurealis have undergone an overhaul, with old hands retiring to direct their energies elsewhere -checkout the website for the full run down but here are some highlights:

      • We have appointed Elsie Michael in the new position of Reviews Manager.  All reviews will now appear first in Aurealis issues and will be archived on the Aurealis website later.

      • We have appointed Julian Thumm in the new position of News Editor.  He will be seeking out and collecting the sorts of news items that Carissa has in the past.

      • Our Social Media Coordinator, Dan Allan, will be placing the news items, depending on what they are, on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr or Google+, as well as a new Aurealis blog.  You will no longer have to wait for the monthly AurealisXpress to get the news.

      • We have appointed Angelika Arvela as our new Submissions Manager, replacing Sari Webb.  After a short break, we are now open to submissions again.  We thank you for your patience.

        [source]

So new blood and probably a better approach to the news/ events happening side of things(near impossible to run a newsletter service in the age of Facebook and Twitter).  I shall miss Carissa Thorp’s work and no doubt will miss a few other people that have been a regular feature. I wish them the best of luck.


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Mar 21, 2013

2012 Aurealis Awards finalists announced

Yes those hard working judges have narrowed down the selections from hundreds (750 or so) of hopefuls to a handful of worthy works.  Judging co-ordinator Tehani Wessely (of Fablecroft fame) noted that the standards remained very high this year and that there were a record number of entries.  The amount of quality e-published fiction continued to rise as well [source]


Commentary

Fantasy Novel

A close field, which I note is 80% women. I have only read what I would consider the big guns; Bitter Greens and Sea Hearts.  With the recent short listing of Sea Hearts for the Stella I’d have to say I think it has the edge in this race(which is based entirely on my subjective impressions of Buzz over these books).

Fantasy Short Story

The field dominated by women and by small presses, with only one from the big publishing houses.  I have only read the Lanagan and despite the fact that Margo is on fire this year I can’t rule out any of the others.  Very tough field.


Science Fiction Novel

I have only read one in this selection, the field again showing a strong contingent of female writers and a self published work, which is a pleasant surprise.  No idea who is the front runner here.  On reputation; a Nix versus Anderton ticket maybe?


Science Fiction Short Story

I have only read the Lanagan in this field, but a strong showing from others whose works I have read.  Significant dust was my favourite of the Cracklescape stories so my heart goes there.

Horror Novel

A field that’s received an injection of works compared to last year. And I have read 75% of the entries. Of those three entries read,  all are different kinds of Horror.  I think possibly its a race between Salvage and Perfections.

Horror Short Story

A good showing here from old hands and new blood - Hood and Warren flying the flag for established Australian Horror writers. I liked Sky and its observations about small town country life. 

Dowker, Anderton and Cleghorn with strong showings from writers beginning to really flex their muscles.  I read and REALLY liked Elyora ( which may have some non-Awards news related to it).  I think Cleghorn’s the dark horse here, but its a very solid field. And I note again 80% women.

Young Adult Novel

I have only read the Lanagan, so won’t comment any further.  Other than to say that if Margo doesn’t take home at least one award I’ll be surprised.

Anthology

Or should I say the Jonathan Strahan Field.  Jonathan has been very busy, brining us top quality anthologies but Pillar, Grzyb and Helene are all damn fine anthologists too.  The numbers are on Strahan’s side perhaps, giving him a slight edge, but hmm too close to call.

Collection

I am going to say a Warren vs Hannett & Slatter competition based on Buzz  Such different books though.

Feel free to ruminate below.  I think in terms of storytelling this years Aurealis Finalists shows that the Australian Speculative fiction scene continues to have a depth of talent.


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Dec 20, 2012

A open letter to Rob N. Stephenson

Dear Mr Stephenson,

I had the misfortune to stumble over your Rant and Rave (appended below) in the December  AurealisXpress, an otherwise wonderful newsletter published by the hard working folk in the Aurealis team.

I receive this newsletter as a paid up subscriber.

I want to express my severe disappointment in both the tone and the content of your missive and to respectively ask that if you should think to write something similar that you perhaps think again.

I am expressing my disappointment here on my blog for a number of reasons:

1) the Aurealis offices are closed

2) I prefer frank and open discussion

3) Aurealis does not maintain a forum in which to express these issues 

I am aware that you are somewhat of a longstanding fixture within the SF&F community, I even have a limited edition of one of your earlier works. 

None of which should protect you from criticism.

I have heard comments to the effect that, “oh that’s just Robert” or “I just skim over that section of the newsletter”, along with others by people who were similarly offended.

So to be frank and direct:

What possessed you to think that it was appropriate to post what it essentially a religious sermon, a defence of the origins of the Christian festival of Christmas in a newsletter of science fiction and fantasy, to grind a personal axe?

Has someone in the readership annoyed you? Is the Australian science fiction community full of historically illiterate atheists bent on taking your holy day away from Christians?

Not that I can tell.

Who within the AurealisXpress readership is this directed at?  If no one in particular, it’s verging on religious spam.

Philosophically I am opposed to your beliefs, but as long as you don’t seek to impose you beliefs or proselytise to me, I don’t really care - I’m here for the science fiction and fantasy content, even content that might be thematically religious (see below).

The readers of Aurealis are I presume intelligent, of mixed beliefs and traditions. Your missive treats them with contempt. Your letter is patronising in regards to your readers education, assumes that we are historically illiterate, and states the bleeding obvious.

Now all of you, eat some pudding and have a good lie down.

Really? Can I have a pat on the head with that sir?

Now before you take issue with me asking you to keep your religion to yourself.  I’m not actually.  I am asking you to direct you anger at historically illiterate zealots to the appropriate forum.

Or do what I do when religious zealots tweet that I shouldn’t be able to give presents because I don’t believe in Jesus Christ – ignore them.

Religious content I would have been more than happy with:

  • A Merry Christmas and god bless (because although I don’t believe, you do and your intention would have been sincere and heartfelt)
  • A link to some charities run by prominent SF&F writers - I do believe that Jim C Hines is running one right now. 
  • A howling at the injustice of the Hobbit being shown to Australians 12 days after everyone else in the world (yes I know Boxing day is our most profitable release date).

I attended a panel at the last Natcon on the subject of religion in SF & F, it was interesting and entertaining. It was good to get a perspective from deeply religious people about how they felt treated by writers and the community.  That sort of topic would be appropriate, something that starts a dialogue.

So with sincere respect, enjoy celebrating the birth of Christ.

Regards

Sean

 

  >>> Rob’s Rants and Raves <<<

by Robert N Stephenson

We chase each other into Christmas once again and I hear the same old rubbish about Christmas spirit and true meanings and I even hear the call that it is actually a pagan tradition.

Sorry guys, thus starteth the rave; in 330 AD there was no such thing as Christmas; there were of course hundreds of equinox type celebrations, but no actual Christmas. A group of Christians gathered in Rome and had a party on or about the 25th—no one really knows for sure. Why? Well, all the other Roman religions were having parties so they decided they'd have one to celebrate the birth of Jesus, which was fair enough. If it was good enough for Isis then it was good enough for them.

So in 330 AD the first Mass for Christ was held. Naturally, it was slow to take off and in these yearly celebrations there was no baby in a manger, no wise men and no inn to get rejected from—that rubbish was added later, much in the same way paganism added their version of Christmas, which was about 500 AD. 

So, before you go ranting and raving about the meaning of Christmas, try understanding what you are talking about first. And yes, I do wish you all a very hospitable Christmas in whatever version you want to hold onto. But if you are looking for people to blame for the name and the celebration then it really does belong to the Christians and no matter how much you try to rewrite history it will always be theirs.

Now all of you, eat some pudding and have a good lie down.

 


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Nov 3, 2012

Aurealis #56– Awards Winners Edition

aurealis56

I just received my complimentary Aurealis 56 for subscribing early to a yearly subscription for 2013.  The 33% off cover price deal for a yearly sub is still ongoing but the bonus offer of Issue 56 has ended.

This isn’t a review, I have only read the Paul Haines story, but I feel that this issue is really good value for money - featuring two Aurealis Award winners. 

So if you’ve ummed and ahhed about whether to shell out $3 bucks to support the Australian short fiction community then give up one cup of coffee this week and pick it up.

A reminder too, that Aurealis are determined to raise subscriber numbers so that they can offer pro rates and be considered as a pro-market for authors seeking publication credits.

A word from Dirk Strasser in his editorial:

On a lighter note, the big news for next year is that we are setting up a new subscription system, so you will once again be able to subscribe to Aurealis. You will now be able to purchase a 2013 subscription of 10 issues (Aurealis #57–#66) for $19.99. This is a 33% saving on the cost of buying each issue singly. How can you possibly resist subscribing?

We’ve also launched our campaign to be officially recognised as a professional market by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA). We’ve calculated that if we can get 1000 subscribers by the end of 2013, we will be able to increase our payment for short stories to a minimum of 5 cents a word. This will mean Aurealis has met all the conditions to be viewed as a professional market by the SFWA. If it can achieve this, Aurealis will be the only Australian fiction magazine with this status. See our website for more details.

You can purchase Aurealis 56 here.  If you want to subscribe for the year you will need to go here.


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Oct 26, 2012

Aurealis Subscriptions–Get one now, especially if you are an Aussie Writer

unclesamI have fond memories of Aurealis, back when it was a print magazine and one of those rare finds on my newsagent bookshelf in the early 90’s.  The digital revolution has happened and it now comes to our email inbox 10 months of the year, full of up to date news and new stories by Aussie authors.

Now I have been hanging out for them to sort out the subscriptions under the new digital production schedule and they have, with some interesting and positive outcomes for Australian Writers.

Aurealis are attempting to get 1000 subscribers by the end of 2013 which will:

  1. enable them to offer 5 cents a word for stories (pro rates)
  2. qualify them as a pro market which will then
  3. allow writers published in Aurealis to get publication credits towards membership of the SFWA

Additionally if you sign-up before the 30th of October (as I just have) you’ll get not only the 10 standard issues for 2013 but this years last issue as well.

How much you ask?

$19.99 but wait, there’s more

If you are some one who submits work to Aurealis, being a subscriber also gets your stories placed at the front of the Readers’ queue and fast-tracked.

How’s them apples?

Go here and sign-up now your country needs you.


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Aug 24, 2012

Aurealis #53 Sneaks in

aurealis 53

Yep this year is fast approaching its end and another month has rolled around.

Check out Aurealis 53 Edited by Stephen Higgins and featuring fiction from from Benjamin Allmon and Richard Kerslake.

 

 

 


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May 12, 2012

The Aurealis Awards 2012

Below is a summary of the Aurealis Awards compiled on Storify.  Many thanks to the attendees that tweeted the results and took pictures.  It was almost as good as being there

May 10, 2012

Aurealis 50 is out

 

aur50I don’t know how I missed this one but  I did. 

Released on the 3rd of May, Issue 50 features the fiction of Patty Jansen and Jonathan Robb as well as the usual non –fiction goodness by the likes of Macleod and Thorp

You can purchase it through Smashwords for $2.99

 

 

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Apr 5, 2012

Aurealis Magazine 49 Out now

aurealis49Well 2012 seems to be flying by again. 

Aurealis 49 has been released into the wild and features stories from veteran Australian specfic author Sean McMullen and the ever pun-tastic Jason Fischer.

You can get your copy of issue 49 from Smashwords here.*

 

 

* It should also be available in the near future from Amazon.


I have been nominated to run in this years fan fund for the National Science Fiction Convention to be held in Melbourne.

If you appreciate the work that I do in Australian Speculative Fiction Fandom and you have a spare $5, you can vote for me here and help send me to the National Conference.

Mar 19, 2012

2012 Aurealis Shortlist is Out

Well they are out.  Here’s the list sourced from A Conversational Life.  It was a very tough field from all accounts.  The Horror Novel section was a little light on it seems but the other shortlists are full of strong contenders.

I will highlight the one’s I have.  Congrats though to all who made the shortlists.  Feel free to discuss your hopefuls in the comments.

FANTASY NOVEL

The Undivided by Jennifer Fallon (HarperVoyager)

Ember and Ash by Pamela Freeman (Hachette)

Stormlord’s Exile by Glenda Larke (HarperVoyager)

Debris by Jo Anderton (Angry Robot)

The Shattered City by Tansy Rayner Roberts (HarperVoyager)


FANTASY SHORT STORY

“Fruit of the Pipal Tree” by Thoraiya Dyer (After the Rain, FableCroft Publishing)

“The Proving of Smollett Standforth” by Margo Lanagan (Ghosts by Gaslight, HarperVoyager)

“Into the Clouds on High” by Margo Lanagan (Yellowcake, Allen & Unwin)

“Reading Coffee” by Anthony Panegyris (Overland)

“The Dark Night of Anton Weiss” by D.C. White (More Scary Kisses, Ticonderoga Publications)


SCIENCE FICTION NOVEL

Machine Man by Max Barry (Scribe Publications)

Children of Scarabaeus by Sara Creasy (HarperVoyager)

The Waterboys by Peter Docker (Fremantle Press)

Black Glass by Meg Mundell (Scribe Publications)

The Courier’s New Bicycle by Kim Westwood (HarperVoyager)


SCIENCE FICTION SHORT STORY

“Flowers in the Shadow of the Garden” by Joanne Anderton (Hope, Kayelle Press)

“Desert Madonna” by Robert Hood (Anywhere but Earth, Couer de Lion)

“SIBO” by Penelope Love (Anywhere but Earth, Couer de Lion)

“Dead Low” by Cat Sparks (Midnight Echo)

“Rains of la Strange” by Robert N Stephenson (Anywhere but Earth, Couer de Lion)


HORROR NOVEL

NO SHORTLIST OR WINNING NOVEL – TWO HONORABLE MENTIONS AWARDED TO:

The Broken Ones by Stephen M. Irwin (Hachette)

The Business of Death by Trent Jamieson (Hachette)


HORROR SHORT STORY

“And the Dead Shall Outnumber the Living” by Deborah Biancotti (Ishtar, Gilgamesh Press)

“The Past is a Bridge Best Left Burnt” by Paul Haines (The Last Days of Kali Yuga, Brimstone Press)

“The Short Go: a Future in Eight Seconds” by Lisa L. Hannett (Bluegrass Symphony, Ticonderoga Publications)

“Mulberry Boys” by Margo Lanagan (Blood and Other Cravings, Tor)

“The Coffin Maker’s Daughter” by Angela Slatter (A Book of Horrors, Quercus)


YOUNG ADULT NOVEL

Shift by Em Bailey (Hardie Grant Egmont)

Secrets of Carrick: Tantony by Ananda Braxton-Smith (black dog books)

The Shattering by Karen Healey (Allen & Unwin)

Black Glass by Meg Mundell (Scribe Publications)

Only Ever Always by Penni Russon (Allen & Unwin)


YOUNG ADULT SHORT STORY

“Nation of the Night” by Sue Isle (Nightsiders, Twelfth Planet Press)

“Finishing School” by Kathleen Jennings (Steampunk! An anthology of fantastically rich and strange stories, Candlewick Press)

“Seventy-Two Derwents” by Cate Kennedy (The Wicked Wood – Tales from the Tower Volume 2, Allen and Unwin)

“One Window” by Martine Murray (The Wilful Eye: Tales from the Tower Volume 1, Allen and Unwin)

“The Patrician” by Tansy Rayner Roberts (Love and Romanpunk, Twelfth Planet Press)


CHILDREN’S FICTION (told primarily through words)

The Outcasts by John Flanagan (Random House Australia)

The Paradise Trap by Catherine Jinks (Allen & Unwin)

“It Began with a Tingle” by Thalia Kalkapsakis (Headspinners, Allen & Unwin)

The Coming of the Whirlpool by Andrew McGahan (Allen & Unwin)

City of Lies by Lian Tanner (Allen & Unwin)


CHILDREN’S FICTION (told primarily through pictures)

The Ghost of Annabel Spoon by Aaron Blabey (author and illustrator) (Penguin/ Viking Books)

Sounds Spooky by Christopher Cheng (author) and Sarah Davis (illustrator) (Random House Australia)

The Last Viking by Norman Jorgensen (author) and James Foley (illustrator) (Fremantle Press)

The Deep: Here be Dragons by Tom Taylor (author) and James Brouwer (illustrator) (Gestault Publishing)

Vampyre by Margaret Wild (author) and Andrew Yeo (illustrator) (Walker Books)


ILLUSTRATED BOOK / GRAPHIC NOVEL

Hidden by Mirranda Burton (author and illustrator ) (Black Pepper)

Torn by Andrew Constant (author) and Joh James (illustrator ), additional illustrators Nicola Scott, Emily Smith (Gestalt Publishing)

Salsa Invertebraxa by Mozchops (author and illustrator) (Pecksniff Press)

The Eldritch Kid: Whiskey and Hate by Christian Read (author) and Michael Maier (illustrator) (Gestalt Publishing)

The Deep: Here be Dragons by Tom Taylor (author) and James Brouwer (illustrator) (Gestault Publishing)


ANTHOLOGY

Ghosts by Gaslight edited by Jack Dann and Nick Gevers (HarperVoyager)

Year’s Best Australian Fantasy and Horror 2010 edited by Liz Grzyb and Talie Helene (Ticonderoga Publications)

Ishtar edited by Amanda Pillar and KV Taylor (Gilgamesh Press)

The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year Volume 5 edited by Jonathan Strahan (Night Shade Books)


Life on Mars edited by Jonathan Strahan (Viking)


COLLECTION

Bad Power by Deborah Biancotti (Twelfth Planet Press)

Last Days of Kali Yuga by Paul Haines (Brimstone Press)

Bluegrass Symphony by Lisa Hannett (Ticonderoga Publications)

Nightsiders by Sue Isle (Twelfth Planet Press)

Love and Romanpunk by Tansy Rayner Roberts (Twelfth Planet Press)


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Mar 9, 2012

Aurealis Number 48 Hits the shelves

aurealis48It feels like I have only just finished reading 47.  Two very good stories by Jenny Blackford and Jason Nahrung (who it happens I was able to commend in person).

So you can grab  digital issue Number 48 here from Smashwords at the wonderful price of $2.99.

Quoting editor Dirk Strasser on issue 48:

I hope you enjoy this issue which opens with an Aurealis first, a graphic story: 'The Descent of Traag' by Matt Bissett-Johnson. We also have a ripping deep-space yarn by long-time Aurealis favourite, Rick Kennett, a subtle Greg Mellor tale of a digital artist who paints actual thoughts, and an extended review of Margaret Atwood's In Other Worlds: SF and the Human Imagination by Crisetta MacLeod, as well as the usual reviews and news.

So that link again - Aurealis 48.

Note:  If for some reason you don’t want to buy it via Smashwords, it will be out on Kobo and Amazon shortly.


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Feb 19, 2012

Aurealis Number 47

aurealis 47Aurealis 47 the February Issue has been released and sadly it’s no longer free1

Aurealis now retails at less than “a half decent cup of coffee” price of $2.99. 

With that you get two new pieces of speculative fiction, reviews, a non fiction essay and links to speculative fiction happenings on the web.

If you are skint or cheap payment averse you can still get half the issue for nothing on preview (click here and scroll down).

But I can get a whole ebook for that

Some may  well say “I can get a whole ebook for that.”  To which I have a number of responses:

  1. Knock yourself out, but you’ll be missing out on this publication
  2. I call it investing in our local specific culture, an investment for which I actually receive something straight away.
  3. I am still not sure what effect 99c deals will have on publishing and authors in the long run and am prepared to pay extra particularly to small presses and publications.
  4. I hope that when I get around to finishing some short fiction that there will still be a market to submit it to.  Paying local talent, means that talent can keep on writing and providing us with a unique view.
  5. Issue 47 references yours truly and I am ever so slightly narcissistic and obviously think you should pay for something that mentions me.

In all seriousness though 100 pages of Australian Specfic goodness for less than a coffee/ice cream.

This issue features a slightly grisly historical fantasy piece by Jenny Blackford and some Aussie outback flavoured horror by Jason Nahrung and a Non Fiction Essay by Crisetta MacLeod in addition to reviews and other web materials.

The magazine also contains to collate and publish feedback from each issue.  Want something extra in the magazine, or feel something’s not working?  Let the team know.


1.To be honest though it two issues for nix was a damn good deal. 

Oct 22, 2011

The Book Show on Aurealis going digital

aurealis 45We, with our finger on the pulse have known about this for awhile but it’s good to see the national broadcaster, well broadcasting the news too. 

Below is a link to the Book Show Segment on Aurealis Magazine going free and digital.

Linky

And while your at it why not download issue #45 tis free after all


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Oct 10, 2011

Aurealis Update

I spruked the Free copy of Aurealis a couple of posts ago.  They have now released some more info on the reasons for the change and to me they sound positive particularly for Aussie Writers.

Chimaera Publications has decided that a publication devoted to fantasy and science fiction should be at the forefront of change and that digital publication is the future.  We believe that Aurealis will gain a much wider readership and will ultimately be able to pay contributors more with the launch of the new Aurealis.  So, from October 2011 we will exploring some new worlds:

1. Aurealis will become a monthly epublication with downloads available in all e-reading formats: iPads, iPhones, Android tablets and phones, Kindles, Kobo readers, pdfs for PCs etc.  It will appear every month except December and January, which means 10 issues a year.

2. This Aurealis epublication will effectively be a merger between Aurealis print magazine and AurealisXpress.  Each monthly issue will consist of 2 stories, (+ possibly 1 article),

Read more


aurealis 45Download Issue 45 for Free from Smashwords

 

 

 

 

 

 


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Oct 8, 2011

Aurealis goes digital and free for issue 45

 

aurealis 45

Aure….what?

Aurealis (ori-aahliss) or as I incorrectly pronounced it for most of my life or-reelis is Australia's most successful speculative fiction magazine. Issue 1 was released in late 1990 and was intended as a professional mass market magazine.

Prior to this Australian speculative fiction readers and writers had to survive on international magazines.

So some 20 years later and Aurealis is changing both format and regularity.  From memory it used to be a quarterly, it’s now moving to a monthly publication and it will be offered for purchase on Smashwords in multiple formats.

Dirk Strasser who along with Stephen Higgins started the Magazine back in 1990 returns as editor of this first digital issue stating in his editorial that:

We believe a publication devoted to fantasy and science fiction should be at the forefront of change. So here we are. Right on the edge. Helping create a new type of speculative fiction magazine.

Dirk also informs us that with the transformation to a monthly magazine

…we are merging AurealisXpress and Aurealis magazine with what will become a monthly emag that combines the quality new fiction and non-fiction of Aurealis with the up-to-date reviews and information of AurealisXpress.

The low down

I have viewed the epub version via the Calibre software and on the old workhorse - my Sony PRS 505.  The calibre book viewer renders it very well, there’s no formatting errors that I can see and being connected to the internet the embedded video reviews show up beautifully and are a nice bonus feature.

On the PRS I was sure that there would be an issue with the video links displaying(the PRS does not do internet connectivity) but I was surprised to see that the jpg’s render just like they do on computer screen(though I obviously can’t play them).

It seems to me to be a very good launch, embedded video and audio links will obviously favour those devices that have internet connectivity (like iPads and tablet readers) but for the one of two reviews that future editions might contain It wouldn’t both me to view it first on Calibre before I load it on the reader.

Enough of the specs…what are we getting?

Well as they are moving to a monthly schedule there’s about half the content of the old mag (going purely on page count of issue 37) which when you think about it actually results in more content over a three month period.

In this issue we have:

  1. From the Cloud – Dirk Strasser (Editorial)
  2. The Bunyipslayer and the Bounty Hunter – Lachlan Huddy(Fiction)
  3. One Hundred Years – Aimee Smith(Fiction)
  4. Breakfast with Glenda Larke – Crisetta MacLeod(Non Fiction)
  5. Reviews(Non Fiction)
  6. Carissa's Weblog – Carissa Thorp(News)

And to my surprise my interview with Kelley Armstrong is included as a link in Carissa’s weblog.

Thoughts

Well I haven’t had time to read the fiction yet, but my initial thoughts are positive.  I like the step towards digitisation and I like the move toward a quicker turnaround, and monthly issues.  I like it enough to even consider becoming a regular subscriber.

Do yourself a favour and download it it’s free

Edit:  I have it on good authority that the next 10 issues will be free and thence forward it will be $1.99.


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