Loose-leaf Links #38

[calissa]

Loose-leaf Links is a feature where I gather together the interesting bits and pieces on sci-fi, fantasy and romance I’ve come across and share them with you over tea. Today’s tea is Lapsang Souchong from T2. The cooler weather always has me craving smoked teas and this is one of the more smoky varieties.

Awards News

As previously mentioned, the winners of the 2016 Aurealis Awards were announced earlier this month. Congratulations once again to both the winners and nominees!

But there’s no rest for the wicked, I’m afraid. The organisers already have a call out for 2017 judges. I admit that for a hot minute I was tempted to sign up again, despite what I said about needing some time to recover.

The shortlists for the Sir Julius Vogel Awards have been released. If you’re looking to explore New Zealand SFF, this is a good doorway.

The ballot for the Hugo Awards has changed slightly. Alex Garner stepped down as a nominee for Best Fan Artist on account of being ineligible. He has been replaced by Steve Stiles.

The British Science Fiction Association announced the winners of the 2016 BSFA Awards.

The new design for the World Fantasy Awards was released this month and it looks gorgeous. It’s definitely an improvement on the bust of H.P. Lovecraft, which looked like it would live on for a while in the nomination pins. Fortunately, it has been announced that the pins will also be retired, perhaps in response to Nalo Hopkinson’s refusal to continue as a WFA judge while the pins were in use.

Community and Conventions

Congratulations to Donna Maree Hanson who won the GUFF race and will be heading to Helsinki for Worldcon 75!

The results of the NAFF race were also announced. Fe Waters will be attending the Australian Natcon, Continuum 13.

Bidding for Con or Bust’s annual auction has begun. Con or Bust helps POC fans attend conventions around the world. Among their auction items this year is an ARC of Ann Leckie’s forthcoming novel Provenance.

Odyssey Con have been in the news recently for all the wrong reasons. It began when Monica Valentinelli withdrew as a Guest of Honour due to the presence of Jim Frenkel, a known serial harasser, on the convention committee. Jim C. Hines details some of Frenkel’s history, while Mary Robinette Kowal has some strong words on the situation. Valentinelli’s withdrawal and the subsequent uproar also led to the withdrawal of the other two Guests of Honour: Tad Williams and Christopher R. Mihm. Despite this, Odyssey Con have decided the show must go on and have recruited two new Guests of Honour.

On Equity

Brianna Wu weighs in on the Odyssey Con situation, examining the sexist parallels between the SFF community and the gaming community.

Fantasy Cafe continue their excellent Women in SFF Month with a post from Danya from Fine Print about menstruation in fantasy novels, and one from S. Jae-Jones about being an Asian-American writer who doesn’t write about being Asian.

Yoon Ha Lee calls for nuance in deeming works as problematic.

For Writers

George R.R. Martin has created a new scholarship to the Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Workshop.

Chuck Wendig shares what he has learned about writing.

Over on Twitter, Hugo nominee Alyssa Wong has pulled together a thread of essays she recommends for writers.

As another of Fantasy Cafe’s guest posts, Fran Wilde discusses shifting POVs between books in a series.

For Readers

Over on the Australian Women Writers blog, Rivqa Rafael interviews Cat Sparks about her new novel Lotus Blue.

Amanda Pillar is offering a limited edition boxed set of her Graced series.

Kate Sloan explains how reading erotica can be great for your mental health.

Mirrored from Earl Grey Editing.

Comments

[clare_dragonfly]

Ooh, great links, as usual! I've saved many of them for later--I'm particularly excited to read the one about menstruation in fantasy. I realized recently that within my varied collection of short fiction, I have two longish short stories (featuring recurring characters) in which puberty and menstruation play an important role.

[calissa]

Glad the links are proving interesting and useful!

[davidgillon]

Catching up late with the Oddyssey Con stuff (the dull thudding a day or two ago was me *headdesk*ing), and I'd missed the Brianna Wu piece, really glad you hadn't! I'd have gotten to Yoon's piece in my catch-up reading, but now I know to look forward to it.

[onewhitecrow]

Jim Hines' edits seem to suggest the OdCon thing's been fixed? Good that everyone yelled about it, though.

Amusing that the World Fantasy Award admins seem to hate Legolas, or are still just that out of touch.

Truly, "problematic" itself should automatically be read as nuanced...like, if you mean something's got so many Issues it's trash, call it trash. Problems are for solving.

Have you seen this? It seems a you thing.

[bunny_m]

That's a damn fine post by Mr Lee.

I should go read some of his stuff.

[onewhitecrow]

Oh my that is a fine icon you have there.

[calissa]

I've not yet managed to read Ninefox Gambit, but it's on the list since it's a Hugo Nominee this year.

[calissa]

That particular piece of artwork is by moonvoice who does some truly stunning work.

[calissa]

Glad I was able to catch a few things you hadn't!

[onewhitecrow]

They do! You have shown me, 'tis just I can't look at their journal very long without getting the drownings from ++visual stims...then I run away...

(bunny_M has good taste, tho'. That is surely the best icon to be had.)

[calissa]

With the level of detail and quantity of artwork, I can see how it would quickly get overwhelming!

[bunny_m]

Why, thank you! *blush*

This is actually my favourite, though the Raven one is a close second. (Raven's Are Cool, and I kinda feel sorry for all the crap they get around here, whilst not blaming t'other birds for mobbing them on occasion because they can totally be Right Bastards sometimes.)

moonvoice's artwork is amazing, and even more so in person, where you get the full effect of the textures and metallic colours, plus being able to get close enough to really get a good look at the crazy fine details.

I have a few pieces of their original work and it's... *speechless*.

moonvoice is Good People too.

[bunny_m]

Truly, "problematic" itself should automatically be read as nuanced...like, if you mean something's got so many Issues it's trash, call it trash. Problems are for solving.

Hear, hear!

[onewhitecrow]

Heheh, I know they are little spiralled warbles really, but that Australian Magpie looks like it has the superpower to summon spagetti by screaming to me (admittedly an awesome superpower). They are truly bonny birds, though, sound included.

Ahhhhhh, I can imagine...if only I could sit in front of one for a couple of hours and then come back to see the next in a day or so...there is a lot of, y'know, geisan, mana...chi-directed-by-will [vague gesturing] to those works, too.

That is good to know. ^_^ We need more of those in the world.

[bunny_m]

Ahhhhhh, I can imagine...if only I could sit in front of one for a couple of hours and then come back to see the next in a day or so...there is a lot of, y'know, geisan, mana...chi-directed-by-will [vague gesturing] to those works, too.

Beautifully said, and not an aspect I'd considered/wording I'd thought of, even though I know that moonvoice pours a *lot* of heart/spirit into each one of these.

Also, that icon above is only a Magpie-Lark. The Australian Magpie is somewhat um, less warm and fluffy, to put it mildly. Gorgeous birds, mind, and their carolling is both a wonder and a joy to hear.

(This icon is the Splendid Fairy Wren.)

[calissa]

I would not say fixed, no. While the individual is no longer on the concom, no apology was issued to the former guest of honour, and they continue to try and paint her as a flake rather than someone who withdrew due to a reasonable complaint.

Yes, I'm a little confused how the WFA admins seem to think fantasy = horror. On the other hand, the Hugos seem to think fantasy = sci-fi, so *shrugs*

Oh my goodness! Those photos are absolutely gorgeous! Thank you for sharing them.

[onewhitecrow]

Then people should not go there, because it is clearly unsafe. [nod]

This is the next step up from a bust of Lovecraft; I'm not really surprised. Also fantasy is the "femminine" sibling of the specfic genres; even now it's relatively mainstream you'll still find bookshops unwilling to give it label space.

Oh good, well you have seen them now.