Australian Science Fiction Foundation | Donna Maree Hanson, Author, Phd in Creative Writing

Archive for the ‘Australian Science Fiction Foundation’ Category

Smacking that ball out of the park

Posted in A writer's life, Australian Science Fiction Foundation, Author signing event, tagged Castle, editing, Robot Heart, Robot short stories, Signing event, Writing on September 4, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Robot Hearts is locked and loaded. It is uploaded on most eretailers or heading that way.

I’ve uploaded the print version and am waiting for proofs.

Technically, it took me longer than I hoped. That’s because I’ve been sitting on the collection for a week or so because I was neck deep in revisions for Destiny’s Blood, Dani’s new book. That’s at the editor, but I’m pretty shattered by all the effort. While deep in revisions and on a deadline I could not disengage to do the admin stuff required to upload, even with everything ready. I did my day job but that’s about it.

I am yet to get back to the drafting of Amber Rose. Once I hit my stride with Destiny’s Blood, the blinkers went on and I couldn’t do too much else. However, I’m looking forward to getting back into that one. Loads of fun with Jemima Hardcastle.

Admin

I’ve been working on the shop but it’s not there yet. However, I did get the link between Bookfunnel and Papyhip working.

Binge watching round up.

I have watched all 8 Seasons of Castle. I think they stuffed the last season because when they weren’t doing the serious story arc about Lokstat, they made Castle to be like having paranoid delusions. That’s a shame because I thought over the series they established that he was clever and his story ideas for crimes had value. I’m continuing the Nathan Fillion journey with The Rookie. Matthew bought season 1 on DVD and we started it last night. A very good outing for the first episode and really good balance of character, challenges and crime solving.

I watched a couple of episodes of Grace, crime drama set in Brighton UK on Britbox. One of these episodes featured illegal human organ trafficking and undocumented migrants. I found this one very hard to watch. I also got mixed up and watched a Season Four episode before finishing Season One, so that’s like reading the ending in a book before reading the beginning. Shock! Horror!

Reading

Currently just The Fourth Wing and my novel crit book. I started a new ebook but I’m burnt out from the deadline I mentioned above.

Craft

I am almost finished the lap rug for Matthew. Just have some fringe to do and it’s done. I don’t want to count the years I’ve been working on this. It must be before I started my dayjob. in 2021.

Health

I’m currently wearing a 24 hour blood pressure monitor. I had a bit of a stress blow out the day of my friend’s Kaaren Sutcliffe’s funeral. Blood pressure spiked and I’ve been trying to get the monitor for two weeks. There’s a funny story in that but never mind.

Appearances

I will be at Fiction and Friction Indie Book Convention on 12 October at the Adelaide Convention Centre. Tickets are available here. I have a pre order form up, but I’ll be closing that soon. Probably 15 September. The link to the pre order form is here.

I had other posts to write but alas it’s 3.30pm and I’m ready for a nap. This could be because I’m trying to write a blurb and that’s so hard. My brain is fried.

I also need to update my books page.

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Deeply honoured to recieve the A. Bertram Chandler Award

Posted in A. Bertram Chandler Award, Australian Science Fiction Foundation, Ditmar Awards, sf conventions, tagged A Bertram Chandler Award, awards, Ditmars, fantasy fiction, Glenda Larke, Perth, SF convention, Swancon, Trudi Canavan on April 8, 2015| 2 Comments »

As per my previous post, I was in Perth to visit the awesome Glenda Larke and go to the 40th Swancon SF convention. Swancon was a national convention this year and thereby host to the Ditmar awards and a few other awards, including the A. Bertram Chandler Award.

Here is a little about the award from the Australian Science Fiction Foundation’s website:

The A. Bertram Chandler Award is given by the Australian Science Fiction Foundation.

It is Australia’s premier award for lifetime achievement in science fiction.

The first Chandler was presented in 1992 to Van Ikin at the National Science Fiction Convention, SynCon ‘92. Subsequent winners have been Mervyn Binns, George Turner, Wynne Whiteford, Grant Stone, Susan Batho (Smith-Clarke), Graham Stone, John Bangsund, John Foyster, Lucy Sussex, Lee Harding, Bruce Gillespie, Rosaleen Love, Damien Broderick, Paul Collins, Richard Harland, Russell B. Farr and Danny Danger Oz.

The 2015 Chandler Award was presented to Donna Maree Hanson at Swancon 40, the 54th Australian National Science Fiction Convention in Perth, Western Australia, on 5th April 2015.

I didn’t know anyone was watching me and noting what I was doing all these years. I was so surprised to be selected. I had fun doing all those things listed in my citation, except maybe the Conflux accounts last year. That was difficult. What a pleasure and an honour to receive the award. I have to thank the Australian Science Fiction Foundation again for the award. I’m flabbergasted and thoroughly pleased to receive it and can’t believe it’s happened.

When the citation was read out at the ceremony, I did sound like I had done an awful lot but that has been over the last 15 years.

Here is a few shots…also included are shots of Glenda Larke who tied with Trudi Canavan for best novel in the Ditmars. I gave Trudi’s acceptance speech as she is in Europe. It was an ideal outcome because both Trudi and Glenda are dear friends. John Scalzi presented the award and he was a little tricky and a bit of a tease. They way he announced it, it looked like Trudi had won by herself. When I sat down with the award, he said to the crowd, ‘Wait there’s more.’. I got so excited because I knew it was Glenda and that there had been a tie. Glenda didn’t suspect. She’d won her first award just before with the WA Tin Ducks. But it was exactly that. It was in good fun, but someone chided John Scalzi and I have a shot of him begging for forgiveness (not seriously but it was funny).