Tag: science fiction

Aurealis Award Eludes me

~ Sean Monaghan ~ Leave a comment

aurealis awards Last night’s Aurealis Award Winners have been announced. Unfortunately I could not be in Brisbane for the ceremony. My congratulations to all the winners. Well done.

I missed out on the “Best Novella” award. That went to Garth Nix. Congratulations and a hearty handshake to Garth.

Of course, being up against someone who’s a New York Times Best-Selling Author, I was philosophical about my chances. Garth’s writing is spectacular, all over the board, and I’m sure he’s doing things I can’t even fathom. My learning will continue.

Now I keep my fingers crossed for June’s Sir Julius Vogel Awards (kind of New Zealand’s equivalent to the Aurealis. Double the chances there with two nominations. I’m sure the competition will be as strong. At least I will be attending the ceremony at Au Contraire this time.

James White Award Longlist

~ Sean Monaghan ~ Leave a comment

james white award logo

My story “The Old Fighting Goose” made it to the recently announced James White Award Longlist. I can mention this now because the blind judging has been completed and the story didn’t get on the shortlist. With over 350 entries, I’m pleased to have at least reached the last 22.

Best of luck to the finalists for the winners’ announcement at the BSFA Awards Ceremony in Manchester over Easter.

This is the last time I’m allowed to enter. From the rules: “The James White Award Short Story Competition is open only to non-professional writers.” The award is an annual contest and with a forthcoming publication this August I will qualify for professional status and lose eligibility for next year. Still it has been fun entering each year.

Now, editors, watch out. “The Old Fighting Goose” will be landing in your inbox soon.

Sir Julius Vogel Awards Finalist

~ Sean Monaghan ~ Leave a comment

smFront-v5A few posts back I mentioned the possibility that a couple of my stories: “The Molenstraat Music Festival” in Asimov’s, and “The Harpsichord Elf” in Capricious could make it onto the ballot for the Sir Julius Vogel Awards – New Zealand’s Science Fiction awards.

Well, the stories made it. “Molenstraat” in the novella category, and “Elf” in the short story category. As you can imagine, I’m pretty excited about this. And I thank all of those who offered to put in their votes to help me make the ballot – Dane, Daniel, Andi, Dr Bob, Jen, Jane (if I’ve left you out I apologise: let me know and I’ll fix it). I do appreciate it.

Thank you so much.

So now I need to figure out getting to the ceremony at Au Contraire in Wellington in June. That’s a little more straightforward than Brisbane 🙂

100,000 words. So far.

~ Sean Monaghan ~ 5 Comments

hard at work 1

A slower start this year, but I’ve still hit over a hundred thousand words so far. That’s averaging a bit over 1400 a day. I’d like to be at 1500, but hey. I think that’s a little bit of “failing to success” (Dean Wesley Smith has a good article about that, here, from 2014, but the idea of achieving well, but slightly below your goals is still relevant). My overall posted goal for the year is a half million words, so I’m well on target for that.

I’ve published one novel (The Eye, the third volume in The Hidden Dome trilogy. I’ve also completed the draft of a contemporary thriller, written and submitted a couple of science fiction stories, and I’m halfway through the draft of a Canal Days, the sequel to last year’s Arlchip Burnout. Hope to have that out later in the year.

I’m in the process of prepping the next two sci-fi novels – Gretel and Cisterns, both standalones (at the moment). Should have those out by the end of March and the end of April respectively.

I do need to get on top of print versions. Haven’t got to that for The Eye yet, so there’s a dropped-the-ball moment. Should get that out with print versions of those other two. I should also bundle the three books of The Hidden Dome series so people can get the series as a set.

I’ve had a story in Aurealis and have signed contracts for another couple of stories coming out later this year (one a reprint). More on those closer to the time.

My story “The Molentstraat Music Festival” from the September 2015 issue of Asimov’s is a finalist in the Asimov’s Readers’ Poll and also in the Aurealis Awards. That’s pretty cool. I’m hoping it will also get on the ballot for New Zealand’s Sir Julius Vogel Award.

As Shadows on the Snow, with Kendall from Decembernightskies, we’ve also had more music come out this year. Feels like something for another blog post.

I do need to update my website. Seriously. Need to learn more about marketing. And discoverability. Also that garden that needs one or two weeds (or more) pulled.

So, even with a few glitches of my own making, I’m happy with this start to the year. How is yours going?

Finalist Badge

~ Sean Monaghan ~ 4 Comments

WOTF-FINALIST-#31Some years ago I was a finalist in the Writers of the Future contest (WOTF).

Since that time I’ve entered every quarter. I’ve had numerous Honorable Mentions and a Semi-Finalist placing. Never made it to that lauded “Finalist” again though.

Now I find myself creeping closer to pro-ing out. The contest is open to non-professional writers only, professional being counted as more than three pro-rate sales. With this August’s issue of Asimov’s I’ll have my third pro sale publication. One more after (or before) that and I’ll no longer be eligible for WOTF. I wonder how many more quarters I’ll be able enter.

In the meantime, the WOTF organization sent me this nice badge (thanks Joni). I figure I’d better display it. It might be my highest WOTF accolade.

The Molenstraat Music Festival shortlisted for Aurealis Awards

~ Sean Monaghan ~ 6 Comments

aurealis awardsI’m thrilled that my novelette published last year in Asimov’s – “The Molenstraat Music Festival” has been shortlisted for Australia’s Aurealis Awards. With baited breath, I must wait until March 25th for the ceremony. Of course, I’m on the ballot with Garth Nix so it feels like a long shot.

Since the novelette is also a Readers’ Awards Finalist in the Asimov’s Awards, it’s currently available to read for free on the Asimov’s Science Fiction website, here,. In that one I’m up against the likes of Michael Swanwick and David Gerrold, so no holding my breath 🙂

Congratulations to everyone on the shortlists – especially my friend Steve Cameron for his story “Lodloc and The Bear”.

Good luck to all.

The Root Bridges of Haemae in Aurealis

~ Sean Monaghan ~ 2 Comments

aurealis87My story “The Root Bridges of Haemae” is out now in Issue 87 of Australia’s Aurealis Magazine, edited by the renowned Dirk Strasser.

Described as “a resonant off-world story featuring a truly alien culture”, young alien Ribolee struggles with human and alien relationships.

This story made last semi-finalist in the Writers of the Future contest. I’m pleased that it’s found a home, especially with Aurealis.

The full issue includes stories by Ian Bell and Deborah Sheldon, as well as interviews and reviews. Available from Smashwords for $US2.99.

Aurealis is expanding. For a long time the publication had been restricted to submissions from Australian and New Zealand contributors, but now it’s going global.

Here’s the story’s opening:

______________________________________

Human females survive the birth of their children.

Astonishing.

Ribolee ran this revelation around in her head again and again as she walked home from their camp.

Human females survive the birth.

And not only that, they sometimes have just one child. Imagine. A single child. How could that be? How could a species come to be with such a clear hindrance to its own survival?

Around her, the jungle dripped. The midday rains had been shorter today. She liked this time of year: summer almost here, but still cooler and the rains diminishing. The full seasons were far wilder: the dry of summer when the ground became bristlrboh dion hamilling and crackly, the leaves darkened and swelled, animals howled and rushed; the wet chill of winter when the rivers burgeoned, the ground became a swamp and the rain could last for suns on end.

______________________________________

I’m lucky enough to have my story complemented by a wonderful illustration by Dion Hamill. Thanks Dion.

Sir Julius Vogel Awards ballot

~ Sean Monaghan ~ 2 Comments

smFront-v5There is the vague possibility of my getting onto the ballot for the Sir Julius Vogel Awards – New Zealand’s Science Fiction awards for a couple of stories: The Molenstraat Music Festival in Asimov’s, and The Harpsichord Elf in Capricious. The process works by the stories with the most nominations go on the ballot.

So, if any of you happen to have read either or both of the stories (and I’m happy to send you copies if you haven’t :-/ ), and you have a moment, email the details to

sjv_awards@sffanz.org.nz

asking to nominate the story (one story per email).The nominations close on February 28th (which will be the 27th, American friends living across the dateline).

Award website:http://www.sffanz.org.nz/sjv/sjvAwards.shtml

Details to send:
Title: The Molenstraat Music Festival
Author: Sean Monaghan
Category: Novelette or Novella
Published: Septmeber 2015
Published in: Asimov’s science fiction
Full details here: http://www.asimovs.com
Category: Professional awards
Science fiction
Nominated by [your contact details]

Title: The Harpsichord Elf
Author: Sean Monaghan
Category: Short Story
Published: 2015
Published in: Capricious
Full details here: http://www.capricioussf.org/2015/09/issue-1-available-now/
Category: Professional awards
Science Fiction
Nominated by [your contact details]

Thank you so much.

2015: The year that was

~ Sean Monaghan ~ 3 Comments

japan 1drt6gAs far as writing years go, 2015 was pretty good. I’ve acheived my goals, realized some dreams, and learned a few lessons.

I had numerous publications over the course of the year, and was pleased to be in the pages of Asimov’s Science Fiction and Landfall once again. My second stories in each of those magazines, over consecutive years, and that suggests to me that the first wasn’t a fluke. I may actually be doing some things right.

I also had stories in Perihelion, Capricious, Takahe, SQMag and Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine. A good mix of literary and science fiction.

Good news on the competition front too. I was first equal in the Gernsback Amazing Stories innaugural competition this year for my story “Penny of Tharsis Montes”. That should be out in the first issue in February.

I self-published numerous short stories, and five novels. Sales of these have been unspectacular. Included in the plans for 2016 is more learning about marketing, discoverability and the like. I’m confident I have a good product: I lack the skills to get it noticed.

I’ve also taken more courses and read more books about writing and business. I’ll continue that next year.

As Shadows on the Snow, Kendall and I had a lot of music come out. Kendall’s brilliant at getting the stuff out into the world. Thanks Kendall!

I managed to fit in a jaunt to Japan (hence the photo), which was fabulous. Almost a month there visiting Hiroshima, Kyoto and Naoshima Island among other places, sampling okonomiyaki (yum) and green tea ice cream (not so yum).

For the fourth year running I wrote every day (including on the trip, albeit slower). Also for the fourth year in a row, I wrote over a half a million words. Funny thing; the goal is 500,000, but I hit that on November 19th. With forty-one days left, I wondered what to do. Why not write another novel? So I ran with that. Athena Setting will came in at around 57,000 words and I’ve just finished it tonight, New Year’s Eve (squeaked in at 11.59). These days, it’s not often I’m up at midnight for new year, but there you go. I celebrated finishing the novel (as I usually do) by starting the next piece. Might even be a new novel.

For the first year since starting that word count, I also published over a half million (about 100,000 over that – not bad). I have more words (should say complete stories/novels) written this year and last, that haven’t made it out yet. Next year.

Next year’s goals remain the same, with clear additions. Write every  day, write a half million words, and publish ten novels. Also; learn a whole lot more around business and marketing and so on.

Happy New Year everyone.