Tag: sir julius vogel awards

Daisy And Maisie, External Hull Maintenance Experts – award ballots.

~ Sean Monaghan ~ Leave a comment

I’ve just learned that my story “Daisy And Maisie, External Hull Maintenance Experts”, from Analog last year, is a finalist for the Aurealis Awards for Best Novella.

With the story already a finalist for the Analog Analytical Laboratory award, and the Sir Julius Vogel Award, I’m feeling pretty humbled. My little story hanging out there with a bunch of stories by some awesome writers.

Now, I just wait for those results to trickle in, with my fingers crossed.

 

You can read the story for free at the Analog website, but you can also grab the ebook, with my afterword, from my website seanmonaghan.com. $2.99, but you can use the code DandM50 to get it for fifty percent off. Or use the code DandM100 to get it 100% off (that is, free). Both codes will be valid through until June 15th 2025 (when the Analog Analytical Laboratory results are announced).

Daisy and Maisie, External Hull Maintenance Experts

~ Sean Monaghan ~ Leave a comment

I mentioned before here and here, my short story “Daisy and Maisie, External Hull Maintenance Specialists”, originally published in the March/April issue of Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact, is on the Sir Julius Vogel Award ballot for best novella or novelette, and also is on the ballot for Analog’s Analytical Laboratory (voted for by readers). The Analog final results come out in mid-June, I think, but the SJVs voting is on now, with the award ceremony happening at Concatenation con in Wellington over Easter (Kudos too for the organisers of the con, pulling together something out of almost nothing – great work).

If you’re a member of Concatenation, or SFFANZ, you have voting rights, so you can access the stories through the finalists page.

They’re also available to read for free on the Analog (Daisy and Maisie) and Asimov’s (Wildest Skies) websites, through until those respective awards are announced.

But, to add to that, “Daisy and Maisie…” is available from the website now as an ebook for $2.99. Just for reading here, you can use the code DandM50 to get it for fifty percent off. Not enough. Okay. Use the code DandM100 to get it 100% off (that is, free). I can’t go any higher than that, otherwise I’m giving you money 😁. I’ll leave these codes valid through until June 15th.

The print book version will be available soon. It looks grand. Link coming when all the details are in place.

 

Daisy and Maisie, External Hull Maintenance Experts

Chuck Grimshaw works hard in the gruelling environment orbiting Mars. Long days fixing broken equipment, on a worn out ship, in a stinky spacesuit.

His two robot helpers, Daisy and Maisie, make things bearable. Never short of a wry observation or a correction to Grimshaw’s work habits.

When disaster strikes, Grimshaw finds they have more talents than just quips and repairs.

But do they have the skills to help him survive?

 

Grab it now! Use the discount! Do a little dance!

Thank you.

Award Season…

~ Sean Monaghan ~ Leave a comment

Now that the official announcement has been made, I can add in here to two of my stories from 2024 are finalists on a couple more award ballots. Both “Daisy and Maisie, External Hull Maintenance Experts” (Analog, March/April 2024) and “Wildest Skies” (Asimov’s November/December 2024) are up for those magazines’ awards.

“Daisy and Maisie…” for Analog’s Analytical Laboratory Award, and “Wildest Skies” for Asimov’s Readers’ Poll. There are a lot of familiar names in those lists, and I’m humbled to be among them.

The announcements of the winners for both will come with the July/August issues (out in mid-June), but in the meantime, you can read the stories for free at award pages – the links here will take you to them – and most of the other finalists are available there too. That’s a whole mess of great reading. There are some spectacular stories there. Enjoy.

These awards are kind of my favorites because they’re voted for by the actual readers of the magazines. I’ve been a finalist before in the Asimov’s Readers’ Poll, for “The Molenstraat Music Festival” (which placed fourth equal as best novelette of 2015), “Goldie” (which placed second as best novella of 2022) and “Crimson Birds of Small Miracles” (which won for best short story of 2017). This is the first time I’ve been a finalist for the Analog Analytical Laboratory, though I’ve had numerous stories there over the last few years.

While I’m jabbering on, I do have more Asimov’s and Analog stories forthcoming – “Can You Outrun A T-Rex” in the November/December Asimov’s, and “Ready For New Arrivals” in the July/August Analog.

But I digress. Both “Wildest Skies” and “Daisy and Maisie, External Hull Maintenance Experts” are also finalists in the Best Novella/Novelette category in New Zealand’s Sir Julius Vogel Awards, in the same category, though, which makes me feel a little like I’m up against myself, ha, ha. And both are also on the long list (i.e. nominated) for Australia’s Aurealis Award. More details on that one to come. Hoping that they might make the shortlist.

“Wildest Skies” was a fun story to write too, and stimulated a whole lot of other stories with the characters and situations, with more to come. See www.wildestskies.com with those stories there.

Daisy and Maisie, External Hull Maintenance Experts – Award Ballots

~ Sean Monaghan ~ Leave a comment

My short story “Daisy and Maisie, External Hull Maintenance Experts”, originally published in the March/April issue of Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact, is on the Sir Julius Vogel Award ballot for best novella or novelette. Now, I call it a short story, but there are technical lengths for awards and the cutoff for short stories is 7,500 words… “Daisy and Maisie…” is 7,600 words. That pushes it to novelette length.

That’s all well and fine, I’m thrilled to be nominated and to make it onto the finalist ballot.

Interesting side note, my 22,000 word novella “Wildest Skies” is also on the same ballot, so I’m kind of competing with myself, with stories of very different lengths.

Again, no complaints. Not at all. I’ve been on the ballots before, and even won once, but it’s been a while. All you nice people who’ve been reading the stories have been kind enough to consider them award-worthy and to nominate them.

Thank you, thank you. It’s very appreciated.

I have friends in other categories too – Lee Murray for Best Collected work, and Best Cover for her wonderful Fox Spirit on a Distant Cloud and Mel Harding-Shaw for her novel Echoes of Earthshine and also (as Melanie Harding-Shaw) for her article “Your Guide to New Zealand Fantasy Romance Novels Coming in 2024”

A full list of the finalists can be found here on the Sir Julius Vogel Awards Finalists 2025 page.

The competition will be tight, and because of other commitments I will miss the awards ceremony in April. Wish me luck, but also best of luck to the other nominees Just not in my category 😉

“Daisy and Maisie…” will be out as a standalone story in ebook and print very soon. What do you think of the cover? This is the blurb.

Daisy and Maisie, External Hull Maintenance Experts, blurb

Chuck Grimshaw works hard in the gruelling environment orbiting Mars. Long days fixing broken equipment, on a worn out ship, in a stinky spacesuit.

His two robot helpers, Daisy and Maisie, make things bearable. Never short of a wry observation or a correction to Grimshaw’s work habits.

When disaster strikes, Grimshaw finds they have more talents than just quips and repairs.

But do they have the skills to help him survive?

Marbles shortlisted for the Sir Julius Vogel Award

~ Sean Monaghan ~ Leave a comment

balls-407081_1280

Yay. I may have mentioned, but my novella “Marbles” from Asimov’s, July/August last year, is on the ballot for New Zealand’s Sir Julius Vogel Award. Thank you all those who nominated the story to get it this far.

The others on the ballot are, Hexes and Vexes, by Nova Blake; How to Get a Girlfriend (When you’re a Terrifying Monster), by Marie Cardno; No Man’s Land by A.J. Fitzwater, and; Riverwitch by Rem Wigmore.  I know many of these people. They are awesome writers. These are extraordinary stories. So, uphill battle there. Still nice to be among such company.

Voting is available to members of SFFANZ, and closes at the end of May.

Image by Splitshire from Pixabay

Fabulous Skies available for pre-order

~ Sean Monaghan ~ Leave a comment

Fabulous skiesMy second standalone short sci-fi story of the year “Fabulous Skies” is available now for pre-order.

 

Jenelle lives for storms. The elemental and the destructive. With her flotilla of flybots, she studies and researches the biggest storms. Right out in the wild.

But perhaps existing out in the wild takes more than she knows.

A story that asks the question, what are we running from?

A sci fi short from the author of Crimson Birds of Small Miracles.

 

 

Full release on February 29th, but available for preorder from the usual booksellers – Amazon, Smashwords, and others (universal booklink). $2.99 ebook and $5.99 in print (it’s a cutie – 30 pages… I do like these little books).

 

This is fun getting this shorter stories out into the world. Next month, however, we’ll have out, Deuterium Shine, the first novel in a new series “The Jupiter Files”. Following that another short, “Mem and Cyborg”, and following that the publishing will ratchet up a little, with some collections, omnibuses and more novels.

Alongside all that are more works in the “Matti-Jay and Dub Adventures” series. These middle grade works go through a different process to reach publication. This is the series I write for my daughter Matti-Jay, so before they go public we read them at home, just to make sure they’re good to go.

There are three novels in the first series for Matti-Jay – Blue Defender, Red Alliance and Gold Embers – which make up “The Chronicles of the Donner”. There is one short “Trapped” as part of the follow-ups in the “Matti-Jay and Dub Adventures”, but three more in the works right now, the novel Pirates, the novelette Good Ship Hartford and another short “Event on Algoria Three”. We’re almost done with that last one, so it might be available in the next couple of weeks.

I have story, “One Hundred” in the March/April issue of Analog, if you’re an Analog reader. Pretty chuffed with that one – my first in Analog. Later in the year I have another story in Asimov’s – “Marbles”, which is the third in Asimov’s in my “Worlds of Shilinka Switalla” series, following the (ahem) award-winning “Crimson Birds of Small Miracles”, and “Ventiforms”.

I’ll post more about those closer to the time they come out.

Speaking of Asimov’s, I had two stories published there last year, both of which are eligible for New Zealand’s Sir Julius Vogel Award – “Ventiforms” and “Chasing Oumuamua”. That’s exciting, though of course it all takes getting nominated to get onto the ballot. We’ll see how that goes. No matter, it’s always a thrill to be published in Asimov’s.

The value of persistence

~ Sean Monaghan ~ 2 Comments

IMG_20180420_072542So I’m posting here a photo of my Sir Julius Vogel award. It’s cool, and I guess I’m bragging a bit. But see those three folders underneath? Those are my rejection slips. You know, the letter you get from a publisher who for one reason or another isn’t taking your story. Gathered over more years than I care to admit.

I think there are about two thousand. I have a feeling I’ve lost some over the years.

Most of them are form rejections. Some are very nice personal rejections. One is a disappointingly rude personal rejection (I haven’t submitted to that magazine since).

And there, standing on the shoulders of all those rejections, is an award. To me this is the value of persistence. I mean this to be encouraging. Keep at it. Keep going. Pursue what you love doing. It’s not about the award (though that’s nice), it’s about loving doing it.

My story “Crimson Birds of Small Miracles” wins the Sir Julius Vogel Award

~ Sean Monaghan ~ 3 Comments

asimovs-cover-jan-2016
A few weeks back I mentioned that I was honoured to be a finalist for New Zealand’s Sir Julius Vogel Award in short story category, for my Asimov’s story “Crimson Birds of Small Miracles”.
Well it turns out that, ahem, another small miracle has occurred; the story won the award. I’m amazed and surprised. The other stories on the ballot (at least those I had the chance to read) were excellent, and the authors of those stories read like a who’s-who of New Zealand science fiction: Grace Bridges, A.J. Fitzwater, Andi Buchanan, Octavia Cade.smFront-v5

Yeah.

With other commitments, I was elsewhere during the presentations, but I thank Lee Murray for collecting the award and reading my little speech.
This is my third time on the final ballot, so it’s heartening to pick up a win.
My congratulations to the other winners – a full list here: SJV Winners 2018.
Great to see some others I know in there: Darian, Dan and Lee, and Grace, but well done all.

sjv winners 1

I will be publishing the story as a standalone ebook (and print) in the near future, with a wonderful alternative cover by Maurizio Manzieri.
And, while I’m sharing good news, I have signed the contract for another story, titled “Ventiforms”, set in the same universe, which will be coming out in Asimov’s either later this year or early next year. More news on that closer to the time.

Manzieri_CrimsonBirds_previewb

Sir Julius Vogel Award finalist

~ Sean Monaghan ~ 2 Comments

smFront-v5I’m fortunate enough to have have my short story “Crimson Birds of Small Miracles” on the finalist ballot for New Zealand’s Sir Julius Vogel Awards. I’m honored, and thrilled to be standing with such good company.

Best Short Story
“Earthcore: Initiation” – Grace Bridges, published on http://www.gracebridges.kiwi.
“Syren Song” – A.C Buchanan, published in Kaleidotrope.
“The Stone Weta” – Octavia Cade, published in Clarkesworld, issue 131.
“From the Womb of the Land, Our Bones Entwined” – A.J. Fitzwater, published in Pacific Monsters anthology (Fox Spirit Books).
“Crimson Birds of Small Miracles” – Sean Monaghan, published in Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, Jan/Feb 2017.

Yeah. Look at those other stories, those other names. Sheesh.

Well, it’s nice to be a finalist at least.

Unfortunately other commitments this year mean that I won’t be attending the awards ceremony, but I will be back next year  (whether I’m on the ballot or not).

Good luck to all.

Sir Julius Vogel Award nominations open.

~ Sean Monaghan ~ 3 Comments

smFront-v5The Sir Julius Vogel Awards are New Zealand’s science fiction awards. Presented annually at the convention in June.

The ceremony brings out the cream of the New Zealand science fiction scene – too many to list here, but I’d include Lee Murray and Octavia Cade, both of whom won awards in categories for which I was a finalist last year.

I am eligible once again, though this time just in the short story category.

I had the a few stories published during 2015 which are eligible and some of which are available as free reads.

Scour in New Myths (click to read for free)
Penny of Tharsis Montes in Amazing Stories (click to read for free)
The Bubbcat in Cirsova Issue 4
The Root Bridges of Haemae in Aurealis
Wakers in Asimov’s
Go For The Dome in Perihelion (click to read for free)
Ink for a Verbal Contract in Ad Astra (click to read for free)

I’d also like to do a shout out for a couple of others here – Lee Murray for her novel Into The Mist, and Octavia Cade for her novella Eating Science with Ghosts – Asimov’s October/November 2016. If I am fortunate enough to be nominated this year, at least it it won’t be up against these two, since they’re different categories (then again, they may have placed stories I haven’t spotted yet).

Previous winner AJ Fitwater also has some eligible stories, listed on her website there – a nice tale in Shimmer – “An Atlas in Sgraffito Style”.

Dan Rabarts and Lee Murray deserve an editors’ nomination for At The Edge, their Science Fiction / Fantasy / Horror anthology. This also includes AC Buchanan’s story And Still the Forests Grow though we are Gone.

Nominations are open at the SFFANZ site, through until March 31st. Good luck to everyone.

My current story in Asimov’s – “Crimson Birds of Small Miracles” is not eligible, since it’s in the January issue. The story will be eligible for the 2018 awards.