Shock Against Racism

Shock Against Racism is a group of network of horror writers, artists and fans against racism and the far right. It was started by Simon Bestwick and you can read more about it on his blog.

Two events have been organised and I am delighted to be involved in the one in Liverpool.

LIVERPOOL

It’s being held on Fri 23rd November 2018 at 7.30pm at Write-Blend, 124 South Road, Waterloo, Liverpool L22 OND.

“Four of Merseyside’s finest authors of the dark, the frightening and the just plain strange join forces in SHOCK AGAINST RACISM. Cate Gardner, Simon Bestwick, Priya Sharma and the legendary Ramsey Campbell will be here to read tales of the macabre and to talk about their lives and work. Entry on the door is £3.00 and all proceeds from this event will be donated to Hope Not Hate.”

 

BRIGHTON

“SHOCK AGAINST RACISM, a group of horror writers opposed to fascism, presents an evening of dark fiction in memory of socialist author and poet Joel Lane (1963-2013).”

Featuring readings from Rosanne Rabinowitz, V.H. Leslie and Tom Johnstone.

£3 entry on the door, proceeds to Brighton Anti-Fascists. Hosted by Writers’ Bloc
7.30pm, Sunday 25th November, Cowley Club, 12 London Road, Brighton.

 

 

Speculative Parenthood – Octavia Butler’s “Bloodchild” and Priya Sharma’s “Egg”

Thanks to Mary Felice for reading my short story, “Egg”,  and taking the time to reflect on it on her blog.

https://failingatwriting.com/2018/10/20/speculative-parenthood-octavia-butlers-bloodchild-and-priya-sharmas-egg/

 

 

The British Fantasy Awards 2018

2018 British Fantasy Awards Winners, October 22, 2018, Chester, UK.

Congratulations to all the nominees and all the winners.

Best Fantasy Novel (the Robert Holdstock Award)

WINNER: The Ninth Rain, Jen Williams (Headline)

Age of Assassins, RJ Barker (Orbit)
Under the Pendulum Sun, Jeannette Ng (Angry Robot)
The Court of Broken Knives, Anna Smith Spark (HarperVoyager)

Best Horror Novel (the August Derleth Award)

WINNER: The Changeling, Victor LaValle (Spiegel & Grau)

The Boy on the Bridge, M.R. Carey (Orbit)
Relics, Tim Lebbon (Titan)
The Crow Garden, Alison Littlewood (Jo Fletcher)
Behind Her Eyes, Sarah Pinborough (Harper Collins)

Best Novella

WINNER: Passing Strange, Ellen Klages (Tor.com Publishing)

A Pocketful of Crows, Joanne Harris (Gollancz)
Cottingley, Alison Littlewood (Newcon)
Naming the Bones, Laura Mauro (Dark Minds)
Brother’s Ruin, Emma Newman (Tor.com Publishing)
The Murders of Molly Southbourne, Tade Thompson (Tor.com Publishing)

Best Short Story

WINNER: “Looking for Laika”, Laura Mauro (Interzone 11-12/17)

“Four Abstracts”, Nina Allan (New Fears)
“The Anniversary”, Ruth EJ Booth (Black Static 11-12/17)
“Shepherd’s Business”, Stephen Gallagher (New Fears)
“Illumination”, Joanne Hall (Book of Dragons)
The Little Gift, Stephen Volk (PS)

Best Collection

WINNER: Strange Weather, Joe Hill (Gollancz)

You Will Grow Into Them, Malcolm Devlin (Unsung Stories)
Norse Mythology, Neil Gaiman (Bloomsbury)
Tanith by Choice, Tanith Lee (Newcon)
Tender: Stories, Sofia Samatar (Small Beer)

Best Anthology

WINNER: New Fears, Mark Morris, ed. (Titan)

Imposter Syndrome, James Everington & Dan Howarth, eds. (Dark Minds)
Pacific Monsters, Margrét Helgadóttir, ed. (Fox Spirit)
2084, George Sandison, ed. (Unsung Stories)
Dark Satanic Mills: Great British Horror 2, Steve J Shaw, ed. (Black Shuck)

Best Independent Press

WINNER: Unsung Stories

Fox Spirit
Grimbold
Newcon
Salt

Best Non-Fiction

WINNER: Gender Identity and Sexuality in Science Fiction and Fantasy, Francesca T Barbini, ed. (Luna)

Paperbacks from Hell, Grady Hendrix (Quirk)
No Time to Spare: Thinking About What Matters, Ursula K. Le Guin (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
Ginger Nuts of Horror
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, Maura McHugh (Electric Dreamhouse)
Luminescent Threads, Alexandra Pierce & Mimi Mondal, eds. (12th Planet)

Best Magazine / Periodical

WINNER: Shoreline of Infinity

Black Static
Ginger Nuts of Horror
Grimdark
Interzone

Best Artist

WINNER: Jeffrey Alan Love

Ben Baldwin
Victo Ngai
Daniele Sera
Sana Takeda
Sophie E Tallis

Best Comic / Graphic Novel

WINNER: Monstress Vol. 2, Marjorie Liu & Sana Takeda (Image)

Grim & Bold, Joshua Cornah (Kristell Ink)
Bitch Planet Vol 2: President Bitch, Kelly Sue DeConnick, Taki Soma & Valentine de Landro (Image)
The Wicked + The Divine Vol 5: Imperial Phase Part 1, Kieron Gillen & Jamie McKelvie (Image)
Tomorrow, Jack Lothian & Garry Mac (BHP Comics)

Best Audio

WINNER: Anansi Boys, Neil Gaiman, adapted by Dirk Maggs

Brave New Words Podcast
Breaking the Glass Slipper Podcast
Ivory Towers, Richard H Brooks
PseudoPod Podcast
Tea & Jeopardy Podcast

Best Film / Television Production

WINNER: Get Out

Black Mirror: Series 4
The Good Place: Season 1
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Stranger Things: Season 2
Twin Peaks: the Return
Wonder Woman

Best Newcomer (the Sydney J Bounds Award)

WINNER: Jeanette Ng, for Under the Pendulum Sun (Angry Robot)

RJ Barker, for Age of Assassins (Orbit)
S.A. Chakraborty, for The City of Brass (HarperVoyager)
Ed McDonald, for Blackwing (Orion)
Anna Smith Spark, for The Court of Broken Knives (HarperVoyager)

Karl Edward Wagner Award

N.K. Jemisin

 

Fantasycon 2018, 19th-21st October

I love Fantasycon. It’s one of the highlights of my year. I feel like a child before Christmans in the weeks running up to it. It’s where I get to see marvellous people and talk about books.

This year it’s at The Queen Hotel, Chester. More info here. Guests of Honour are Adrian Tchaikovsky, Claire North and Farah Mendlesohn.

I’ll be at the Titan launch on Sat 20th at 4pm, which includes New Fears 2, a horror collection by Mark Morris that I am fortunate enough to be included in with a story called “Maw”.

I’m also doing a reading on Sat 20th at 9pm  with the lovely Tim Major and Gary Budden.

Come and say hello!

Boy Eating