IFWA: The Musical – Speculative Fiction

It is time, again, for nominations for the Aurora Awards, Canada’s top awards for Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy: writing, art, fan activities and other works. This year, the Auroras will be presented at Keycon in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the weekend of May 16-19, 2008). Hence the deadline for entering nominations is March 17, 2008.

This year the form is MUCH easier, as you can enter online–no need for an envelope and stamp. For a list of all eligible entries, check out the Canadian SF Works Database. You can nominate 3 works in each category.

If you would like to nominate me for a “Best Short Form Work in English,” consider checking out my eligible short story, “Paid in Full,” published in Asimov’s Science Fiction, vol. 31 #10-11, the 2007 October/November issue. You can read the full text here.

Or, have a look at THE PHANTOM OF THE SPACE OPERA, a live performance at the August, 2007 Conversion in Calgary, which is eligible for “Best Work in English, Other.” A DVD of the performance is available, and it will be uploaded onto YouTube by early January for general viewing.

“Paid in Full,” my story about strange ways of repaying debts, will be coming out in the next issue of Asimov’s. Watch for it in the October-November double issue, on news stands soon.

I was thrilled this summer to be asked to be a final judge for the Robyn Herrington Memorial Short Story Contest at Con-Version in Calgary. The pre-judges have narrowed the field to five speculative short stories, and the final judging will occur on the Sunday morning of the convention.

My fellow judges are Danita Maslan, author of Rogue Harvest, and Rebecca Bradley, author of the Gil Trilogy, including Lady in Gil, Scion’s Lady and Lady Pain. She also co-wrote Temutma with Stewart Sloan.

Another excitement for me, personally, was to direct the spoof, “Phantom of the Space Opera,” a ninety-minute musical written and performed by the IFWA Players. This is the story of Captain Quirk and the crew of the USS Insipid, who meet an omniscient and omnipotent being from beyond known time and space who is searching for talent aboard our heroes’ ship. We had so much fun producing the show that we made a DVD of it this fall, and hope soon to have it up on YouTube for others to view. It will be eligible for an Aurora Award this spring in the category of “Best Work in English – Other”.

Hope to see you all in Calgary for Conversion, August 17 – 19!

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