Australian Speculative Fiction Carnival - Part the First

Part the Second will appear later in the day. This Carnival contains far too much for one post unless I skip sleep entirely tonight. Read on and meet your destiny, which bears with it (as it ought to, given the subject) an aura of Southern Doom. Oh wait, that's just the horror writers.

First up, the usual suspects talk about writing and its consequences:
Glenda Larke and friends on fantasy trilogies.
Killing darlings: me first then Stephanie Gunn (we're a murderous bunch).
Rjurik Davidson on writing rules and Glenda again - on writing in the first person here and here.
Me on the Middle Ages and fiction (as always) and on dull action scenes.
As a bonus, however, Jay Lake throws down the gauntlet to Australians who see the US as the Holy Grail of publishing (to which some of us respond, without too much encouragement).

On particular aspects of writing Glenda talks about themes while Justine gives sage advice on how to address authors.

Australian Speculative Fiction Carnival - part the second

This month's blogvertising includes:
Australian Dark Fantasy and Horror 2006; best SF and F of the year (Australian content appears to be Margo Lanagan); fabulous cover for the new Sean Williams' novel (which is just as well, because Jennifer Fallon's new cover is missing); advance copies of Ben Peek's book (note: I like Peek this month because he likes one of my favourite books: The Master and Margarita. This is a shame because I quite intended to sharpen my one-liners on him this Carnival); Scott Westerfeld on coming out in London; New Ceres submission period begins and Aurealis Awards nominations close 17 November.

Just this month we also bring you drama and spectacle:
Jennifer Fallon admits (gasp) that she writes fantasy and announces that she is recruiting minions.
Sean Williams gives a speech while Justine Larbalestier defies Margo Lanagan.
Scott's cake gets a case of the Uglies.
The Great Regency Gothic Food Experiment for next year's Conflux begins (and promptly gets moved to http://www.foodpast.com ). Tansy Rayner Roberts joins in with joy and merriment and a determination to make everything look like daleks.
Russell Kirkpatrick (who is an honorary Australian for blogging purposes) wonders about why some good books don't sell.

Commentary
Peek (in an oddly nice mood, mostly) discusses George Turner.
Never trust a critic - they may turn round and like you after all.
Also never trust reviewers except when you can find something handy in the review to get an important message about your magazine across to the wider reading public.
The Ticonderoga survey passes 400 respondents and that's all I have for you!!