![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
The big news this month is the PM's apology*, which was thankfully not speculative at all. This means that a lot of other discourse hasn't taken place, especially the last few days. This is not a problem. There was enough earlier**.
Various Ditmar stuff, mostly from the usual members of Ditmar discourse on blogs – most of it was exhorting people to nominate or giving lists of works, so here's one post to represent hundreds (well, at least a dozen)
The Sir Julius Vogel shortlist is out and it contains a surprising number of Aussies with secret New Zealand identities. I knew about some, but not all. The ones I knew about I had spotted because of their unerring capacity to home in on chocolate fish. Simon Petrie, for instance, who is not only addicted to chocolate fish, but is also a nominee for best new talent (and lives in the centre of the known universe, to boot, though not quite as close to the centre of the centre as I do). This isn't the only appearance of Australians outside their normal contexts.
This month we have a special section devoted to Important World Truths. Yes, Tessa is going to kill me, I know this already. Jeff can't kill me because he doesn't know me – this means the carnival will have a half-dead owner for the rest of the year. This is better than a fully dead one.
This month we also have lots of announcements:
Western Australians (admire my restraint – I didn't say Sandgropers) should move quickly because it's time to nominate for Tin Ducks.
There is a Shiny competition (all puns intended in this issue of the carnival – deal with it or make bad jokes in the comments).
ASIM 32 is out and the ASIM site has some new book reviews.
Conflux is open for bookings!
We need more anthologies in our lives. We also need a new magazine. And a new version of Dreaming (please send me a review copy, please send me a review copy, please send me a review copy).
If Horrorscope expands does that mean that creeping horror is invading more souls? More evidence that the truth is out there and that's it's all about horror.
Getting fans to conventions: NAFF fund – time to do stuff (read announcements, for one thing, then maybe vote, voting is good).
On writing
Ben Peek on himself and Jeff Vandermeer. This is most definitely the controversy of the month – where would we be if there wasn't one? There is an earlier post, if you want to follow the whole argument on Ben's blog. There's also Rjurik Davidson on Ben Peek and Jeff Vandermeer (who is this month's honorary Australian, which will relieve the New Zealanders who often cop this dubious honour) and writing professionalism.
Justine Larbalestier and Glenda Larke both weigh in on blurb etiquette.
Justine again – this time on young adultness.
There some stuff on my blog, too, I think, but if you're here you maybe already know that.
Miscellaneous
Jenny Fallon with a rather different take to the usual on where authors get their ideas. Does anyone else want to bury their head in the sand when someone asks about where you get your ideas, or is it just me?
Bill Congreve has been interviewed (admire the pretty picture).
Margo Lanagan on ... stuff (I never know how to describe Margo's blog – just drop in and read it and sort a description out yourself).
Justine Larbalestier on genre.
I got into trouble this month (never let yourself get carried away with extended oneliners).
Mind you, Ms Biancotti is in much more trouble (along with two of her friends), and without having to make bad jokes, first, either. We're all waiting to see the end result - should be wonderful. (Eneit Press, kind occupants of my blog during my recent absence, have other fascinating announcements, not just about their brother press Gilgamesh. Keep an eye on them! Also, don't believe spellcheckers, especially if they rename a publisher Emetic Press. In fact, just don't ever believe spellcheckers – old fashioned knowing how to spell is safer.)
Can I put in an appeal for hosts for any month this year?![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
asimmum is hosting in March, random_alex gets any month she chooses and a few months off to boot, since she did such a sterling job over the holidays. If anyone else has already promised, you might want to remind me, because the place I put my notes has mysteriously vaporized. Either that or things got shifted when I finished writing my poison novel and cleared some papers.
*My own personal apology is way smaller. I'm simply sorry I'm so much of a ratbag today. I've been testing foods for the Conflux banquet and made myself just a little sick. Be relieved that foods that make me feel queasy won't appear on the menu!
** Mind you, I couldn't go too much earlier – for some reason everyone's feeds cut out in late January for me. Let this serve as a reminder to everyone to email entries rather than relying on the host or me to find your words of wisdom.
Various Ditmar stuff, mostly from the usual members of Ditmar discourse on blogs – most of it was exhorting people to nominate or giving lists of works, so here's one post to represent hundreds (well, at least a dozen)
The Sir Julius Vogel shortlist is out and it contains a surprising number of Aussies with secret New Zealand identities. I knew about some, but not all. The ones I knew about I had spotted because of their unerring capacity to home in on chocolate fish. Simon Petrie, for instance, who is not only addicted to chocolate fish, but is also a nominee for best new talent (and lives in the centre of the known universe, to boot, though not quite as close to the centre of the centre as I do). This isn't the only appearance of Australians outside their normal contexts.
This month we have a special section devoted to Important World Truths. Yes, Tessa is going to kill me, I know this already. Jeff can't kill me because he doesn't know me – this means the carnival will have a half-dead owner for the rest of the year. This is better than a fully dead one.
This month we also have lots of announcements:
Western Australians (admire my restraint – I didn't say Sandgropers) should move quickly because it's time to nominate for Tin Ducks.
There is a Shiny competition (all puns intended in this issue of the carnival – deal with it or make bad jokes in the comments).
ASIM 32 is out and the ASIM site has some new book reviews.
Conflux is open for bookings!
We need more anthologies in our lives. We also need a new magazine. And a new version of Dreaming (please send me a review copy, please send me a review copy, please send me a review copy).
If Horrorscope expands does that mean that creeping horror is invading more souls? More evidence that the truth is out there and that's it's all about horror.
Getting fans to conventions: NAFF fund – time to do stuff (read announcements, for one thing, then maybe vote, voting is good).
On writing
Ben Peek on himself and Jeff Vandermeer. This is most definitely the controversy of the month – where would we be if there wasn't one? There is an earlier post, if you want to follow the whole argument on Ben's blog. There's also Rjurik Davidson on Ben Peek and Jeff Vandermeer (who is this month's honorary Australian, which will relieve the New Zealanders who often cop this dubious honour) and writing professionalism.
Justine Larbalestier and Glenda Larke both weigh in on blurb etiquette.
Justine again – this time on young adultness.
There some stuff on my blog, too, I think, but if you're here you maybe already know that.
Miscellaneous
Jenny Fallon with a rather different take to the usual on where authors get their ideas. Does anyone else want to bury their head in the sand when someone asks about where you get your ideas, or is it just me?
Bill Congreve has been interviewed (admire the pretty picture).
Margo Lanagan on ... stuff (I never know how to describe Margo's blog – just drop in and read it and sort a description out yourself).
Justine Larbalestier on genre.
I got into trouble this month (never let yourself get carried away with extended oneliners).
Mind you, Ms Biancotti is in much more trouble (along with two of her friends), and without having to make bad jokes, first, either. We're all waiting to see the end result - should be wonderful. (Eneit Press, kind occupants of my blog during my recent absence, have other fascinating announcements, not just about their brother press Gilgamesh. Keep an eye on them! Also, don't believe spellcheckers, especially if they rename a publisher Emetic Press. In fact, just don't ever believe spellcheckers – old fashioned knowing how to spell is safer.)
Can I put in an appeal for hosts for any month this year?
asimmum is hosting in March, random_alex gets any month she chooses and a few months off to boot, since she did such a sterling job over the holidays. If anyone else has already promised, you might want to remind me, because the place I put my notes has mysteriously vaporized. Either that or things got shifted when I finished writing my poison novel and cleared some papers.*My own personal apology is way smaller. I'm simply sorry I'm so much of a ratbag today. I've been testing foods for the Conflux banquet and made myself just a little sick. Be relieved that foods that make me feel queasy won't appear on the menu!
** Mind you, I couldn't go too much earlier – for some reason everyone's feeds cut out in late January for me. Let this serve as a reminder to everyone to email entries rather than relying on the host or me to find your words of wisdom.