Brum Group News the Monthly Newsletter of the BIRMINGHAM SCIENCE FICTION GROUP AUGUST 2018 Issue 563 Honorary President: CHRISTOPHER PRIEST
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Brum Group News The Monthly Newsletter of the BIRMINGHAM SCIENCE FICTION GROUP AUGUST 2018 Issue 563 Honorary President: CHRISTOPHER PRIEST Committee: Vernon Brown (Chairman); Pat Brown (Treasurer); Dave Corby (publicity Officer); Theresa Derwin (ordinary member); Carol Goodwin (Newsletter Editor); William McCabe (Website); Novacon 48 Chair: Dave hicks website: Email: www.birminghamsfgroup.org.uk/ [email protected] Facebook: Twitter: www.facebook.com/groups/BirminghamSFGroup/ @BirminghamSF Summer Social Meal August 10th As usual, there is no meeting at the Briar Rose in August as it is the Summer Social meal. As with last year this will be at the Black Eagle venue. The meal is booked for 7:45 pm. As a reminder for those of you attending, the address is The Black Eagle, 16 Factory Road, Hockley, B18 5JU. If you are travelling by car, the following directions may be helpful. Opposite Villa Road, where it meets the junction of Soho Hill and Soho Road, is St Michaels Road. Go down September 14th – Frankenstein 200th Anniversary celebration. Short film from 1910 followed by talk on the novel’s place in SF history by academic Steve Cotterill. it then up the other side, now Factory Road. The Black Eagle is a little way up on the right; it’s set back, don’t overshoot it. If travelling by bus, catch the No 74 around the corner from the Square Peg in Old Square, Birmingham and ask for the stop before Villa Road, just before the Sikh Temple. About five minutes out of town the road goes downhill then past a flyover It then goes up the other side of the valley – at the top is a bus stop – you want the stop after this. When you alight walk a little further on to St Michaels Road, turn left then as by car above. The venue can also be reached by Metro. Catch the Metro in Upper Bull Street, Birmingham. Pay on the Metro itself and ask for Benson Road, Soho. There’s also a stop notification board in the carriage. At the exit go right down Benson Road to the Black Eagle. DAVID GEMMELL AWARDS The 2018 David Gemmell Awards for Fantasy were presented at Edge Lit in Derby on the 14th July. Ravenheart Award (for best cover art): Richard Anderson for KINGS OF THE WYLD by Nicholas Eames (Orbit) Morningstar Award (for best debut novel): KINGS OF THE WYLD by Nicholas Eames (Orbit) Legend Award (for best fantasy novel): ASSASSIN’S FATE by Robin Hobb (Harper Voyager) BRITISH FANTASY AWARDS SHORTLIST The shortlists for the British Fantasy awards have been announced. The nominees for Best Fantasy Novel and Best Horror Novel are given below. Nominees in other categories are available at www.britishfantasysociety.org: Best Fantasy Novel (the Robert Holdstock Award) AGE OF ASSASSINS by R J Barker (Orbit) THE NINTH RAIN by Jen Williams (Headline) THE COURT OF BROKEN KNIVES by Anna Smith Spark (HarperVoyager) UNDER THE PENDULUM SUN by Jeannette Ng (Angry Robot) 2 Best Horror Novel (the August Derleth Award) THE CROW GARDEN by Alison Littlewood (Jo Fletcher Books) BEHIND HER EYES by Sarah Pinborough (Harper Collins) THE BOY ON THE BRIDGE by M R Carey (Orbit) THE CHANGELING by Victor LaValle (Canongate) RELICS by Tim Lebbon (Titan Books) WORLD FANTASY AWARDS SHORTLIST The shortlists for the World Fantasy awards have been published. The nominees for Best Novel are given below. The winners will be announced at World Fantasy Con on November 2nd – 5th: THE CITY OF BRASS by S A Chakraborty (HarperVoyager) KA: DAR OAKLEY IN THE RUIN OF YMIR by John Crowley (Saga) THE STRANGE CASE OF THE ALCHEMIST’S DAUGHTER by Theodora Goss (Saga) SPOONBENDERS by Daryl Gregory (Riverun UK) THE CHANGELING by Victor LaValle (Spiegal & Grau) JADE CITY by Fonda Lee (Orbit) ARTHUR C CLARKE AWARD The winner of the 32nd Arthur C Clarke Award has been announced as DREAMS BEFORE THE START OF TIME by Anne Charnock (47 North). The award was held at Foyles bookshop in London. The winner received a cheque for £2018. The novel looks at the impact of changing reproductive technology on both society and individuals. The novel consists of separate short vignettes each from the viewpoint of different but connected individuals across five generations. It explores how the meaning and nature of pregnancy, childhood and family will change as new scientific methods affect both biology and culture in profound ways. CG 3 EDGE LIT CONVENTION & DARK VOICES 2 by Theresa Derwin (edited and abridged by Carol Goodwin) Well, it’s been a long time coming, but DARK VOICES, my charity anthology in support of Breast Cancer awareness was launched at Edge-Lit SFF convention in Derby on 14rh July. The book is dedicated to BSFG committee member, the late Vicky Stock. Vicky passed away on the 11th January 2017. As some of you are aware, for years she had fought the battle against cancer, and ‘fought’ is the right word, because Vicky was a fighter. Despite bad days, illness and exhaustion, Vicky took time to support many important fundraisers for Breast Cancer research, gave me advice during a difficult time and my own scare, and volunteered at St Mary’s Hospice. At the same time, she worked for our BSFG group, continuing her role and sharing news and creating events on Facebook and Twitter. Vicky was relentless, but so much more than that; funny, warm, generous, committed and, probably not known by many, a talented writer. When I published the HER DARK VOICE anthology in 2014 to raise money for Breast Cancer, Vicky wrote an honest and impassioned introduction to that anthology and sold copies wherever she went. At Edge Lit 7 we had a packed room of people eager to hear readings from the various stories in the book, (published by Lycan Valley Publications). I was joined at the launch by a bunch of wonderful and talented writers included in the anthology; Charlotte Bond, Lisa Childs (editorial team), Penny Jones, Reen Jones, Keris McDonald, Hayley Orgill and not least BSFG members Pauline Morgan (writing as Pauline E Dungate) and Anne Nicholls (picture 1). It was a great, lively, fun event. Plenty of wine was quaffed 4 and lots of names taken for the book’s release, as well as a few quid to add to the charity pot. There was literally standing room only. The inimitable Chris Morgan (Picture 2) was also persuaded to act as auctioneer and helped to boost the coffers. As for Edge Lit, awesome as always. It was great to meet Paul Tremblay, whose books I’m devouring, to attend the Great British Horror Launch, some really informative panels on ghosts, etc plus a great agent workshop led by Anna Smith Sparks. My thanks, however go to Paul Kane and Steve Shaw, who helped me nail another bucket list moment (Hey, get your mind out of the gutter). As a massive Clive Barker fan, I got to meet Simon Bamford (HELLRAISER/NIGHTBREED), great guy, and have a selfie with him and Paul. Edge Lit is also home to the anarchic Edge Lit Raffle, with some great book-based prizes and to the David Gemmell Awards for heroic fantasy, organised by BSFG members, authors Stan and Anne Nicholls. This was the 10th anniversary of the Awards which unlike some are determined purely by public vote, and the theatre was packed for the announcements. With the main award being an axe, these have to be one of the coolest awards to win (Details of the winners are given above). So, a great day was had by many. But, the piece de resistance? StokerConUK is coming to Scareborough – sorry, Scarborough – in 2020. And you can thank the Dynamic Duo of HWA (Horror Writers Association), Marie O’Regan and her partner in crime Paul Kane. And no, I didn’t win the raffle again. I blame the evil Pixie!! NEW CINEMA FILM RELEASES Listings should not be necessarily taken as recommendations. Release dates are subject to change. View at your own peril! 5 CHRISTOPHER ROBIN – Release date August 17th. A grown-up Christopher Robin meets up with his childhood toys again. LUIS & THE ALIENS – Release date August 24th. Animation. An 11- year-old boy befriends three aliens who crash land into his house. SLENDER MAN – Release date August 24th. Horror. Urban legend of a tall thin figure linked to the haunting and disappearance of children. THE HAPPYTIME MURDERS – Release date August 31st. An ex- police puppet (!) investigates the killings of puppets from an ‘80’s children’s show. Directed by Brian Henson. THE NUN – Release date September 7th. Horror. A priest and a young postulant nun must confront a demonic nun. THE PREDATOR – Release date September 13th. SF. A small group fight to protect humanity from the returning deadly alien Predators. CG FORTHCOMING BOOKS (NB Prices given are Recommended Retail Price and may be available at cheaper prices) SEMIOSIS by Sue Burke / Harper Voyager / 336 pgs / £9.99 paperback / ISBN 978-0008300777 / August 9th. SF. Human colonists must find how to co-exist and communicate with intelligent plants. 6 PLANETSIDE by Michael Mammay / Harper Voyager / 384 pgs / £6.99 paperback / ISBN 978-0062694669 / August 9th. SF. When a high councillor’s son goes missing from a military base, the semi-retired Colonel who investigates uncovers a deadly conspiracy. RESTORATION (Verity Fassbinder 3) by Angela Slatter / Jo Fletcher Books / 400 pgs / £16.99 paperback / ISBN 978-1784294380 / August 9th. Urban Fantasy. Forced to work for a psychotic fallen angel, Verity must discover why decades-old bodies are now re-appearing. FOUNDRYSIDE by Robert Jackson Bennett / Jo Fletcher Books / 512 pgs / £14.99 paperback / ISBN 978-1786487865 / August 23rd.