Out of the Woodwork 150. April 2009
Fantastic Literature - setting the standards for out of print on-line bookselling.

Welcome to our newsletter, it contains up to the minute news and gossip as well as awards details and items requiring help from the collective consciousness. If you wish to contribute please do so! We welcome your thoughts, your news items and any gossip! We do love a bit of gossip here at Fantastic HQ.

Song of Time, Ian R. MacLeod (PS Publishing)
The Quiet War, Paul McAuley (Gollancz)
House of Suns, Alastair Reynolds (Gollancz)
Anathem, Neal Stephenson (Atlantic)
The Margarets Sheri S. Tepper (Gollancz)
Martin Martin's on the Other Side, Mark Wernham (Jonathan Cape)

The prize of £2009, along with a commemorative engraved bookend, will be presented to the winner on Wednesday, April 29th, at an award ceremony held on the opening night of the SCI-FI-LONDON Film Festival. Arthur C Clarke Award

And for the Hugo and John W Campbell Awards

The Hugo Awards and John W. Campbell Award nominations have been announced. The winners will be announced at the World Science Fiction Convention in Montreal, Quebec on August 6-10. SFWA

Best Novel (639 Ballots Cast)
Anathem by Neal Stephenson (Morrow; Atlantic UK)
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (HarperCollins; Bloomsbury)
Little Brother by Cory Doctorow (Tor)
Saturn's Children by Charles Stross (Ace; Orbit)
Zoe's Tale by John Scalzi (Tor)

Best Novella (337 Ballots Cast)
"The Erdmann Nexus" by Nancy Kress (Asimov's Oct/Nov 2008)
"The Political Prisoner’ by Charles Coleman Finlay (F&SF Aug 2008)
"The Tear" by Ian McDonald (Galactic Empires)
"True Names" by Benjamin Rosenbaum & Cory Doctorow (Fast Forward 2)
"Truth" by Robert Reed (Asimov's Oct/Nov 2008)

Best Novelette (373 Ballots Cast)
"Alastair Baffle's Emporium of Wonders" by Mike Resnick (Asimov's Jan 2008)
"The Gambler" by Paolo Bacigalupi (Fast Forward 2)
"Pride and Prometheus" by John Kessel (F&SF Jan 2008)
"The Ray-Gun: A Love Story" by James Alan Gardner (Asimov's Feb 2008)
"Shoggoths in Bloom" by Elizabeth Bear (Asimov's Mar 2008)

Best Short Story (448 Ballots Cast)
"26 Monkeys, Also the Abyss" by Kij Johnson (Asimov's Jul 2008)
"Article of Faith" by Mike Resnick (Baen's Universe Oct 2008)
"Evil Robot Monkey" by Mary Robinette Kowal (The Solaris Book of New Science Fiction, Volume Two)
"Exhalation" by Ted Chiang (Eclipse Two)
"From Babel's Fall'n Glory We Fled" by Michael Swanwick (Asimov's Feb 2008)
Best Related Book (263 Ballots Cast)
Rhetorics of Fantasy by Farah Mendlesohn (Wesleyan University Press)
Spectrum 15: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art by Cathy Fenner & Arnie Fenner, eds. (Underwood Books)
The Vorkosigan Companion: The Universe of Lois McMaster Bujold by Lillian Stewart Carl & John Helfers, eds. (Baen)
What It Is We Do When We Read Science Fiction by Paul Kincaid (Beccon Publications)
Your Hate Mail Will Be Graded: A Decade of Whatever, 1998-2008 by John Scalzi (Subterranean Press)

Best Graphic Story (212 Ballots Cast)
The Dresden Files: Welcome to the Jungle Written by Jim Butcher, art by Ardian Syaf (Del Rey/Dabel Brothers Publishing)
Girl Genius, Volume 8: Agatha Heterodyne and the Chapel of Bones Written by Kaja & Phil Foglio, art by Phil Foglio, colors by Cheyenne Wright (Airship Entertainment)
Fables: War and Pieces Written by Bill Willingham, pencilled by Mark Buckingham, art by Steve Leialoha and Andrew Pepoy, color by Lee Loughridge, letters by Todd Klein (DC/Vertigo Comics)
Schlock Mercenary: The Body Politic Story and art by Howard Tayler (The Tayler Corporation)
Serenity: Better Days Written by Joss Whedon & Brett Matthews, art by Will Conrad, color by Michelle Madsen, cover by Jo Chen (Dark Horse Comics)
Y: The Last Man, Volume 10: Whys and Wherefores Written/created by Brian K. Vaughan, pencilled/created by Pia Guerra, inked by Jose Marzan, Jr. (DC/Vertigo Comics)

Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form (436 Ballots Cast)
The Dark Knight Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer, story; Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan, screenplay; based on characters created by Bob Kane; Christopher Nolan, director (Warner Brothers)
Hellboy II: The Golden Army Guillermo del Toro & Mike Mignola, story; Guillermo del Toro, screenplay; based on the comic by Mike Mignola; Guillermo del Toro, director (Dark Horse, Universal)
Iron Man Mark Fergus & Hawk Ostby and Art Marcum & Matt Holloway, screenplay; based on characters created by Stan Lee & Don Heck & Larry Lieber & Jack Kirby; Jon Favreau, director (Paramount, Marvel Studios)
METAtropolis edited by John Scalzi; Elizabeth Bear, Jay Lake, Tobias Buckell, John Scalzi, and Karl Schroeder, writers (Audible Inc.)
WALL-E Andrew Stanton & Pete Docter, story; Andrew Stanton & Jim Reardon, screenplay; Andrew Stanton, director (Pixar/Walt Disney)

Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form (336 Ballots Cast)
Lost: “The Constant”, Carlton Cuse & Damon Lindelof, writers; Jack Bender, director (Bad Robot, ABC studios)
Doctor Horrible's Sing-Along Blog Joss Whedon, & Zack Whedon, & Jed Whedon, & Maurissa Tancharoen, writers; Joss Whedon, director (Mutant Enemy)
Battlestar Galactica: “Revelations”, Bradley Thompson & David Weddle, writers; Michael Rymer, director (NBC Universal)
Doctor Who: “Silence in the Library”/”Forest of the Dead”, Steven Moffat, writer; Euros Lyn, director (BBC Wales)
Doctor Who: “Turn Left”, Russell T. Davies, writer; Graeme Harper, director (BBC Wales)

Best Editor, Short Form (377 Ballots Cast)
Ellen Datlow
Stanley Schmidt
Jonathan Strahan
Gordon Van Gelder
Sheila Williams
Best Editor, Long Form (273 Ballots Cast)
Lou Anders
Ginjer Buchanan
David G. Hartwell
Beth Meacham
Patrick Nielsen Hayden
Best Professional Artist (334 Ballots Cast)
Daniel Dos Santos
Bob Eggleton
Donato Giancola
John Picacio
Shaun Tan
Best Semiprozine (283 Ballots Cast)
Clarkesworld Magazine edited by Neil Clarke, Nick Mamatas, & Sean Wallace
Interzone edited by Andy Cox
Locus edited by Charles N. Brown, Kirsten Gong-Wong, & Liza Groen Trombi
The New York Review of Science Fiction edited by Kathryn Cramer, Kris Dikeman, David G. Hartwell, & Kevin J. Maroney
Weird Tales edited by Ann VanderMeer & Stephen H. Segal
Best Fan Writer (291 Ballots Cast)
Chris Garcia
John Hertz
Dave Langford
Cheryl Morgan
Steven H Silver
Best Fanzine (257 Ballots Cast)
Argentus edited by Steven H Silver
Banana Wings edited by Claire Brialey and Mark Plummer
Challenger edited by Guy H. Lillian III
The Drink Tank edited by Chris Garcia
Electric Velocipede edited by John Klima
File 770 edited by Mike Glyer
Best Fan Artist (187 Ballots Cast)
Alan F. Beck
Brad W. Foster
Sue Mason
Taral Wayne
Frank Wu

Also voted upon by members of the World Science Fiction Convention;

The John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer (288 Ballots Cast)
Aliette de Bodard*
David Anthony Durham*
Felix Gilman
Tony Pi*
Gord Sellar*

Novel: Coffin County, Gary Braunbeck (Leisure); The Reach, Nate Kenyon (Leisure); Duma Key, Stephen King (Scribner); Johnny Gruesome, Gregory Lamberson (Bad Moon/Medallion).

First Novel: Midnight on Mourn Street, Christopher Conlon (Earthling); The Gentling Box, Lisa Mannetti (Dark Hart); Monster Behind the Wheel, Michael McCarty & Mark McLaughlin (Delirium); The Suicide Collectors, David Oppegaard (St. Martin's); Frozen Blood, Joel A. Sutherland (Lachesis).

Long Fiction: The Shallow End of the Pool, Adam-Troy Castro (Creeping Hemlock); Miranda, John R. Little (Bad Moon); Redemption Roadshow, Weston Ochse (Burning Effigy); The Confessions of St. Zach, Gene O’Neill (Bad Moon).

Short Fiction: "Petrified", Scott Edelman (Desolate Souls); The Lost, Sarah Langan (Cemetery Dance); "The Dude Who Collected Lovecraft", Nick Mamatas & Tim Pratt (Chizine #36); "Evidence of Love in a Case of Abandonment", M. Rickert (F&SF 10-11/08); "Turtle", Lee Thomas (Doorways #4).

Fiction Collection: The Number 121 to Pennsylvania, Kealan Patrick Burke (Cemetery Dance); Mama’s Boy and Other Dark Tales, Fran Friel (Apex); Just After Sunset, Stephen King (Scribner); Mr. Gaunt and Other Uneasy Encounters, John Langan (Prime); Gleefully Macabre Tales, Jeff Strand (Delirium).

Anthology: Like a Chinese Tattoo, Bill Breedlove, ed. (Dark Arts); Horror Library Volume 3, R.J. Cavender, ed. (Cutting Block); Beneath the Surface, Tim Deal, ed. (Shroud); Unspeakable Horror, Vince A. Liaguno & Chad Helder, eds. (Dark Scribe).

Non-Fiction: Cheap Scares, Gregory Lamberson (McFarland); Zombie CSU, Jonathan Maberry (Citadel); A Hallowe’en Anthology, Lisa Morton, ed. (McFarland); The Book of Lists: Horror, Amy Wallace, Del Howison, & Scott Bradley, eds. (HarperCollins).

Poetry: The Nightmare Collection, Bruce Boston (Dark Regions); The Phantom Word, Gary William Crawford (Sam’s Dot); Virgin of the Apocalypse, Corrine De Winter (Sam’s Dot); Attack of the Two-Headed Poetry Monster, Mark McLaughlin & Michael McCarty (Skullvines)

Renowned film director Sir Ridley Scott has received a Fellowship from the British Film Institute. The 71-year-old is the 62nd recipient of the award, joining other luminaries such as David Lean and Clint Eastwood. Scott's career began as a television set designer in the 1960s before going on to direct films such as Alien, the undeniably superb Bladerunner and the 2000 Oscar-winning movie Gladiator. Full BBC story

Doctor Who fans meet the producers. Fans of Doctor Who, armed with questions ranging from hair length to toy spin-offs, have gone face to face with the hit TV show's production team. A few behind-the-scenes tricks were revealed at the packed event on the opening night of the three-day Celtic Media Festival in Caernarfon. Full BBC story

Hi,

Digit/Brown Watson published 'Yasumai' by G.R. Parvin in 1958.
George Parvin was an old associate of mine who I am now trying to trace.
Would you know if the publishers - or any publishing company who might now have taken them over - would have any possible contacts to George Parvin or his representatives (maybe re royalties)?
Many thanks.
Alan Spencer

and another:

Hello Simon

After the success of my last book search enquiry, I wondered if you could help with another please?

I'm sure Michael Bond or someone like him wrote a book called "Fantastic!" about a boy who lives with his Aunt and Uncle during the Falklands War. Needless to say this is a children's book I fondly remember from the mid-1980's, but can't seem to find anymore. The Aunt and Uncle had super powers (readers will know the name Wombat Man).
They also had a cowboy staying with them.

I'm sure I've remembered the title correctly, but can't find the book anywhere, which is a shame as I think my nephew would like it. Any help in finding a copy would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for your help.

Rgds, James

Finalists for the Compton Crook Award, presented by the Baltimore Science Fiction Society for the best first novel of the previous year, have been announced: Into the Storm, Taylor Anderson (Roc); Black Ships, Jo Graham (Orbit); Singularity's Ring, Paul Melko (Tor); The Way of Shadows, Brent Weeks (Orbit). Baltimore SFS

After coming across H.P. Lovecraft's story 'The Lurking Fear' in a 1960s magazine, Dave was hooked for life and has gone on to become one of the genre's most acclaimed and respected illustrators of the author's work. He developed his distinctive pen and ink stipple technique during the late 1970s and '80s in such magazines as FANTASY TALES, WHISPERS, WEIRDBOOK, NYCTALOPS, KADATH, FANTASY BOOK, GHOSTS AND SCHOLARS, DARK HORIZONS, FEAR, SKELETON CREW, INTERZONE, DAGON and other periodicals, along with specialist posters and portfolios featuring his art. Those writers who have championed his work include Brian Lumley, Karl Edward Wagner and Ramsey Campbell.

Among the many books that Dave Carson's artwork has appeared in are Brian Lumley's GHOUL WARNING, MAD MOON OF DREAMS and THE CLOCK OF DREAMS, SHADOWS OVER INNSMOUTH (with Jim Pitts and Martin McKenna), TALES OUT OF INNSMOUTH:
NEW STORIES OF THE CHILDREN OF DAGON, THE BEST HORROR FROM FANTASY TALES, the DARK VOICES: THE PAN BOOKS OF HORROR series, the "Fighting Fantasy"
role-playing book BENEATH NIGHTMARE CASTLE, READER'S GUIDE TO THE CTHULHU MYTHOS and ARTISTS INSPIRED BY H.P. LOVECRAFT.

Dave has also co-edited and illustrated the anthology H.P. LOVECRAFT'S BOOK OF HORROR, and his award-winning artwork was featured in the documentary film THE ELDRITCH INFLUENCE: THE LIFE, VISION AND PHENOMENA OF H.P.
LOVECRAFT.

Dept of Smug Self Satisfaction (cont)

Thank you --my order arrived today and in good order. I look forward to reading the book by Peter Hanratty-- By the way, when I was teaching in Wivenhoe in Essex I worked with Peter, it is so good to have found his book at last... Josie :)

Dear Simon,

****************************************************************************************
and other very satisfied customer:

Thank you very much. It was definitely 'complete' and not 'selected' or just 'The short stories', and my original copy did not include The Time Machine.

Thanks to you, since having purchased one from you I already had two copies of selected short stories, I have bought the cheapest complete one available from a UK bookseller (about £8.00 + p&p), Ernest Benn, 1966, HB, 1038 pp with 63 stories, ex-library copy, the same one who, as I told Lorraine this afternoon, sold me the only copy available anywhere of An Eton Poetry Book, 1925, edited by Cyril Alington (headmaster) and George Lyttelton, a very popular housemaster, superbly edited, which did much to give me by lifelong love of fine poetry.

My father as a boy had been deputed to play with the headmaster's elder son Giles, who with his younger brother entered the school when they were old enough. When I went up to Oxford Giles was the much loved dean of my college. Harold and Mary Wilson were not the only parents to name their son after him. He died in his early 40s of cancer.

When I opened the book, with its familiar college crest on the red cover, I found a handwritten inscription:

Giles,
with all the compliments
of half the editors

Giles inherited his father's famous wit.

What were the odds against my being able to buy, as the only copy on offer worldwide, the very copy which the senior editor had presented to his son?

*******************************************************************************************

Dear Laraine,
the books arrived today and everything´s fine.
Very convincing service.

I´LL BE BACK

Michael

The 2009 Prix Aurora Awards final ballot has been announced, and voting will take place through July 15, 2009. The awards, given out annually for the best Canadian science fiction and fantasy literary works, art works, and fan achievement, will be presented at Anticipation, the 67th World Science Fiction Convention, held August 6-10, 2009, in Montreal, Quebec. Prix Aurora Awards

This year's nominees are:

Best Long-Form Work in English:
After the Fires, Ursula Pflug (Tightrope)
Identity Theft and Other Stories, Robert J. Sawyer (Red Deer)
Impossibilia, Douglas Smith (PS Publishing)
Defining Diana, Hayden Trenholm (Bundoran)
Marseguro, Edward Willett (DAW)

Best Long-Form Work in French:
Une fêlure au flanc du monde, Éric Gauthier (Alire)
Les vents de Tammerlan, Michèle Laframboise (Éditions Médiaspaul, coll. Jeunesse-Plus)

Best Short-Form Work in English:
"All In", Peter Atwood (Weird Tales May/Jun 2008)
"Back", Susan J. Forest (Analog Jun 2008)
"Ringing in the Changes in Okotoks, Alberta", Randy McCharles (Tesseracts Twelve)
"Doorways", Douglas Smith (Postscripts #17)
"A Bouquet of Flowers in a Vase by Van Gogh", Douglas Smith (Impossibilia)

Best Short-Form Work in French:
"Jos Montferrand et le Grand Brigand des routes", Alain Ducharme (Solaris 161)
"Ballade sur Pallide", Michèle Laframboise (Virages 44)
"La révolte des gilets-malins", Michèle Laframboise (QUAD9 6A)
"Le Dôme de Saint-Macaire", Jean-Louis Trudel (Solaris 167)

Best Work in English (Other):
The Gaslight Grimoire, Jeff Campbell & Charles Prepolec, eds. (Edge)
Neo-opsis, Karl Johanson, ed.
Tesseracts Twelve, Claude Lalumière, ed. (Edge)
Through the Window: a Journey to the Borderlands of Faerie, Marcie Lynn Tentchoff (Double Edge)
On Spec , Diane Walton, ed.

Best Work in French (Other):
Sophie Beaulé, Jean-Louis Trudel (Éditions David)
Solaris, Joël Champetier, ed.

Artistic Achievement:
Looking for Group, Lar deSouza (online comic)
Cover of Neo-Opsis #14, Stephanie Ann Johanson
"Imagination", Michèle Laframboise (from Imagination contre les pigeons spammers, Vermillion)
Fear Agent #22, Ronn Sutton (Dark Horse)
Cover of JEMMA7729, David Willicome

Fan Achievement (Fanzine):
The Original Universe, Jeff Boman, ed.
Opuntia, Dale Spiers, ed.
Clair/Obscur, François-Bernard Tremblay, ed.
Brins d'éternité, Guillaume Voisine, ed.

Fan Achievement (Organizational):
Robyn Herrington Memorial Short Story Contest, Renée Bennett (Administrator)
World Fantasy 2008, Kim Greyson (Guest Liaison)
FilKONtario 19, Judith Hayman & Peggi Warner-Lalonde (Co-chairs)
World Fantasy 2008, Randy McCharles (Chair)
Anime North 2008, David Simmons (Organizer)

Fan Achievement (Other):
World Fantasy 2008 Podcasts, Kurt Armbruster & Ryah Deines (Producers/Ed./Hosts)
Impulse, news bulletin of MonSFFA, Keith Braithwaite (Editor)
Through the Keyhole—25 years of Keycon Memories, Jennifer Ennis (Editor)
Fan Writing, Lloyd Penney
Heather Dale Concert, Joan Sherman (Organizer)

Best Novel: Matter, Iain Banks (Orbit); Little Brother, Cory Doctorow (Tor); The January Dancer, Michael Flynn (Tor); Saturn's Children, Charles Stross (Ace); Opening Atlantis, Harry Turtledove (Roc); and Half a Crown, Jo Walton (Tor).

Hall of Fame: Falling Free, Lois McMaster Bujold; Courtship Rite, Donald M. Kingsbury; "As Easy as A.B.C.", Rudyard Kipling; The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien; The Once and Future King, T.H. White; and The Golden Age, John C. Wright.

The winners will be announced at Anticipation, the 67th World Science Fiction Convention, to be held August 6-10, 2009 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and will receive a plaque and a gold coin. Libertarian Futurist Society

http://www.fantasticliterature.com
We welcome your input, your views on genre books, films etc.
Recommend anything to our 8,000 readers or ask a question.
We are sure to be in touch with someone who can help.

We also buy books and travel around the country to purchase, we will pay a finders fee to anyone who puts us in touch with a collection we later purchase.

Instant ordering on our web site in small press, magazines
and special offers.
http://www.fantasticliterature.com
Good reading and watching - Simon & Laraine.
Fantastic Literature Limited
35 The Ramparts
Rayleigh
Essex, SS6 8PY
United Kingdom

Previous OotW - archives

OotW121. OotW122. OotW 123, OotW 124, OotW 125, OotW 126, OotW 127, OotW 128, OotW 129, OotW 130, OotW 131, OotW 132, OotW 133, OotW134, OotW135, OotW136, OotW 137, OotW138, OotW 139, OotW 140, OotW141, OotW 142, OotW 143, OotW144, OotW145, OotW146. OotW147, OotW148, OotW149