Category Archive: Awards
FantasyCon
Posted by Chris on September 6, 2009 at 15:40
Posted in: Awards, Book News, Conventions
EDIT: Well, due to bereavement, I shall be missing the Con this year - have fun those who attend, and fingers crossed either and/or both Gary McMahon and Simon Bestwick win their respective awards. I shall see you all again... :)
September is always a good month - mainly due to the annual BFS convention. I've been going for a few years now, though some have been going for longer than I've been alive!
This year, though, will be different: I won't be trading! My year off will also involve a free weekend of milling about, wandering aimlessly, nursing a hangover - instead of sitting behind a dealer's table, cupping a bottle of water and nursing a hangover. In addition, I will be catching the train up and staying overnight on Sunday, but that's by the by.
Pendragon books will be on sale, though, courtesy of Steve Upham's Screaming Dreams table.
Like last year, and if you ask me the change was about bloody due, the highlight of FCon is the presentation of the British Fantasy Awards. This year, Pendragon is recognised in the following categories:
Best Novella
Heads by Gary McMahon
The Narrows by Simon Bestwick
Best Anthology
We Fade to Grey ed. Gary McMahon (which contains the above two novellas)
PS Best Small Press Award
No chance of winning the last one, but I reckon Gary has a very strong chance in securing Best Anthology (not to mention Best Novel and Collection too... if he does win all three, then I think he would be the first ever in it's history...)
Anyway, I mainly go there to catch up with a few people, quoff a few beers (hopefully the hotel will get it right this year and realise, yes, we do drink...) and have one or two curries.
So, if you're going - see you there. If you not, then why not?
(Mind you, I may actually end up missing next year's event...)
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In Conversation
Posted by Chris on July 19, 2009 at 20:40
Posted in: Awards, General
Peter Tennant over at Black Static/TTA Press is currently running a series of interviews with those short-listed for this year's BFS award - thus far, he's done Andrew Hook of Elastic and now it's my turn.
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The BFA 2009 Short List
Posted by Chris on June 7, 2009 at 20:26
Posted in: Awards, Book News
After weeks of speculation, and conjecture since the BFA Long-List was announced, and with more fanfare than the European election (with no mention of the Committee claiming for drainage issues) the numbers have been collated, sorted, filed, triplicated and stamped but the short-list can now be revealed:
Best Anthology
Myth-Understandings, ed. Ian Whates
The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror 19, ed. Stephen Jones
We Fade to Grey, ed. Gary McMahon
Subtle Edens, ed. Allen Ashley
The 2nd Humdrumming Book of Horror, ed. Ian Alexander Martin
Cone Zero, ed. D F Lewis
The August Derleth Best Novel
Memoirs of a Master Forger by William Heaney/Graham Joyce
Rain Dogs by Gary McMahon
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
The Victoria Vanishes by Christopher Fowler
Midnight Man by Simon Clark
Thieving Fear by Ramsey Campbell
The PS Best Small Press Award
Elastic Press (Andrew Hook)
NewCon Press (Ian Whates)
TTA Press (Andy Cox)
Pendragon Press (a lack of pretension forbids me from mentioning a name)
Screaming Dreams (Steve Upham)
Best Collection
Bull-Running for Girls by Allyson Bird
Just After Sunset by Stephen King
Islington Crocodiles by Paul Meloy
Glyphotech by Mark Samuels
How to Make Monsters by Gary McMahon
Best Novella
Gunpowder by Joe Hill
The Narrows by Simon Bestwick
Cold Stone Calling by Simon Clark
The Reach of Children by Tim Lebbon
Heads by Gary McMahon
Best Short Fiction
All Mouth / The Vague by Paul Meloy
Do You See by Sarah Pinborough
Winter Journey by Joel Lane
The Caul Bearer by Allyson Bird
The Tobacconist's Concession by John Travis
Pinholes in Black Muslin by Simon Strantzas
N by Stephen King
Best Artist
Lee Thompson
Les Edwards / Edward Miller
Vincent Chong
Dave McKean
Best Magazine
Black Static / Interzone
Midnight Street, ed. Trevor Denyer
SFX, ed. Dave Bradley
PostScripts, eds. Peter Crowther & Nick Gevers
There are other categories for Non-Fiction, Graphic Novel, Film & Television - which can be found here.
Supreme congratulations to all on the list, and all members of the BFS and attendees of FantasyCon are obliged to vote. If you're a tad stumped, then you can always read Simon Bestwick and Gary McMahon's novellas from We Fade to Grey below (scroll down), and of course you can buy the PPC-edition of said anthology (plus last year's short-listed New Writings in the Fantastic) for £20 in the Books page.
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Bestwick Cheer!
Posted by Chris on April 28, 2009 at 20:27
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From Simon Bestwick:
I heard this morning from Ellen Datlow. She's selected "The Narrows" for her Best Horror of the Year 2008 anthology.
Just scroll down a little and you can read said novelette/novella (which is also one of three long-listed in the novella category for the British Fantasy Award).
:))
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Do you have an issuu?
Posted by Chris on April 9, 2009 at 20:50
Posted in: Awards, Book News
I've only recently dabbled with this new site, so hopefully this link'll work, but click here to view the special edition of We Fade to Grey in Issuu format. Any problems, you know where I am...
Well, it didn't work... so I took each individual novella and converted them individually to Issuu:
Heads
The Mill
The Narrows
These files will be deleted once voting is completed. Enjoy. :)
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Tagged with: Bestwick | McMahon | We Fade to Grey | West
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The BFA 2009 Long-List
Posted by Chris on April 3, 2009 at 19:45
Posted in: Awards, Book News, Conventions
Click here for more information, but I'm very pleased to see that PP has amassed a clutch of nominations:
Best Anthology
We Fade to Grey, ed. Gary McMahon
The PS Small Press Award
Pendragon Press
Best Novella
Heads by Gary McMahon
The Mill by Mark West
The Narrows by Simon Bestwick
(all from We Fade to Grey)
Slightly disappointed that The Reef didn't make the list, but there's still time for a quick nomination before the short-list is announced. Not that I'm hedging my bets, of course...
Anyway, whatever the result, I shall still be in Nottingham in September for FantasyCon: will you?
EDIT: Right click and save the following link to download a special edition of the three novellas within We Fade to Grey that are eligible for the award. This file will be available now until the voting closes - enjoy, and don't forget that these stories are protected by copyright.
Also, as an aside, if any member of the BFS Committee are reading this... can I suggest Mark Charan Newton has a possible contender for this year's Sydney J Bound Best Newcomer award?
Good luck to all on the list.... :)
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'Tis Official
Posted by Chris on August 7, 2008 at 20:36
Posted in: Awards, Book News, Conventions
New Writings in the Fantastic edited by John Grant has made the short-list for the British Fantasy Award for Best Anthology. This and the other gongs will be awarded at FantasyCon next month.
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… free stuff!
Posted by Chris on July 2, 2008 at 20:23
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From now until actual voting finishes in the BFS Awards, you can download gratis special PDF editions of both New Writings in the Fantastic and Dalton Quayle Rides Out.
Of course, you can buy the books too.
(In fact, as an aside, how many of you reading this/visiting this site like the idea of eBook editions of future/past titles?)
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Award Nominations
Posted by Chris on June 10, 2008 at 20:51
Posted in: Awards, Book News
Recently announced: we've bagged four nominations for Best Anthology (New Writings in the Fantastic), Best Short Story (Kate Riedell's Song Cycle, from NW) Best Novella (Paul Kane's Dalton Quayle Rides Out) and Best Small Press.
If any member of the BFS reading this would like a gratis PDF copy of either or both books, then write to me and I shall send them a copy by return.
The winners will be announced at the annual FantasyCon do in September.
EDIT: It has actually come to my attention that there are in fact two nominations within the short fiction category - the other is Paul Pinn's Borderline Charm (also from New Writings in the Fantastic).
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Tagged with: Dalton Quayle | New Writings
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A nod or two…
Posted by Chris on January 13, 2008 at 20:29
Posted in: Awards, Book News
Call it blinkered, but it's only just come to my attention that Lee Harris, editor/publisher of the online 'zine Hub has produced an inaugural list of The Hub Awards for last year (though I subscribe to said 'zine, I obviously don't read each issue immediately.)
Anyway, in #39, Harris tips a wink for Gary McMahon's Rough Cut in the Best Novel category (though the ultimate winner is Sarah Pinborough's Breeding Ground, which it must be said is a very entertaining read; a gruesome horror tale, in the vein of James Herbert but also John Wyndham).
The main winner, though, is John Grant's New Writings in the Fantastic for Best Collection (Multi-Author) and who am I too disagree with the comment, "over 40 stories, and not a filler to be seen."
Why not spend some of that last minute Paypal cash before the credit card bill comes crashing through the door?
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Tagged with: Hub | New Writings | Rough Cut
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