The final ballot for the 2010 Ditmar Awards (for works published in 2010) has been announced. The Ditmars are the Australian equivalent of the Hugo Awards (i.e., awards for the best science fiction of the year as voted by the readers and fans). This year’s winners will be announced during Dudcon III, the 49th Australian National Science Fiction Convention, which will be held 2-6 September in Melbourne, Australia. Members of Conjecture (last year’s Australian National Convention) and Dudcon III (to be held in conjunction with this year’s WorldCon, Aussiecon 4) are eligible to vote.
This year’s nominees are:
Best Novel:
World Shaker by Richard Harland (published by Allen & Unwin)
Liar by Justine Larbalestier (Bloomsbury)
Life Through Cellophane by Gillian Polack (Eneit Press)
Slights by Kaaron Warren (Angry Robot Books)
Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld (Penguin)
Best Novella or Novelette:
“Horn” by Peter M. Ball (Twelfth Planet Press)
“Black Water” by David Conyers (published in Jupiter Magazine)
“After the World: Gravesend” by Jason Fischer (Black House Comics)
“Wives” by Paul Haines (X6/Couer de Lion)
“Siren Beat” by Tansy Rayner Roberts (Twelfth Planet Press)
Best Short Story:
“Six Suicides” by Deborah Biancotti (A Book of Endings)
“Prosperine When it Sizzles” by Tansy Rayner Roberts (New Ceres Nights)
“The Piece of Ice in Ms Windermere’s Heart” by Angela Slatter (New Ceres Nights)
“Seventeen” by Cat Sparks (Masques)
“Tontine Mary” by Kaaron Warren (New Ceres Nights)
“Black Peter” by Marty Young (Festive Fear)
Best Collected Work:
A Book of Endings edited by Deborah Biancotti, Alisa Krasnostein, and Ben Payne (Twelfth Planet Press)
New Ceres Nights edited by Alisa Krasnostein and Tehani Wessely (Twelfth Planet Press)
Slice of Life, Paul Haines edited by Geoffrey Maloney (The Mayne Press)
Eclipse Three edited by Jonathan Strahan (Night Shade Books)
The New Space Opera 2 edited by Jonathan Strahan and Gardner Dozois (HarperCollins)
Best Artwork:
Masques by Mik Bennett (CSFG) [cover]
The Whale’s Tale by Eleanor Clarke (Peggy Bright Books) [cover]
Horn by Dion Hamill (Twelfth Planet Press) [cover]
New Ceres Nights by Dion Hamill (Twelfth Planet Press) [cover]
Shards: Short Sharp Tales by Andrew J. McKiernan (Brimstone Press) [cover and illustrations]
Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine #42 by Lewis Morley [cover]
Best Fan Writer:
Bruce Gillespie for work in Steam Engine Time
Robert Hood for Undead Backbrain
Chuck McKenzie for work in Horrorscope
Tansy Rayner Roberts for body of work
Tehani Wessely for body of work
Best Fan Artist:
Kathleen Jennings for body of work
Dick Jenssen for body of work
Dave Schembri for work in Midnight Echo
Best Fan Publication in Any Medium:
Steam Engine Time edited by Bruce Gillespie and Janine Stinson
Australian Science Fiction Bullsheet edited by Edwina Harvey and Ted Scribner
A Writer Goes on a Journey edited by Nyssa Pascoe, et al
ASif! edited by Alisa Krasnostein, Gene Melzack, et al
Interstellar Ramjet Scoop edited by Bill Wright
Best Achievement:
H. Gibbens for the Gamers’ Quest CGI-animated book trailer
Ruth Jenkins and Cathy Jenkins-Rutherford for the children’s program at Conjecture
Alisa Krasnostein, Liz Grzyb, Tehani Wessely, Cat Sparks, and Kate Williams for the New Ceres Nights booklaunch
Gillian Polack, et al for the Southern Gothic banquet at Conflux
Amanda Rainey for the cover design of Siren Beat/Roadkill (Twelfth Planet Press)
Best New Talent:
Peter M. Ball
Thoraiya Dyer
Jason Fischer
Christopher Green
Kathleen Jennings
Pete Kempshall
Simon Petrie
William Atheling Jr. Award for Criticism or Review:
Chuck McKenzie for “The Dead Walk!… Into a Bookstore Near You” (Eye of Fire #1, Brimstone Press)
Helen Merrick for The Secret Feminist Cabal: a Cultural History of Science Fiction Feminisms (Aqueduct Press)
Ian Mond for reviews on mondyboy.livejournal.com
Grant Watson for reviews and articles for Eiga: Asian Cinema
The Australian Science Fiction Awards, commonly referred to as the Ditmar Awards or Ditmars, recognize excellence by Australians in Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror. The Ditmars were first presented in 1969. They are named after Martin James Ditmar (Dick) Jenssen, a founding member of the Melbourne Science Fiction Club. Martin financially supported the awards until about 1975, and is still active in fandom. Each year, the Australian National Science Fiction Convention presents the Ditmar Awards for the previous calendar year.