What the state's newspaper had to say...

You an see the original article by Ben Anderson here, from the West Australian newspaper, about all the West Australians who were shortlisted for the awards.
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SARA DOUGLASS SERIES & AUREALIS SHORTLISTS ANNOUNCED TODAY

THE STORMLORD series (aka THE WATERGIVERS)
is on the Sara Douglass Award shortlist.

This is the inaugural award, in honour of one of Australia's great fantasy writers, who made it huge on the international stage, and died far too young. It is really an honour to be one of the first writers to be considered for the award, and -- win or not -- I am truly humbled.

My latest book 

THE DAGGER'S PATH

(second book in 

THE FORSAKEN LANDS trilogy), 

 is on the Aurealis shortlist for the Best Fantasy Novel (as well as on the Ditmar shortlist, as I mentioned on Monday). The difference between these two lists? The Ditmar is a reader voted award, and the Aurealis is a judged award.

This is my ninth shortlisting for the Aurealis for the Best Novel -- without ever winning -- which I suspect is some kind of record!

In short, this has been a terrific week for me. Will I win anything at all? I doubt it, as the books I'm up against are truly a wonderful selection by the best of Australia's many talented writers (and in fact, there were many others who missed out, who could so easily have been chosen). It doesn't matter. To know that judges and readers have loved my work enough to put them on a shortlist is the best compliment I could  have. 

 I would love to be there, to applaud the winners. Unhappily, a very important family commitment/celebration means that I will be unable to attend the awards ceremony, and I really do regret that the two occasions clash. 

THE DAGGER'S PATH... DITMAR FINALIST

 THE DITMAR are reader voted awards, open to Australian authors/artists and voted upon by the Australia National Science  Fiction Convention attendees. 


Last year's award for Best Novel was the plaque (see pix to the right), which was awarded to  

THE LASCAR'S DAGGER, 

the first book of the Forsaken Lands trilogy.*

This year, Book 2 is up --  

THE DAGGER'S PATH, 

and it has been voted on to the short list of five books. The other four are:

• Day Boy, Trent Jamieson 
• Graced, Amanda Pillar
• Lament for the Afterlife, Lisa L. Hannett
• Zeroes, Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan, and Deborah Biancotti

 My guess for a winner? I reckon it will be Trent's year this year, but we will see.

 If you are attending the National Convention, or attended last year, be sure to vote.

And don't forget:
Book 3 will be long in just 8 weeks...

















*it tied with with Trudi Canavan's novel "Thief's Magic."