Category: CSFFA

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Best Fan Writing and Publication: Polar Borealis!

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Congratulations to SF Canada member R. Graeme Cameron, who has won a third Aurora Award for Best Fan Publication for Polar Borealis!

Wow!

My retirement hobby is promoting Canadian speculative fiction authors, poets, and artists.

Publishing Polar Borealis, with eight stories and eight poems plus cover art in every issue, is the joyful way I do this.

In reality, it is the talent, creativity and imagination of the contributors that makes Polar Borealis fun and intriguing to read. All I do is put it together.

In effect, it is the contributors who earned the award. It is the contributors who deserve the award.

BUT I am more than happy to accept this award on their behalf.

Thank you!

— R. Graeme Cameron’s Aurora acceptance speech 2022

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Congratulations to the 2021 Aurora Award Nominees!

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The 2020 Aurora Award

On May 9, 2021 the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association announced this year’s list of Aurora Award Nominees. These awards are given to Canadian authors and artists of science fiction and fantasy for eligible novels, short stories, artwork, magazines, and film or television from the previous calendar year.

Several SF Canada members are on this year’s list, including Robert J. Sawyer, Susan Forest, Barb Galler-Smith, R. Graeme Cameron, Mark Leslie Lefebvre, and Derek Newman-Stille. But the list of amazing and talented artists is much longer! So, head over to the full list of nominees on the 2021 ballot and refill your reading list for the summer.

Voting for the Aurora Awards opens July 31, 2021 and will close on September 4, 2021. Winners will be announced in an online ceremony on October 16, 2021.

Learn more about the Aurora Awards at prixaurorawards.ca.

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The 2019 Aurora Award winners and Hall of Fame inductees!

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Numerous SF Canada members were nominated in this year’s Auroras, including several winners! The Aurora Awards are Canada’s National Science Fiction and Fantasy Awards. The Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association (CSFFA) is a federally-registered society whose role is to give out the Aurora Awards annually. The Auroras are nominated by and voted on by CSFFA members from across Canada.

The Canadian Science Fiction & Fantasy Association also hosts the CSFFA Hall of Fame. It was created to honour people who have made a large contribution to Science Fiction and Fantasy in Canada. This year, three very deserving people were inducted into the Hall of Fame: Tanya Huff, Eileen Kernaghan (SFC member), and Richard Graeme Cameron (SFC member). SF Canada congratulates them!

Aurora Award winners were announced during an awards ceremony held at Can-Con 2019, October 19, 2019, in Ottawa ON. SF Canada members’ names are in bold below.

Best Novel
WINNER: Armed in Her Fashion, Kate Heartfield (ChiZine)
One of Us, Craig DiLouie (Orbit)
They Promised Me the Gun Wasn’t Loaded, James Alan Gardner (Tor)
Graveyard Mind, Chadwick Ginther (ChiZine)
The Quantum Magician, Derek Künsken (Solaris)
Witchmark, C.L. Polk (Tor.com Publishing)

Best YA Novel
WINNER: Cross Fire, Fonda Lee (Scholastic)
Children of the Bloodlands, S.M. Beiko (ECW)
Exit Plans for Teenage Freaks, ‘Nathan Burgoine (Bold Strokes)
The Sign of Faust, Éric Desmarais (Renaissance)
Finding Atlantis, JM Dover (Evil Alter Ego)
Timefall, Alison Lohans (Five Rivers)
The Emerald Cloth, Clare C. Marshall (Faery Ink)
Legacy of Light, Sarah Raughley (Simon Pulse)

Best Short Fiction
WINNER: Gods, Monsters, and the Lucky Peach, Kelly Robson (Tor.com Publishing)
“A Hold Full of Truffles”, Julie E. Czerneda (Tales from Plexis)
“For A Rich Man to Enter”, Susan Forest (IGMS 4/18)
Alice Payne Arrives, Kate Heartfield (Tor.com Publishing)
“Critical Mass”, Liz Westbrook-Trenholm (Shades Within Us: Tales of Migrations and Fractured Borders)

Best Graphic Novel
WINNER: It Never Rains, Kari Maaren (http://itneverrainscomic.com/)
Krampus Is My Boyfriend!, S.M. Beiko (https://www.smbeiko.com/)
Woman World, Aminder Dhaliwal (Drawn and Quarterly)
Crash and Burn, Finn Lucullan & Kate Larking (Astres)
FUTILITY: Orange Planet Horror, Rick Overwater & Cam Hayden (Coffin Hop)

Best Related Work
WINNER: Disabled People Destroy Science Fiction, Dominik Parisien & Elsa Sjunneson-Henry, eds. (Uncanny)
By the Light of Camelot, J.R. Campbell & Shannon Allen, eds. (EDGE)
Gaslight Gothic: Strange Tales of Sherlock Holmes, J.R. Campbell & Charles Prepolec, eds. (EDGE)
Shades Within Us: Tales of Migrations and Fractured Borders, Susan Forest & Lucas K. Law, eds. (Laksa)
We Shall Be Monsters, Derek Newman-Stille, ed. (Renaissance)

Best Poem/Song
WINNER: “Ursula Le Guin in the Underworld”, Sarah Tolmie (On Spec #107)
“Echos”, Shannon Allen (By the Light of Camelot)
“Osiris”, Leah Bobet (Uncanny 11-12/18)
“How My Life Will End”, Vanessa Cardui (Shades Within Us: Tales of Migrations and Fractured Borders)
“Trips to Impossible Cities”, Sandra Kasturi (Amazing Stories Winter 2018)

Best Artist
WINNER: Samantha M. Beiko, covers for Laksa Media
Lily Author, cover art for Polar Borealis #8
James F. Beveridge, cover art for Tyche Books
Roger Czerneda, cover for Tales from Plexis
Dan O’Driscoll, covers for Bundoran Press
Lynne Taylor Fahnestalk, cartoons for Amazing Stories

Best Visual Presentation
WINNER: Deadpool 2
Bao
Murdoch Mysteries, 2018 episodes
Travelers, Season 3
Wynonna Earp, Season 3

Best Fan Writing and Publications
WINNER: “She Wrote It But…Revisiting Joanna Russ’ How to Suppress Women’s Writing 35 Years Later“, Krista D. Ball (reddit.com/r/fantasy)
“Travelling TARDIS“, Jen Desmarais (JenEric Designs)
“Mars vs. Titan“, Ron S. Friedman (Quora)
“Constructing the Future“, Derek Newman-Stille (Disabled People Destroy Science Fiction)
“Adios Cowboy“, Adam Shaftoe (www.adamshaftoe.com)
Books and Tea, Christina Vasilevski

Best Fan Organizational
WINNER: Derek Künsken & Marie Bilodeau, co-chairs, Can*Con
Sandra Kasturi, chair Chiaroscuro Reading Series: Toronto
Randy McCharles, chair, When Words Collide
Matt Moore, Marie Bilodeau & Nicole Lavigne, co-chairs, Chiaroscuro Reading Series: Ottawa
Sandra Wickham, chair, Creative Ink Festival

Best Fan Related Work
WINNER: The Worldshapers, Edward Willett
Business BFFs, S.M. Beiko & Clare C. Marshall
ChiSeries Toronto, Kari Maaren
Just Joshing, Joshua Pantalleresco
Speculating Canada, Derek Newman-Stille

Congratulations to everyone!

For more information, see the Aurora Awards website.

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And the nominees are…

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This year’s Aurora Award ballot has just been announced. Several SF Canada members are nominated as finalists (their names are in capitals below).

The Aurora Awards are nominated by members of the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association. Voting on this ballot runs from August 3th to September 14th. The awards ceremony will be held at Can-Con in October.

Congratulations to all nominees!

Best Novel
Armed in Her Fashion by Kate Heartfield, ChiZine Publications
Graveyard Mind by Chadwick Ginther, ChiZine Publications
One of Us by Craig DiLouie, Orbit
They Promised Me The Gun Wasn’t Loaded by James Alan Gardner, Tor
The Quantum Magician by Derek Künsken, Solaris Books and Analog Science Fiction and Fact
Witchmark by C. L. Polk, Tor.com Publications

Best Young Adult Novel
Children of the Bloodlands: The Realms of Ancient, Book 2 by S.M. Beiko, ECW Press
Cross Fire: An Exo Novel by Fonda Lee, Scholastic Press
The Emerald Cloth by Clare C Marshall, Faery Ink Press
Exit Plans for Teenage Freaks by ‘Nathan Burgoine, Bold Strokes Books
Finding Atlantis by J.M. Dover, Evil Alter Ego Press
Legacy of Light by Sarah Raughley, Simon Pulse
The Sign of Faust by Éric Desmarais, Renaissance Press
Timefall by Alison Lohans, Five Rivers Publishing

Best Short Fiction
A Hold Full of Truffles by Julie E. Czerneda, Tales from Plexis, DAW Books
Alice Payne Arrives by Kate Heartfield, Tor.com Publications
Critical Mass by Liz Westbrook-Trenholm, Shades Within Us: Tales of Migrations and Fractured Borders, Laksa Media
For A Rich Man to Enter by SUSAN FOREST, InterGalactic Medicine Show, Issue 62
Gods, Monsters, and the Lucky Peach by Kelly Robson, Tor.com Publications

Best Graphic Novel
Crash and Burn by Finn Lucullan and Kate Larking, Astres Press
FUTILITY: Orange Planet Horror by Rick Overwater and Cam Hayden, Coffin Hop Press
It Never Rains by Kari Maaren, Webcomic
Krampus Is My Boyfriend! by S.M. Beiko, Webcomic
Woman World by Aminder Dhaliwal, Drawn and Quarterly

Best Poem/Song
Echos by Shannon Allen, By the Light of Camelot, Edge
How My Life Will End by Vanessa Cardui, Shades Within Us: Tales of Migrations and Fractured Borders, Laksa Media
Osiris by Leah Bobet, Uncanny Magazine
Trips to Impossible Cities by SANDRA KASTURI, Amazing Stories Magazine, issue #2, Winter 2018
Ursula Le Guin in the Underworld by SARAH TOLMIE, On Spec issue 107 vol 28.4

Best Related Work
By the Light of Camelot edited by J. R. Campbell and Shannon Allen, Edge
Disabled People Destroy Science Fiction edited by DOMINIK PARISIEN and Elsa Sjunneson-Henry, Uncanny Magazine
Gaslight Gothic: Strange Tales of Sherlock Holmes edited by J. R. Campbell and Charles Prepolec, EDGE
Shades Within Us: Tales of Migrations and Fractured Borders edited by SUSAN FOREST and LUCAS K. LAW, Laksa Media
We Shall Be Monsters: Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein 200 years on edited by Derek Newman-Stille, Renaissance Press

Best Visual Presentation
Bao, written and directed by Domee Shi , Pixar Animation Studios
Deadpool 2, written and produced by Ryan Reynolds, Twentieth Century Fox
Murdoch Mysteries, 2018 episodes, Peter Mitchell and Christina Jennings, Shaftesbury Films
Travelers, Season 3, Brad Wright, Carrie Mudd, John G. Lenic, and Eric McCormack, Peacock Alley Entertainment
Wynonna Earp, Season 3, Emily Andras, Seven24 Films Calgary

Best Artist
Lily Author, cover art for Polar Borealis Magazine #8, Dragon Lab
Samantha M. Beiko, covers for Laksa Media
James F. Beveridge, cover art for Tyche books
Roger Czerneda, cover for Tales from Plexis, DAW Books
Dan O’Driscoll, covers for Bundoran Press
Lynne Taylor Fahnestalk, cartoons for Amazing Stories Magazine

Best Fan Writing and Publications
Adios Cowboy, Adam Shaftoe
Books and Tea, Christina Vasilevski
Constructing the Future, Derek Newman-Stille, Uncanny Magazine
Mars vs. Titan, RON S. FRIEDMAN, Quora
She Wrote It But…Revisiting Joanna Russ’ “How to Suppress Women’s Writing” 35 Years Later, KRISTA D. BALL
Travelling Tardis, Jen Desmarais, JenEric Designs

Best Fan Organizational
SANDRA KASTURI, chair Chiaroscuro Reading Series: Toronto
Derek Künsken and MARIE BILODEAU, co-chairs, Can*Con, Ottawa
Matt Moore, MARIE BILODEAU, and Nicole Lavigne, co-chairs, Chiaroscuro Reading Series: Ottawa
Randy McCharles, chair, When Words Collide, Calgary
Sandra Wickham, chair, Creative Ink Festival, Burnaby, BC

Best Fan Related Work
S.M. Beiko and Clare C. Marshall, Business BFFs (Podcast)
Kari Maaren, ChiSeries Toronto, monthly musical performances
Derek Newman-Stille, Speculating Canada
Joshua Pantalleresco, Just Joshing (Podcast)
EDWARD WILLETT, The Worldshapers (Podcast)

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2018 Aurora Award Winners!

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The Canadian Science Fiction & Fantasy Association has announced this year’s Aurora Award winners. We are very pleased to note that three SF Canada members were recognized for their outstanding achievements:

Susan Forest and Lucas K. Law won in the Best Related Work category for The Sum of Us: Tales of the Bonded and Bound anthology. Congratulations, Susan and Lucas!

Candas Jane Dorsey has been inducted into the Canadian Science Fiction & Fantasy Association Hall of Fame. Candas is internationally known for her contribution to the literature of the fantastic. Her oeuvre includes novels Black Wine (winner of Tiptree, Crawford and Aurora Awards) and Paradigm of Earth (shortlisted for Sunburst and Spectrum Awards); short story collections Machine Sex and other stories (containing the Aurora Award-winning storySleeping in a Box), Dark Earth Dreams, and Vanilla and other stories (winner of the WGA Short Fiction Award); four poetry books; several anthologies edited/co-edited, and stories, poems, reviews, critical essays, and rants in anthologies and magazines.

She was editor/publisher for nine years of Canadian independent SF publisher Tesseract Books, and for 14 years of a literary press, The Books Collective. She teaches writing and speaks internationally on SF and other topics. She was the founding president of SF Canada. She works as a freelance writer, editor and communications consultant, and is an active arts and community advocate.

Well deserved, Candas!

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2018 Aurora Awards Ballot Announced

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The Canadian Science Fiction & Fantasy Association has announced this year’s Aurora Award ballot for works done in 2017 by Canadians. We are very pleased to note that numerous SF Canada members are included in the ballot in various categories:

In Best Young Adult Novel, S.M. Beiko (Scion of the Fox)

In Best Poem/Song, Rhea Rose (Cruising Glaciers)

In Best Related Work, Spider Robinson(Compostela (Tesseracts 20)), Susan Forest and Lucas K. Law (The Sum of Us: Tales of the Bonded and Bound), and  Lucas K. Law (Where the Stars Rise: Asian Science Fiction and Fantasy)

In Best Artist, Samantha M. Beiko (cover for Laksa Media)

In Best Fan Writing and Publications, Krista D. Ball (Reflections on Community and Gender in Canadian SFF), and Ron S. Friedman (Science literacy for Science Fiction Readers and Writers)

In Best Fan Organizational, Marie Bilodeau (executive, Can*Con), and Marie Bilodeau (co-chair, Chiaroscuro Reading Series)

In Best Fan Related Work, S.M. Beiko (Business BFFs podcast)

As well, various members are associated with other nominated projects and anthologies.

Voting has begun and will end on September 8, 2018. The awards ceremony will be held at VCON 42, October 5-7, 2018, in Richmond, BC (www.vcon.ca). If you would like to join CFFSA to be eligible to vote on the shortlisted nominees, you can do so at their website: www.prixaurorawards.ca.

Congratulations to all the finalists!