Thursday, October 8, 2015

Two volumes showcasing the best Australian speculative fiction of 2014

Australia is brimming with exceptional talent and there is enough evidence around to prove it. Actually, I believe that enough is not correctly applied here, because although it is said that too much of anything is bad I am convinced that this statement loses its value when it comes to quality fiction. Therefore, two newly released volumes add further proof of Australia’s finest speculative fiction writings and plenty more excellent short stories to read, the fifth entry in “The Year’s Best Australian Fantasy & Horror” (Ticonderoga Publications) series of anthologies edited by Liz Grzyb and Talie Helene and the third “Focus: highlights of Australian short fiction” (FableCroft Publishing) compiled by Tehani Wessely, both collections showcasing short fiction from Down Under published in 2014. And while we are at this point it is also interesting to mention that FableCroft Publishing celebrates the apparition of “Focus 2014: highlights of Australian Short fiction” by offering us the chance to grab the first volume of this series for free. The offer is limited so if you are interested in a copy head over to Kindle, Kobo or Smashwords stores to snatch one.

“Shadows of the Lonely Dead” by Alan Baxter (Suspended in Dusk)
“The Changeling” by James Bradley (Fearsome Magics)
“Soul Partner” by Imogen Cassidy (Aurealis 74)
“The Bullet & The Flesh” by David Conyers & David Kernot (World War Cthulhu)
“The Corpse Rose” by Terry Dowling (Nightmare Carnival)
“The Oud” by Thoraiya Dyer (Long Hidden Anthology)
“Metempsychosis” by Jason Franks (SQ Mag)
“Of Gold and Dust” by Michelle Goldsmith (Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine 60)
“1884” by Michael Grey (Cthulhu Lives: An Eldrich Tribute to H.P.Lovecraft)
“Escapement” by Stephanie Gunn (Kisses by Clockwork)
“Vox” by Lisa L. Hannett & Angela Slatter (The Female Factory)
“Of The Colour Tumeric, Climbing on Fingertips” by Gerry Huntman (Night Terrors III)
“Dolls for Another Day” by Rick Kennett (The Ghosts & Scholars Book of Shadows: Vol 2)
“Chiaroscuro” by Charlotte Kieft (Disquiet)
“Kneaded” by SG Larner (Phantazein)
“Yard” by Claire McKenna (Use Only As Directed)
“A Prayer for Lazarus” by Andrew J. McKiernan (Last Year, When We Were Young)
“Signature” by Faith Mudge (Kaleidoscope: Diverse YA Science Fi)
“The Preservation Society” by Jason Nahrung (Dimension6)
“The Box Wife” by Emma Osborne (Shock Totem: Curious Tales of the Macabre & Twisted #9)
“Shedding Skin” by Angela Rega (Crossed Genres)
“The Love Letters of Swans” by Tansy Rayner Roberts (Phantazein)
“The Badger Bride” by Angela Slatter (Strange Tales IV)
“New Chronicles of Andras Thorn” by Cat Sparks (Dimension6 Annual Collection 2014)
“The Walking-stick Forest” by Anna Tambour (Tor.com)
“Necromancy” by Kyla Ward (Spectral Realms #1)
“Bridge of Sighs” by Kaaron Warren (Fearful Symmetries: An Anthology of Horror)
 “Lady of the Swamp” by Janeen Webb (Death at the Blue Elephant)

“Shadows of the Lonely Dead” by Alan Baxter (Suspended in Dusk)
“The Executioner Goes Home” by Deborah Biancotti (Review of Australian Fiction)
“Wine, Women and Stars” by Thoraiya Dyer (Analog Science Fiction and Fact)
“Vanilla” by Dirk Flinthart (Kaleidoscope: Diverse YA Science Fi)
“Signature” by Faith Mudge (Kaleidoscope: Diverse YA Science Fi)
“The Ghost of Hephaestus” by Charlotte Nash (Phantazein)
“Cookie Cutter Superhero” by Tansy Rayner Roberts (Kaleidoscope: Diverse YA Science Fi)
“St Dymphna’s School for Poison Girls” by Angela Slatter (The Bitterwood Bible and Other Recountings)
“The Seventh Relic” by Cat Sparks (Phantazein)
“Death’s Door Café” by Kaaron Warren (Shadows & Tall Trees)
“The Legend Trap” by Sean Williams (Kaleidoscope: Diverse YA Science Fi)

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