A quickie--most of this is on my wall at facebook.
I had a great week on Kangaroo Island, and touring the wine country southwest of Adelaide. Got to Melbourne Tuesday evening the 31st, moved to the hotel the first and Thursday morning was asked to fly to Florida by my mom and sister because my dad's health was failing fast.

I flew back Friday morning, passing through Auckland, LA, Philadelphia, and arriving in Florida Saturday 1pm. My sister and brother in law took me to the nursing home where my dad was still alert, conscious and could obviously recognize me. My uncle (from NJ) and cousin were there too. From Sunday on his condition has been deteriorating and we're just waiting for the end. I'm glad that I made it back in time to say goodbye.
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Tomorrow I leave for Australia till September 9th. I'll have a borrowed Aussie cell phone so will be able to contact people before I get to Melbourne. I'll be online periodically to stay in touch with my house sitter and family and check for important email. Don't know how much I'll be posting.
Both anthos handed in (yay).


My dad should be either back in the nursing home or about to be tomorrow. I'm a little worried because they've taken him off coumadin because of bleeding and so there's a chance of another stroke. They're putting him on more aspirin and all I can do is keep fingers and toes crossed that he remains stable. I spoke to him today and he's sounding alert so I know they've taken him off the sedatives they had him on when they first had him in the hospital last Sunday.

Anyway, at least I don't have to worry about work things while away.

So right now, I'm eating what leftover fruit and other perishables I can and will instruct house/catsitter to eat or toss everything else!
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ellen_datlow: (Default)
( Aug. 19th, 2010 10:53 am)
Fri 1200 Rm P1: In conversation: Ellen Datlow and Jonathan Strahan;

Fri 1500 Rm 213: Haunted legends reading--Kaaron Warren and Stephen Dedman

Saturday 1200 Room 212
But is it horror?
What is horror fiction and who decides? The authors? The readers? The publishers and editors? The marketers and booksellers? Does the horror genre even truly exist?
Joshua Bilmes, Ellen Datlow, Scott Edelman, Richard Harland, Rocky Wood

Sat 1600 Rm 210: Tombstones and chapbooks;
Tombstones and chapbooks
Is the small press the real home of contemporary horror fiction? If so, what do the blockbusters Under the Dome and Twilight represent?
Alan Baxter, Ginjer Buchanan, Bill Congreve, Ellen Datlow, Felicity Dowker

Sun 1000 Rm 203: YA speculative fiction: industry overview and insight;
YA speculative fiction: Industry overview and insights
What’s the state of play in YA Speculative Fiction? The view from publishing, writing and bookselling.
Zoe Walton, Kate Forsyth, Bec Kavanagh, Ellen Datlow, Helen Merrick (chair)

Sun 1100 Rm 201: Signing;

Mon 1000 Rm 213: How we edit;
How we edit
In many ways the editor has one of the most invisible professions in publishing. What exactly is it that an editor does? From the first encounter with an author to the publication of the completed book, we take you step by step through the working life of a professional editor - and how that job can vary from book to book, story to story, and author to author.
Jonathan Strahan, Ellen Datlow, Amanda Pillar, Simon Spanton

Mon 1200 Rm 201: Kaffeeklatsche;
Mon 1300 Rm P3: A house made from stories: building the anthology;
A house made from stories: Building the anthology
How does an editor construct the perfect original anthology of science fiction? How do you develop the subject matter or theme, how do you select and approach the contributors, and how do you tie all of the elements together into a single cohesive work? A panel of editors reflect on their own experiences to help form a blueprint for the perfect science fiction anthology.
Ellen Datlow, Robert Silverberg, Alisa Krasnostein, Jonathan Strahan, Jack Dann

Mon 1500 Rm 204: Caught in the slipstream: fiction between genres
Caught in the slipstream: Fiction between genres
An increasing number of works don’t seem to fit comfortably within genre boundaries - stories that use science fiction, fantasy or horror tropes, in combination or as an unusual aspect to otherwise non-speculative fiction. Some are excursions into unfamiliar territory by experienced SF authors, while others are new expressions from truly unique voices that can not be categorised. A discussion of crossover and slipstream fiction that points out the best of what’s out there, why each piece succeeds, and how it expands the horizons of readers.
Ian Nichols (mod), John Clute, Ellen Datlow
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This is reposted from Cat Sparks' blog. I've a bought a raffle ticket and I hope you all will to.
Ellen

Many of you will be familiar with this story already but for anyone who isn’t:

Last year Canadian marine biologist and science fiction writer Dr Peter Watts underwent a terrifying ordeal at the hands of over zealous border crossing guards in Port Huron, USA. While leaving the United States on December 8, 2009, he was subject to an exit search, then beaten, maced and arrested when he tried to find out what was going on.

A full account of the incident and what was to follow is up on Tor.com:
Sometimes, we win.


Or hear him interviewed about his experience, podcast at Starship Sofa


Even though all he did was fail to promptly comply with border guards’ instructions, he narrowly escaped a prison sentence and is now officially a convicted felon and therefore no longer able to attend US conventions.

Peter’s short story ‘The Island’ from The New Space Opera 2, edited by Gardner Dozois and our own Jonathan Strahan has been nominated for a Hugo award. What with Worldcon being on Aussie soil in September this year, I thought it would be a good thing if he could fly out here for both the Hugos and Aussiecon itself.

To that end, with Peter’s permission, I’m conducting a raffle to raise money for his airfare and accommodation. First prize is tuckerisation in his next novel State of Grace. Peter says:

“make sure that all entrants realize that their namesakes will most likely come to a really painful and unpleasant end. And they may not be especially cuddly as characters before then…”

The Aussiecon committee has very kindly donated Peter’s membership. The rest is up to us. If you think the guy deserves a break, how about taking part in the raffle or making a donation?

I’ve never met Peter face-to-face but we’ve been email buddies since I sent him a gushing fan letter after reading his first novel Starfish some years back.

He is well known as an excellent value panelist and would be a fantastic asset to the ‘hard science fiction’ end of the con’s literary stream. He has also consented to participating in Dudcon where he will hand out the Ditmars and generally partake of other silliness as required.

To participate in the State of Grace tuckerisation raffle send AUS $10 via Paypal to watts2aussiecon@gmail.com

Email me privately if you’d prefer to buy a ticket via some other medium: cat@catsparks.net

If you’re not into tuckerisation but would like to sling a few bucks into the pot, that’s awesome too.

Any funds raised surplus to requirements will be donated to a reputable charity of Peter’s choice.
.

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