April 2020 – The Australian Science Fiction Foundation

2020 Philip K. Dick Award Winner Announced

14/04/2020 by Ion Newcombe

SOONER OR LATER EVERYTHING FALLS INTO THE SEA: STORIES by Sarah Pinsker It was announced on Friday, April 10, 2020 at Norwescon 43, in (virtual) SeaTac, Washington, that the winner for the distinguished original science fiction paperback published for the first time during 2019 in the U.S.A. is:

SOONER OR LATER EVERYTHING FALLS INTO THE SEA: STORIES by Sarah Pinsker (Small Beer Press)

Special citation was given to:

THE LITTLE ANIMALS by Sarah Tolmie (Aqueduct Press)

The Philip K. Dick Award is presented annually with the support of the Philip K. Dick Trust for distinguished science fiction published in paperback original form in the United States. The award is sponsored by the Philadelphia Science Fiction Society and the award ceremony is sponsored by the NorthWest Science Fiction Society. The 2019 award was given to THEORY OF BASTARDS by Audrey Schulman (Europa Editions) with a special citation to 84K by Claire North (Orbit).

Hugo and Retro Hugo Award Finalists Announced

13/04/202009/04/2020 by Ion Newcombe

CoNZealand, the 78th World Science Fiction Convention, has announced the finalists for the 2020 Hugo Awards, Lodestar and Astounding Awards and the 1945 Retro Hugo Awards.

First presented in 1953, the Hugo Awards are the longest-running fan-voted awards in science fiction and fantasy. They recognise both professionals and fans, honouring written fiction and dramatic presentations, artists, editors and others.

The video announcing the finalists is available for viewing on the CoNZealand YouTube channel.

“Congratulations to all those announced today. Being a finalist for a Hugo Award signifies the high esteem in which the fan community holds your work. Getting to this stage is a huge achievement,” said CoNZealand Co-Chairs Norman Cates and Kelly Buehler.

Nominations for the 2020 and 1945 Hugo Awards were submitted by the members of CoNZealand, the 78th Worldcon, and Dublin 2019: An Irish Worldcon. 1,584 people submitted 27,033 nominations for the 2020 Hugo Awards, and 120 people submitted 1,677 nominations for the 1945 Retrospective Hugo Awards.

Mervyn R Binns 1934-2020

09/04/2020 by Ion Newcombe

From Bruce Gillespie

Helena Binns has just phoned Elaine and me to say that her husband Mervyn R. Binns, best known to everybody as Merv Binns, died yesterday, 7 April 2020, at the Kingston Centre, Monash Health, Melbourne. Born 8 July 1934, he was 85 years old. Merv had suffered serious heart problems during the last two decades. He was admitted to hospital about a month ago, then suffered a seizure on 2 April. He has been slowly slipping away since then.

Because of the coronavirus shutdown in Australia, his funeral can only be attended by a very small number of people, so Helena will arrange a gathering in celebration of his life and work as soon as feasible.