the AAs (the good kind)
Jan. 28th, 2007 05:06 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
adelaideseanThe 2006 Aurealis Awards have been announced and the news is good for some, not so good for others, but excellent for everyone involved. Hurrah!
As always, there were some raised eyebrows. Judging the Horror category kept life interesting the last few months (as the tied result might testify). No friendships were harmed in obtaining that result, I swear, and I won't tell which side of the divide I fell.
In the science fiction section, I was very pleased to walk away with the Best Short Story gong--a surprise to me, given such a strong line-up--which was collected on my behalf by the most excellent Stephanie Smith of HarperCollins.
Sadly, despite having agreed to co-host with Kim Wilkins, I was forced to pull out at the last minute (attending solely as an animated head on the big screen), so I missed out on all the excitement and merriment afterwards. If the party was anything like last year's, there'll be some sore heads today. I look forward to the photos...
Here's my acceptance speech:
"It's a tremendous honour to be called to speak at this point in the proceedings, this time through the medium of the wonderful Stephanie Smith. 'The Seventh Letter' is my first short story in six years, and my first ever to win in this category. To say that I'm pleased and surprised would be something of an understatement.
"I'd like to thank Ashley Hay, editor of The Summer Reading Edition of The Bulletin, without whose invitation this story wouldn't have been written, and Simon Brown, Garth Nix, Jonathan Strahan, and Amanda Nettelbeck, who offered various forms of encouragement at critical times during its creation.
"My thanks also go to the judges, and to my fellow nominees, who I hope will be buoyed by the thought I usually take home from such events: that the name on the award isn't what matters, but the spirit at work behind it. I'm pleased to part of such a wonderful community, even from a distance. Have an absolute ball celebrating it tonight. I'm jealous."
As always, there were some raised eyebrows. Judging the Horror category kept life interesting the last few months (as the tied result might testify). No friendships were harmed in obtaining that result, I swear, and I won't tell which side of the divide I fell.
In the science fiction section, I was very pleased to walk away with the Best Short Story gong--a surprise to me, given such a strong line-up--which was collected on my behalf by the most excellent Stephanie Smith of HarperCollins.
Sadly, despite having agreed to co-host with Kim Wilkins, I was forced to pull out at the last minute (attending solely as an animated head on the big screen), so I missed out on all the excitement and merriment afterwards. If the party was anything like last year's, there'll be some sore heads today. I look forward to the photos...
Here's my acceptance speech:
"It's a tremendous honour to be called to speak at this point in the proceedings, this time through the medium of the wonderful Stephanie Smith. 'The Seventh Letter' is my first short story in six years, and my first ever to win in this category. To say that I'm pleased and surprised would be something of an understatement.
"I'd like to thank Ashley Hay, editor of The Summer Reading Edition of The Bulletin, without whose invitation this story wouldn't have been written, and Simon Brown, Garth Nix, Jonathan Strahan, and Amanda Nettelbeck, who offered various forms of encouragement at critical times during its creation.
"My thanks also go to the judges, and to my fellow nominees, who I hope will be buoyed by the thought I usually take home from such events: that the name on the award isn't what matters, but the spirit at work behind it. I'm pleased to part of such a wonderful community, even from a distance. Have an absolute ball celebrating it tonight. I'm jealous."
