Awards, CSFFA / Aurora Award / Hall of Fame, Reading

2025 AURORA AWARDS BALLOT

2025 AURORA AWARDS BALLOT

This ballot is for works originally done in 2024 by Canadians. The Aurora Awards are nominated by members of the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association (CSFFA). The top five nominated works were selected. Additional works were included where there was a tie for fifth place. An online awards ceremony will be held on Sunday, August 10th, 2025, at 5pm EDT, with hosts Mark Leslie Lefebvre and Elizabeth May Anderson. 

BEST NOVEL
Blackheart Man, Nalo Hopkinson, Saga Press
Pale Grey Dot, Don Miasek, Ravenstone
The Siege of Burning Grass, Premee Mohamed, Solaris
The Tapestry of Time, Kate Heartfield, Harper Voyager
Withered, A.G.A. Wilmot, ECW Press

BEST YOUNG ADULT NOVEL
The Door in Lake Mallion, S.M. Beiko, ECW Press
Heavenly Tyrant, Xiran Jay Zhao, Tundra Books
The Lost Expedition: The Dream Rider Saga, Book 3, Douglas Smith, Spiral Path Books
Misadventures in Ghosthunting, Melissa Yue, Harper Collins
Spaced!, C.L. Carey, Renaissance

BEST NOVELETTE/NOVELLA
The Butcher of the Forest, Premee Mohamed, Tordotcom
“Carter’s Refugio“, Hayden Trenholm, Analog SF&F, Sept/Oct
Countess, Suzan Palumbo, ECW Press
The Dragonfly Gambit, A.D. Sui, Neon Hemlock Press
“Zebra Meridian“,Geoffrey W. Cole, Zebra Meridian and Other Stories, Stelliform Press

BEST SHORT STORY
“A World of Milk and Promises“, R H Wesley, Clarkesworld, Issue 216
“And When She Shatters“, Kerry C. Byrne, Heartlines Spec, Issue 4
“Blood and Desert Dreams“, Y.M. Pang, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Issue 408
“BUDDY RAYMOND’S NO-BULLSHIT GUIDE TO DRONE HUNTING“, Gillian Secord, Diabolical Plots, #108A
“Desolation Sounds“, Geoffrey W. Cole, Zebra Meridian and Other Stories, Stelliform Press

BEST GRAPHIC NOVEL/COMIC
Cemetery Kids Don’t Die vol. 1 (#1-4), Zac Thompson, illustrated by Daniel Irrizari, Gegé Schall, and Brittany Peer, Oni Press
Into the Goblin Market, Vikki VanSickle, illustrated by Jensine Eckwall, Tundra Books
It Never Rains, Kari Maaren, webcomic
Star Trek Lower Decks: Warp Your Own Way, Ryan North, art by Chris Fenoglio, IDW Publishing
Wheetago War: Roth, Richard Van Camp, illustrated by Christopher Shy, Renegade Arts Entertainment
A Witch’s Guide to Burning, Aminder Dhaliwal, Drawn and Quarterly
Zatanna: Bring Down the House, Mariko Tamaki, DC Comics

BEST POEM/SONG
“Angakkuq“, Shantell Powell, On Spec Magazine, Vol 24, Issue 130
“Cthulhu on the Shores of Osaka“, Y.M. Pang, Invitation: A One-shot Anthology of Speculative Fiction
“Her Favourite“, Beth Cato and Rhonda Parrish, Star*Line, Vol 47, Issue 4
“Horizon Events“, J.D. Dresner, Polar Starlight, Issue #15
“A Thirst for Adventure“, Lynne Sargent, Polar Borealis, Issue #28
“Trip Through the Robot“, Carolyn Clink and David Clink, Giant Robot Poems: On Mecha-Human Science, Culture & War

BEST RELATED WORK
Augur Magazine Vol 7, Issues 7.1-7.3, Kerry C. Byrne, Toria Liao, André Geleynse, Frankie Hagg, and Conyer Clayton, Augur Society
Bury Your Gays: An Anthology of Tragic Queer Horror, Sofia Ajram, Ghoulish Books
Northern Nights, Michael Kelly, Undertow Publications
On Spec Magazine, Vol 34, Issues 127-130, Diane L. Walton Managing Editor, The Copper Pig Writers’ Society
Year’s Best Canadian Fantasy and Science Fiction: Volume Two, Stephen Kotowych, Ansible Press

BEST COVER ART/INTERIOR ILLUSTRATION
Augur Magazine, Issue 7.1,  cover art, Martine Nguyen
Augur Magazine Issue 7.2, cover art, Frances Philip
Augur Magazine, Issue 7.3, cover art, Lorna Antoniazzi
Captains of Black and Brass, cover art, James Beveridge, On Spec Magazine, Vol 34, Issue 129
Northern Nights, cover art, Serena Malyon, Undertow Publications

BEST FAN WRITING AND PUBLICATION
Clubhouse Canadian Speculative Fiction reviews, R. Graeme Cameron, Amazing Stories Magazine
James Nicoll Reviews, James Davis Nicoll, online
Polar Starlight Magazine, Issues 13-16, Rhea E. Rose, editor
SF&F Book Reviews, Robert Runté, Ottawa Review of Books
Speculating Canada, Derek Newman-Stille

BEST FAN RELATED WORK
murmurstations, Sonia Urlando, Augur Society, podcast
Scintillation 2024, co-chairs, Jo Walton and René Walling, Montreal
Two Old Farts Talk Sci-Fi Podcast, Troy Harkin and David Clink
Wizards & Spaceships Podcast, Rachel A. Rosen and David L. Clink
The Worldshapers Podcast, Edward Willett

 

Ver 1.0, April 15, 2024

Astronomy News

TWO CMEs ARE HEADING FOR EARTH

GEOMAGNETIC STORM WATCH (G2): Geomagnetic storms are likely on April 16th when a pair of closely-spaced CMEs is expected to hit Earth’s magnetic field. NOAA forecasters say storm levels could reach category G2 with auroras across Canada and northern-tier US States. The CMEs were hurled toward Earth by a double eruption on the sun; see below. 

A DOUBLE ERUPTION ON THE SUN: Explosions on the sun do *not* require sunspots. Spotless explosions occurred twice over the weekend when these two magnetic filaments lifted off the sun:

Magnetic filaments are tubes of dense plasma held above the sun’s surface by magnetic forces. The two pictured above are about 400,000 km long–longer than the distance between Earth and the Moon. These massive structures can erupt when their magnetic underpinnings become unstable. That happened twice in quick succession on April 12th and 13th–a rare double blast.

Fragments of the exploding filaments ripped through the sun’s atmosphere to produce a pair of closely-spaced CMEs, now heading for Earth. A one-two punch from these CMEs could spark a G2-class geomagnetic storm on April 16th. CME impact alerts: SMS Text.

MonSFFA Website

APRIL 12, 2025 CLUB MEETING; Post 2 of 2, 5:00PM – Thank You, Wrap-Up

This is Post 2 of 2, marking the conclusion of today’s MonSFFA meeting.

5) THANK YOU

We are grateful to Keith Braithwaite for his efforts on this afternoon’s programming, and thank, too, all of our contributing participants, plus everyone who helped to plan and run today’s meeting. Finally, of course, we thank all of you who joined us, both physically in the meeting hall and here on ZOOM; don’t forget to comment on today’s get-together (www.MonSFFA.ca). 

6) NEXT MONTH’S MEETING: 

The club meets next on Saturday, May 10, from 1:00PM-5:00PM! We hope to see you live and in person at that time, or if you’re from out of town, online via ZOOM. MonSFFA meets downtown regularly at Le Nouvel Hotel, 1740 Rene-Levesque Ouest (corner St-Mathieu), in the “Maisonneuve Room” (unless otherwise indicated).

7) SIGN-OFF

Thank you all for taking part today. We appreciate the enthusiastic involvement of our members, and we hope you will all join us again next month! Thus, with today’s main topic soon to slither into our dreams, we’ll say… sssssso long!

MonSFFA Website

APRIL 12, 2025 CLUB MEETING; Post 1 of 2, 12:30PM – Introduction and Agenda

1) INTRODUCTION

Welcome to MonSFFA’s April 2025 meeting! This is Post 1 of 2, providing an outline of today’s MonSFFA meeting, and our agenda for the afternoon. A closing post will go up at 5:00PM, marking the end of the meeting.

Despite that blizzard earlier in the week, it is Spring! Take note that we have again been moved into the “Faubourg” room by the hotel, in lieu of our usual “Maisonneuve” room; the Faubourg is just down the hall from the Maisonneuve.

But of course, this is of no consequence to our out-of-town members, who can, and we hope will take part, as always, via ZOOM from the comfort of their own homes. So do join us for a few hours of sci-fi fun! Today’s proceedings will be getting underway shortly.

To join our ZOOM-chat and take part this afternoon, see the instructions, immediately below (Item 2), to join in and participate online.

Our programming agenda begins at 1:00PM; the meeting will conclude at 5:00PM. This opening post has gone up 30 minutes before the meeting’s start time to allow folk to gather online at their leisure. A closing post will go up at 5:00PM to officially thank today’s presenters/discussion moderators, and to publish the date of the next MonSFFA event.

2) JOIN THIS AFTERNOON’S VIDEO-CHAT ON ZOOM!

To take part in this afternoon’s meeting online, join our ZOOM video-chat, which will run throughout the next few hours. Simply click here and follow the prompts: This Afternoon’s MonSFFA Meeting on ZOOM

If you’re not fully equipped to ZOOM, you can also take part by phone (voice only); in the Montreal area, the toll-free number to call is: 1-438-809-7799. From out of town? No problem; find your ZOOM call-in number here: Call-In Numbers

Also, have this information on hand as you may be asked to enter it:

Meeting ID: 883 0121 6990
Passcode: 186757

3) MEETING THEME FOR APRIL 2025

Meeting Theme: In keeping with today’s scheduled presentation, and in honour of the Chinese Year of the Snake, members are asked to bring in for our display table a cool snake toy, SF&F-themed, if possible—rubber or plastic snakes, action figures, a game or puzzle; you get the idea!

4) THIS AFTERNOON’S AGENDA

Today’s programming agenda is as follows: 

1:00PM – Sssssnakes in SF&F!

We look at snakes, snake-like beings, and all things snake-tonishing in SF&F! And there are an awful lot of these slithering subjects!

2:30PM – Break

Club business, including discussion of upcoming group field trip, announcements, and raffle. 

3:00PM – Break

What are your top three very best SF&F novels, short fiction, films, and/or TV series? The crème-de-la-crème! We’re asking MonSFFen for their recommendations: the absolutely must-read/must-watch SF&F, best of the best, desert-island material! The stories in one, two, or all four of the categories we’ve outlined which you think others must read or watch before they die; the most memorable, thought-provokingly intelligent, important works of superior SF&F, of high entertainment value and overall quality! That stuff! Let’s discuss.

4:00PM – Final Thoughts and Wrap-Up!

We close the afternoon with final thoughts, questions, and commentary on today’s topics, or other subjects members may have to briefly share with the group. Your feedback, dear members, is always welcome!

5:00PM – End of Meeting

Please Note: While we strive to keep on schedule, we do, sometimes, fall behind a little, or find ourselves having to reshuffle the order of items on the agenda for one reason or another, or reschedule planned presentations/discussions. Therefore, please understand that all programming is subject to change!

The meeting officially begins at 1:00PM! Thanks for joining us today, and enjoy the afternoon!
MonSFFA Website

NEXT CLUB MEETING IS TOMORROW AFTERNOON, SATURDAY, APRIL 12!

MonSFFA’s next meeting is scheduled to take place tomorrow afternoon, Saturday, April 12, from 1:00PM to 5:00PM!

We will convene at our downtown meeting locale, Le Nouvel Hotel, 1740 Rene-Levesque Ouest (corner St-Mathieu).

Please take note: we will be gathering on this occasion, as we did last month, in the “Faubourg” meeting room, just down the hall from our usual “Maisonneuve” room.

Out-of-towners, as always, may join our ZOOM-chat (www.MonSFFA.ca) and take part in the meeting from the comfort of home!

On the Agenda:

Sssssnakes in SF&F!

In honour of the Chinese Year of the Snake, we offer an extensive review of snakes, snake-like beings, and all things snake-tonishing in SF&F! And there are an awful lot of these slithering subjects!

Your Top Three!

What are your top three very best SF&F novels, short fiction stories, films, and television series? The crème-de-la-crème! We’re asking MonSFFen for their recommendations: the absolutely must-read/must-watch SF&F that they believe the best of the best! Desert-island material! The stories in one, two, or all four of the categories we’ve outlined which others must read or watch before they die; the most memorable, thought-provokingly intelligent, important works of superior SF&F, that which is of high entertainment value and overall quality! That stuff! Let’s discuss.

and more…

Meeting Theme: In keeping with today’s scheduled presentation, and in honour of the Chinese Year of the Snake, members are asked to bring in for our display table a cool snake toy, SF&F-themed, if possible—rubber or plastic snakes, action figures, a game or puzzle; you get the idea!

Spring is here, the snow is gone (we hope!), and so we’re looking to see as many of you as possible at our downtown meeting hall! Bring a friend! See you all there on Saturday, April 12, 1:00PM-5:00PM!

Please Note: While we strive to keep on schedule, we do, sometimes, fall behind a little, or find ourselves having to reshuffle the order of items on the agenda for one reason or another, or reschedule planned presentations/discussions. Therefore, please understand that all programming is subject to change!

MonSFFA Website

NEXT CLUB MEETING THIS SATURDAY, APRIL 12!

MonSFFA’s next meeting is scheduled to take place this Saturday, April 12, from 1:00PM to 5:00PM!

We will convene at our downtown meeting locale, Le Nouvel Hotel, 1740 Rene-Levesque Ouest (corner St-Mathieu).

Please take note: we will be gathering on this occasion, as we did last month, in the “Faubourg” meeting room, just down the hall from our usual “Maisonneuve” room.

Out-of-towners, as always, may join our ZOOM-chat (www.MonSFFA.ca) and take part in the meeting from the comfort of home!

On the Agenda:

Sssssnakes in SF&F!

In honour of the Chinese Year of the Snake, we offer an extensive review of snakes, snake-like beings, and all things snake-tonishing in SF&F! And there are an awful lot of these slithering subjects!

Your Top Three!

What are your top three very best SF&F novels, short fiction stories, films, and television series? The crème-de-la-crème! We’re asking MonSFFen for their recommendations: the absolutely must-read/must-watch SF&F that they believe the best of the best! Desert-island material! The stories in one, two, or all four of the categories we’ve outlined which others must read or watch before they die; the most memorable, thought-provokingly intelligent, important works of superior SF&F, that which is of high entertainment value and overall quality! That stuff! Let’s discuss.

and more…

Meeting Theme: In keeping with today’s scheduled presentation, and in honour of the Chinese Year of the Snake, members are asked to bring in for our display table a cool snake toy, SF&F-themed, if possible—rubber or plastic snakes, action figures, a game or puzzle; you get the idea!

Spring is here, the snow is gone (we hope!), and so we’re looking to see as many of you as possible at our downtown meeting hall! Bring a friend! See you all there on Saturday, April 12, 1:00PM-5:00PM!

Please Note: While we strive to keep on schedule, we do, sometimes, fall behind a little, or find ourselves having to reshuffle the order of items on the agenda for one reason or another, or reschedule planned presentations/discussions. Therefore, please understand that all programming is subject to change!

Fanzines

Fanzine Roundup

Quite a few zines to catch up on.

First, updates from Bill Burns:

New today at https://efanzines.com:

  • Leybl Botwinik’s CyberCozen – March 2025
  • Opuntia #594, edited by Dale Speirs
  • Christopher J. Garcia’s Claims Department #83
  • Garth Spencer’s The Obdurate Eye #49
  • Perry Middlemiss’s Perryscope #52
  • Tom Becker’s Energumdex on Taral Wayne’s Energumen page
  • Octothorpe #131, a regular fannish podcast by John Coxon, Alison Scott and Liz Batty, is now on line
  • Andy Hooper’s CAPTAIN FLASHBACK #76
  • Nic Farey’s This Here…#85
  • Heath Row’s The Stf Amateur, April 2025 (apazine bundle)
  • Opuntia #595, edited by Dale Speirs

From Africa, Probe – Gorgeous cover!- Gail writes: Please find attached the 203rd issue of PROBE. I have also attached the documents needed to enter the Nova short story competition for 2025. If you wish you may post these to advertise this year’s Nova.

Thank you, Gail Jamieson, Editor PROBE, www.sffsa.org.za

From the N3F :

The latest issue of The National Fantasy Fan is attached. Please NOMINATE for the Laureate Awards. TNFF202503

From Nic Farey, TH 85r 

From Garth Spencer, who writes: Happy Belated April Fool’s Day! ObdurateEye50

 

MonSFFA Website

NEXT CLUB MEETING SOON: SATURDAY, APRIL 12!

MonSFFA’s next meeting is scheduled to take place a little over a week from now, on Saturday, April 12, from 1:00PM to 5:00PM!

We will gather at our downtown meeting locale, Le Nouvel Hotel, 1740 Rene-Levesque Ouest (corner St-Mathieu) in our usual “Maisonneuve” meeting room.

Out-of-towners, as always, may join our ZOOM-chat and take part in the meeting from the comfort of home!

On the Agenda:

Sssssnakes in SF&F!

An extensive review of snakes and serpent-like beings in SF&F literature, comics, film, television, and elsewhere! There are many more than you might imagine!

Your Top Three!

What are your top three very best SF&F novels, short fiction stories, films, and television series? The crème-de-la-crème! We’re asking MonSFFen for their recommendations, the absolutely must-read/must-watch SF&F that they believe the best of the best, desert-island material; the stories in one, two, or all four of the categories we’ve outlined which others must read or watch before they die; the most memorable, thought-provokingly intelligent, important works of superior SF&F, of high entertainment value and overall quality! That stuff! Let’s discuss.

and more…

Meeting Theme: In keeping with today’s scheduled presentation, and in honour of the Chinese Year of the Snake, members are asked to bring in for our display table a cool snake toy, SF&F-themed, if possible—rubber or plastic snakes, action figures, a game or puzzle; you get the idea!

Spring is here, the snow is gone (we hope!), and so we’re looking to see as many of you as possible at our downtown meeting hall! Bring a friend! See you all there on Saturday, April 12, 1:00PM-5:00PM!

Please Note: While we strive to keep on schedule, we do, sometimes, fall behind a little, or find ourselves having to reshuffle the order of items on the agenda for one reason or another, or reschedule planned presentations/discussions. Therefore, please understand that all programming is subject to change!

Books

Locus List of Forthcoming Books

APRIL 2025

  • NEAL ASHER • Dark Diamond • Macmillan/Tor UK, Apr 2025 (hc, eb)
  • ROBERT JACKSON BENNETT • A Drop of Corruption • Penguin Random House/Del Rey, Apr 2025 (hc, eb)
  • ROBERT JACKSON BENNETT • A Drop of Corruption • Hodder & Stoughton UK/Hodderscape, Apr 2025 (hc, eb)
  • OLIVIE BLAKE • Gifted & Talented • Macmillan/Tor UK, Apr 2025 (hc, eb)
  • OLIVIE BLAKE • Gifted & Talented • Tor, Apr 2025 (hc, eb)
  • PATRICE CALDWELL • Where Shadows Meet • St. Mar­tin’s/Wednesday Books, Apr 2025 (ya, v, hc, eb)
  • KACEN CALLENDER • Chaos King • Tor Teen, Apr 2025 (ya, hc, eb)
  • VAJRA CHANDRASEKERA • Rakesfall • Rebellion/Solaris UK, Apr 2025 (1st UK, tp, eb)
  • P. DJÈLÍ CLARK • Abeni and the Kingdom of Gold • Tor/Starscape, Apr 2025 (hc, eb)
  • C.S.E. COONEY • Saint Death’s Herald • Rebellion/Solaris UK, Apr 2025 (tp, eb)
  • ISAAC FELLMAN • Notes from a Regicide • Tor, Apr 2025 (hc, eb)
  • DANIEL M. FORD • Advocate • Tor, Apr 2025 (hc, tp, eb)
  • DARYL GREGORY • When We Were Real • Simon & Schuster/Saga Press, Apr 2025 (hc, eb)
  • JIM C. HINES • Kitemaster • Arc Manor/Caezik SF & Fantasy, Apr 2025 (tp, eb)
  • TANYA HUFF • Direct Descendant • Astra House/DAW, Apr 2025 (h, hc, eb)
  • AI JIANG • A Palace Near the Wind: Natu­ral Engines • Titan Books UK, Apr 2025 (hc, eb)
  • MARK LAWRENCE • The Book That Held Her Heart • Ace, Apr 2025 (hc, eb)
  • SHARON LEE & STEVE MILLER • Diviner’s Bow • Baen, Apr 2025 (hc, eb)
  • JEFFREY ALAN LOVE • The Last Battle at the End of the World • Flesk Publications, Apr 2025 (gn, art, tp, hc)
  • NNEDI OKORAFOR • One Way Witch • Astra House/DAW, Apr 2025 (na, hc, eb)
  • DANIEL PINKWATER • Jules • Penny, & the Rooster, Tachyon Publications, Apr 2025 (na, ya, tp, eb)
  • NATASHA PULLEY • The Hymn to Dionysus • Orion UK/Gollancz, Apr 2025 (hc, eb)
  • EDEN ROYCE • Psychopomp and Circumstance • Tordotcom, Apr 2025 (na, hc, eb)
  • NGHI VO • Don’t Sleep With the Dead • Tor­dotcom, Apr 2025 (na, hc, eb)
  • KHAN WONG • Down in the Sea of Angels • Angry Robot UK, Apr 2025 (tp, eb)
  • RITA WOODS • The Edge of Yesterday • Tor/Forge, Apr 2025 (hc, eb)
  • TIMOTHY ZAHN • The Icarus Coda • Baen, Apr 2025 (hc, eb)

Montreal Science Fiction and Fantasy Association