Shawna McCarthy’s Realms of Fantasy is often overlooked when we discuss the best magazines in the field, yet since the first issue appeared back in October 1994, she has worked to develop the magazine into one of the best sources of original fantasy being published. To help promote the magazine, you can now check out the latest issue (February 2006) online for free. The issue includes fiction by Christopher Barzak, Patrick Samphire, Brett Alexander Savory, James Van Pelt, and Deborah Roggie, along with a variety of nonfiction. Check it out, and subscribe!

Cheryl Morgan notes that Chris Roberson, writer, proprietor of MonkeyBrain Books, and all-round good guy, has a new website set to promote his forthcoming novel Paragaea: A Planetary Romance. The novel looks to be enormous fun, and you can download an entire prequel novel from the website.

Dang, those Brits know how to put together an awards shortlist. The good folk over at the British Science Fiction Association have announced their 2005 Awards Shortlists. The novel category includes Jon Courtenay Grimwood’s 9Tail Fox, Charles Stross’s Accelerando, Geoff Ryman’s Air, Ken Macleod’s Learning the World, and Justina Robson’s Living Next Door to the God of Love.  It’s as good a shortlist as I’ve seen for any award in recent years. I’d hate to have to pick a winner amongst them – they’re all very fine books – but the Ryman and Stross books are both extraordinary.