I’ve just updated my bibliography on the site and feel somewhat overwhelmed. I seem to be speeding up. Between 1997 and 2004 I edited two book projects. This is a little deceptive because I co-edited Eidolon from 1997-1999, and did two other books as publisher in that time. I also spent a year in California and was reviewing for Locus. Still.

Starting in 2004 I moved into anthology work seriously and between 2004 and 2008 I worked on nineteen book projects, starting with Science Fiction: Best of 2003 and ending with Eclipse Two.  That was a busy time. At the same time I took on the role of Reviews Editor for Locus, which also keeps me busy.

However, I’ve been feeling like I’m melting down a little and I now realise it’s because between 2009 and 2011 (i.e. the next two years) I have either completed or committed to completing a further twenty projects, starting with completed The New Space Opera 2 and finishing with The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year: Vol 5.  To add to the madness, I am currently actively developing a further three or four projects.

All of which explains the fatigue I”ve been dealing with this past few weeks. I’m really happy to have signed new contracts this past fortnight for Wings of Fire, Engineering Infinity, and two new volumes of the year’s best, but I guess I need to keep challenging myself. Onward!

The gang at Locus HQ in Oakland have posted the finalists for the 2009 Locus Awards. All sorts of friends and colleagues are shortlisted, and my sincere congratulations to all of them. I also note that Ted Chiang’s story from Eclipse Two, ‘Exhalation’ is in the Best Short Story category,  The Starry Rift and Eclipse Two are on the final ‘Anthology’ list, and I’ve made the ‘Best Editor’ list. My congratulations to Ted, whose story just won the BSFA Award and is on the Hugo Ballot this year. I’d sincerely like to thank EVERYONE who nominated ffor the Locus Awards this year, and everyone who thought work I was associated with deserved to be shortlisted. I’d also like to acknowledge that without the extraordinary work from all of the writers involved and without the incredible hard work and diligence from Sharyn November at Viking and Jason Williams (and crew) at Night Shade it would not be happening. So, my sincerest thanks to them!  It was a big year. Now I guess I better get on with finishing Eclipse Three and Starry Rift follow-up, Life on Mars.

The Ditmar nomination period is upon us. Members of the Australian science fiction community can nominate and vote for the awards.  But nominations close this weekend Monday, 4 May 2009.  I have two books eligible for the awards – Eclipse 2 and The Starry Rift. Each book contains stories that are also eligible so, if you’re eligible to nominate or vote and would like to see the books, email me and I’m happy to let you have an electronic copy of either book.  All I ask is that, if you do want a copy, that you don’t share the files.

I am aware that there is a problem with the comments database and am working to fix it. Apologies for the problem.

Things are getting busy here, so I thought I’d do a quick project list as much for my own sake as for anyone’s interest. As I said here the other day, I’m editing The Best of Larry Niven, which is very cool. I’m also editing The Best of Joe Haldeman for Subterranean, and the Best of Peter Beagle is back on! I’d love story recommendations for either of these.

I’ve also realised that I’m on the verge of over committing myself. So, in the interests of sanity I’ve recruited Marianne to work in the family business. She’ll mainly be helping with running the office, doing bookkeeping and managing me(!). She also has a lot of editorial experience I’m keep to exploit.

In truth, most of the list below are on my bibliography page, but here’s a lot of what I’ll be working on over the next eighteen months. Once this lot are done I’m keen to cut down on the single author collections and focus on original anthologies, which are what I primarily want to be doing, but I do enjoy working on them so who knows?

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Original anthologies

• Conquering Swords (with Lou Anders) – an original anthology of swords and sorcery stories from HarperCollins Eos. Due in 2010.
• Eclipse Three – an original unthemed SF/F anthology for Night Shade Books. Due in Oct 2009.
• Engineering Infinity – an original hard SF anthology for Solaris Books. Due in 2011.
• Dreamtime: Legends of Australian Fantasy (with Jack Dann) – an original fantasy anthology of novellas by Australian writers. Due in 2010
• Life on Mars: Tales from the New Frontier – an original young adult SF anthology of stories set on Mars. Due in 2011.

Reprint anthologies

• Wings of Fire – a reprint anthology of dragon stories for Night Shade Books. Due in 2010.
• The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year: Volume 4 – as per title. Due in 2010.
• unspecified 2010 reprint anthology.

Collections

• The Best of Fritz Leiber (edited with Charles Brown) for Night Shade Books. Due in 2010.
• Hard Luck Diggings: The Early Jack Vance for Subterranean Press. Due in 2010.
• The Best of Joe Haldeman for Subterranean Press. Due in 2010.
• The Best of Larry Niven for Subterranean Press. Due in 2010.
• Mirror Kingdoms: The Best of Peter S. Beagle for Subterranean Press. Due in 2010.
• Single author collection for Night Shade Books. Due in 2010.
• ‘Best of’ author collection for Night Shade Books. Due in 2010.

Other Projects

• Special issue of Subterranean Magazine – Due 2009.