Jeff Ford is one of the nicest people I’ve met since I started working in science fiction and fantasy.  He’s an incredible writer, and it’s worth traveling to wherever World Fantasy might be each year just to get to hang out in the bar for a while. I’ve been incredibly lucky over the past few years, and he’s written wonderful stories for me for Eclipse One and The Starry Rift (he’s also writing a space opera for me for Eclipse Two that I can’t wait to see).  I was thrilled when he decided to make “The Drowned Life”, his story for Eclipse One, the title story for his new collection. Even now, the thought makes me smile.  Anyhow, Jeff has just posted in his blog that there’s a reading online of the story and an interview about it, both courtesy of Rick Kleffel’s The Agony Column.  Check ’em out, and if you’ve not, think about checking out Jeff’s collection.

If you are reading this blog then you know all about Shaun Tan’s The Arrival. Well, it’s so yesterday. We’ve all marvelled at the genius of it, been stunned by its simplicity, and watched with pride as it won all of these awards.

But, that was then and this is now. What’s next? Well, funny you should ask. This June Allen & Unwin (1) is publishing Tales from Outer Suburbia, an illustrated collection of original short-short stories. There’s a wonderful sampler for the book here, which includes two shorts and ten pages of art work. Check it out, and send in your orders. There will be a US edition in October or so.

Tan has also done the internal illustrations for Kelly Link’s young adult collection, Pretty Monsters. It’s out later in the year, and is very cool.

(1) Corrected. The book is from Allen & Unwin, not Lothian as I originally posted.  Apologies to all for that.

Well, gang, the convention weekend is almost over.  The New Space Opera won a Tin Duck Award and tied for a Ditmar (go Russell!).  Many thanks to everyone who nominated and voted.  I am, in truth, tired and somewhat hung over, so I may not sound as happy as I could. I was also delighted with the congratulations I received about the Hugo nomination, and the recognition for the two other Western Australians who made the ballot.

There was much about Swancon that was good and fine.  I spent time talking and meeting friends old and new.  I did a panel or two, and heard about at least one that seemed hilariously misinformed.  I saw Stephanie from HarperCollins too briefly, had dinner with Theresa and Mitch and the gang, chatted with Glenda and Ken and Karl and Robert and Ju.  I spent time – a little – with the Last Short Story gang, who were fun and interesting and cool.

High points? Those were they.  It’s the people you go to conventions for, and not for anything else.  Marianne and the girls came in one morning, and we went to some of the kid’s programming. Yesterday we did Easter egg hunts and lunch. Today we saw Horton Hears a Who (which was terrific – wonderful work from Shaun Tan and a few others).

And now? A moment’s rest before tidying the house, picking up some friends from the convention, then chatting and dinner.  Another dinner tomorrow night, which should be lots of fun, then Swancon is done for another year.  I don’t know if we’ll go in 2009 — it seems awful hard  — but who knows?  Of course, between now and then there’s Denver and Calgary and Adelaide.

Been at Swancon this weekend, which is why so little email and posting.  I’ll be back soon. Thanks to everyone for your kind wishes.

Denvention has posted the Hugo ballot. You can see it in full here.  I have to admit to being stunned, staggered and delighted.  My congratulations to all of the other nominees. And, see you in Denver!!