Richard Morgan to Finncon 2011

Finncon 2011 has announced their second Guest of Honor: British author Richard Morgan will be coming to Turku in July 2011.

Richard Morgan has written six novels, ranging from dystopian cyberpunk detective thrillers to fantasy. Like has published his debut novel, Altered Carbon, in Finnish as Muuntohiili in 2007. He has also penned a couple of comics miniseries for Marvel (collected in trade paperbacks), and is working with the video gaming industry.

By the way, if you haven’t read Muuntohiili yet, it is currently on sale in the Like web shop for only 7 €.

picture from RichardKMorgan.com

Isku Sf Special

Isku is a zine that publishes pulp thriller stories. Isku #11 is a science fiction special issue. It features five short stories, both new ones and reprints (the oldest is from 1940). The zine costs 3 € and can be ordered from the editor Juri Nummelin (details at the link).

FSFWA Wants You

The Finnish Science Fiction Writers Association runs writing circles for all writers interested in getting and giving peer feedback. There are 4–6 writers in every circle, and they are looking for new members. Participation is free and doesn’t require a membership. More info on the association’s discussion forum.

Tähtivaeltaja 2010 shortlist

The Tähtivaeltaja Award shortlist for best science fiction book (Finnish or translated) published last year has been announced. The nominees are:

• Hal Duncan: Vellum (Vellum, Like)
• Charlotte Perkins Gilman: Herland (Herland, Savukeidas)
• Teemu Kaskinen: Sinulle, yö (WSOY)
• Ursula Le Guin: Kahdesti haarautuva puu (The Telling, BTJ)
• Michael Moorcock: Katso ihmistä! (Behold the Man, Vaskikirjat)

The winner will be announced this summer. This is the 25th time the award is given; last year the winner was Tie (The Road) by Cormac McCarthy. The Tähtivaeltaja Award is given by the Helsinki Science Fiction Society. The jury comprises journalist Hannu Blommila, editor Toni Jerrman, critic Elli Leppä, and critic Vesa Sisättö.

Comics Finlandia 2010 to Petteri Tikkanen

Petteri Tikkanen’s album Eero was awarded with the Comics Finlandia award for the best comics album published in 2009.

The comic was described as a simple but moving and important story with detailed and stylish imagery where even the smallest details carry meaning.

Comics Finlandia is given annually to a Finnish comics creator (or creators) for a single accomplishment published in the previous year. The price sum is 5 000 €.

Atorox Nominees 2010 Announced

Turku Science Fiction Society has announced the nominees for the 2010 Atorox award for best Finnish sf short story published last year. The annual grumbling about how all the wrong ones got on the list and the right ones left out may now commence.

The nominees list is as follows:

• Laika Ahlstedt: Lapsenryöstö (Kosmoskynä 3–4/08)
• Anne Alasirniö: Tehtävä (Usva 1/09)
• Harri Erkki: Mummo kuoli saunan lauteille (Usva 4/09)
• Rimma Erkko: Puhtaus on puoli ruokaa (Tuhansien zombien maa/Turbator)
• Boris Hurtta: Vaitonainen sanansaattaja (Usva 3/09)
• Kristiina Huttunen: Siunattu (Spin 3/09)
• Tomi Jänkälä: Keskikesällä Harri (Usva 4/09)
• Tomi Jänkälä: Kuori (Alienisti 23)
• Tomi Jänkälä: Veden vangit (Usva 2/09)
• Jussi Katajala: Lemminkäisen kuolema (Tuhansien zombien maa/Turbator)
• Mika-Petri Lauronen: Mäyränä nummia tonkii (Portti 1/09)
• Anne Leinonen: Pienen rasian jumala (Portti 1/09)
• JK Miettinen: Kun herään (Tähtivaeltaja 3/09)
• J. Pekka Mäkelä: Kolmekymmentä vuotta (Tähtivaeltaja 1/09)
• Timo Männikkö: Miekkaa mahtavampi (Portti 2/09)
• Heikki Nevala: Jousenjänne (Usva 4/09)
• Heikki Nevala: Koneesta sinä olet syntyvä (Portti 4/09)
• Heikki Nevala: Muodonmuutos (Tuhansien zombien maa/Turbator)
• Heikki Nevala: Salamanteri (Usva 2/09)
• Leila Paananen: Saaren perintö (Usva 1/09)
• Marika Riikonen: Terveisiä älylliseltä elämältä (Tähtivaeltaja 4/09)
• Solja Saarto: Mestari Hoettenin oppipoika (Usva 4/09)
• Timo Saarto: Poika ja tinasotamies (Kosmoskynä 3–4/08)
• Petri Salin: Requiem sudelle (Portti 1/09)
• Tuomas Saloranta: Äidin talossa (Tuhansien zombien maa/Turbator)
• Johannes Sohlman: Lenkkipolulla (Tuhansien zombien maa/Turbator)
• Susi Vaasjoki: Tähdenniemi (Usva 4/09)

Lecture on YA Utopias in Jyväskylä

On Friday, March 26, professor Kimberley Reynolds from Newcastle University gives a guest lecture on children’s literature, especially utopias and dystopias, titled, ‘Whatever happened to “happily ever after”? Visions of the future in contemporary YA fiction.

Abstract: Once the future in children’s books was presented optimistically—as a time when scientific progress, technological innovation and the wisdom gained through experience would lead to a more just, harmonious and enjoyable life for all. Contemporary YA fiction offers quite a different view of what lies ahead for future generations. This lecture will explore how adolescent readers are being asked to think about and prepare for the future in the fictions they read and compare it to current thinking by a range of influential environmental strategists.

The lecture takes place in room C5 in the main building, 12:00–14:00.

PhD Dissertation on Children’s Fantasy in Jyväskylä

Sanna Lehtonen defends her English thesis “Invisible Girls and Old Young Women: Fantastic Bodily Transformations and Gender in Children’s Fantasy Novels by Diana Wynne Jones and Susan Price” in the Jyväskylä University humanities faculty on Saturday March 27 (Blomstedtin sali, Villa Rana, 12:00).

Turku Pub Meeting Today

The monthly sf pub meeting is today, Teerenpeli at six as usual. Welcome!

New Address for Espoo Pub Meetings

The Espoo sf pub meetings are moving. The new meeting place is the restaurant Harakanpesä at Leipurinkuja 2. The Espoo fen meet every last Monday of the month.

New Short Story Collection by Tiina Raevaara

Tiina Raevaara (who took the second place in the 2009 Atorox awards) has a short story collection, En tunne sinua vierelläni, out this Friday.

Tähtifantasia 2010 Nominees

The nominees for the Tähtifantasia award for best translated fantasy published in Finnish last year have been announced.

The nominees are:

• Joe Abercrombie: Ase itse (The Blade Itself, Kirjava)
• Jorge Luis Borges: Kuvitteellisten olentojen kirja (El libro de los seres imaginarios, Teos)
• Joe Hill: Bobby Conroy palaa kuolleista ja muita kertomuksia (20th Century Ghosts, Tammi)
• Ursula K. Le Guin: Lavinia (Lavinia, WSOY)
• Haruki Murakami: Kafka rannalla (Kafka on the Shore, Tammi)

The winner will be announced at Finncon in July. The jury for the award comprises critic Jukka Halme, critic Aleksi Kuutio, writer and editor Anne Leinonen and Risingshadow.net representative Osmo Määttä. The award is given by the Helsinki Science Fiction Society, and previous winners are Jeff VanderMeer, Ngugi Wa Thiong’o and Ellen Kushner.