Ditmar Delights!

[klward]

And now it seems I have received a Ditmar nomination in the Best Achievement category, for organising the horror stream and the Nightmare Ball at Aussiecon 4 (Worldcon 68). Many, many thanks to all those who saw fit to recognise my work in this way.

For the complete list of panels in the horror stream and their actual participants, see behind the cut

Why Australia is More Horrifying Than Anywhere Else
The weather, the reptiles, what it took to get here today – the tallest tales and most salacious facts, for the edification of our overseas guests. Alan Baxter, Will Elliott, Kirstyn McDermott, Chuck McKenzie, Andrew McKiernan

Australian Gothic
How can there be Australian Gothic stories when the nation is new and sunburnt rather than dark, old and gloomy? Erica Hayes, Terry Dowling, Kirstyn McDermott, Lucy Sussex

The Best-Kept Secrets of Australian Horror
Our scholars present an introduction to the under-known genre authors of Australia's past. Stuart Mayne, Lucy Sussex, Kyla Ward, Dr. Marty Young

Directions in Australian Horror
Tracking the movement from the traditional to the new, and maybe back again. Honey Brown, Bill Congreve, Angela Slatter, Trent Jamieson, Stuart Mayne

Dreaming Down-Under, Again
The landmark anthologies Dreaming Down-Under and Dreaming Again punctuate Australian dark fiction. Join the authors, editor and publisher as they discuss how the field has changed in general, and for them personally. Jenny Blackford, Jack Dann, Richard Harland, Jason Nahrung, Angela Slatter, Stephanie Smith, Janeen Webb

Dirty Feed
Are attempts to censor the web an assault on our freedom or a necessary precaution? As in Australia, so to the world. David Cake, Talie Helene, Shane Jiraiya Cummings, Gary Kemble, Cory Doctorow

"Maybe I am too normal to enjoy this book..."
Horror authors share the worst things ever said about their work and discuss the context of the outburst. Audience members are invited to share their own worst "critiques". Deborah Biancotti, Stephen Dedman, Martin Livings

"Write What You Know!"
A wise dictum. But what if you're writing horror, or just the grim reality of history or crime? Research was never more risky than for these intrepid explorers! Jack Dann, Kim Stanley Robinson, Kaaron Warren

"My Heart, Which Was Always Hers"
The erotic horror panel. 18+ and definitely hands on, by which we mean readings, people! Stephen Dedman, Felicity Dowker, Paul Haines, Erica Hayes, Kaaron Warren

Vampire vs Zombie Smackdown
Two kinds of undead, no holds barred. On the one hand - Felicity Dowker, Scott Edelman, Chuck McKenzie. On the other - Narrelle Harris, George R. R. Martin, Foz Meadows

Ghosts Without Borders
One form of folklore that crosses cultures with remarkable similarities is ghost stories, which indicates they may actually exist. Our international panelists share their haunting experiences or assembled collections. Can you add to them? Wing Chung, Dirk Flintheart, Adrienne Foster, Zulaikha Mudza, James Shields

Tombstones and Chapbooks
Is the small press the real home of contemporary horror fiction? If so, what do the blockbusters Under the Dome and Twilight represent? Alan Baxter, Ginjer Buchanan, Bill Congreve, Felicity Dowker

"But is it Horror?"
What is horror fiction and who decides? The authors? The readers? The publishers and editors? The marketers and booksellers? Does the horror genre even truly exist? Joshua Aaron Bilmes, Scott Edelman, Richard Harland, Rocky Wood.

The Eternal Border
Are there taboos in dark fantasy? At what point does the fantasy stop and the psychosis begin? Deborah Biancotti, Richard Harland, Jason Nahrung, Catherine M Valente

In Search of the Necronomicon
On the grounds that it most certainly exists, what do we actually know about this fabled tome and what can we extrapolate? BYO sanity. Leigh Blackmore, Talie Helene, Danny Lovecraft, Chuck McKenzie

"But This Is Real!"
Why are we attracted to fictional horrors when real life can be so much worse? Paul Haines, Narrelle Harris, Gary Kemble, Dr. Chris Lawson, Carrie Vaughn

Monster Mash-ups
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Sense and Sensibility and Sea-Monsters. Little Vampire Women. Jane Slayre – it's open season on the classics as well as the undead. Just what is going on here and where did it all start?
Scott Edelman, Darlene Marshall, Chuck McKenzie, Damien White

Unthinkable! Indescribable!
The writer of fantastical horror faces some very particular challenges. Our panellists discuss defying the prefixes. Shane Jiraya Cummings, Terry Dowling, China Mieville, Carrie Vaughn C

Book Covers: The Dying Art?
Join our artists for a Q&A on the subject of book cover design. A traditional showcase for dark and fantastic images, is it now a dying art? Annette Schnieder, Nick Stathopolous, Shaun Tan

The Artist's Paradox
How can you derive exquisite art from grotesque and horrific subjects? Our dark artists have each selected examples of their work for discussion. Cat Sparks, Nick Stathopolous, Shaun Tan, Kyla Ward

Heavy Metal Monsters
Music journalist Talie Helene presents a whirlwind multimedia tour of the weird and wonderful extreme music that has been inspired by horror literature – Poe, Lovecraft, King and beyond.

Dare You Shoot These Scenes Again?
If it was scary 20 years ago, or in Japan, it's fair game. But what does the remake trend mean for horror film, and is anything truly off limits? Stephen Dedman, Grant Watson, Robert Hood, Robin Pen

Evil Robots
These are not the droids you are looking for. A cinematic showcase. Robert Hood, Robin Pen

There Will Be Blood
Is there more to Saw? Can we talk about a post-millennial horror cinema or is it all just torture porn? Watch as we pull that term apart... slowly.Grant Watson, Sonia Marcon

For anyone who hasn't yet seen the Nightmare Ball photo gallery in all its glory, it can be accessed from the Links page of the Australian Horror Writers Association (under the heading "Picassa Gallery") and right here.

Comments

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Congratulations!