Sir Julius Vogel Award Finalists – 2024

The final ballot for the 2024 Sir Julius Vogel Awards is available on the SFFANZ main site. Congratulations to all the finalists and nominees.

Neither the online voting form nor the voter packet are available yet. They are currently being prepared. Keep an eye on the finalist page for announcements regarding those.

Hugo Ballot

The Hugo ballot for the Glasgow 2024 Wordcon is out. We spotted Kiwi Laya Rose in the Fan Artist Category – big congratulations Laya.

Did we miss anybody? Let us know in the comments.

UPDATE: Laya has pointed out that DREDGE from Black Rock Games are also Kiwis. Again, big congrats to them too,

Continuity 2024 Announcement

The following is an announcement from Continuity 2024 Convention – 6-7 July 2024, Wellington…

SFFANZ is pleased to announce that Continuity, the 2024 New Zealand National Science Fiction Convention, will be held on 6-7 July 2024 at the West Plaza Hotel in Wellington, as well as online.

As the name suggests, Continuity aims to restart the New Zealand NatCons, building on last year’s reConnect virtual convention, with a number of the reConnect team working on Continuity too.

To that end, with the support of SFFANZ and SFFCONZ, prices for Continuity will be held down to $40 for in-person membership, $30 for unwaged or student in-person membership and $30 for online-only membership (in-person membership will include online access too)*. However, donations towards to the costs of running Continuity will be gratefully accepted.

Continuity’s first Guest of Honour is noted horror author Allyson Bird. Allyson has won the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in First Novel [2011], The British Fantasy Society Award for Best Collection [2009]. She will be joining us in person, having moved to New Zealand from the United Kingdom in 2011. In addition, Bill Geradts, founder of the Armageddon Expos, has agreed to be Fan Guest of Honour. Discussions are in progress for other guests, both in-person and virtual.

Work is underway on the convention programme which will start mid-Saturday and end Sunday afternoon. The programme will include the presentation of the Sir Julius Vogel Awards and SFFANZ Annual General Meeting; should you have ideas for programme items you would like to see or participate in, please do get in touch. Similarly, volunteers to help organise the con and run it on the day would also be greatly appreciated.

Continuity’s policy on masking will follow the guidelines from the New Zealand Ministry of Health at the time of the convention. At present, masking is recommended but not mandatory.

To register for Continuity, please go to:
https://bit.ly/Continuity2024; or
https://continuity2024.zohobackstage.com.au

For any enquiries, offers of assistance or to get in touch in general, email enquiries@continuity2024.sffanz.nz. Please also feel free to share information about Continuity with anyone you feel might be interested.

More information will follow soon, including details of lead-in events. We very much look forward to seeing you at Continuity, whether in person or online.

* Registration prices will rise at 00:00 NZT on 1 st June (King’s Birthday weekend) and again on the day/door (to $50 and $60 for full registrations, respectively). Concession prices will also rise.

The Future of SF Conventions in New Zealand

If you are interested in SF Conventions continuing locally then you really need to read this.

Read down to the bottom, there is info about an online meetup on the 25th to discuss this. If you care about conventions, you probably should attend.

Need That Local Natcon Fix (another go)?

So, there isn’t a New Zealand national SF/F convention this year. There will be an event for the Sir Julius Vogel awards – look at our previous post for details. But what if you want that full natcon experience? Our fannish neighbours to that west are having one – Conflux 16 is the Australian natcon for 2022. It is being held 30 Sept – 3 Oct in Canberra.

This isn’t the first time they have tried to hold this event.  They should be applauded for their persistence.

You wouldn’t be traveling new ground for Kiwis. Your humble scribe has been to 5 Confluxes – they are a hugely enjoyable experience. And I’m not the only one to have made this trans-Tasman trip by any means – why don’t you consider adding to our numbers.

SFFANZ Mini Science Fiction Convention

SFFANZ have announced a new date for the One-day event! Save the date for Saturday August 13th.

You can sign up for the event at this link.

The full statement is reproduced below but the tldr is you need to sign up by July 30th to determine whether the event can go ahead in person or pivot to virtual.

——–
We are pleased to announce that we will be hosting the SFFANZ AGM and presenting the Sir Julius Vogel awards physically on Saturday, August 13th, 2022 at the West Plaza Hotel, Wellington, New Zealand.

This day will be an opportunity for us to get together and build community spirit again after a long time apart. It will also be a chance for you to tell us what you want for fandom in New Zealand.

We understand that COVID-19 is still causing a lot of nervousness and fear in terms of getting together, and we will work to ensure we’re as safe as we can be while still getting together to have fun.

Details about the SFFANZ AGM, which will be held as part of the day, will be out shortly. Please note you’ll need to be an SFFANZ member to vote at the AGM. You can find details about joining SFFANZ at http://sffanz.nz

One of the things we will be discussing after the AGM is planning future conventions -specifically 2023 and 2024. If you have ever thought you’d like to run a con, the SFFANZ board is happy to chat with you about what’s involved. There is seed fund money available to assist you with making bookings, etc. You’re not alone, there is support, and we can help you make it happen.

In order to make the SFFANZ one-day event happen, we need to know who’s coming – and the sooner the better.

So the sooner we know you’re coming, the more likely this event will happen. If we cannot get enough people in person, we may have to run a virtual event.

Please share information about this event as widely as you want to. The more the merrier. This is not just a day for SFFANZ members, but for all members of our community to get together and remember why we like to do that.

We will also be hosting small panel events prior to the beginning of the AGM and the SJV ceremony. The programme for the day will be advised once we have an idea of numbers. There will be one stream, so events will try to be of general interest to fans.

The panel events are open to all registered attendees, the SFFANZ AGM is open to all, but only SFFANZ members may vote. The SJV ceremony is open to all to attend.

There is no cost to attend, although any donations will be gratefully received.

As the country is in ORANGE setting, we encourage the wearing of masks when participating in the one-day event. The hotel’s policy is that masks are encouraged in communal areas of the hotel.

We are aware of the needs of our hearing-impaired members, and will take steps to ensure they’re able to participate as far as we’re able.

Please RSVP no later than Saturday, July 30th, 2022.

Postponement of one-day event and extension of SJV Award voting

The SFFANZ Board has issued the following statement…
——–
The SFFANZ board has decided to extend voting in this year’s Sir Julius Vogel Awards until June 30 as insufficient votes have been received to date. If there are still insufficient votes received at that time, no awards will be presented this year. The board feels such action is necessary to protect the value and prestige of the awards.

The one-day event will also be moved to allow for the extra voting time. The registrations for this event had also been lackluster, so it’s hoped the new date will attract more people to attend. We expect, at this stage, that this will be in mid-July, pending confirmation with the venue.

The voting paper and voter packet will be available again shortly on the sffanz website http://www.sffanz.nz. The one-day form will also be shortly updated to reflect the new date once we’ve spoken with the hotel.

For those who have already cast their vote, please note we will continue to hold those safe until the extended voting period closes.

We apologise to those who may already have made travel plans for June 25, however, we feel this action is necessary.

——–
If you need the voting links, you can find them all in this earlier post.

SJV Awards Ceremony and One-Day Event

SFFANZ is pleased to announce it will hold a one-day event on Saturday, June 25, 2022 at West Plaza Hotel, 110 Wakefield Street, Wellington.

While planning is still preliminary, it’s expected the day will start with meet and greet, followed by panels. The SFFANZ AGM will be held at 2pm, followed by a planning session for the next New Zealand national convention.

The Sir Julius Vogel Awards for 2022 will be presented in the evening.

Registration for the day is free and open to all fans, but only members of SFFANZ may vote at the AGM. Click join SFFANZ for details on joining the organisation. Any donations to SFFANZ on the day will be gratefully received.

Although its free, we do need to know numbers – you can register your attendance using this form

There are more details on the main announcement page. Expect it to be updated over time.

Nominations for the 2022 Sir Julius Vogel awards Open

Sir Julius Vogel Award nominations for the 2021 calendar year are now open. The nomination period will close at 11:59pm on 31st March 2022. The SJV awards recognise excellence in science fiction, fantasy, or horror works created by New Zealanders and New Zealand residents, and first published or released in the 2021 calendar year. Anyone can make a nomination and it is free!

You may need these links…

Nomination Form

The Rules

More guidelines and help

Reminder of SFFANZ one-day event

Just a reminder that SFFANZ is holding a one-day event on August 7, 2021 at the West Plaza Hotel in central Wellington. Activities include the Sir Julius Vogel awards presentation, the SFFANZ AGM and a number of panels as well as the usual chance for a catch-up with friends.

The event is free but you do need to register – and technically the final date for registrations is past – you can but try. If you want to vote in the AGM, you do need to be a member (it only costs $10)

There is more information on the SFFANZ main site. If you haven’t visited it recently, you might want to check it out as there is some recently added timetable information.

2021 Sir Julius Vogel Award finalists announced

SFFANZ is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2021 Sir Julius Vogel Awards. Congratulations to all our finalists.

Ordinarily, voting for the awards would occur at our national convention, but as there is no national convention this year, voting will be conducted via email and post. Voting will open on May 1 and close on May 31. Details of the presentation ceremony will be released in due course. Please note that you must be a member of SFFANZ to vote for the Sir Julius Vogel awards this year.

All Finalists have been asked to provide links either to their works or, if this is not possible, to descriptions or reviews. We have included all the links that we have received so far. We will continue to update the finalists page as more information is made available to us.

We expect to have a voter packet of eligible works available before voting opens.

Conflux Natcon Update

Earlier in the year, we posted about Conflux as an alternative for Kiwis who are missing out on their natcon experience this year. With the travel bubble now in place that is now an even more realistic possibility. Conflux have sent us the following announcement which includes new guest info and registration links.

(as an editorial aside, you will note that the announcement below has a very writer industry focus. This has always been the way with Conflux as it is effectively run by a writers group. However as somebody who has been to several, I can assure you that there is also plenty of the usual general fannish activity that will be happening. This is especially true when it is the natcon as it is this year)

———————
Conflux is there and back again in Canberra in 2021 and this year it’s the national spec fic convention!

As we adapt to the mad (Max) world that is our new normal, Conflux will spend three days exploring the future of the speculative fiction industry.

(Dr) Who will be there you ask? This year’s guest of honour is John Birmingham, author of He Died with a Felafel in His Hand and the Axis of Time trilogy, and our International guest of honour is multi-award winning Helen Marshall, known for her psychological suspense, horror and the dark fantastic.

Learn from some of the best in the industry in our series of workshops, panels and small-group discussions. Whether you’re an established writer or artist, or seeking a Foundation in the industry, you don’t want to miss this!

And of course, as the NatCon, we’ll have the Ditmar Awards, recognising achievement in Australian science fiction (including fantasy and horror) and science fiction fandom.

The details:
· Where: Rex Hotel, Canberra
· Date: 2 to 4 October 2021

Tickets on sale now! You can also like Conflux on Facebook or subscribe to the newsletter at conflux.org.au/contact/ to get all the updates.

Two Weeks Left to Nominate for the SJV Awards.

The team who administer the SJV awards would like you to know that “There are now just two weeks until nominations for the 2021 Sir Julius Vogel awards (recognising works and creators from the 2020 calendar year) close.”

Actually, they said that yesterday, so now it is just 13 days. You can find all the info here.

Also a reminder that there is a vetting process for every nominations. So please give the administrators a break and get your nominations submitted with plenty of time to spare.

Need That Local Natcon Fix?

So, it looks like there isn’t a New Zealand national SF/F convention this year. There will probably be some sort of event for the Sir Julius Vogel awards – no details yet. But what if you want that full natcon experience? Our fannish neighbours to that west are having one – Conflux 16 is the Australian natcon for 2021. It is being held 2-4 October in Canberra.

Obviously getting there relies on the lifting of travel restrictions. But there is going to be a lot of vaccine administered between now and October.

You wouldn’t be traveling new ground for Kiwis. Your humble scribe has been to 5 Confluxes – they are a hugely enjoyable experience. And I’m not the only one – why don’t you consider adding to our numbers.

The Next NZ Natcon?

Now that CoNZealand is behind us and (hopefully) everyone’s got their breath back, SFFANZ would like to make a final call for bids for a 2021 natcon. If you or someone you know is interested in organising one, please contact enquiries@sffanz.org.nz before the end of December.

SFFANZ is also making its own enquiries about a possible single-day event and will proceed with that plan in the absence of any more persuasive bids.

And just so you know, bidding for 2022 is also currently in play. So if that is your target, please let us know.

SJV Award Statement

The following is a statement from John Toon, President of SFFANZ….

As President of SFFANZ, I would like to thank all those who worked on and attended the Sir Julius Vogel Awards ceremony in Wellington on Sunday 26 July. The credit for organising this event belongs to Lynelle Howell, Kelly Buehler, Mel Duncan and many others. Thanks also to Lynelle and Jan Butterworth for all their work administering the SJVs.

However, I acknowledge that the editing of the footage of the ceremony as broadcast during CoNZealand could have been better. Most egregiously, Sascha Stronach’s acceptance speech for the award for Best Novel was cut off mid-sentence, and this was not acceptable. I personally apologise to Sascha.

In addition, five of this year’s winners – Gareth Ward, Matthew Willis, David Bishop, Alex Lindsay and Grace Bridges – were unable to attend the ceremony in person or remotely, and did not nominate anyone to collect the trophy on their behalf. The co-presenters acknowledged this during the ceremony and promised to send the trophies to the winners. This information was edited out of the broadcast programme, which could have led viewers to believe that some of the winners had been snubbed. I personally apologise to these five winners.

I also note that many have objected to the juxtaposition of the SJV Awards with the Retro Hugo Awards in CoNZealand’s schedule. SFFANZ understood and accepted the reasoning behind this decision but I accept that, in hindsight, the outcome was not the showcase for and celebration of contemporary New Zealand SFF and fandom that we had hoped it would be.

Lastly, I note that some members of CoNZealand were unaware of the availability of the SJV voter packet during the voting period, and that some nominees and members have asked for it to be made available again to promote awareness of contemporary New Zealand SFF. SFFANZ has contacted all finalists to ask their permission to make their nominated material available again to CoNZealand members, where material was provided. The contents of the reissued SJV packet will, of course, be subject to the agreement of those finalists who consent to participate. CoNZealand has kindly agreed to host the reissued SJV packet via the Hugo Awards voter packet system, and will be contacting CoNZealand members with the relevant details.

Sir Julius Vogel Awards – 2020 Result Announcement

Official SFFANZ press release follows…

Sir Julius Vogel Awards for New Zealand Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror 2020 Results Announced

The 2020 Sir Julius Vogel Awards have been presented.

The Awards recognise excellence and achievement by New Zealanders, both amateur and professional, in the science fiction, fantasy and horror genres.

Voting was open to members of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Association of New Zealand (SFFANZ) and members of CoNZealand, the 78th World Science Fiction Convention voting was open to members of SFFANZ (the Science Fiction and Fantasy Association of New Zealand) and the convention.

The ceremony was held in person in Wellington on July 26, and streamed as part of CoNZealand’s programme.

SFFANZ president John Toon said “It’s always a pleasure and an honour to showcase some of the best contemporary New Zealand science fiction and fantasy, and especially so this year, with the eyes of international fandom on us. On behalf of SFFANZ, hearty congratulations to all this year’s Sir Julius Vogel Award winners and nominees.”

SFFANZ would like to congratulate all the winners and nominees and look forward to honouring more of New Zealand’s talent in 2021.

For further information, please contact press@sffanz.org.nz

A full list of winners is appended.

Professional Awards Section

Best Novel – Adult
The Dawnhounds by Sascha Stronach (Little Hook Press)

Best Novel – Young Adult
The Clockill and the Thief by Gareth Ward (Walker Books Australia)

Best Short Story
“A Shriek Across The Sky” by Casey Lucas
(Sponge Magazine)

Best Novella/Novelette
From A Shadow Grave by Andi C Buchanan
(Paper Road Press)

Best Collected Work
Year’s Best Aotearoa New Zealand Science Fiction and Fantasy, Vol 1
Edited by Marie Hodgkinson
(Paper Road Press)

Best Professional Artwork
Vivienne To – Cover of Dragon Pearl, by Yoon Ha Lee
(Rick Riordan Presents)

Best Dramatic Presentation – Long Form
Dr Who: The Elysian Blade
David Bishop

Best Professional Publication
Swords: The Webcomic
Matthew Wills

Fan Awards Section

Best Fan Production /Publication
Plant Life
Laya Rose

Best Fan Writing
“Sitrep”
Alex Lindsay

Best Fan Artwork
Deet
Laya Rose

Special Awards

Best New Talent
Sascha Stronach

Services to Fandom
Grace Bridges

Services to Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror
Melanie Harding-Shaw

Congratulations to all our finalists for being nominated and all our winners!

Confirmed Time for SFFANZ Business Meeting

Anyone wishing to participate in the SFFANZ business meeting must be a paid-up member of SFFANZ. The cost of annual membership is still $10. Because the meeting will be virtual, it will not be possible for you to pay the treasurer in cash at the start of the meeting (obviously), so we ask that you pay in advance by online banking – preferably well before CoNZealand starts. Please contact treasurer@sffanz.org.nz if you need the account details or have any questions. Pretty much all this money goes to running the Sir Julius Vogel awards, so by joining, you are supporting those awards.

The SFFANZ business meeting this year will be held at 2pm – 4pm Thursday 30 July (NZT) during CoNZealand.

The business meeting will comprise the AGM and site selection for the NZ national convention in 2021 and 2022. The meeting will be held virtually via Zoom. Instructions on how to access the meeting, as well as the AGM notice and related materials, will be sent directly to paid-up members very soon, so make sure SFFANZ has your correct email contact information (and your membership fee of course).

Finally, if you wish to enter a bid for the 2021 or 2022 NZ natcon, or if you know someone who does, please contact enquiries@sffanz.org.nz before the start of CoNZealand.

Sir Julius Vogel Awards Ceremony Details

We are pleased to announce that we will be presenting the Sir Julius Vogel awards physically on Sunday, July 26th at a ceremony at the West Plaza Hotel, Wellington. The venue will be open from 6pm, with the awards to begin at 7pm. The ceremony is open to SJV finalists and their guests and any members of SFFANZ or CoNZealand who are able to attend.

Some light catering will be provided for everyone, but we suggest eating beforehand. For catering purposes, we need you to RSVP – please do so via this form no later than Sunday, July 18. Space is limited, and will be allotted on a first in, first served basis. Our sincere apologies for the late notice.

As you know, normally the Sir Julius Vogel Awards would be presented at the New Zealand National Science Fiction Convention. CoNZealand was voted by the New Zealand fans to have the honour of being the natcon for 2020. Of course, events have overtaken us, and with the shift to a Virtual Worldcon, we have had to make some changes to how we do these ceremonies. Much as we want to have a live SJV ceremony during CoNZealand, we don’t have the resources or crew to run virtual and live ceremonies at the same time. Both would suffer in quality and significance. As we worked, it became clear that the best way to showcase the SJVs was to pre-record the ceremony and results, and then stream it during CoNZealand for maximum impact. This ceremony will be recorded for the purposes of broadcast with the Retro-Hugo Awards during CoNZealand.

By attending the SJV ceremony you agree that you may be filmed and broadcast on the internet during CoNZealand and afterwards as the recording is made available more widely.

The Retro-Hugos and Sir Julius Vogel awards are being shown during the CoNZealand programme at 11am on Thursday, July 30th. The ceremony will be available for viewing at later times too. Key parts of this information are repeated in the google form linked above.

As you will have realised, you will know the results of the awards four days before everyone else. We ask that you keep the secret until Thursday, when we broadcast to the whole world.

Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns at sjv_awards@sffanz.org.nz

SFFANZ Business Meeting Information

The following message has come from the SFFANZ Treasurer:

The SFFANZ business meeting this year will be held on Thursday 30 July during CoNZealand. The time is TBC, but is likely to be either 2pm or 8pm – if you strongly prefer either, you have a short window in which to indicate your preference on our Facebook page.

The business meeting will comprise the AGM and site selection for the NZ national convention in 2021 and 2022. The meeting will be held virtually via Zoom, not in person. The final date and time of the meeting will be confirmed via this page; instructions on how to access the meeting, as well as the AGM notice and related materials, will be sent directly to members.

Although the meeting will be open to members of CoNZealand who wish to observe it, anyone wishing to participate must be a paid-up member of SFFANZ. The cost of a year’s membership is still $10. Because the meeting (and CoNZealand) will be virtual, it won’t be possible for you to pay the treasurer in cash this year, so we ask that you pay in advance by online banking. Please contact treasurer@sffanz.org.nz if you need the account details or have any questions.

Finally, if you wish to enter a bid for the 2021 or 2022 NZ natcon, or if you know someone who does, please contact enquiries@sffanz.org.nz before the start of CoNZealand.