2009 Aurealis award finalists

The finalists of the 2009 Aurealis awards have been announced. The Aurealis awards were created in 1995 to recognise the achievements of Australian science fiction, fantasy and horror writers.

Designed to compliment the Australian annual science fiction convention Ditmar awards and the Australian Children's book council awards, neither of which distinguish between the different categories of speculative fiction.

The Winners will be announced on Saturday 23rd January 2010 at the Judith Wright centre for contemporary Arts in Brisbane.

The Finalists

Best Science Fiction Novel

• Wonders of a Godless World by Andrew McGahan
• The Grand Injunction by Sean Williams

Best Science Fiction Short Story

• Clockwork, Patchwork and Ravens by Peter M. Ball, Apex Magazine May 2009
• To Dream of Stars: An Astronomer's Lament by Peter M. Ball, Apex Magazine October 2009
• A Hundredth Name by Christopher Green, Abyss & Apex Magazine #31
• Defence of the Realm by Greg Mellor, Cosmos #25
• Soulmates by Mike Resnick & Lezli Robyn,September 2009

Best Fantasy Novel

• Horn by Peter M. Ball
• Magician's Apprentice by Trudi Canavan
• The Last Stormlord by Glenda Larke
• Witches Incorporated by K.E. Mills
• The Dark Griffin by K.J. Taylor

Best Fantasy Short Story

• Father's Kill by Christopher Green, Beneath Ceaseless Skies #24
• Once a Month, On a Sunday by Ian McHugh, Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine #40
• Siren Beat by Tansy Rayner Roberts, Roadkill/Siren Beat
• Words by Angela Slatter,The Lifted Brow #5
• Something Better than Death by Lucy Sussex,Aurealis #42

Best Horror Novel

• Horn by Peter M. Ball
• Red Queen by Honey Brown
• The Dead Path by Stephen M. Irwin
• Night's Cold Kiss by Tracey O'Hara
• Slights by Kaaron Warren

Best Horror Short Story

• Jesse's Gift by Felicity Dowker, Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine #40
• Having Faith by Christopher Green, Nossa Morte, February 2009
• Wives by Paul Haines, X6
• Slice of Life - A Spot of Liver by Paul Haines, Slice of Life
• The Message by Andrew J. McKiernan, Midnight Echoes

Best Anthology

• New Ceres Nights by Alisa Krasnostein & Tehani Wessely (editors)
• X6 by Keith Stevenson (editor)
• Eclipse 2 by Jonathan Strahan (editor)
• Eclipse 3 by Jonathan Strahan (editor)
• The New Space Opera 2 by Jonathan Strahan & Gardner Dozois (editors)

Best Collection

• A Book of Endings by Deborah Biancotti
• Oceanic by Greg Egan
• Slice of Life by Paul Haines
• Johnny Phillips Werewolf Detective by Robbie Matthews

Best Graphic Novel

• Scarygirl by Nathan Jurevicius
• The Silence by Bruce Mutard
• Secrets of Deltora by Emily Rodda & Marc McBride
• Hollow Fields by Madeleine Rosca

Best Young Adult Novel

• The Puzzle Ring by Kate Forsyth
• The Museum of Mary Child by Cassandra Golds
• A Small Free Kiss in the Dark by Glenda Millard
• Leviathan Trilogy: Book One by Scott Westerfeld
• Scarecrow by Sean Williams

Best Young Adult short story

• Dragon Bones by Joanne Anderton,Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine #39
• Paper Dragons by Sue Isle, Shiny #5
• Once a Month, on a Sunday by Ian McHugh, Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine #40
• Like Us by Tansy Rayner Roberts, Shiny #5
• Seventeen by Cat Sparks, Masques

Best Children's novel

• The Remarkable Secret of Aurelie Bonhoffen by Deborah Abela
• Cicada Summer by Kate Constable
• Tensy Farlow and the Home for Mislaid Children by Jen Storer
• A Ghost in My Suitcase by Gabrielle Wang

Best Children's Picture book

• Enigma by Graeme Base
• Tashi and the Golem by Anna Fienberg (author), Kim Gamble (illustrator)
• Victor's Challenge by Pamela Freeman (author), Kim Gamble (illustrator)
• Pilot and Huxley by Dan McGuiness
• The Hero of Little Street by Gregory Rogers