Nova Awards Update: November 2004

Steve Green, Administrator

        In 1973, Novacon launched the annual Nova Awards to celebrate achievement in British science fiction fanzines. Originally handed down by a panel of judges, these accolades are now decided by Novacon members who can demonstrate a basic knowledge of current fanzines. Following Novacon 32, the three categories – best fanzine, best fanzine writer, best fanzine artist – were extended to cover fanzines produced in Eire.

        The 2004 awards were announced at Novacon 34 on 8 November, with guest of honour Ian Watson handing out the silver statuettes. It proved a rerun of the previous year: Pete Young’s Zoo Nation was named “best fanzine”, with Claire Brialey “best fanwriter” and Sue Mason “best fan artist”. The middle award went down to the wire: Claire was equalled in total points and first-place votes by Tony Keen (who was also runner-up in 2003), but had more second-place votes. A total of 28 ballot forms were received.

        In addition, Martin Tudor, taking a sabbatical after three years as Novacon chair, presented the committee’s occasional “best fan” Nova to Ray Bradbury, who joked that he’d have taken more care designing the trophies this year if he’d known he was going to receive one of his own.

        The awards will next be presented at Novacon 35 on 13 November, 2005. The full rules are posted at <www.novacon.org> and regular updates will appear in the convention’s progress reports; alternatively, send a reply-paid envelope to 33 Scott Road, Olton, Solihull, B92 7LQ (this is also the address for fanzines wishing to be listed in updates).

        The full breakdown is as follows:

·         Best Fanzine: 1st, Zoo Nation, edited by Pete Young, 35 points; 2nd, Plokta, edited by Steve Davies & Alison Scott & Mike Scott, 23; 3rd=, Banana Wings, edited by Claire Brialey & Mark Plummer, and Halo of Flies, edited by Tony Keen, 15 each; 5th=, Floss, edited by Lilian Edwards and No Sin But Ignorance, edited by Claire Brialey, 11 each; 7th, Tortoise, edited by Sue Jones, 10; 8th, Head, edited by Doug Bell & Christina Lake, 9; 9th, Joie de Vivre, edited by Yvonne Rowse, 7; 10th, Dark Volumes, edited by Tony Keen, 6; 11th, Outlaw Mutation Boogie, edited by Mark Plummer, 5; 12th=, Bogus, edited by Sandra Bond, and Farisheen, edited by James Bacon, 4 each; 14th, Thought Experiments, edited by Geneva Melzack, 3; 15th=, Convers[at]ions, edited by Douglas Spencer, and Let's Kiosk, edited by Judith Hanna & Joseph Nicholas, 2 each; 17th=, The Mongolian Jird, edited by Alan Sullivan, and Tommyworld, edited by Tommy Ferguson, 1 each;

·         Best Fanwriter: 1st, Claire Brialey, 30 points; 2nd, Tony Keen, 30; 3rd, Pete Young, 10; 4th, Mark Plummer, 9; 5th, Geneva Melzack, 7.5; 6th, Yvonne Rowse, 7 points; 7th, Alison Scott, 6; 8th, Niall Harrison, 5.5; 9th, Christina Lake, 5; 10th=, James Bacon and Sue Jones, 4; 12th=, Tony Berry, Lilian Edwards and Dave Langford, 3 each; 15th=, Flick Christian, Julian Headlong, Ian Sorensen and Peter Weston, 2; 19th=, Giulia de Cesare,  Tommy Ferguson, Kevin McVeigh, Doug Spencer and Alan Sullivan, 1 each.

·         Best Fan Artist: 1st, Sue Mason, 38 points; 2nd, Alison Scott, 27; 3rd, Dave Hicks, 19; 4th, Pete Young, 15; 5th, D West, 12; 6th=, Steve Jeffery and Sue Jones, 5 each; 8th, Rob Hansen, 3; 9th=, Jim Barker and Terry Jeeves, 2 each; 11th, Feòrag NicBhride, 1. In addition, Brad Foster received two points and Joe Mayhew one; neither was eligible.

·         Best Fan (honorary award by the Novacon committee): Ray Bradbury.

        The following fanzines were received between 1 October and 9 November 2004, and are eligible for the 2005 awards:

·         Ansible #207 [10/04], #208 [11/04, both A4, 2pp], Dave Langford, 94 London Road, Reading, RG1 5AU, downloadable from <http://ansible.co.uk>

·         Banana Wings #20 [A4, 36pp], Claire Brialey & Mark Plummer, 59 Shirley Road, Croydon, CR0 7ES, <banana@fishlifter.demon.co.uk> (please note new address)

·         Brum Group News #398 [11/04, A5, 8pp], Rog Peyton for the Birmingham SF Group, 19 Eves Croft, Bartley Green, Birmingham, B32 3QL, <rog@rogpeyton.fsnet.co.net> or <bhamsfgroup@yahoo.co.uk>

·         DiverseBooks – Nov 2004 [A4, 2pp], Alex McLintock, 88 Poppleton Road, Leytonstone, E11 1LT, <info@diversebooks.com>

·         Halo of Flies #4 [A5, 24pp], Tony Keen, 48 Priory Street, Tonbridge, TN9 2AN, <keentony@yahoo.co.uk> (please note new e-mail address)

·         Snapshot #5 [A4, 6pp], Ian Sorensen, 7 Woodside Walk, Hamilton, ML3 7HY, <ian@soren.demon.co.uk> (it appears I accidentally omitted #4 from the 2004 listings, for which I offer sincere apologies)

·         The Unnamable #2 [A5, 12pp], Feòrag NicBhride, 89 Brunswick Street, Edinburgh, EH7 5HS

        The following fanzines were published prior to 30 September (deadline for the 2004 Novas), but received subsequently:

·         Prism - Sept/Oct 2004 [A5, 32pp], Debbie Bennett for the British Fantasy Society, Beech House, Chapel Lane, Moulton, CW9 8PQ <prism@britishfantasysociety.org.uk>

·         Thought Experiments #1 [07/04, A5, 20pp], Geneva Melzack, 5 Brooklands Avenue, Withington, M20 1JE, <geneva.mlzack@gmx.net>

        The following fanzines have also been received since 1 October, but are ineligible under the current rules:

·         Data Dump #78 [A5, 4pp], UK£0.70 or US$2.00 from Steve Sneyd, Hilltop Press, 4 Nowell Place, Almondbury, Huddersfield, HD5 8PB

·         Vanamonde #558 - #562 [all quarto, 2pp], John Hertz, 236 South Coronado Street #409, Los Angeles, CA 90057, USA.

9-Nov-04

Steve Green, Administrator

      The first Novacon was held in 1971 in Britain’s second-largest city, Birmingham, and has returned to the central region every year since. Novacon 34’s guest of honour is Ian Watson, and a number of past guests will also be present: Storm Constantine, Ian McDonald, David Hardy, Gwyneth Jones, Jon Courtenay Grimwood.

      In 1973, Novacon launched the annual Nova Awards to celebrate British science fiction fanzines. Originally handed down by a panel of judges, these accolades are now decided by all Novacon members who can demonstrate a basic knowledge of current fanzines. Following Novacon 32, the three categories – best fanzine, best fanzine writer, best fanzine artist – were extended to cover fanzines produced in Eire.

      The 2004 awards will be presented at Novacon 34 on 7 November; for further information on Novacon and the Nova Awards, check out <www.novacon.org>. The main results will be posted via Ansible and the Plokta News Network; the full breakdown will appear in the first Novacon 35 progress report.

      Firstly, congratulations to Pete Young, Claire Brialey and Sue Mason, who were presented with their Nova Award statuettes at Novacon 33 by guest of honour Jon Courtenay Grimwood. The complete breakdown for 2003 was as follows:

      Best Fanzine: 1, Zoo Nation (ed. Pete Young); 2, Plokta (ed. Steve Davies, Alison Scott, Mike Scott); 3, Banana Wings (ed. Claire Brialey, Mark Plummer); 4, Tortoise (ed. Sue Jones); 5, Head (ed. Doug Bell, Christina Lake); 6, Quasiquote (ed. Sandra Bond); 7, Floss! (ed. Lilian Edwards); 8, Ansible (ed. Dave Langford); Conver[sa]tions (ed. Douglas Spencer); 10=, Convertible Bus (ed. Tony Keen), Halo of Flies (ed. Tony Keen), Joie de Vivre (ed. Yvonne Rowse); 13=, Album (ed. John Dallman), Bogus (ed. Sandra Bond), No Sin But Ignorance (ed. Claire Brialey), Outlaw Mutation Boogie (ed. Mark Plummer), Parakeet (ed. Claire Brialey, Mark Plummer), Swiss Tony Speaks to the Nation (ed. Tony Keen), Vibrator (ed. Graham Charnock); 20=, Brum Group Newsletter (ed. Rog Peyton), Once More With Fanfunds (ed. Ian Sorensen).

      Best Fan Writer: 1, Claire Brialey; 2, Tony Keen; 3, Pete Young; 4, Max; 5, Tanya Brown; 6=, Alison Scott, Dave Langford, Mark Plummer; 9, Lilian Edwards; 10=, Doug Spencer, Sue Jones; 12=, Doug Bell, James Bacon; 14=, Graham Charnock, Sandra Bond, Yvonne Rowse; 17=, Dave Hicks, Ian Watson, Jim de Liscard, Maureen Kincaid Speller; 21=, Christina Lake, Ian Sorensen, Ron Bennett; 24=, Alison Freebairn, Ang Rosin, Guilia de Cesare.

      Best Fan Artist: 1, Sue Mason; 2, Dave Hicks; 3, Alison Scott; 4, Pete Young; 5, D West; 6, Steve Jeffrey; 7, Sue Jones; 8, Mark Plummer.

      Occasionally, the Novacon committee also presents its own Nova, for “Best Fan”. In 2003, such veteran figures as Ken Slater and the late Bob Shaw were joined by Ina Shorrock, commemorating a half-century in fandom, most of it in the company of her much-missed husband Norman. The award was presented on the committee's behalf by Birmingham  Science Fiction Group vice-president Harry Harrison.

      The following fanzines were received between 1 October 2003 and 30 September 2004, and are eligible for nomination in the 2004 Nova Awards:

      Ansible #195 (10/03), #196 (11/03), #197 (12/03), #198 (1/04), #199 (2/04), #200 (3/04), #201 (4/04), #202 (5/04), #203 (6/04), #204 (7/04), #205 (8/04), #206 (9/04; all A4, 2pp), Dave Langford, 94 London Road, Reading, RG1 5AU (electronic version downloadable from <www.dcs.gla.ac.uk/ansible>); Banana Wings #19 (A4, 20pp), Claire Brialey & Mark Plummer, 59 Shirley Road, Croydon, CR0 7ES (note coa) <banana@fishlifter.demon.co.uk>; The Banksoniain #1, #2, #3 (all A5, 12pp), David Haddock, 84 Foxhollow, Bar Hill, Cambridge, CB3 8ES, <david@haddock.me.uk> or <banksoniain@yahoo.co.uk>; Bogus #7 (A4, 6pp), Sandra Bond, 7 Granville Road, London, N13 4RR; Brum Group News #387 (12/03) #388 (1/04; both A5, 8pp), #389 (2/04), #391 (4/04), #392 (5/04; all A5, 12pp),  #393 (6/04), #394 (7/04, all A5, 16pp], #395 [8/04, A5, 8pp], #396 [9/04, A5, 16pp), Rog Peyton for the Birmingham Science Fiction Group, 19 Eves Croft, Bartley Green, Birmingham, B32 3QL, <rog@rogpeyton.fsnet.co.net> or <bhamsfgroup@yahoo.co.uk> Convers[at]ions #3, #4 (both A5, 8pp), Douglas Spencer, 51 Fountains Garth, Wild Ridings, Bracknell, RG12 7RH, <conversations@dial.pipex.com>; Dark Volumes (playtext, A5, 28pp), Tony Keen, 48 Priory Street, Tonbridge, TN9 2AN, <keentony@hotmail.com>; Erg #164, #165, #166 (all A5, 16pp), Terry Jeeves, 56 Red Scar Drive, Scarborough, YO12 5RQ; Farisheen #2, #3 (both A5, 24pp), James Bacon, 211 Black Horse Avenue, Dublin 7, Eire; Joie de Vivre #4: Dissolution (A4, 12pp), Yvonne Rowse, Evergreen, Halls Farm Lane, Trimpley, DY12 1NP, <yvonne@hallsfarm.demon.co.uk>; Floss #4 (A4, 53pp – plus an extra p37), Lilian Edwards, 39 Viewforth, Edinburgh, EH10 4JE, <l.edwards@ed.ac.uk>; Halo of Flies #3 (A5, 40pp), Tony Keen, address as above, <keentony@hotmail.com>; Head #6.5 (A4, 6pp), Doug Bell & Christina Lake, 13 Florence Road, Falmouth, TR11 3NJ; Let’s Kiosk! (A4, 20pp), Judith Hanna & Joseph Nicholas, 15 Jansons Road, Tottenham, London, N15 4JU, <jehanna@gn.apc.org> or <josephn@globalnet.co.uk>; No Sin But Ignorance #46: The Journal of Lutraphilia (A4, 12pp), Claire Brialey, address as above; Outlaw Mutation Boogie #62 (A4, 10pp), Mark Plummer, address as above; Plokta #30, #31 (both A4, 12pp), #31.5 (A4 con programme, 6pp), Steve Davies, Alison Scott, Mike Scott & the Cabal, 24 St Mary Road, Walthamstow, London, E17 9RG, <www.plokta.com>; This is Three Minute Access #2 (A4, 2pp), Kev McVeigh, 30 William Street, Millhead, Carnforth, LA5 9HE; Tommyworld #70 (A4, 2pp), #71, #72 (both A4, 3pp), #73 (A4, 4pp), #74 (A4, 3pp), #75 (A4, 2pp), #76 (A4, 3pp), Tommy Ferguson, 30 Ava Park, Belfast, BT7 3BX (electronic version downloadable from <www.tommyworld.net>); Tortoise #18 (A4, 20pp), #19 (A4, 19pp), Sue Jones, Flat 5, 32/33 Castle Street, Shrewsbury, SY1 2BQ, <sue.tortoise@btinternet.com>; Zoo Nation #4 (A5, 32pp), #5 [A5, 28pp], Pete Young, 62 Walmer Road, Woodley, RG5 4PN, <zoo-nation@macunlimited.net>.

      Material for inclusion in the 2005 list [eligible or otherwise] should be sent to Steve Green at 33 Scott Road, Olton, Solihull, B92 7LQ, England (UK).

      © 2004 Novacon