Sir Julius Vogel Award Winners - 2018

Best Novel

Hounds of the Underworld

Dan Rabarts and Lee Murray (Raw Dog Screaming Press)

Best Youth Novel

The Traitor and the Thief

Gareth Ward (Walker Books Australia)

Best Novella / Novelette

Matters Arising from the Identification of the Body

Simon Petrie (Peggy Bright Books)

Best Short Story

“Crimson Birds of Small Miracles”

Sean Monaghan, published in Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, Jan/Feb 2017

Best Collected Work

Mariah's Prologues

Grace Bridges

Best Professional Artwork

Cover for "Teleport"

Kate Strawbridge

Best Professional Production/Publication

Mistlands

Laya Rose https://tapas.io/series/Mistlands

Best Dramatic Presentation

The Changeover

directed by Stuart McKenzie and Miranda Harcourt, produced by Emma Slade (Firefly Films)

John Toon

for cartoons in Phoenixine and 2017 LexiCon convention booklet.

Best Fan Production/ Publication

Lexicon convention booklet

produced by Darusha Wehm

Best Fan Writing

Jo Toon

for Pass the Rules (produced in Phoenixine)

Best New Talent

Gareth Ward

Gareth Ward, a.k.a. The Great Wardini is a magician, hypnotist, storyteller, bookseller and author. He has worked as a Royal Marine Commando, Police Officer, Evil Magician and Zombie. He basically likes jobs where you get to wear really cool hats – as writer and compere of Napier City’s inaugural Steampunk murder mystery evening he wore a rather splendid bowler.

He is a self-confessed geek, playing in weekly DnD, Call of Cthulhu and Leagues of Adventurer campaigns. You can read some of the exploits of his incredibly brave and heroic wizard ‘Tarquin The Honest’ on his blog at www.garethwardauthor.com.

He currently resides in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand where he runs two independent bookshops, Wardini Books and Wardini Books Napier with his wife Louise. With his daughter Alex he has developed a zombie apocalypse survival plan and is regularly disappointed when power cuts prove not to foreshadow the end of the world.

His first novel,’The Traitor and the Thief’, a rip-roaring young adult Steampunk adventure, won the 2016 Storylines Tessa Duder Award. It has received fantastic reviews in the national press and was a Listener top 50 children’s book.

Services To Science Fiction, Fantasy And Horror

Darian Smith

Since his arrival on New Zealand’s science fiction and fantasy scene in 2010, Darian Smith has been a stand out proponent the genre, both in literary terms, as a community builder, promoting science fiction and fantasy in the wider community, both in New Zealand and internationally, as well as nurturing newer New Zealand writers and fans. A superb writer, Darian’s titles include high fantasy mystery’s Kalanon’s Rising, Starlight’s Children, both world-building masterpieces, the award-winning New Zealand paranormal romance Currents of Change, and short story collection Shifting Worlds. Darian generously shares his professional skills with other writers, in particular offering panels and workshops on understanding deeper character motivations, as outlined in his non-fiction title, The Psychology Workbook for Writers. A regular panellist and speaker at science fiction and fantasy workshops and conventions (Au Contraire II, III, and Lexicon), he also promotes cross promotion with other literary and social communities, as a speaker for the Romance Writers of New Zealand, and literary International Writers Workshop. His reach goes still further, extending across barriers to include diverse and disabled writers. Examples include his writing workshops with members of the Muscular Dystrophy Association and his in depth work Generations – life stories of community spirit & contribution – co-authored with Dude TuiSamoa. Darian an active member of SpecFicNZ, serving on the committee for three terms, including one in office. Most importantly, he is an ardent and articulate advocate for our genre, as this interview in the Pantographic Punch indicates: http://pantograph-punch.com/post/spec-fic-interview Darian Smith is a most deserving candidate for Services to Science Fiction and Fantasy.

Services To Fandom

Jan Butterworth

Jan Butterworth has been a tireless supporter of New Zealand’s fandom for close to a decade, serving on numerous ConComs including Conscription (2009), Context (2011) and Au Contraire III (2016), as well as being co-opted as a volunteer to organise book donations for Unconventional (2012), Au Contraire II (2013) and Reconnaissance (2015). In addition, she has been administrator of the successful Young Writers’ Workshops held last year at Au Contraire III (2016) and at this year’s Lexicon (2017). The smooth running of these workshops on the day of the events, shown in students’ and teachers’ evaluations, can be largely attributed to the many hours Jan has put in behind the scenes.

Jan joined the board of SFFANZ in 2009 and has been an active member since that date, as well as serving on the Sir Julius Vogel Award Committee for the past seven years. This latter is an important role which has grown annually.

Further evidence of fans' support for Jan's ability to represent the community was shown in 2010 when she was elected FFANZ delegate (with Stephen Litten). For six years (2009 to 2015), Jan was the administrator for the SFFANZ book review scheme, injecting her energy into introducing and promoting science fiction and fantasy work by New Zealand creatives, and making that work accessible to fans. In 2012, she began her own successful blog, My Opinion on Various Books, where she sources books and facilitates reviews of genre work. Hers is one of only a few independent blogs that reviews New Zealand work by preference, making her an important contributor to disseminating trends in science fiction and fantasy, and especially as they apply in New Zealand.

However, the job titles listed above do little to account the many, many hours of work Jan has undertaken chasing sponsorship for events, taking minutes, and facilitating communications between respective ConComs and the SFFANZ committee; all tasks she carries out with the highest professionalism despite increasing health limitations.

Much loved among the community for her generosity, humour, and tact, Jan is a local fan icon and a worthy and deserving candidate for Services to Fandom.

https://akiwisbookreviews.wordpress.com/