Worldcons

The site selection ballot for the 2012 Worldcon is now available on the web site. You may cast your ballot by mail or in person at Aussiecon 4. The deadline for receipt of mail-in ballots is July 31, 2010. Members who pay the fee and vote will automatically become supporting members of the 2012 Worldcon.

Fan tables will be located in the vicinity of the Dealers Room and Art Show and are available to fan clubs, conventions, convention bids, and similar groups. There is no charge for these tables (except for extra ancillary services such as power, telephone, or WiFi needed to run EFTPOS terminals). To reserve your space, email fantables@aussiecon4.org.au. NOTE: The sale of goods and services of a commercial nature at the tables will not be permitted. However sale of memberships and related materials is permitted. Aussiecon 4 reserves the right to deem what constitutes a fan organisation.

Aussiecon 4 has released an electronic 2010 Hugo Voter Packet containing works and samples from 2010 Hugo Award and John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer nominees. The packet is available for download by Aussiecon 4 members. Download information will be sent out to members beginning this week.The works in the Hugo Voter Packet are made available to voters through the efforts of the nominees and their publishers. Aussiecon 4 is grateful for their participation and willingness to share with its members. Remember to vote, and please support these creators! Their work is available in bookstores and online.

The Program Participant form has now been posted at http://www.aussiecon4.org.au/program_form.phpNote - Submitting a form does not guarantee that you will be participating in the program. If you want to share some ideas for the program, please let us know through the Program Ideas form at http://www.aussiecon4.org.au/program_ideas_form.php.

Aussiecon 4's Japanese web site is now up and running.http://www.jasfic.or.jp/aussiecon4/

The online ballot for voting for the Hugo Awards is now available at http://www.aussiecon4.org.au/hugoawards/final_ballot.php The deadline is 31 July 2010 23:59 PDT. Nominations were announced at a live event at Eastercon.

Aussiecon 4 received a record number of nominations for the 2010 Hugo Awards: 864, up from 799 nomination ballots at Anticipation in 2009 and 483 at Denvention 3 in 2008. This year's Hugo Award nominations will be announced 22:00 BST, Easter Sunday 4 April, at Odyssey 2010, this year's Eastercon, and covered live on the Aussiecon 4 Twitter feed. Balloting for the Hugo Awards will commence thereafter and will conclude on 31 July at midnight, PDT. The Hugo Awards Ceremony will be held at Aussiecon 4 in Melbourne on Sunday, 5 September 2010.

The Bookbanter weblog has interviewed Kim Stanley Robinson and made it available as a podcast. http://bookbanter.podbean.com/2010/03/15/bookbanter-episode-28-with-kim-stanley-robinson/

Story about World Science Fiction Convention, featuring interviews with Shaun Tan and Perry Middelmiss, attached here for your info. http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/shaun-tan-headlines-world-scifi-convention-20100311-q0s4.html

The deadline for sending in your Hugo Awards nomination ballot is fastapproaching! The Hugo Awards are awards for excellence in the field ofscience fiction and fantasy.The nomination deadline is Saturday, March 13, 2010 23:59 PST (Sunday,March 14, 2010 03:59 EDT, 07:59 UTC/GMT, 18:59 AEDT).If you were a member of the 2009 Worldcon (Anticipation) or purchaseda membership in the upcoming 2010 Worldcon (Aussiecon 4) by 31 January2010, you can nominate using the online ballot athttp://www.aussiecon4.org.au/index.php?page=66You will need a Personal Identification Number (PIN) to nominateonline. If you have not received your Aussiecon 4 or Anticipation PINor have other eligibility questions please emailhugopin@aussiecon4.org.au

Chicago in 2012 will be the sole bid listed on the 2012 Worldcon Site Selection ballot. They were the only organization to file the information required by the WSFS Constitution by the deadline of March 6. Members of Aussiecon 4 (attending and supporting) can vote in site selection. Those voting will automatically become supporting members of the 2012 Worldcon. Details, including the voting fee, will be forthcoming. The Site Selection ballot will be available on the Aussiecon 4 web site and distributed in a Progress Report. Mail voting will be accepted through July 31 and there will also be on-site voting at Aussiecon 4.

For the first time, the winning entry from the Children's Literature category of the Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature has also won the coveted Premier's Award. As well as winning the 2010 award for Children's Literature ($15,000), Shaun Tan has been named the recipient of the Premier's award ($10,000). His winning book, Tales from Outer Suburbia, pays homage to the Australian suburbs and the diverse families that make their homes there. For more information, see the Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature announcement.