I am over the moon to share that my post-apocalyptic fantasy mash-up novelette Dingo & Sister won Best Fantasy Novella and Best Young Adult Short Short at the 2020 Aurealis Awards!
Typing that out is still a bit surreal. For years I have looked up to the Aurealis Award shortlist in awe, dreaming a far-flung dream that one day, in the far future of my writing career, I might be on it. I never expected to win one, let alone two! I was ecstatic just to see my name listed next to many of the greats of Australian fantasy and sci-fi.
A big shoutout is due to Andromeda Spaceways Magazine (ASM) and Brooke Munday who edited Dingo & Sister (along with the rest of the issue) during the opening chaos of the pandemic. Indie presses and magazines are a lifeline to baby writers like myself who are trying to establish themselves. ASM do fabulous work and I would encourage anyone to subscribe to the magazine for some fantastic quarterly fiction from Australian and New Zealand writers.
Since the rights reverted back to me, Dingo & Sister is now also listed on Goodreads and in digital stores under its own title. Reviews are always welcome!
BEST YOUNG ADULT SHORT STORY
“Dingo & Sister”, Nikky Lee (Andromeda Spaceways Magazine #78)
“Ram’s Revenge”, Nikky Lee (Aries, Deadset Press)
“Pea Soup”, Juliet Marillier (Mother Thorn and Other Tales of Courage and Kindness, Serenity Press)
“The Witching Well”, Juliet Marillier (Mother Thorn and Other Tales of Courage and Kindness, Serenity Press)
“Eat Prey, Love”, Freya Marske (Unnatural Order, CSFG)
“Kids These Days”, Tansy Rayner Roberts (Rebuilding Tomorrow, Twelfth Planet Press)
BEST FANTASY NOVELLA
“Generation Gap”, Thoraiya Dyer (Clarkesworld #161)
“By Touch and By Glance”, Lisa L Hannett (Songs for Dark Seasons, Ticonderoga Publications)
“Dingo & Sister”, Nikky Lee (Andromeda Spaceways Magazine #78)
“Karkinos”, Nikky Lee (Cancer, Deadset Press)
The Frost Fair Affair, Tansy Rayner Roberts (self-published)
You can watch my bumbling acceptance speeches in the recorded ceremony here:
Congrats to all the winners and finalists!