Holy tales of epic deeds of epicness, Batman!

It’s time to once again break out your storytelling super-powers, because Conflux Inc is partnering with the Canberra Speculative Fiction Guild to bring you the CSFG/Conflux 14 short story competition!

This year’s theme is THE UNCONVENTIONAL HERO!

We want your tales of 4000 words or under about tales of unconventional heroes, heroines and awesome people of non-specified gender, in any speculative fiction genre.

The competition is open to all Australian residents and members of either the Canberra Speculative Fiction Guild or Conflux 14.

Entry is $5, unless you are a member of the CSFG or Conflux 14 or you are aged 16 or under, in which case it is free!

Prizes

First prize is $200 and a Conflux 15 membership! Second prize is $50 and a discounted Conflux 15 membership, and third prize is $25 and a discounted Conflux 15 membership.

Guidelines

Stories should be written in English, suitable for a general audience (ie, no gratuitous violence or erotica) and, of course, your own original, unpublished work.

Please submit them in the following format: RTF, double spaced, Times New Roman, Ariel or Courier font, with the story title in the top right header.

Make the first page of your document a cover sheet that includes your name, contact details and story title (we’ll remove this before we give it to the judges). YOUR NAME MUST NOT APPEAR ON ANY OF THE OTHER PAGES OF THE STORY.

Get it to us at csfgshortstorycomp@gmail.com before midnight on 31 July 2018.

Fees

Fees can be paid by direct deposit (BSB: 325185 Acct: 03421621 Acct name: Canberra Speculative Fiction Guild) or Paypal to canberra.specfic@gmail.com (For other options or any more information contact us directly at the csfgshortstorycomp@gmail.com address)

We are very pleased to announce that this year’s Conflux Conference Guest of Honour is Ambelin Kwaymullina. Dr Kwaymullina is an Indigenous Australian novelist, illustrator, and assistant professor of law at the University of Western Australia. She is of the Palyku people (Pilbara region of Western Australia). As well as beautifully illustrated picture books, she is the author of The Tribe series of novels: The Interrogation of Ashala Wolf (Walker Books, Australia, 2012. Shortlisted for Aurealis Awards); The Disappearance of Ember Crow (Walker Books, Australia, 2013); and The Foretelling of Georgie Spider (Walker Books, Australia, 2015).  She has a new speculative fiction novel due out in September: Catching Teller Crow (Allen and Unwin).

We are so much looking forward to her visit in October this year.

We are pleased to announce that Conflux 14: The Unconventional Hero will be held at the Vibe Hotel in Canberra from Saturday 29 September through to Monday 1 October 2018. There will also be an opening social BBQ event on Friday evening at a local park (TBA). Registrations are now open at www.trybooking.com/UPIQ
See you in spring!

Conflux 13 is nearly upon us! The con bags are packed, our international GOH has just landed in the country and we’re just about ready to rock’n’roll. A few useful tips

• Parking. The ACT Government-owned car parks out at Brindabella Park are $10 per day compared to the airport car parks at $22. You might have to get there early on Friday, but the other days should be good.
• Groceries: There is a Woolworths and a CostCo (but you need to be a member to shop here) at Majura Park, which is on the other side of the airport from Vibe. Head for the giant Ikea sign, but turn right into Majura park instead of left into Ikea.
• Food at Vibe: keep your con badge on, because it will get you a 10% discount on food & coffee at the hotel.
• Buses: The Vibe Hotel shuttle will do a pickup at the Jolimont Centre each day of the con at 9am. Space is limited, though. The number 11 Bus goes out to the airport on weekdays and weekends. You can download the route 11 timetable on the Transport Canberra website.

Parking at Vibe

Public Transport to Vibe

Have you checked out our Workshops Page to see what workshops are on offer this year at Conflux 13?

All our workshops are free with your Conflux 13 membership*, with the exception of Gillian Polack’s Questions of Culture, for which there is a $20 charge.

If you see something that tickles your fancy, don’t forget to register for it! You can do this by signing up at registration at Conflux, or if you’re super keen and definitely don’t want to miss out, drop us a line at confluxchair@gmail.com.

*For day memberships, you are able to attend all workshops on the day of your membership (with the exception of Questions of Culture with Gillian Polack, which has an additional charge of $20.)

The first (and only) Progress Report for Conflux 13 Grimm Tales is now available on the PR Page.

Get all the news and final information on preparations for the convention there (or by clicking on this link).