AEON AWARD 2010 LAUNCHED!

Jan 1 - Albedo One is proud to announce the launch of the Fifth International International Aeon Award Short Fiction Contest, 2010. The goals of the Aeon Award are to promote writers and the writing of speculative fiction, be it science fiction, fantasy, horror or anything unclassifiable or in-between.

The contest is open to writers from all nationalities for stories of up to 8000 words long, that are previously unpublished in English. The Grand Prize is 1000 euro and publication in Albedo One. Second and third place prizes are 200 and 100 euro and publication in Albedo One. The contest is open from January 1st 2010 to the end of November 2010, after which the winning stories are chosen by our Grand Judge, respected SF author, Ian Watson (see Ian's homepage here).

Since 2004, the Aeon Award has helped promote exceptional work of authors in speculative fiction. Aside from winning the cash prizes and publication in Albedo One, winning and shortlisted stories have been given Honourable Mentions or been reprinted in prestigious volumes such as the Year's Best Science Fiction, edited by Gardner Dozois, and the Year's Best Fantasy and Horror, edited by Ellen Datlow, Kelly Link and Gavin Grant. Other winning stories have been translated and published in prestigious European magazines, like Galaxies SF, edited by Pierre M. Gevart.

The Aeon Award is therefore a great opportunity to promote your work. A modest entry fee of 7 euro applies, which can be paid easily and securely online via PayPal on our contest guidelines page, here. Get those stories submitted, and keep an eye on this website, where the winners of the 2009 Aeon Award will be announced early in 2010!

AEON AWARD 2009 TOP 6 SHORTLIST!

Dec 29 - The Judges of the International Aeon Award 2009 short fiction contest have finally finished battling over those stories they consider the best 6 of all 27 stories shortlisted during the opening period of the Aeon Award 2009 short fiction contest, which ran from Jan 1st 2009 to Nov 30th. In that time, stories were submitted from countries all over the world, and the judges felt that every story on the shortlist was of great merit and quality. Needless to say then, voting for the top 6 was heated, and as usual it will be some time before the judges are on speaking terms again! Those stories making the top six are highlighted in bold below, in no particular order. Congratulations to the respective authors! The top 6 stories will now go to Grand Judge Ian Watson who will choose the winner and runner-ups. The winner will be published in Albedo One and will receive the 1000 euro Grand Prize. Our commiserations go now to the authors of the exceptional shortlisted stories that just didn't make it this year. Thank you for submitting your excellent work. Our sincere thanks also go to everyone who entered this year. The goal of the Award is to promote writers and writing in the speculative fiction genres, and we couldn't do it without you.

A Falcon Sharp and Passing
Canis Lupus, Rosa Canina
Frogs on my Doorstep
Something Other
Bridges
Fenn, Brother of Francis
He Who Picks the Bones
Trimble Does Time
In the Boughs of his Blood Orange Tree a Vampire Sat to Dream of Love
Stars in the Skies
Don't Go Playing with Naiads
Hancock Park
The Girl in the Blue Bikini
Once, When the Sun Rose in the West
Deconstruction
Reflected Glory
Conversion
All the Beautiful Lights of Heaven
Star in a Glass
Wailing Wheel
Angele Dei
Lost Things
On the Feast of Stephen
The Art of the Intractable
Mr. Kriswinkle's Third Maiden Voyage
Gordon Street
Pirate Copies

Once the winning stories are decided, the names of all authors will be published on this website and in Albedo One magazine. Shortlisted authors not in the top 6 now have the right to submit their stories elsewhere. Given their quality, we're sure we'll be seeing them published very soon. Remember, the Aeon Award 2010 opens for entries Jan 1st 2010. Details can be found here.

ISSUE 37 OF ALBEDO ONE IS RELEASED!

Oct 18 - Albedo One issue 37 is released! This issue features an in-depth interview with renowned SF author Greg Egan and more informative and entertaining reviews from our columnists Juliet E. McKenna and David Conyers. Our cover this issue, entitled "Moon 13", is courtesy of the highly talented Christian Podgorski. The issue is packed full of the best fiction we can get our hands on, including "Safe" by Hugo Award-winning Robert Reed, an SF story that asks some rather important ethical questions. The issue also includes the 2nd place winner of the Aeon Award 2008, "Aegis", by D. T. Neal. There is some very distinctive work by Sara Joan Berniker, who at long last returns to the pages of Albedo One, Gustavo Bondoni, with an unsettling vision of future Africa, Richard Alan Scott, with a highy entertaining mythical addition to the life of Bram Stoker, Gareth Stack, who's first published story here presents a very unsettling cross of SF and Horror, and T D Edge, who has given us what can only be described as a rip-roaring adventure, featuring a most notorious woman that some readers may already be familiar with! Go get yourself a copy and let us know what you think!

To buy a print copy of issue 37, click here. Or, to buy a low cost pdf version to read on your PC or PDA, click here.

AEON AWARD 2008 WINNING STORIES

Feb 14 - At long last it comes time to announce the winning stories from the 2008 International Aeon Award short fiction contest. Grand Judge Ian Watson returned with his verdict on the first, second and third place stories from the top seven stories sent for his consideration. Needless to say, his job was not an easy one. Congratulations to the winners!

First place and winner of €1,000:
Twinkle Twinkle - Colin Henchley

Second place and winner of €200:
Aegis – D.T. Neal

Third place and winner of €100:
The Better To See You With - Allison Francisco

We can now reveal the names of all the shortlisted authors, of which there were a record breaking 40 in the 2008 contest. Thank you for supporting the Award and helping it fulfill its goal of promoting new writers and writing in the speculative genres.

Extracts from a Three Volume Novel – Ian Wild
Inventions - Alex Carnevale
Sundays Off - Gerard Farrell
The Hot Chocolate Rocket - Martin Belderson
The Trapped Tailcoat – Ian Wild
Doors - Julian West
Shadow Pains - Kelvin M Knight
Lessons In Love - Kelvin M Knight
Breaking the Mould - Steven J. Hopley
Escher - Helgard de Barros
The Walnut Tree - Malcolm Bray
Stay Special - Susan Lanigan
Hot Chocolate - Susan Lanigan
Regret Me Not - Jennifer Harwood Smith
55286 - Jennifer Harwood Smith
Come The Spring - Ahmed Jamel
Swan Wing - Joanne Mills
YoYo - Romily McNulty
Hood - Alice Godwin
You, Me and Them - Alexis Boddy
A Bump in the Night - Nakia Johnson
The Horror of Life - Clive Maxwell-Yates
Dreamscape - Matt Bone
Windproject NX104 - Anne Lente
Convicts – Robert Boumis
The Firebird - Roshni Beeharry
Lies - Kelly Harmon
The Den Ghost - Eleanor Thom
Went Wrong - Jeff Nottingham
Doorways - Catherine Edmunds
The Fatal Book - Loren Rhoads
The Flower Builder - Bernadette Owens
The Paper Garden - T. E. Peploe
Thirstlands - Nick Wood
Facing Demons - Nigel Plane
iDementia - Helmut Obermeir
The Cursed - Lisa Clarkson

Don't forget, the Aeon Award 2009 is now open to submissions. Grand Prize is €1,000, second prize €200 and third prize €100 and publication in Albedo One. Full details may be found here.

AEON AWARD 2009 LAUNCHED!

Dec '30 - As of January 1st 2009, the fourth International Aeon Award short fiction contest is open to entries. The Aeon Award is all about promoting new writers and writing in the speculative fiction genres (including SF, fantasy, horror or anything in-between or unclassifiable). The quality and diversity of submissions we've had to the previous three Aeon Awards has reaffirmed our faith in the value and vitality of speculative fiction, despite the pronouncements of its detractors and the proclamation of the death of SF, of the short story, etc.... This year's Award will have a Grand Prize of 1000 euro and publication in Albedo One magazine. Second and third place stories will receive 200 and 100 euro respectively, alongside publication in Albedo One. The winning stories will be chosen by highly respected genre author Ian Watson. Previous winners have been announced at the World Science Fiction Convention and European Science Fiction Convention. Stories shortlisted for the Award have also received Honourable Mentions or been reprinted in the prestigious Year's Best volumes. Entering the Award can certainly get you noticed, never mind the potential prize money or publication in Albedo One. A modest entry fee of 7 euro applies for each entry, which may be paid easily and securely online via PayPal. The contest is open from 1st Jan to 30th Nov, 2009. Full entry details and online payment options may be found here. Good luck with your entries! We look forward to reading your work.

TWO NEW AEON PRESS BOOKS

Our book-publishing arm, Aeon Press, has just published two new great reads:

EMERALD EYE - THE BEST IRISH IMAGINATIVE FICTION

Emerald Eye is a celebration of all things fantastic and imaginative in Irish writing.
   Among the eighteen contributors are well-known names from the SF field - Anne McCaffrey, Bob Shaw, James White, etc. Also included are mainstream names such as William Trevor. The anthology is edited by Frank Ludlow and Roelof Goudriaan.
   This 292-page trade paperback is available at a fantastic price of less than ten euros or under seven pounds sterling.
 

SPELL MAFFIA - They thought there was only one “F” in Mafia

Meet Jack Kelly. It is seven thirty in the evening. It is mid-March. He is in the middle of a rapidly darkening forest. He can see about ten yards in any direction. And, by the way, he is totally naked. Ten minutes ago he was holding onto his nuts because he was embarrassed; now he's hanging onto them because he's afraid they're going to fall off from the cold. Somewhere close by lurks a Russian gangster with a gun. What else could he have expected when pitching a bunch of weekend witches against the might of the Russian Mafia (Dublin branch)?

A 102-page graphic novel, written by John Lee and illustrated by Denise O’Moore, including the short story “Father Further Investigates.. The Devil in Dingle”, for € 9.95 or UK£ 6.95
 

WHAT THE HECK IS AN ALBEDO ONE?

Albedo One is Ireland’s longest-running and foremost magazine of the Fantastic. Since 1993, we have published stories of both Irish and international authors which push at the boundaries of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror - Ian McDonald, Anne McCaffrey, Norman Spinrad and Patricia Anthony are but just a few names we’ve published. It’s that magazine to your left on the screen!
 Have a look at more detail and some Albedo One covers here.

Through our book publishing house Aeon Press, we have made available a select number of speculative fiction gems. Have a look at the titles by international and Irish authors we’ve published to date. You will also find some sample stories and novel excerpts from these Aeon Press titles here.

And if there’s anything on this site you’d like to comment on, please do so. You can contact us at goudriaan@albedo1.com for comments regarding the website, and bobn@albedo1.com for any queries regarding purchases and/or submissions.

Albedo One is edited (in no particular order and without any particular order) by John Kenny, Bob Neilson, David Murphy, Frank Ludlow and Roelof Goudriaan.
 

You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of  focus. -- Mark Twain

Strange Monsters of the Recent Past
 - A blog by the Dodo

Jan 19 - The excellent Susan Lanigan is holding a workshop on Writing Short Fiction on 30 January 2010. An accomplished writer herself, twice shortlisted for the Hennessy New Irish Writing Award, published in other magazines and shortlisted several times for the Aeon Award, she hopes to encourage exploration of the writing self through exercises, discussion and hopefully plenty of fun! Fee a recession-busting €10! For more info and to sign up, please see here.

Dec 14 - The Aeon Award 2009 is now closed to submissions. A personal thank you to all who entered. We appreciate your support for the Award! The contest is our way of giving back to the writers and readers that support Albedo One, by giving the writers of quality works a high profile Award with a more substantial monetary value. Right now, the judges are in the difficult process of choosing a top six from the 27 excellent stories shortlisted for the Award. Keep an eye out here before Christmas when we will be announcing the top six.

July 25 - Some of the editors of Albedo One will be attending the upcoming SF Worldcon in Montreal in August of this year. We always value meeting other writers, readers, editors and publishers. Being stuck on an island, we probably don't get enough of this sort of contact. So, if you're going too, make sure to say hi to Bob Neilson, David Murphy, John Kenny or Frank Ludlow. In fact, the organisers of Worldcon have kindly given us a panel to discuss all things Albedo One. Come along and say hello!

Panel Details:
When: Sun 11:00
Location:  P-524C
Title:  Albedo One
Session ID:  572

July 06 - Round 2 of the 2008 Aeon Award short fiction contest is now closed, and the judges are making their final decisions on the stories to add to those shortlisted after Round 1. Expect the additions to be announced here in the next few days. The contest remains open to entries until the end of November 2009, and lets not forget the Grand Prize of 1000 euro and publication in Albedo One, with 200 and 100 euro prizes and publication for the 2nd and 3rd place stories. The goal of the contest is to promote new writers and writing in the speculative fiction genres. Stories shortlisted for previous Awards have been reprinted in the prestigious Year's Best SF edited by Gardner Dozois, received Honourable Mentions in other venues such as the Year's Best Fantasy and Horror and have been translated into other languages for publication in national venues such as Galaxies magazine in France. Click here to enter.

July 03 - A quick round-up of news for all our readers. But where to begin?! Congratulations to Albedo One authors Philip Raines and Harvey Welles, whose story "Alice & Bob" in issue 35 of Albedo One has been given an Honourable Mention in the most recent volume of the prestigious Year's Best Science Fiction, edited by Gardner Dozois. Congratulations also to Julian West, whose 2004-2005 Aeon Award winning story, "My Marriage" will be translated and published in the highly respected French science fiction magazine Galaxies, edited by Pierre M. Gevart. Albedo One editor Bob Neilson has now taken to the blogosphere, one of his main intentions being to further Albedo One's efforts at translating and promoting European and international work in SF, fantasy and horror into English. See how the project is coming along here.

May 24 - Issue 36 of Albedo One is now at the printers, so subscribers can expect their copy in the post soon. The issue is of course also available to buy in print or low-cost pdf form on this website through PayPal! The issue features an interview with Paul Di Filippo and new fiction from Mike O'Driscoll as well and the Aeon Award 2008 winning story from Colin Henchley. Not to be missed!

Apr 20 - Yes, it's been a while! What can I say? We've been busy completely redesigning the Albedo One website to include RSS Feeds, podcasts, forums and the works! Expect that to go live in the next few months. In the mean time, the 36th issue of Albedo One is almost ready to go, and features the winning story "Twinkle Twinkle" from the Aeon Award 2008, not to mention a host of other stories and an in-depth interview with Paul Di Fillipo. Not to be missed! On other news, the Albedo One team will be at the 2009 Worldcon in Montreal! Be sure to track us down and say hi! We may well have an extra special Worldcon issue of Albedo One for you to enjoy!

Dec 29th - A brief update on the Aeon Award 2008. The judges are still in the process of choosing the top six stories from what is an unprecedented number of shortlisted stories (40 in total, a record for the Aeon Award). So please be patient! We will announce the top six going to Grand Judge Ian Watson for a final decision as soon as the judges have finished their selection. Take some comfort in the fact that it is the high quality of your stories that is causing the judges such difficulties in deciding the six that will go to Ian. Thank you for making their lives difficult! The Aeon Award couldn't survive without you. In the meantime, the fourth International Aeon Award contest, 2009, opens January 1st, and it needs your support to succeed in its goal of promoting writers and writing in the spec fic genres. So get those word processors busy and send us your best! Entry details here.

Nov 20th - Just a short note to thank everyone who has entered and supported the Aeon Award 2008 short fiction contest in the final round. We've had a great response, which gives us the ammunition to increase the profile of the Award, and thereby increase the profile of the shortlisted authors and writing in the speculative genres in general. If you're interested in entering, the contest is open until the end of November - so still some time left! The judge's tastes are extremely broad, so if in doubt, send in that story. Remember, the grand prize is 1000eu and publication in Albedo One. The potential benefits don't stop there, however. Previous stories shortlisted for the Award have been received Honourable Mentions in the prestigious Year's Best Fantasy & Horror edited by Ellen Datlow, Kelly Link and Gavin Grant and been reprinted in the Year's Best Science Fiction edited by Gardner Dozois, not to mention the forthcoming possibility that some of the shortlisters will be translated from English and reprinted in a highly prominent European genre magazine (more news on this soon).

Full entry details can be found here.

Oct 8th - The Aeon Award judges are almost through with deciding the additions to the shortlist after the end of the 3rd round. These should be up later this evening or early tomorrow. Thanks for your patience, and Good luck to all those who entered in the last round! Also, don't forget that the final (current) round of the Aeon Award is now open, and you can submit at any time up to the last day of November 2008. Keep sending those stories and help to make the Award better (and have a chance to win the 1000 euro grand prize and publication in Albedo One)! Full entry details can be found here.

Oct 7th - Albedo One authors have picked up four Honourable Mentions in the Year's Best anthologies for 2008. In Ellen Datlow, Kelly Link and Gavin Grant's fine volume, The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror, Michael Matthews' "A Trail of Stars Whirling", Andrew McKenna's "Barrellhouse" (from issue 33 available here) and Nicola Caines' "Times Winged Chariot" (from issue 32 available here) were all given Honourable Mentions. Well done to the authors! In Gardner Dozois' prestigious Year's Best Science Fiction, Geoffrey Maloney's story "Blonde on Blonde" was also given an Honourable Mention. Not bad for a small magazine from Ireland!

Oct 6th - We've spotted that Alexander Kruglov's fine cover art, "It Will Never Fly Again" (issue 32 of Albedo One) was nominated for a 2008 British Fantasy Society Award, as was John Hogan's horror tale, "Unnatural" (also issue 32). Though these didn't make the ultimate shortlist, we're happy to see Alexander and John's work being recognised (Alexander's cover was also nominated for a 2007 British Science Fiction Association Award).

July 17th - Just a personal thanks to everyone who submitted their stories during the second round of the Aeon Award 2008 contest. Thank you for your support. Aside from being in with a chance to win one of the three cash prizes and publication in Albedo One, you really are helping promote new writers of speculative fiction and promote the genres you yourself may be making a name in! As evidence of this we need point no further than the three Honourable Mentions given to stories shortlisted for the Aeon Award 2004-2005 in the prestigious Year's Best Fantasy and Horror, and the reprinting of one shortlisted story, David Levine's "I Hold My Father's Paws" in Gardner Dozois seminal Year's Best SF. So please keep submitting and help us show those unconvinced of the merits of speculative fiction what they're missing out on!

Feb 26th - Some good news to report! Albedo One author Will McIntosh, whose story Friction appeared in issue 30 and won the "Best In Issue Award" has appeared in a recent podcast on the excellent escapepod.org and can be downloaded or listened to free on the website. Well worth listening to! On other news, Mark Watson has posted a review of issue 33 of Albedo One on Best SF. The review contains some interesting comments, which we'll be taking on board in the coming months, particularly with a long-overdue redesign of our website. You can read the review here and see what you think! Finally, we spotted that our cover from issue 32, by Alexander Kruglov, was nominated in the Best Artwork category of the BSFA Awards (2007). Though the cover wasn't shortlisted, we're happy that Alexander's work was recognised in this way, and we hope to bring you more cover art from him in the future.

Feb 12th - Issue 34 of Albedo One is almost ready to go. We're in the final proofing stages, and expect to see the issue in print by the end of February! As you know this issue features all top three shortlisted stories from the Aeon Award 2006-2007 contest, including Nina Allan's winning story, "Angelus". Juliet E. McKenna and Andrew McKenna return with more erudite book reviews, and we have an interview with Raymond E. Feist to boot! Not an issue to be missed! On other news, the Aeon Award 2008 roles on, and thanks to all who have entered so far, it's been a pleasure reading your work. We look forward to announcing those stories making it to the shortlist after the first round ends on March 31st! Get those stories entered and you could be €1000 richer!

***SPECIAL OFFER*** Due to the success of our last special offer, and as a token of our appreciation for your support, we've decided to spice things up and provide a new incentive. For a limited time, all new subscribers and renewals will be treated to a choice of three of our electronic pdf issues completely free. Currently, we have issues 25-33 available for download to your computers or PDAs. Just email us your choices and we'll send out the passwords! To subscribe online or renew with Albedo One and be entitled to your free pdfs of our fine back-catalogue, go here. If you need help making your choice of which issues to download, go here. To download your three free issues, go here. To email us your choices, use this address!