AustLit
History
The Australian Shadows are the annual literary awards presented by the Australian Horror Writers Association. They are judged on the overall effect – the skill, delivery, and lasting resonance – of horror fiction written or edited by an Australian.
The award was first presented in 2006 for the year 2005.
The awards are open to any horror fiction published by, or in anthologies edited by an Australian/New Zealand/Oceania resident or citizen in a given calendar year.
Until the 2009 awards (presented in 2010), the award had a single winner, drawn from nominated novels, collections, and short fiction. Winners for these years are included under 'All listed recipients' below.
From 2011, the award was given in five categories:
— Novel
— Long Fiction (novellas and novelettes)
— Short Fiction (short stories)
— Collection (single author collections)
— Edited Publication (anthologies and magazine issues).
Winners for these years are listed under the relevant subcategories.
The award for long fiction was later renamed in honour of Paul Haines, and awards for graphic novels and non-fiction were added in 2015.
The award was set up with sponsorship from Altair Australia, who donated a collection of hand-painted awards created by Brom. The Brom statuettes were used as prizes from 2005 to 2009. As of 2010, all Australian Shadows winners were awarded a trophy and a cash prize. From 2013, no further prize money will be offered.
Sources:
http://www.australianhorror.com/index.php?view=39 (Sighted: 3/12/20130
Source: Australian Horror Writers Association website, http://www.australianhorror.com (Sighted: 12/03/2008; 21/04/2011)
Sponsorship
Subcategories
Latest Winners / Recipients (also see subcategories)v2248
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Year: 2008
winner The Claws of Native Ghosts 2008 single work short story horror
— Appears in: The Beast Within 2008; Australis Imaginarium 2010;''Claws' takes place in the early days of European colonisation of Western Australia. It's based around a real life event, a slaughter of Aboriginal families by settlers that has become known as 'The Battle of Pinjarra'. Apart from my protagonist, all the human characters in the story are based on real people.'
Source: Interview with Lee Battersby, Graveside Books website, http://gravesidetales.com
Sighted: 17/03/2009 -
Year: 2007
winner Toother 2007 single work short story horror
— Appears in: Eclipse One : New Science Fiction and Fantasy 2007; (p. 83-104) Award Winning Australian Writing 2008 : The Best Winning Writing from Short Story and Bush Poetry Competitions Nationally 2008; (p. 216-250) The Year's Best Australian Science Fiction and Fantasy : Fourth Annual Volume 2008; (p. 58-85) The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror : Twenty-First Annual Collection 2008; (p. 399-414) -
Year: 2006
winner y The Pilo Family Circus Sydney : ABC Books , 2006 Z1254794 2006 single work novel horror fantasy (taught in 2 units)Jamie is plunged into the horrific alternative universe that is the centuries-old Pilo Family Circus, a borderline world between hell and earth from which humankind's greatest tragedies have been perpetrated. Yet in this place peopled by the gruesome, grotesque and monstrous, where violence and savagery are the norm, Jamie finds that his worst enemy is himself - for when he applies the white paint, he is transformed into JJ, the most vicious clown of all. And JJ wants Jamie dead... (back cover)
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Year: 2005
Judged by: Kim Wilkinsinaugural winner Father Muerte and the Flesh 2005 single work short story science fiction
— Appears in: Aurealis : Australian Fantasy and Science Fiction , no. 36 2005; (p. 7-21) The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror : Twentieth Annual Collection 2007; (p. 210-220) The Year's Best Australian Science Fiction and Fantasy : Volume 3 2007; (p. 131-149)
Works About this Award
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Aurora Australis : A Quiet Spring 2016 single work column
— Appears in: Aurora Australis , May 2016;