Cirrus@Austlit

'In 2020, the world was tipped upside down and shaken in ways we could barely have imagined, except perhaps in the post-apocalyptic and dystopic worlds of story. Amidst pandemic illness and death, political machinations and despair, one of the casualties has been, at least in a financial sense, the Arts. Governments across the world have slashed funding, galleries, theatres and entertainment venues have closed amid lockdown restrictions, money is being carefully metered with jobs more uncertain than ever, meaning our creatives across all industries are suffering. And yet, more than ever, we are turning to art to stay sane in lockdown, to keep our spirits up in isolation, and to remind us that despite the hardship, there is beauty in this world.

'This anthology seeks to remind readers of the hope and beauty of the Arts, and the way our engagement with writing, music, film, theatre, artworks in all media, and craft of all kinds are at the core of our humanity.

'If the time since COVID began to dominate our global society has taught us anything, it is that connection is crucial to our wellbeing. These stories speak to hope, connection, community, and yes, ART, and how important these threads are to the very centre of ourselves.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'In Your Face will be made up of original and reprinted speculative fiction stories that deal with very provocative themes. These stories will be provocative and/or confronting but with a firm purpose – they are pieces that will perhaps make readers uncomfortable because they are a bit too hard-hitting or close to the bone, but which interrogate these themes and ideas, and make a point about the world we live in.'

Source: Publisher's website (Sighted: 19/2/2016)

'Looking for a taste of the very best science fiction, fantasy and horror short stories around? The third of an annual series, Focus 2014 collects an elite selection of work which has received acclaim via national and international Awards shortlisting.' (Publication summary)

'Dark, weird realities.

'Within these pages they discovered monuments to a dying alien race, sentient islands caught like fish, a tree that grows pencils, a baby transformed into a hummingbird, and a steampunk Maori whaling crew.

'They were afraid, as you should be afraid. They saw life, death and the space between; metamorphosis, terrible choices and bitter regrets.

Enter, if you dare.' (Publication summary)

'Warriors, pirates, murderers and queens…

'Throughout history, women from all walks of life have had good reason to be cranky. Some of our most memorable historical figures were outspoken, dramatic, brave, feisty, rebellious and downright ornery.

'Cranky Ladies of History is a celebration of 22 women who challenged conventional wisdom about appropriate female behaviour, from the ancient world all the way through to the twentieth century. Some of our protagonists are infamous and iconic, while others have been all but forgotten under the heavy weight of history.

'Sometimes you have to break the rules before the rules break you.' (Publication summary)

'Looking for a taste of the very best science fiction, fantasy and horror short stories around? The second of an annual series, Focus 2013 collects an elite selection of work which has received acclaim via national and international Awards shortlisting. ' (Publication summary)

'You think you know all the fables that have ever been told. You think you can no longer be surprised by stories. Think again.

'With origins in myth, fairytales, folklore and pure imagination, the stories and poems in these pages draw on history that never was and worlds that will never be to create their own unique tales and traditions…

'The next generation of storytellers is here.' (Publication summary)

'ep·i·logue: an ending that serves as a comment on or conclusion to what has happened.

'Climate change, natural disaster, war and disease threaten to destroy all we know. Predictions of the future are bleak. But does the apocalypse really mean the end of the world? Is there no hope for a future that follows?

'Twelve writers take on the end of the world and go beyond, to what comes next.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

One Small Step is an anthology comprising 16 stories of discovery from some of Australia’s best female writers. Each story in some way addresses the idea of discoveries, new beginnings, or literal or figurative 'small steps.'

'The Aussie Spec Fic Snapshot has taken place three times over the past eight years. In 2005, Ben Peek spent a frantic week interviewing 43 people in the Australian spec fic scene, and since then, it’s grown every time, now taking a team of interviewers working together to accomplish! In the lead up to Continuum 8 in Melbourne, this team, consisting of Alisa Krasnostein, Kathryn Linge, David McDonald, Helen Merrick, Ian Mond, Jason Nahrung, Alex Pierce, Tansy Rayner Roberts, Tehani Wessely and Sean Wright, blogged interviews for Snapshot 2012.'

Source: Australian SF Snapshot Project.

'The aftermath of rain, be it showers, storms or floods, can change the landscape. In this book, fifteen of Australia’s best and brightest speculative fiction authors offer literal and figurative interpretations of what follows rain, in this reality and others.

'From the earliest of bible stories to World War II Germany, from tiny creatures grown of raindrops to alien planets and future worlds, After the Rain considers the changes rain can bring, if one steps slight left of reality.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

A limited ebook edition of the (then forthcoming) After the Rain anthology, which was published in April 2011, this edition was released to raise funds after the 2011 flooding in Queensland.

The table of contents is slightly shorter than the final edition of After the Rain, and the stories appear in a different order.