Australasian Shadows Awards

The 2023 Australasian Shadows Awards are now closed. Congratulations to the following authors who have been shortlisted:

Non-Fiction:

  • A Vindication of Monsters edited by Claire Fitzpatrick (IFWG Publishing International)
  • Displaced Spirits: Ghosts of the Diaspora by Lee Murray (in Unquiet Spirits: Essays by Asian Women in Horror, Black Spot Books, USA)
  • Holy Revelations by Grace Chan (in Unquiet Spirits: Essays by Asian Women in Horror, Black Spot Books, USA)

Poetry:

  • The Broonie by Deborah Sheldon (Nightmare Fuel Magazine)
  • Dancers on the Road by K. S. Nikakis (SOV Media, Australia)
  • Guiding Star by Tim Jones (Remains to be Told Dark Tales of Aotearoa, Clan Destine Press)
  • Never Leave the Path by Kyla Lee Ward (Eternal Haunted Summer, Winter Solstice 2023)
  • What It Means to be With You by Pauline Yates (HWA Poetry Showcase Volume X, Yuriko Publishing)

Graphic Novel: 

  • Fables of Fear by Karl Brandt (KB Comics)
  • Monomyth by David Hazan (Mad Cave Studios, Miami FL)
  • Splitting Sides 2 by David Schembri (North Forest Books)
  • Yuletide Flame by Hayden Fryer (Siberian Productions, NSW, Australia)

Edited Works:

  • Black Beacon Book of Horror edited by Cameron Trost (Black Beacon Books)
  • Killer Creatures Down Under edited by Deborah Sheldon (IFWG Publishing International)
  • Remains to be Told by Lee Murray (Clan Destine Press)
  • SNAFU Punk’d by Geoff Brown & AJ Spedding (Cohesion Press)

Collected Works:

  • Bites Eyes by Matthew R Davis (Brain Jar Press)
  • Midnight Masquerade by Greg Chapman (IFWG Publishing International)
  • Precarious Waters by Pamela Jeffs (Four Ink Press)
  • Stingers by Noel Osualdini & T.M. McLean (Self-published)

Short Fiction:

  • All the Eyes That See by Alan Baxter (Cosmic Horror Monthly, Issue 42)
  • Camp Never by JS Bruekelaar (Flame Tree Press)
  • Death Interrupted by Pamela Jeffs (CSFG Publishing)
  • What Bones These Tides Bring by Nikky Lee (Remains to be Told Dark Tales of Aotearoa, Clan Destine Press)

Long Fiction:

  • After I Found Her by Claire Low (Clan Destine Press)
  • Bitters by Kaaron Warren (Cemetery Dance Books)
  • Those That Pursue Us Yet by Kyla Ward (Independent Legion Publishing, Amazon)
  • We Called it Graffitiville by Aaron Dries (Crystal Lake Publishing)

Novels:

  • Cretaceous Canyon by Deborah Sheldon (Severed Press)
  • The Graveyard Shift by Maria Lewis (Angry Robot/Datura)
  • Polyphemus by Zachary Ashford (Darklit Press)
  • When Ghosts Call Us Home by Katya de Becerra (Page Street Publishing (US), Pan Macmillan (UK/AU/NZ))

Full submission and eligibility details can be found here.

The Australian Shadows Awards celebrate the finest in horror and dark fiction published by an Australasian within the calendar year. Works are judged on the overall effect of a work—the skill, delivery, and lasting resonance.

Entries are open across eight categories, for works written by an Australian or New Zealand writer:

  • The Paul Haines Award for Long Fiction (novelettes and novellas) in honour of the New Zealand/Australian author Paul Haines;
  • The Rocky Wood Award for Non-fiction and Criticism named after former HWA president and AHWA member Rocky Wood;
  • Short fiction;
  • Novels;
  • Collected works;
  • Edited works;
  • Poetry;
  • Graphic novels/comics;

Previous winners have included Greg McLean, Aaron Sterns, Lee Battersby, Terry Dowling, Paul Haines, Alan Baxter, Brett McBean, Kirstyn McDermott, Bob Franklin, Kaaron Warren, Will Elliott, Deborah Biancotti and Amanda Spedding.