We're incredibly pleased that Crow Shine, the debut collection by Alan Baxter, has made the short list for the 2016 Aurealis Awards for Best Collection.

It's an incredible field of nominations, including Ticonderoga author Angela Slatter and the legendary Jack Dann, but we're crossing our fingers.

We'd like to congratulate Alan for his incredible work, and wish all nominees the very best.

The Aurealis Awards will take place over Easter. A full list of nominees is available at https://aurealisawards.org/2017/02/20/2016-aurealis-awards-shortlist-announcement/

You can order Crow Shine in limited hardcover, trade hardcover, and tradepaperback at http://www.indiebooksonline.com/catalog/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=crow+shine.

We are floating above the clouds at this morning's news that Janeen Webb's incredible collection, Death at the Blue Elephant, has been announced as one of five works for the World Fantasy Award for Best Collection.

We'd like to congratulate Janeen on this fabulous achievement, and thank her, Nick Stathopolous (cover artist), Pamela Sargent (introduction), and everyone who was involved in the production of this book. We'd also like to thanks everyone who has bought and promoted Death at the Blue Elephant.

You can buy this book directly from us at http://www.indiebooksonline.com/catalog/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=elephantor at many fine bookshops.

A huge congratulations to all five works nominated

• Mercy and Other Stories, Rebecca Lloyd (Tartarus)
• Gifts for the One Who Comes After, Helen Marshall (ChiZine)
• They Do the Same Things Different There, Robert Shearman (ChiZine)
• The Bitterwood Bible and Other Recountings, Angela Slatter (Tartarus)
• Death at the Blue Elephant, Janeen Webb (Ticonderoga)

Statistics: as far as we can see, Janeen is the sixth Australian to be nominated for the Best Collection award, joining Terry Dowling, Margo Lanagan (twice, and only Australian to win), Angela Slatter (twice), Shaun Tan, and Lisa L. Hannett. Ticonderoga Publications is the second Australian publisher (and first Australian small press) to publish two nominees, after Allen & Unwin. Janeen has previously won the World Fantasy Award for Best Anthology in 1999 for Dreaming Down Under, co-edited by Jack Dann.

The wonderful Maria Haskins has reviewed Midnight and Moonshine, the Publishers Weekly starred review collection by Lisa L Hannett and Angela Slatter. We're especially happy when she says

Midnight and Moonshine is a fantastic read, a highly recommended collection of uniquely imagined fantasy tales

You can read the full review at https://mariahaskins.wordpress.com/2015/07/11/a-mesmerizing-mosaic-of-tales-midnight-and-moonshine-by-lisa-l-hannett-angela-slatter/

You can buy Midnight and Moonshine at all good online bookshops, and directly from us at www.indiebooksonline.com/catalog/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=moonshine.

The latest volume in our award-winning Year's Best series, The Year's Best Australian Fantasy and Horror 2015 is weeks away. Editors Liz Grzyb and Talie Helene have selected 31 incredible stories, over 150,000 words, from Australia and New Zealand published in 2015.

In addition, the volume features an indepth review of the genre in 2015 and a recommended reading list.

The stories are

• Joanne Anderton, “2B”
• Alan Baxter, “The Chart of the Vagrant Mariner”
• Deborah Biancotti, “Look How Cold My Hands Are”
• Stephen Dedman, “Oh, Have You Seen The Devil”
• Erol Engin, “The Events at Callan Park”
• Jason Fischer, “The Dog Pit”
• Dirk Flinthart, “In the Blood”
• Kimberley Gaal, “In Sheep's Clothing”
• Stephanie Gunn, “The Flowers That Bloom Where Blood Touches Earth”
• Lisa Hannett, “Consorting With Filth”
• Robert Hood, “Double Speak”
• Kathleen Jennings, “A Hedge of Yellow Roses”
• Maree Kimberley, “Ninehearts”
• Jay Kristoff, “Sleepless”
• Martin Livings, “El Caballo Muerte”
• Danny Lovecraft, “Reminiscences of Herbert West”
• Kirstyn McDermott, “Self, Contained”
• Sally McLennan, “ Mr Schmidt's Dead Pet Emporium”
• DK Mok, “Almost Days”
• Faith Mudge, “Blueblood”
• Samantha Murray, “Half Past”
• Jason Nahrung, “Night Blooming”
• Garth Nix, “The Company of Women”
• Anthony Panegyres, “Lady Killer”
• Rivqa Rafael, “Beyond the Factory Wall”
• Deborah Sheldon, “Perfect Little Stitches”
• Angela Slatter, “Bluebeard's Daughter”
• Cat Sparks, “Dragon Girl”
• Lucy Sussex, “Angelito”
• Anna Tambour, “Tap”
• Kaaron Warren, “Mine Intercom”

This volume was successfully funded through a crowd-sourcing campaign, and will be the first time an Australian Year's Best genre series has run to 6 consecutive single-year volumes. The Year's Best Australian Fantasy and Horror 2015 will be available in hardcover, paperback, and ebook, in February/March 2017.

The hardcover and paperback are available to pre-order at indiebooksonline.

The editors will begin reading for the 2016 volume in due course. Please keep an eye on our website.

We're really happy to be able to announce the final line-up and cover of the fifth volume of The Year's Best Australian Fantasy and Horror.

Liz Grzyb and Talie Helene have compiled an impressive list of fantastic stories first published in 2014, from New Zealand's and Australia's finest writers.

The 28 stories selected are

• Alan Baxter, “Shadows of the Lonely Dead” [Suspended in Dusk]
• James Bradley, “The Changeling” [Fearsome Magics]
• Imogen Cassidy, “Soul Partner” [Aurealis 74]
• David Conyers & David Kernot, “The Bullet & The Flesh” [World War Cthulhu]
• Terry Dowling, “The Corpse Rose” [Nightmare Carnival]
• Thoraiya Dyer, “The Oud” [Long Hidden Anthology]
• Jason Franks, “Metempsychosis” [SQ Mag]
• Michelle Goldsmith, “Of Gold and Dust” [Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine 60]
• Michael Grey, “1884” [Cthulhu Lives: An Eldrich Tribute to H.P.Lovecraft]
• Stephanie Gunn, “Escapement” [Kisses by Clockwork]
• Lisa L. Hannett & Angela Slatter, “Vox” [The Female Factory]
• Gerry Huntman, “Of The Colour Tumeric, Climbing on Fingertips” [Night Terrors III]
• Rick Kennett, “Dolls for Another Day” [The Ghosts & Scholars Book of Shadows: Vol 2]
• Charlotte Kieft, “Chiaroscuro” [Disquiet]
• SG Larner, “Kneaded” [Phantazein]
• Claire McKenna, “Yard” [Use Only As Directed]
• Andrew J. McKiernan, “A Prayer for Lazarus” [Last Year, When We Were Young]
• Faith Mudge, “Signature” [Kaleidoscope: Diverse YA Science Fi]
• Jason Nahrung, “The Preservation Society” [Dimension6]
• Emma Osborne, “The Box Wife” [Shock Totem: Curious Tales of the Macabre & Twisted #9]
• Angela Rega, “Shedding Skin” [Crossed Genres]
• Tansy Rayner Roberts, “The Love Letters of Swans” [Phantazein]
• Angela Slatter, “The Badger Bride” [Strange Tales IV]
• Cat Sparks, “New Chronicles of Andras Thorn” [Dimension6 Annual Collection 2014]
• Anna Tambour, “The Walking-stick Forest” [Tor.com]
• Kyla Ward, “Necromancy” [Spectral Realms #1]
• Kaaron Warren, “Bridge of Sighs” [Fearful Symmetries: An Anthology of Horror]
• Janeen Webb, “Lady of the Swamp” [Death at the Blue Elephant]

In addition to the above incredible tales, the volume will include a review of 2014 and a list of highly recommended stories.

The editors will shortly begin reading for the sixth volume of The Year's Best Australian Fantasy and Horror.

The Year's Best Australian Fantasy and Horror 2014 is scheduled for publication in late-October 2015 and can be pre-ordered at indiebooksonline.com. The anthology will be available in hardcover, ebook and trade editions.