193. New Zealander Speculative Fiction w/ Helen Lowe, Norman Cates, & Stephen Minchin

The World SF Tour continues with our discussion of New Zealander speculative fiction with Helen Lowe, Norman Cates, and Stephen Minchkin. We discuss NZ publishing, the field of NZ specfic, themes and issues, and so much more.

We hope you enjoy the episode!

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Episode 193 — Download (MP3)

Show Notes:

Helen Lowe is a fantasy author whose work has won the Sir Julius Vogel Award, the Gemmell Morningstar Award, and others. She can be found on her website and blog; she is also on Twitter
Norman Cates is president of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Association of New Zealand and is in charge of the 2020 New Zealand Worldcon bid, which will be updated soon. Like it via Facebook or sign up with e-mail address to get info for supporting it.
Stephen Minchin runs New Zealand-based Steam Press, which has published award-winning works such as The Prince of Soul and the Lighthouse by Fredrik Brouneus. He can also be found on Twitter.

Here are all the lovely authors and things mentioned during this episode (thanks to Julia for compiling it all; you win the Internet for that!):

Sir Julius Vogel (Anno Domini 2000)
Cherry Wilder
Elizabeth Knox — The Vintner’s Luck was her first book–Stephen says this is the first book he’d point people towards. Her dream duology is recommended by Helen. Uses NZ landscape in a really interesting way
The Bone People (Keri Hulme magic realism, won the Booker)
Erewhon — Samuel Butler
Under the Mountain (trilogy YA 1979 Maurice Gee)
Juliet Marillier
(Norman founded an SF club in Auckland as a teen and made prosthetics, eventually got tapped to work on LotR, chaired 2 SF cons, organized many others)
DUFF – Down Under Fan Fund — sends people from Australasia to cons in the US
SFNZ SpecFic NZ (focused on writing)
A focus on environmental issues — climate and pollution seem to be big issues for authors
The Wind City by Summer Wigmore (set in Wellington Urban fantasy using Maori mythology)
Maori Authors
- Huia Publishers: https://www.huia.co.nz/
- Keri Hulme (Bone People)
- Patrica Grace (Mutuwhenua: The Moon Sleeps)
- Kelly Ana Morey (Bloom)
- Anna Caro
- Tina Makereti
- Cassie Hart
Karen Healey’s Guardian of the Dead (very NZ specfic)
Lee Murray
Man Alone (1930s — common theme in NZ fiction and film, person out of mainstream, disconnected)
Cinema of the unease — what’s happening? (what Norman calls depressing)
Peter Jackson
Heavenly Creatures
The Cure (film– made in NZ through WETA
Spartacus (Starz — filmed in Auckland)
What we do in darkness (or shadows?) Mockumentary just came out at Sundance
New Zealand Film Commission
Where to look for NZ books:
SpecficNZ
SFFanz.org.nz for Julius Vogel keeps list of novels each year
Margaret Mahey — Children’s author The Changeover may be her most famous title

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