The editors of the CSFG’s ‘Next’ anthology, scheduled for release in Canberra at Conflux 9 in–gosh!–a little over four months’ time, are delighted to reveal the stories which will appear in the anthology’s Table of Contents.

There are names in the list that will be familiar to many, as well as some nuggets of newly-emerging talent. It will be an absolutely ripping read. We offer our heartiest congratulations to all those listed below, and our most sincere commiserations to those who submitted great stories that we couldn’t include.

Table of Contents (in alphabetical order)

Kris Ashton:   ‘The Midway Hotel’
Daniel Baker:   ‘Stories in the Square’
Alan Baxter:   ‘Quantum Echoes’
Adam Browne:   ‘Animal the Colour of Waiting’
David Coleman:   ‘Gambler’s Blues’
Craig Cormick:   ‘Ned Kelly and the Zombies’
Elizabeth Fitzgerald:   ‘Phoenix Down’
Ross Hamilton:   ‘When Money Talks’
Richard Harland:   ‘Here’s Glory For You’
Edwina Harvey:   ‘Next, cried the Faun’
Rik Lagarto:   ‘The Wild Hunt’
Chris Large:   ‘Girl Finds Key’
Martin Livings:   ‘Cause and Effect’
Tracie McBride:   ‘Wooden Heart’
Chris McGrane:   ‘The Cat and his Zombies’
Ian McHugh:   ‘Vandiemensland’
Claire McKenna:   ‘The Ninety Two’
Shauna O’Meara:   ‘The Dream Tracker’
Robert Phillips:   ‘A Dream of Something More’
Gillian Polack:   ‘Someone’s Daughter’
Angela Rega:   ‘Almost Beautiful’
Nicky Rowlands:   ‘On the Wall’
Leife Shallcross:   ‘A Little Warning’
Daniel Simpson:   ‘Those Days’
Steve Simpson:   ‘The Electrician and the Circus’
Helen Stubbs:   ‘Casino Five’
David Versace:   ‘Imported Goods—Aisle Nine’
Janeen Webb:   ‘Hell is Where the Heart Is’
Catherine Whittle:   ‘The Room’
Suzanne Willis:   ‘Of Starfish Tides’

We had to make some painfully difficult decisions: it’s traditional to say, at this juncture, that ‘the overall standard was exceptionally high and that many fine stories did not make it in’, but, in our case, it was absolutely, overwhelmingly true. We received an overabundance of exceptionally good stuff, some of which we simply could not find room for. We can, however, say with confidence that we are unwarrantedly proud of the final list of stories, which range far and wide across all aspects of the speculative genres, from gentle fantasy to full-blooded dystopian SF to hackle-bristling psychological horror, while also canvassing in its sweep whimsy, adventure, romance, parody, and tragedy.

Rob & Simon

A footnote from the CSFG: Special thanks to Leife Shallcross for her stirling efforts as slush wrangler, removing all author identification from submissions (yes, even her own) and tracking which story belonged to whom so that Rob and Simon could make their decisions without fear or favour.
Another footnote from us: Not that we’re parochial or anything, but special congratulations to those of our members whose stories made the final cut – Al, David C, Elizabeth, Ross, Rik, Ian, Shauna, Bob, Gillian, Nicky, Leife and David V.