An Anthology of Fantastic Creatures

(Taken from the introduction)

Speculative Fiction Reaches Critical Mass in Canberra? Surely Not!

Geoffrey Maloney

Towards the end of last century, two landmark anthologies of Australian speculative fiction were published. The first was Alien Shores, edited by Peter McNamara and Margaret Winch in 1994 and featuring a mammoth 29 stories by Australia's best known speculative fiction writers. It seemed the anthology to end all anthologies, but then, a mere four years later, Jack Dann and Janeen Webb weighed in with Dreaming Down Under ? another mighty tome, which this time picked up a World Fantasy Award.

The anthology that you hold in your hands is something of a landmark itself. While not as big, bold and thrusty as either Alien Shores or Dreaming Down Under, Nor of Human... represents a significant achievement for speculative fiction in the nation's capital. For a long time speculative fiction in Australia has been dominated by Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide, all cities from which highly respected authors, editors, and magazines have originated. Is it just lucky that these three cities seem to have got all the talent? Well possibly, but it seems more likely that these three cities, as well as having their fair share of talent also had ? what I like to call - critical mass, a certain synergy that was created by people with common interests coming to together and sharing their ideas, and encouraging each other in their endeavours. Why this never happened in Sydney will always remain a mystery to me, but now, even as I write this, it is happening in Canberra.

In their preface to Alien Shores, Peter McNamara and Margaret Winch wrote that, although they never planned it, that anthology represented work from every state and territory in Australia. The sole Canberra contribution came from Carole Nomarhas with the splendid "Soul Horizon". Since then Canberra has seen Les Petersen short-listed for the 1998 George Turner Prize for his novel Supplejack, Maxine McArthur win the George Turner in 1999 for her novel Time Future, Alison Venugoban establish herself as a short story writer and novelist, with her story "Funeral Rights" making the 1999 Aurealis shortlist, and other local names, such as Robbie Matthews and Derek Smith, beginning to appear frequently in national publications. At the same time, Carole Nomarhas has launched herself into the role of editor and webmaster with her ezine, The Goblin Muse and Bethany Leditschke's company, Dreamstone, picked up a 1999 Australian National Print award for best digitally printed portfolio.

Excuse me, Captain, but have we reached critical mass yet?

Perhaps not yet, but an indication that we were beginning to generate the synergies that work so well in Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide came with the formation of the Canberra Speculative Fiction Guild (CFSG) in late 1999. The CSFG began to come together when Les Petersen and Maxine McArthur, two Canberra writers, met at the 1999 Melbourne Worldcon and found that they had the George Turner Prize in common. It suddenly seemed that maybe, just perhaps, Canberra wasn't such a speculative fiction backwater after all. At the same time the Melbourne Worldcon held the promise of a national organisation, SF Australia, becoming a linkage for those working in speculative fiction across the country. When Les and Maxine returned to Canberra, others, including myself, were quickly drawn into a group. Now, while SF Australia still remains at the "nice idea" stage nationally, the spirit of SF Australia has flown freely in Canberra and allowed the CSFG to become a robust and energetic forum for those working in speculative fiction in the national capital.

Nor of Human... not only showcases the work of Canberra speculative fiction writers, but also shows what can be achieved when people pool their ideas and talents to reach a common objective.

The origins of these stories lay in a talk that Tony Healey, the renowned crypto-zoologist, gave to the CSFG in April 2000. Tony held his audience spell-bound for several hours with his discussion of yowies, big cats and the history behind such great beastie traditions as the bunyip and the Loch Ness monster. The nature of his subject was certainly remarkable in itself, but even more remarkable was Tony's views on what these phenomena meant. I recall Tony saying, "I used to believe that they were real, and that it was just a matter of getting enough evidence to prove that they exist. Now I don't think they are real, in the sense of being living animals. These creatures are more in the way of supernatural phenomena, like ghosts and poltergeists, something that many people come into contact with, but few can explain the meaning of, although all who have made the contact have been profoundly affected."

This need to be affected by something beyond ourselves, something which exists but is only ever best glimpsed out the corner of our eye, has been a constant theme throughout human history, almost it seems an essential part of what makes us what we are. All cultures have them, creatures that may be benevolent or malignant, horrible or beautiful, creatures whose full comprehension stays just beyond the grope of our minds. Is it merely an ability to dream up amusing fantasies that frighten, entertain and delight us or some deeper drive for knowledge of Heaven and Earth and everything between?

Too big a question for this humble introduction, nevertheless it is not surprising that contact with the 'Other' has been a constant theme in literature, and that the genres of science fiction, horror and fantasy, where all manner of speculations may be found, have provided the most fertile ground for its detailed exploration.

Fourteen tales by some of Canberra's finest writers are gathered here, displaying a rich blend of humour, horror, fantasy and hard SF, all beautifully illustrated by arch raconteur Les Petersen.

Enjoy.

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