Just got myself some new prints – by one of my favourite artists, Andy Kehoe – limited edition and signed, from the very cool Outre Gallery. This one’s called “There is no end”.
Aurealis Award finalist
The Last to Go has been selected as one of six finalists for the science fiction novella category of the Aurealis Awards for 2023. I’m stoked – Aurealis is held in such high regard in the speculative fiction field. To see my name listed there is rather magical.
The Last to Go – Book Launch Playlist
I created a playlist for my book launch in October. All of the tracks, except for the last, are referenced in some way throughout the book. Some references are obvious, others very subtle. The first reference is particularly oblique!
| Inama Nushif Children of Dune soundtrack Brian Tyler | Impending loss Rus comes back |
| Home is so Sad Postcards | Mary’s perception, the “boys’” determination |
| This Charming Man The Smiths | Rus’s last-minute efforts |
| Imagining My Man Aldous Harding | The cause, the effect, that conversation |
| Free World Kirsty Maccoll | Adam’s code, Charlie’s fear |
| Hurt Johnny Cash | “The Cascades” The world collapses, the return to the earth Charlie’s theory, Adam’s ridicule |
| Nuclear Seasons Charli XCX | Charlie’s fears for Rus, Rus’s fears for Fiddich – Ballock Station |
| A Line in the Sand PJ Harvey | Ballock Station The emptiness, the loss |
| What Else Is There? Röyksopp | The search for the Rosetta Stone Arcturus revealed |
| Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) Arcade Fire | Rus’s memories of his family |
| Big Yellow Taxi Joni Mitchell | Rus’s reflections, leaving the farm |
| Way You Walk So / Marc Almond | The bonding, the exclusion |
| Vancouver Jeff Buckley | Charlie’s uncertainty, Adam’s eyes |
| Keep On Running Andy Bull | Adam’s game, Adam’s will |
| Paint It, Black The Rolling Stones | Entering the pub, leaving the past |
| Remind Me Röyksopp | Charlie’s uncertainty, Rus’s loss, the night in the attic |
| Season Song Blue States | Charlie and Issy’s metaphor A nod to 28 Days Later |
| Myth Beach House | Everything is flattening, becoming brittle |
| Watch the World The Little Heroes | The evening, Rus’s naming colours |
| Miss the Girl The Creatures | The truth about the Aldis farm |
| Are We Still Married His Name is Alive | The crows are at the door |
| One For You The Knife | Charlie’s existential beliefs, Rus’s awakening |
| We’re Both So Sorry Mirah | “The Cascades” The world collapses |
| Mind HK 119 | Charlie and Issy’s pragmatism |
| When You Were Mine Cyndi Lauper | Complications: Adam, Rus, Charlie and Issy The visit to Hobart |
| The Way Is Shut Moonsocket | “The Cascades” Rus and Adam’s conversation |
| Boy Scouts Of America Saint Etienne | The long night Adam’s damage/Adam’s code |
| Exits Foals | The false twilight, Rus and Fiddich’s sprint for safety |
| An Ending (Ascent) Brian Eno | The horses’ transformation A nod to 28 Days Later |
Photo: Joe Armao (Rising Festival 2022)
Clunes Booktown Festival 2024
“Running from dawn to dusk in the historic township of Clunes in Regional Victoria. A two day festival full of author and artist talks, workshops and live entertainment for the whole family.”
I’ll be there on Saturday 23 March for a “meet the author” event in the B marquee. I’ll try not to be boring, but no promises.
Aurealis nominations
My publisher has nominated The Last to Go in two categories for the Aurealis Awards: Best Horror and Best Sci-Fi Short Fiction. There are two subcategories to these awards, short story and novella, so The Last to Go is in the latter.
Aurealis is Australia’s longest running small-press magazine for speculative fiction, I had a short story published in it quite some time ago and hold it in high esteem. Getting published in Aurealis was the first time I thought I might have a smidge of writing talent.
There are some strong contenders on the nominations list (Angela Slatter and Garth Nix stand out) so the competition is considerable and I won’t be holding my breath.
Shortlists will be announced in March 2024, the start of the Australian autumn. I suspect that Icarus would see this as symbolic…!
Victorian Premier’s Literary Award nomination
My publisher has nominated two of their books from the last 12 months to the fiction category of the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award 2024. Mine is one of those two. Pretty stoked about that.
The Last to Go
My first novel, The Last to Go, was launched today. Love the cover design and its reference to the burning scarecrows, the hint of wings and the flames, and how it connects with the Icarus myth. Oh and the hint of gold, an important colour within the story…!
Blurb:
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE THE LAST OF HUMANITY IN A DYING WORLD…? Most of the Earth’s population is gone. Many of those who survive have been turned into predatorial scarecrows that stand silent in the fields by day, while bringing death in the dark of night.
Despite the global devastation, Icarus and Charlton maintain a semblance of normal life on their sugarcane farm, bonding with other survivors in their community.
Icarus longs to return to the south and find his sense of belonging, in opposition to Charlton’s desire to remain on the farm, creating tension between them.
With the unexpected arrival of a charming and manipulative ex-soldier named Adam, conflicts arise while dark secrets brew beneath the surface of false hopes.
As the ‘crows encroach upon the farmhouse, Icarus and Charlton navigate their relationship and survival in an unprecedented situation, learning what it means to be human in a dying world…
Available in Australia: Readings Books , Angus and Robertston, Booktopia, Dymocks and worldwide via Barnes and Noble
Cover designs
My horror novella, The Last to Go, is contracted for publication in the middle of next year. I’m pretty excited about it, my first published piece
for a long time, and my first book.
I’ve been making notes for the cover designers – identifying themes and making suggestions for the colour palette. Based on that I created some images using Midjourney (well, the AI created them, but I fed it the details of what I wanted!). I’m pretty happy with them – the first one is of Rus (Icarus), one of the main characters, and includes the all-important reference to flames. And it captures the tone of the story surprisingly well.
The others show the ‘crows and the sugar cane. Happy with them too. Not that any of these will be used, but it’s nice to start visualising things.
The ‘crows:
Millowl
The western headlands of Phillip Island (Millowl is the name the Bunurong People call the island), beyond the site of its famous “penguin parade” and close to The Nobbies, is a remarkable place. It was once covered in old beach shacks, ugly and treeless, but somehow charming, which overlooked Western Port Bay on one side and Bass Straight on the other. And now those shacks are all gone, thanks to a decades-spanning government reclamation program. The headlands are now wild again, birds of prey and Cape Barren geese roam across the cape during the day (seems fitting that a bird with the word “cape” in its name should do this), and at dusk in summer, short tailed shearwaters and little penguin return to their burrows.
I visited there shortly after Melbourne came out of lockdown; it was the perfect place to go after being cooped up for so long. Relentless wind, the smell and the sound of the ocean, distant horizons, no people… perfect source material for post-apocalyptic story crafting. Also a nice spot for a holiday.
A simple launch
In just over half an hour, at 11.59pm, the lockdown in Melbourne ends. Apparently, my home city has endured the longest of any lockdown throughout the world. Its end seems like a good time to launch something new; very symbolic and full of hope for things to be different.
This post marks the launch of my new website, which I’ve created purely to support my writing endeavours.
As to the lockdown, at the very least it’s provided some good material for my writing…
AD Lyall 