ASIM Back Issues

If you're reading this and live in Australia, Andromeda Spaceways is selling random back issues - a bundle of twenty for $60, including postage. That works out at $3.00 a copy. Even if you subscribe, you can always give them away to friends and family. We're trying to raise some money and get rid of back issues before Aussiecon 4. The issue we're taking there will be #47. I've arranged the art with the wonderful Greg Hughes, who has agreed to do all the art for that issue, including the cover, and there will be some very good stories in there. But we need to get rid of some back issues!

I don't usually promote stuff here, but we've all been working hard on this magazine and it's worth promoting.

if you're interested, go take a look at the web site on

THE BOY/FRIEND By R.M. Corbet. Girlfriend Fiction 19. Sydney: Allen and Unwin 2010

Robert (R.M.) Corbet has written fiction for young adults for some time. His last Girlfriend Fiction novel, the romantic comedy Fifteen Love, was actually a re-packaged earlier novel, but this one is brand new. Like Fifteen Love, it is straight romantic comedy rather than a novel with some romance included.

Somewhere in the suburbs of Melbourne (Brunswick?) live best friends Maude and Lou (named for Louis Armstrong, in his musical family). They have lived on the same street all their lives, built a tree-house together and spent hours under the now-cut-down willow trees on the banks of the Merri Creek. Unexpectedly, Lou has asked Maude on a date. Thrown off-balance, she hasn’t taken it seriously, hurting Lou’s feelings.

What now? Does she want him after all? How does she compete with the gorgeous new member of his experimental punk rock band? Or the other female member of his band, who has extremely long legs and is an expert in setting up equipment? What does she do about the clingy Andy?

Of course, this is Girlfriend Fiction. All goes well, with the help of Lou’s sister, a rusting old BMW and a bunch of big hairy bikies.

Mr Corbet certainly enjoys writing over-the-top fiction – and who can’t remember the boy/girl friendship that changed when the boy suddenly noticed you were a girl? I still have the first gift I was given by such a boy, red-faced with embarrassment, when we were twelve…

George Ivanoff's book signing

George Ivanoff, author of the novel Gamer's Quest, which I have reviewed on this blog, has asked me to let it be known that he will be doing a book signing on the weekend (see below). George is a very funny, entertaining speaker and with luck, he will read from his novel - he also has some actor training.

If you have any children or teens in your life and want a birthday gift or very early Yuletide present, this might be a good time to go along.

Eastland is in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne and you can get there easily by train - you can see it from Ringwood train station.

Where and when:

Location: Angus & Robertson Ringwood bookstore (Shop L026a) in Eastland Shopping Centre, Victoria
Date: Saturday 8 May 2010
Time: 11.30am-12.30pm