The British Science Fiction Association has announced its shortlist for the BSFA Awards.

Among many strong contenders, there are two Australians. Margo Lanagan’s story “The Point of Roses” from Black Juice is on the short fiction list, and Justine Larbalestier’s Daughters of Earth is on the non-fiction list (which is a recommended reading list — no award is given in this field).

Despite the “British” in its title, the BSFA is laudably international. Its member list is drawn from all over the world, and this year’s shortlist recognises writers and artists from Britain, America, Australia and Germany. It is possibly the most global of all the genre awards after the World Fantasy Award. To make it onto this shortlist means that the BSFA members believe you have created one of the 21 best works in the world last year. It is a huge honour.

A gladsome aside: While researching this post, I was surprised to find that my story “Hieronymous Boche” had been nominated for the BSFA Award, as were three other stories from Eidolon 1 by Lucy Sussex, Holly Phillips, and Hal Duncan. None of us made the cut to the final shortlist, but it’s a pleasure nonetheless and very good company.