Following the completion of its recent Annual General Meeting, SF Canada is pleased to announce its Board of Directors for the coming year. They are: Arinn Dembo (British Columbia), President; Matthew Bin (Ontario), Vice-President; Jane Glatt (Ontario), Secretary-Treasurer; Joe Mahoney (Ontario) and Paula Johansen (British Columbia), Directors-at-Large.
We wish the new Board well in their service to the organization and look forward to the leadership and guidance they will bring to their roles.
In the last week, many people have reported financial irregularities and unprofessional personal behaviour by the owners of ChiZine Publishing. SF Canada has delisted this publisher from its market list and is in discussion as to further steps necessary to both uphold our mandate and assist the authors (members and non-members alike) who have been harmed. With unfortunate timing, the unfolding situation occurred too late for voting by members on a plan of action at our currently-running annual general meeting.
We do not have the resources or authority to act as a court or professional disciplinary body; however, SF Canada strongly believes that it is unethical for a publisher to withhold royalties or royalty statements, to pressure or bully an author, or to take advantage of staff, contracted editors, or interns. We recognize the important role of volunteer activity; but exploitation and degrading treatment of others have absolutely no place in our community.
We encourage CZP authors and others who experience similar issues now or in future to contact Writer Beware and/or the Writers Union of Canada; but we are supportive of all affected writers, whether they choose to come forward or not. We also encourage affected CZP authors to add their name to Dora Badger’s list for the purpose of promoting their other work outside of their CZP publications. A StoryBundle is also being created for this purpose; contact Doug Smith at http://www.smithwriter.com/email if you are an affected ChiZine Publications writer wishing to participate.
We are striving to continue our mandate of encouraging professional and ethical behaviour throughout the Canadian speculative fiction community. This occasion is a reminder to writers and publishers alike to be attentive to business practises, and to encourage associates and colleagues to ask for and give advice and help.
This statement has been issued by the President and Executive of SF Canada.
SF Canada member Douglas Smith will be offering an online workshop via Cat Rambo’s “Rambo Academy” on selling reprints and other ways to leverage your short fiction. The workshop is scheduled for Saturday, July 21 and registration information is available here.
What do you do with a story after it’s been published? In this workshop, multi-award-winning Canadian writer Douglas Smith, whose work has been published in twenty-six languages and thirty-two countries, discusses story rights and licensing, including language, geography, media (print, electronic, audio), and occurrence rights (first rights and reprints), and how to sell reprints to markets you may be overlooking, including audio and international foreign language markets. The author of Playing the Short Game: How to Market & Sell Short Fiction, Smith will give you the vocabulary and knowledge you need to make more from your short fiction.
In other news, Douglas’ shapeshifter story “Out of the Light” will be reprinted in the upcoming antho “Crazy Town” from Rogue Blades Entertainment.
SF Canada member Ron Friedman’s novel Typhoon Time is currently available in the 2018 Military SF Bundle from Storybundle.
The bundle of twelve novels is curated by bestselling author Kevin J. Anderson and offers “books from the high-tech battlefields right here on our home planet to the farthest reaches of the galaxy.”
Storybundle allows the consumer to set their own price for bundles, and to support charities and independent authors. The 2018 Military SF Bundle offer ends on July 19, 2018.
SF Canada members Joe Mahoney and Douglas Smith will be on hand at Ad Astra in the Dealer’s Room with various titles for sale during the convention. The Dealer’s Room will be open Friday 5-11 pm, Saturday 10 am-6:30 pm, and Sunday 10 am-4 pm.
Be sure to stop by to find Joe and Douglas, say hello, and check out some great Canadian specfic titles!
SF Canada member Rebecca Diem recently launched the fourth and final book in her Tales of the Captain Duke series, Of Tempests and Teacups. Rebecca will be attending Ad Astra this coming weekend and celebrating the book’s launch at 6 p.m. on Saturday, July 14, in Room 1086 at the convention hotel, the Sheraton Parkway North.
About the book:
Stop the Tradists. Save the Captain Duke.
When the Captain Duke goes missing, Clara takes the helm to face enemies old and new. Torn between desire and duty, she must use her skills as both pirate and debutante to unite her allies and save the day.
Even if it means facing her greatest fears—and returning to where it all began.
Find out more about the series on Rebecca’s website.
