Vox

I like to go to author readings at cons (and elsewhere) when time allows. But often they are not well attended. I can't figure this out. They are the best way to really get to the heart of an author's work - after all nobody else knows the work like the author. Likewise, to get a feel for the way the author thinks of their work you should hear how they express that work. Of course some authors express themselves better than others.

Which brings me to Year's Best Australian Science Fiction & Fantasy edited by Bill Congreve and Michelle Marquardt. Specifically, the fourth such edition that Bill & Michelle have put together and I think the best one yet in terms of the average quality of the stories included. Yet one story really stood out from the others - it really spoke to me. I mean really spoke - in the voice of Richard Harland. As soon as I started reading Richard's story, I started to hear it being read to me in his rather distinctive voice. I couldn't shake it - not that I wanted to, it did add to the story. I'm not saying it was better than any of the other stories in the collection, but it is the one I remember the best.

I'm not sure what the message is here, other than if you get the opportunity to hear Richard reading one of his stories then take it.