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Chimaera Publications Chimaera Publications i(A38502 works by) (Organisation) assertion
Born: Established: ca. 1989 Mount Waverley, Ashwood - Mulgrave area, Melbourne South East, Melbourne, Victoria, ;
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BiographyHistory

Based in Mount Waverley, Victoria, Chimaera Publications was set up by Dirk Strasser and Stephen Higgins, sometime around 1989/1990, in order to publish the speculative-fiction magazine Aurealis: Australian Fantasy and Science Fiction. The first issue, released in April 1990, included short stories from George Turner, Michael Pryor, Terry Dowling, and Susan Isle among others. The magazine has since featured stories that have won a number of prestigious literary awards, including at least five Aurealis Awards and a Ditmar Award. More than twenty others have also been short-listed for awards.

In 1995, Chimaera established the annual Aurealis Awards, which recognise achievements in Australian speculative fiction. Although Chimaera owns the awards, they have been administered by several independent organisations, including Fantastic Queensland (2004-2009) and SpecFaction NSW Inc. (2010-).

The awards have also been hosted in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, and Adelaide. In addition to Aurealis, Chimaera also publishes books. One of its earliest titles was Richard Harland's award-winning 2004 novel The Black Crusade, which won the 2004 Aurealis Award for Best Horror Novel, was named 2004 Golden Aurealis winner, and won the 2005 Ditmar award for best artwork (for Kerri Valkova). The book was also short-listed for the 2005 Ditmar Award for best novel.

Most Referenced Works

Notes

  • There is no relationship between Chimaera Publications and Chimaera Press (a one-off publishing venture believed to have been founded in Myrtle Bank, South Australia, in 1978 by David A. Myers in order to publish his book of poetry, The Oversexed Canary). There is also no connection with a similarly named press based in Berkeley, California (dating back to the late 1970s), or with Michael and Helen Hutchins's British-based publishing house Chimaera Press (located in Beckenham, Kent).

  • Chimaera (Latin for 'monster') is the name used for the scientific classification of cartilaginous fish in the order Chimaeriformes, known informally as ghost sharks, ratfish, spookfish, and rabbitfishes. They are believed to be the oldest and most enigmatic groups of fishes alive today (www.fishbase.org).

Last amended 11 Mar 2015 14:12:23
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