Australian Shadows Awards

The 2022 Australian Shadows Awards are now closed to submissions.

Full submission and eligibility details can be found here.

The Australian Shadows Awards celebrate the finest in horror and dark fiction published by an Australasian within the calendar year. Works are judged on the overall effect of a work—the skill, delivery, and lasting resonance.

Entries are open across eight categories, including: the Paul Haines Award for Long Fiction (novelettes and novellas) in honour of the New Zealand/Australian author Paul Haines; The Rocky Wood Award for Non-fiction and Criticism named after former HWA president and AHWA member Rocky Wood; short fiction; novels, collected works; edited works; poetry and graphic novels/comics (for works written by an Australian or New Zealand writer).

Previous winners have included Greg McLean, Aaron Sterns, Lee Battersby, Terry Dowling, Paul Haines, Alan Baxter, Brett McBean, Kirstyn McDermott, Bob Franklin, Kaaron Warren, Will Elliott, Deborah Biancotti and Amanda Spedding.

The judges for the 2022 Awards are:

SHORT FICTION
Convenor Paul Sheldon
Judge Matt Tighe
Judge Peter Bowdidge
NON-FICTION
Convenor Kathryn Hore
Judge Pauline Yates
Judge Greg Chapman
GRAPHIC NOVEL
Convenor Matt Tighe
Judge Bernie Rutkay
Judge Greg Chapman
POETRY
Convenor Kyla Lee Ward
Judge Louise Zedda-Sampson
Judge Kathryn Hore
NOVEL
Convenor Lynette Watters
Judge Emma Nayfie
Judge Brett Coster
LONG FICTION
Convenor Emma Jones
Judge Kim Gaal
Judge Jeremy Neal
COLLECTED WORKS
Convenor Paige Belfield
Judge Jason Ezra
Judge Pauline Yates
EDITED WORKS
Convenor Craig Bezant
Judge C H Celia Pearce
Judge Donna Reberger