Lyn McConchie

Lyn McConchie is a New Zealand writer of speculative fiction (science fiction, fantasy, and horror fiction), picture books for children, a nonfiction humour series, a number of standalone books and many short stories, articles, poems, opinion pieces, and reviews. She lives in a small village in southern Hawke's Bay. Lyn is a member of the NZ Rare Breeds Association, breeding Jacob-patterned sheep on her farmlet.

McConchie has won the Best Novel category in the Sir Julius Vogel Awards for New Zealand science fiction and fantasy six times, including three for novels set in Andre Norton's worlds (by Norton and McConchie):^[1] in 2003, 2005, and 2006 for Beastmaster's Ark, Beastmaster's Circus, and The Duke's Ballad.^[2][3][4][5] (Including the three Vogel Award-winning collaborations, McConchie wrote three sequels in the Beast Master series that Norton inaugurated in 1959 and four novels in the Witch World universe that Norton created in 1963.)^[1] At the 2011 Vogels, McConchie won both the Best Novel category with The Questing Road and the Best Young Adult Novel category with Summer of Dreaming. In 2013 she won Best Novel again for her collaborated book 'Queen of Iron Years (with Sharman Horwood) ^[6]

She also won an award for editing in the Vogels' former incarnation as the New Zealand science fiction fan awards in 1990. Her short stories have won The Australian SF Foundation award (for The Third Storey) in 1992, and Muse Medallions (Best Short Story)from the International Cat Writers Association in 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2002. In 2011 her short story, Opener of Doors won a 6th Certificate of Excellence and Muse Medallion. Her short story, Waiting Tables and Time, was a finalist in the Sir Julius Vogel awards (Best Short Story) in 2009,(also a Gaylactic Awards shortlister for 2011.)In October 2012 her short story, The Domen,(Penumbra ezine May issue) won the International Cat Writers' Association Certificate of Excellence, and continued on to win their 2012 Muse medallion for this work.

Most recent books published, due for release, or turned in to publisher -

• Where There's Smoke: The Fire That Changed the Law, (Collaboration with long-time friend, Linnette Horne) appeared March 2012 from Heritage Press (NZ) a serious non-fiction study of four fires over 1967-1971 in Wellington that resulted in a major improvement in National Fire Safety Regulations. Controversial since it claims that one of the fires-which resulted in seven deaths-may have been arson and produces some proof towards that claim.

• Autumn of the Wild Pony, appeared April 2012 from Cyberwizard Publications (USA)Second in Lyn's young adult "Four Seasons Quartet". Four books set in rural New Zealand with main characters Jo (Josephine) and her best friend Rangi. Jo and Rangi find a wild pony on Jo's family farm. They capture and tame the pony and show "Lady" - until the owner arrives to demand the return of his propert

• Queen of Iron Years, appeared May 2012 from Kite Kill Publishing (UK) Collaboration with long-time friend, Sharman Horwood (Canada.) Sean, transgender and obsessed with Boudicea, oppressed in his time and place for the possibility he may carry "Tenson's Virus", successfully goes back to prevent the Queen's original mistakes in battling the Romans. This results in an alternate world/history. Note that the cover art is by Sharman Horwood. This book won the Sir Julius Vogel Award for Best SF/F Book by a New Zealand author published the previous Year.

(Queen of Iron Years has now been withdrawn from Kite Hill and it is hoped that it will be available again shortly in both POD and DL from a different venue.)

• Rustic (And Rusted) Daze, from Avalook Publications, (Australia) illustrated, now available from Lulu and other distributors. 7th in series. Humorous non-fiction about the author's farm, friends, and animals. Note that this series is also available in ebook.

• Flying Free, from Sky Warrior Books (USA) Young Adult book published June 2nd 2013. Tina lives in an inner city penthouse. When she finds a giant baby bird in a nest on the roof she discovers that the baby is a New Zealand Haasts Eagle, long believed to be extinct. Tina gathers her friends to save him while evading the sinister scientist who threatens Icarus's existence. Cover art for this book is by Sharman Horwood.

• Katalegein - a collection of feline fantasy and sci/fi stories by Lyn McConchie published July 2013 from Sky Warrior Books (USA.)Five stories unpublished, several stories winners of Certificate of Excellence/Muse Medalion awarded by International Cat Writers Assn.

• Lyn's collection (Sherlock Holmes:Repeat Business) of fourteen new Sherlock Holmes short stories appeared from Wildside Press, in January 2014. Have you ever wondered about the clients who came to the front door of 221B Baker Street: whence they derived, how they heard of Holmes, who sent them? This book answers these questions. For, as Watson said: "I have often observed the two advantages that my friend Holmes has over most other private detectives and also the police. One is that it is very rare for him to fail, and the other springs from that. In short, his clients tend to recommend him vigorously to others, and, if they have a new problem themselves, it is to Holmes their mind automatically turns for aid again." Here are fourteen new cases by repeat customers written by award-winning author Lyn McConchie, in which the famous duo deals with blackmail, a kidnapped child, a lost gem of immense value, a missing girl, and other heinous crimes, including murder most foul--and know that for every crime investigated, there will be a Holmesian solution, of far better than seven percent! Wildside is also considering the possibility of the stories appearing from a large print publisher in the UK as a double volume. Latest update on the collection is that it is now shortlisted for the (USA) Silver Falchion Award to be announced in 2015.

• Lyn's 'Winter of Waiting', third in the "Four Seasons Quartet," is scheduled by Cyberwizard Productions for publication in early 2015. Rangi is badly injured in an accident, will he recover or could he be permanently crippled? And what of the killer dog ravaging local farms and slaughtering sheep?

• Lyn's short story collection, To Serve and Protect: Tales of Lieutenant Detective Luisa Garcia of the L.A. Homicide Squad is scheduled for publication from Cyberwizard Productions at the same time.

• Lyn's western, South of Rio Chama, has been reformated and is now available as an ebook at

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/494903

• Lyn's double of 2 short new Sherlock Holmes books,(Mystery at Foxhunt Hall, and The Case of the Mummified Penguins) has been contracted to Wildside Press for publication in the first half of 2015. They will appear under the combined title of Sherlock Holmes: Beastly Mysteries. Between writing the two books Lyn was a GoH at the National Annual SF Convention held in Auckland over ANZAC weekend 2014. Lyn says that she had a wonderful time and congratulates old friends Keith and Jacqui Smith who ran Conclave 2, for doing a great job. Keith and Jacqui have the two new Holmes books dedicated to them.

• Lethe Press (USA)has just signed contracts accepting Lyn's completed disaster novel, Vestiges of Flames, for publication. This is set in New Zealand and is tentatively scheduled for the latter half of 2015. Lyn has seen Lethe's proposed cover art for this work and says that it is awesome and what is more, it's appropriate.

SPRING OF DECISIONS, Lyn's final book in the YA 'Four Season's quartet has now been completed and turned in to the publisher. Revision should begin in the course of 2015.

• Lyn's work has appeared in nine countries to date, and in four languages. Her list of published books stands at 32, (with more sold,) and her short story list at over 275. Lyn also writes consumer articles for her local newspaper, and specialty articles for several magazines in New Zealand and the UK.

See also

References

External links

• Official website
• Lyn McConchie at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
• Odyssey Con Guests
• ConText Guests

Authority control WorldCat VIAF: 53735368 LCCN: no95032563