Jonathan Strahan, the World Fantasy Award award-winning editor who has shaped over 90 books and countless articles of speculative storytelling in his 32-year career, has been selected as the inaugural honoree of the The Adam Lee Memorial Award at this year’s Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival.

"I am delighted and honoured to be the inaugural Adam Lee Memorial honoree and would like to thank the Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival for this extremely generous award,”

- Jonathan Strahan (*pictured, right*)

The Perth-based Strahan has been nominated for the prestigious Hugo Award on 19 occasions; won the World Fantasy Award in 2010, and been nominated a further three times, for his work as an editor; and, his anthologies have won the Locus Award for Best Anthology four times (including the 2021 trophy) and the Aurealis Award seven times. Other honours include the Aurealis Convenor’s Award for Excellence, the William Atheling Jr Award for Criticism and Review, the Australian National Science Fiction Convention’s Ditmar Award, and the Peter McNamara Achievement Award.

The Adam Lee Memorial Award is named in honour of the passionate archivist of film and home entertainment ephemera who passed away suddenly in July 2021. The award’s aim is to recognise a figure in the science fiction/fantasy community who has exhibited a dedication to their life’s work and served the genre and its fanbase with the enthusiasm and passion that Adam brought to all he did in his tragically short life.

"I am delighted and honoured to be the inaugural Adam Lee Memorial honouree and would like to thank the Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival for this extremely generous award,” said Strahan upon the announcement of his selection. “I have spent my life working in the science fiction field, trying to bring stories to science fiction lovers everywhere, something that has always been deeply rewarding. Although I wasn't fortunate enough to meet Adam, I have no doubt our passion for our chosen fields would have united us."

In 1990, Strahan co-founded Eidolon: The Journal of Australian Science Fiction and Fantasy, and worked on it as co-editor and co-publisher until 1999. He was also co-publisher of Eidolon Books which supported such authors as Robin Pen (The Secret Life of Rubber-Suit Monsters), Howard Waldrop (Going Home Again), Storm Constantine (The Thorn Boy) and Terry Dowling (Blackwater Days; Antique Futures).

As a freelance editor, Jonathan has edited or co-edited more than 70 anthologies, and 20 single-author story collections which have been published in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. He also works as a consulting editor for Tor.com where he acquires and edits original novellas (Tor.com Publishing) and short fiction (Tor.com).

“The criteria that I set in choosing our inaugural Adam Lee Award honouree was crucial to establishing the integrity of the award going forward,” said Festival Director Simon Foster, a friend of Lee through their shared love of the VHS heyday. “Jonathan Strahan’s all-encompassing dedication to the global audience for rich and diverse speculative genre works mirrors Adam’s passion and sets the standard for this recognition.”

Jonathan currently produces and co-hosts the Coode Street Podcast with Gary K. Wolfe (May 2010-present), which has been nominated for the British Science Fiction Award, the Ditmar Award, and eight times for the Hugo Award. He also produced and co-hosted the Coode Street Roundtable with Ian Mond and James Bradley.

FURTHER INFORMATION

JONATHAN STRAHAN:
Web: http://www.jonathanstrahan.com.au/wp/
Podcast: http://www.jonathanstrahan.com.au/wp/the-coode-street-podcast/
Tw: https://twitter.com/JonathanStrahan

SYDNEY SCIENCE FICTION FILM FESTIVAL
Web: https://www.sydneysciencefictionfilmfestival.com.au/
Fb: https://www.facebook.com/SydneyScienceFictionFilmFestival
Tw: https://twitter.com/SydSciFiFest

The ADAM LEE MEMORIAL Award:
Press: https://www.filmink.com.au/sydney-science-fiction-film-festival-announce-inaugural-adam-lee-memorial-award/