It may come as a surprise to learn of an ongoing link between our antipodean horror community, and a fellow body operating in Italy.
Several years ago, The Australasian Horror Writers Association (AHWA) was contacted by Alberto Panicucci of RiLL – Riflessi di Luce Lunare (which roughly translates as Moonlight Reflections).
RiLL are a cultural organisation who have operated since 1992. Since 1994 they have run an international competition for a Trophy for the Best Fantastic Story, in which they solicit entries from across the globe. In the 2021 edition, 300+ entries were solicited from horror organisations around the world.
In addition, since 2003, RiLL have produced a series of annual anthologies called Mondi Incantati (Enchanted Worlds), in which they have kindly re-published, with author permission, one of the winners of the AHWA annual Robert N. Stephenson Short Story and Flash Fiction competition. Featured authors have been – Rue Karney, Xanthe Knox, Rnee De Visser, Stuart Olver, Pauline Yates and Dani Ringrose.
Here is a link to this year’s edition:
The AHWA would encourage Aussie and New Zealand authors to check out the website and Facebook pages of our Italian colleagues, and purchase an anthology if you are able to.