Author: Alix E. Harrow

Lists and awards

The days of list-abundance might be finally winding to a close. This week, all I’ve got for you are a couple of upcoming-books-in-January lists. First, My Bookish Ways has their SFF and YA list up. Kirkus Reviews also has a list of upcoming releases, including commentary and summaries. I’m especially intrigued by Jo Walton’s collected reviews in What Makes this Book So Great, and Chang-Rae Lee’s On Such a Full Sea. Lastly,

Happy 2014, all ye subscribers to the Gregorian Calendar (you think I’m joking, but my Ethiopian roommate informed me that it’s 2006 in Ethiopia right now, and New Year’s is in September).  Also, writing that date was a struggle for me, I just want everyone to know.  If it had been on paper, I’d have been stuck trying to smoothly turn a 3 into a 4, which we all know is doomed to failure.

Awards and things arranged in lists

You see, there are actually several different species of end-of-the-year lists. 

Welcome to Christmas-is-Officially-a-Week-Away mania, in which there are many lists made and gift guides hurriedly compiled. Unfortunately for me, most of these lists only apply to me, rather than the people I desperately need to find last-minute gifts for.

Lists and awards

There’s only one piece of award news this week: The Carl Brandon Parallax and Kindred Awards are open for nominations now, which recognizes the best speculative fiction dealing with race and ethnicity in 2013.

But what we lack in awards, we make up for in massive mid-December listing.

Due to my lack of restraint, and an attempt to make this essay a little more legible for the speed-readers, this week’s post features subject headings and bullet points.

Lists and awards

First, Samuel “How were you not already a Grand Master” Delany has officially been made a Grand Master by the SFWA.  Delany’s work, which deals with the light themes of human sexuality, class and hierarchy, and the frayed edges of civilizations, has consistently pushed the boundaries of SFF subject matter.

And now to the lists! 

Well, considering that it was a long holiday weekend in which I accomplished nothing, I kind of expected the rest of the world to be lolling around on their Mom’s couches too. But they weren’t. The first news is that the GoodReads Choice awards have been announced, with almost 2 million votes. The Ocean at the End of the Lane won the fantasy category, which is fun because people keep trying to label it as a “kid’s” book. Even more entertainingly, Atwood won the science fiction category with MaddAddam. 

There wasn’t a ton of action this week on the prize and list-making front, possibly because the entire commercial world is sliding into that pit of shame and horror that we call Black Thursday. That said, the British Science Fiction Award is now open for nominations, and I recently found the monthly book drop at Geek Exchange, which helpfully lists the important speculative fiction releases for the month. Oh, and here’s an all-time list of the best horror stories ever.

But there were about a bajillion (that’s a metric gazillion) interesting and awesome articles about the books we all love so much.

On this, my inaugural Websday address, I’m pleased to say that the interwebs have risen to the occasion and provided me with a veritable sea of links for you all. First, in prize-giving news, we’re now in the final round of Goodreads Reader’s Choice Award, which is primarily useful as a book-recommending tool. The SFWA is now accepting nominations for the Nebula Award, although it’s a members-only affair, and Analog’s Award Ballot is also up.  Finally, Tor.com offers some thoughts on the Women’s Prize for Fiction, and why the SFF community rarely gets within spitting distance of it.