SFWA President Russell Davis has announced that Madeleine Robins will be taking over as the Nebula Awards Commissioner as the new rules governing the Nebula Awards take effect. Robins takes over from Brook West, who has been administering the Nebula Awards for several years.
SFWA member and photographer Christine Valada made her Jeopardy! debut on Monday, October 26. She has won her first two games and continues as champion. Valada, who suffered a major house fire earlier this year, chaired the Nebula Awards in Los Angeles in April.
The Mystery Writers of America has announced that they will join in sponsorship of Writer Beware, a writer advocate service which exposes publishing scams, educates writers on how to protect themselves from fraud, and maintains a massive database on their website of questionable literary agents, publishers, editorial services, and literary contests. SFWA has been running Writer Beware since 1998.
The Andre Norton Award is one of the few awards presented by SFWA to still make use of a jury. The award is presented to works of excellence in young adult science fiction and fantasy. This year’s jury, comprised of James Bassett, Aliette de Bodard, Patrick Lundrigan, Michael Payne, Lawrence Schoen, Sherwood Smith, and Lindalee Stuckey, has called for publishers and authors to submit works which the jury may otherwise overlook. Publishers and authors may contact nebulanortonjury @ sfwa.org for submission information.
SFWA has announced that is will hold its annual business meeting on October 31 at 8:30 am at the Fairmont Hotel at 170 South Market Street in San Jose. The meeting will coincide with this year’s World Fantasy Con. Normally, SFWA holds this annual meeting in conjunction with Worldcon, but since SFWA’s current incorporation requires the business meeting to be held in the United States, World Fantasy Con was selected as an alternate venue.
The Board of Directors for the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) has announced a dues increase. The increase will go into effect on August 1, with members who renew or join before that date still receiving the current dues schedule.
The new rates are:
SFWA has announced the results of this year’s officer elections. All of last year’s officers were running for reelection and were unopposed, so the results are less than surprising. Nobody ran for the office of Overseas Regional Director, which is currently vacant. All officer positions are filled with one year terms while regional director terms are for three years.
President: Russell Davis
Vice-President: Elizabeth Moon
Secretary: Mary Robinette Kowal
Treasurer: Amy Casil
SFWA Western Regional Director: Jim Fiscus
SFWA Overseas Regional Director: Vacant
A lawsuit filed by Robert Fletcher against SF authors Ann Crispin and Victoria Strauss claiming defamation, loss of business and emotional distress has been dismissed with prejudice by a Massachusetts judge. Crispin and Strauss were sued in line with their volunteer work for SFWA’s “Writers Beware” site pointing out questionable agencies and business practices. The suit was dismissed because of Fletcher’s failure to respond to discovery or otherwise prosecute the lawsuit. Fletcher and his companies are currently under investigation by the Florida Attorney General’s Office. Crispin and Strauss intend to file suit against Fletcher and his companies in an attempt to recoup legal fees.
Lisa Mantchev has been named the chair of the SFWA Young Adult Committee. She takes over the role from Sherwood Smith. Mantchev has been an SFWA member since 2002 and her fiction has appeared in Clarkesworld, Weird Tales, Fantasy Magazine and Strange Horizons. Beginning in 2009, she will be publishing a young adult trilogy, The Théâtre Illuminata.
John E. Johnston III has been appointed to chair SFWA’s Griefcom Committee. Johnston has already spent five years on the Grievance Committee focusing on television and movies. Johnston replaces Paul Melko, who stepped down from the position and has been working with Johnston for a smooth transition.