John Scalzi, the President of SFWA, has announced the appointment of Cynthia Felice as the organization’s ombudsman. The ombudsman serves as the members’ advocate to the board of directors, on any issue of concern to the organization or its individual members. The position was created in 2008 by Russell Davis and was previously filled by Lee Martindale.
Following complaints by authors about Night Shade Books’ practices and an apology from Night Shade with promises to correct their mistakes, SFWA has placed Night Shade on a one-year probation as a qualifying market for SFWA Membership. During that time, fiction contracted by Night Shade will not be considered qualifying (although it may be retroactively if Night Shade completes the terms of its probation).
The results of the SFWA Board elections were announced at the SFWA Business meeting in Cocoa Beach, Florida on May 16. The new board will officially take office on July 1.
President: John Scalzi
Vice-President: Mary Robinette Kowal
Secretary: Robert Howe
Treasurer: Amy Sterling Casil
South Central Regional Director: Lee Martindale
Overseas Regional Director: Sean Williams (Australia)
The Nebula Awards were presented on Saturday May 15 in Cocoa Beach. The weekend was scheduled to coincide with the final launch of the space shuttle Atlantis and many of the attendees watched the launch from the Causeway, with many of the nominees watching from NASA’s Banana River Viewing Area. Winners (including previously announced honorees) are listed below.
Solstice Awards: Tom Doherty, Terri Windling, Donald A. Wollheim
Service to SFWA: Vonda McIntyre, Keith Stokes
Author Emeritus: Neal Barrett, Jr.
Damon Knight Grand Master: Joe W. Haldeman
Andre Norton Award: The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, Catherynne M. Valente
Ray Bradbury Award: Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell for District 9
Short Story: “Spar,” by Kij Johnson
Novelette: “Sinner, Baker, Fabulist, Priest; Red Mask, Black Mask, Gentleman, Beast,” by Eugie Foster
Novella: The Women of Nell Gwynne’s, Kage Baker
Novel: The Windup Girl, by Paolo Bacigalupi
For the first time, this year’s Nebula Awards will be streamed live on the web. The webcast will begin at 7:00 Eastern Time, to coincide with the start of the Nebula banquet. The Awards ceremony is scheduled to begin at 8:15 Eastern Time.
SFWA has named Neil Barrett, Jr. as this year’s Author Emeritus. Barrett is the author of more than 50 novels, including The Hereafter Gang, Through Darkest America and The Prince of Christler-Coke. He has published nearly 70 short stories, many of which are collected in A Different Vintage and Perpetuity Blues. Barrett will be honored at this year’s Nebula Award weekend in Cocoa Beach, Florida on the weekend of May 14-15.
Two recipients for this year’s Service to SFWA Awards have been announced. Vonda N. McIntyre will receive a service award for her years maintaining various SFWA member websites. Keith Stokes will be honored for his service on multiple committees and management of SFWA news alerts. The presentations will be made during the Nebula Awards weekend in Cocoa Beach, Florida the weekend of May 14-16.
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) has announced the ballot for this year’s Board of Directors. Members will be receiving ballots in the mail soon and all ballots must be received by April 23. The winners will be announced at the Nebula Awards Weekend in Cocoa Beach, FL and will serve out a term from this year’s Nebula Weekend until Nebula Weekend 2011.
President: John Scalzi (unopposed)
Vice-President: Mary Robinette Kowal (unopposed)
Secretary: Isamu Fukui and Robert J. Howe
Treasurer: Amy Sterling Casil and Eric Fullilove
Overseas Regional Director: Sean Williams (unopposed)
Canadian Regional Director: No candidates declared
South/Central Regional Director: Lee Martindale and Diana Rowland
The SFWA has announced the nominees for this year’s Nebula, Norton, and Bradbury Awards. The Nebula recognizes excellence in fiction, the Norton in Young Adult novels, and the Bradbury in screenwriting. This year’s awards will be presented at a banquet in Cocoa Beach, Florida on May 15.
Short story
“Hooves and the Hovel of Abdel Jameela,” Saladin Ahmed (Clockwork Phoenix 2, Norilana Books, Jul09)
“I Remember the Future,” Michael A. Burstein (I Remember the Future, Apex Publications, Nov08)
“Non-Zero Probabilities,” N. K. Jemisin (Clarkesworld, Nov09)
“Spar,” Kij Johnson (Clarkesworld, Oct09)
“Going Deep,” James Patrick Kelly (Asimov’s Science Fiction, Jun09)
“Bridesicle,” Will McIntosh (Asimov’s Science Fiction, Jan09)
Novelette
“The Gambler,” Paolo Bacigalupi (Fast Forward 2, Pyr Books, Oct08)
“Vinegar Peace, or the Wrong-Way Used-Adult Orphanage,” Michael Bishop (Asimov’s Science Fiction, Jul08)
“I Needs Must Part, The Policeman Said,” Richard Bowes (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Dec09)
“Sinner, Baker, Fabulist, Priest; Red Mask, Black Mask, Gentleman, Beast,” Eugie Foster (Interzone, Jan/Feb09)
“Divining Light,” Ted Kosmatka (Asimov’s Science Fiction, Aug08)
“A Memory of Wind,” Rachel Swirsky (Tor.com, Nov09)
Novella
The Women of Nell Gwynne’s, by Kage Baker (Subterranean Press, Jun09)
“Arkfall,” Carolyn Ives Gilman (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Sep09)
“Act One,” Nancy Kress (Asimov’s Science Fiction, Mar09)
Shambling Towards Hiroshima, by James Morrow (Tachyon Publications, Feb09)
“Sublimation Angels,” Jason Sanford (Interzone, Sep/Oct09)
The God Engines, by John Scalzi (Subterranean Press, Dec09)
Novel
The Windup Girl, by Paolo Bacigalupi (Night Shade Books, Sep09)
The Love We Share Without Knowing, by Christopher Barzak (Bantam, Nov08)
Flesh and Fire, by Laura Anne Gilman (Pocket, Oct09)
The City & The City, by China Miéville (Del Rey, May09)
Boneshaker, by Cherie Priest (Tor, Sep09)
Finch, by Jeff VanderMeer (Underland Press, Oct09)
Bradbury Award
Star Trek, JJ Abrams, Roberto Orci, and Alex Kurtzman (Paramount, May09)
District 9, Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell (Tri-Star, Aug09)
Avatar, James Cameron (Fox, Dec 09)
Moon, Duncan Jones and Nathan Parker (Sony, Jun09)
Up, Bob Peterson and Pete Docter (Disney/Pixar, May09)
Coraline, Henry Selick (Laika/Focus Feb09)
Andre Norton Award
Hotel Under the Sand, by Kage Baker (Tachyon, Jul09)
Ice, by Sarah Beth Durst (Simon and Schuster, Oct09)
Ash, by by Malinda Lo (Little, Brown & Company, Sep09)
Eyes Like Stars, by Lisa Mantchev (Feiwel and Friends, Jul09)
Zoe’s Tale, by John Scalzi (Tor Aug08)
When You Reach Me, by by Rebecca Stead (Wendy Lamb Books, 2009)
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland In A Ship Of Her Own Making, by Catherynne M. Valente (Catherynne M. Valente, Jun09)
Leviathan, by Scott Westerfeld (Simon, Oct09)
Elizabeth Moon has announced her resignation from the Board of Directors of SFWA effective immediately. Moon has stated that her resignation is due to issues external to SFWA and in no way due to any conflicts with SFWA, the other officers, or any members. President Russell Davis has announced Michael Capobianco, who has previously served the organization as Treasurer, Vice President, and President, to fill out Moon’s term.