All right, nominations for the 2008 Hugo Awards (for works of F&SF appearing during calendar year 2007) are due by Saturday, and I have no idea whatsoever who or what I will nominate in the various categories, except that it will not be any of the books/stories I've discussed here in the last week. Suggestions would be very welcome, either:
- Stuff I've read/seen and forgotten
- Stuff I can read/see in the next five days (I read very fast and I bittorrent, but I have very little free time this week)
- Stuff so good you can make a convincing case that I should nominate it unread/unseen. That would have to be a really good case, and I will read/see it right afterwards and then complain bitterly about your taste if I think it wasn't worth it.
I also need people for the people-categories, though I don't have to have either read or seen them, just their work. (If they're interesting-looking I'll be happy to look at their pictures too, but I draw the line at reading their palms or tattoos or minds or anything!)
I will probably do my nominating at 11:53pm on Saturday night, so I have until then to make decisions and absorb material. Categories are:
- Written Fiction (print or electronic): Novel, Novella, Novelette, Short Story
- Other Writings (print or electronic): Fanzine, Semiprozine, Related Book
- Moving Pictures or People: Dramatic Presentation Short Form & Long Form (yes, I realize that Torchwood S01E12 & E13 are eligible, having aired on 1/1/07!)
- People: Editor Short Form & Long Form, Pro Artist, Fan Artist, Fan Writer, Campbell Award (for a new writer, not a Hugo)
Detailed eligibility rules are here.
And now I find out if more than three people are actually reading this blog:
HELP!
I'd recommend:
Jo Walton's Ha'penny
Nalo Hopkinson's The New Moon's Arms
Tobias Buckell's Ragamuffin
Posted by: Fragano Ledgister | February 25, 2008 at 06:31 PM
I've emailed you off-blog...
Posted by: Michael A. Burstein | February 25, 2008 at 08:48 PM
Well, I haven't read any of the books/stories or seen any of the movies/TV, so I can't help you there. But I'd like to see both Teresa and abi nominated for Fan Writer. If nothing else, there's their work on ML, but they have excellent work in other places, too.
The guy I like best for Pro Artist dropped out last year because he'd won too often, so no use there.
Oh! Ansible for Semiprozine!
Posted by: Marilee J. Layman | February 25, 2008 at 09:58 PM
I don't have any suggestions, alas, but that's a fun conundrum to have!
Posted by: Emily | February 26, 2008 at 12:51 AM
Emily: You can have it too - anyone who joins Denvention (2008 World SF Convention) can nominate. You don't even have to go; there's a supporting membership level.
Fragano: thanks for reminding me about Walton's book - that's one I'd read and forgotten was in the proper year for eligibility.
Marilee: I've been nominating Teresa for fan writer for years. And at this point I think Semiprozine should either be abolished or the eligibility of Locus removed on the grounds that it is fully pro, not semi-pro.
My own contribution: I plan to nominate Catherynne Valente's second Orphan's Tales book, In the Cities of Coin and Spice
. I nominated the first one last year and it didn't make the ballot, though it did pick up a Tiptree Award.
Posted by: Susan de Guardiola | February 26, 2008 at 07:57 AM
Since you already know I read this blog, I don't need to offer any suggestions. This is fortunate, as I'm even further behind than you are...
Posted by: Paul A. | February 26, 2008 at 08:26 AM
Fragano:
I couldn't find the Buckell at any bookstore within easy range, but I found the Hopkinson and I LOVED it! Thank you for the recommendation!
Posted by: Susan de Guardiola | February 27, 2008 at 09:13 AM
Dramatic Presentation, Short Form: "Blink," Stephen Moffat. (Doctor Who.)
Posted by: TexAnne | February 27, 2008 at 04:56 PM
TexAnne:
Oooh, yeah, that one was a standout, wasn't it?
Posted by: Susan de Guardiola | February 27, 2008 at 06:15 PM