Category: awards

awards, conventions, Nebula Awards

Nebula Awards Recap

M.E. Garber

The Nebula Awards Conference weekend was a blast! I got to meet new people, put faces and voices (!) to names and still pictures, and hang out with some familiar friends–and watch as John Wiswell, one of my Viable Paradise classmates, won the award for Best Short Story with his story (published at Diabolical Plots), “Open House on Haunted Hill.” Go ahead and read it. I’ll still be here, and you won’t regret it. So first of all, a HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to John!

I also volunteered a bit, and got to help people enter the Hopkinson Suite, many for the first time. I really enjoyed my volunteering time, and was very fortunate that no laser bats found the Airship during my watches! Things went a lot smoother this year, since the people behind the scenes had last year’s ongoing re-boots as a “don’t do this” training exercise. And many of the good things remained–the Airship role-play embraced through Slack, Cuddles the dragon at the ceremony, and the continuation of increasing BIPOC faces both in attendance, on panels, and receiving awards.

In my house, things went a bit sideways when (because the conference was run on Pacific Time in honor of its supposing to be held in person in LA) I just set my office clock to PT and referred to all times in PT to my husband so as not to mess up and miss my volunteer time slots. But my husband kept referring to ET, where we live–and lunch came at some truly strange times, let me tell you.

And how about that photo? That’s what happens when the universe leaks in through your Airship porthole!

I know this is a wayyyyyyy too short a summary of three days, but I’m still tired, still trying to get back to “regular life” in the wake of the conference chaos, and honestly, unless you were there, you won’t want to relive it with me. Just know it was fun and I hope I see you there next year.

Speaking of which…it’s still not too late to join the 2021 Nebula Conference! All the panels were recorded, and can be viewed from now through March 2022 when you have a membership. In addition, there will be ongoing Co-Writing Dates throughout the year, where you attend through Zoom, write for a period of time, then break to chat or get advice, then write some more. More words through peer pressure–but only with a membership. And you don’t have to be a SFWA member for any of this. If you just want to watch the awards ceremony, you can do that, too, right here.

awards, publication, Writing

It’s That Nominating Time of Year

M.E. Garber

It’s awards season in the SFF world. Time to think about what you’ve read in 2018, what you’ve loved, and if you’re able, nominate works for the Nebula, World Fantasy, and/or Hugo Awards, among others. To make it easy, many writers, now including me, make a recap post of what they have that is eligible.

I had only one short story published this year, but it’s one I love dearly. If you’ve read it, I hope you love it too, and will consider it in your nomination choices. Waaaaay back in January, Galaxy’s Edge Magazine published After the Story Ends. (It’s in Issue 30, if that helps.) It’s a story about the Fae, and depression, and how sometimes, bringing your stolen child back from Fairy isn’t the hardest part.

Thanks for your consideration.

awards, goals, Writing

A Residency!

M.E. Garber

current mood: jumping for joy

I am very pleased to announce that I’ve been selected for a two-week writer’s residency in Key West this fall. The Key West Literary Society sent me an acceptance email this morning, and I am still bubbling over with my joy and enthusiasm for this amazing opportunity, and at the thought of having two weeks totally dedicated to all things writing (and editing)! Until then, I’ll be editing the novel in bits and pieces, hoping to get the first revision pass done and the novel sent out to my  beta readers.

Now, can we all just cross our fingers that no hurricanes blow in and toss this lovely plan into the weeds?

awards, Reading, Writing

Event Horizon Available as a FREE Download

M.E. Garber

Event Horizon is an anthology of stories by authors eligible for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer–meaning writers whose first pro sale have been published within the last two years. The volume contains over 75 authors and 350,000 words, and, hanks to the efforts of Jake Kerr, is available for free download–until July 15, 2017–at the link above. That is a whole lot of good reading.

 

Congratulations to all those within the anthology, and good luck to each of those eligible for this year’s award!

awards, goals, Writing

Unbelievable!

M.E. Garber

You know how sometimes, every once in a great while, life throws you such a curve that you simply don’t know what to make of it? Do you recall that feeling of expectant suspension, as you simply stand waiting for your emotional brain to catch up to your logical brain, which has just been given this unexpected news? The limbo that you wait within, while all parts of you process the knowledge, seeking flaws or inconsistencies that simply are not there, but that you must go through the process until you can believe this thing?

Are you in great enough suspense yet? (Um, I am.)

The day after I returned from Taos Toolbox, Hollywood called me. Me! Joni Labaqui of the Writers of the Future Contest informed a very stunned me that I’m a second quarter Finalist in the 33rd Writers of the Future contest.

I was very demure, I think. It’s because I couldn’t process the info. I remember saying, “I think I need to sit down.” I remember telling her that I would probably not believe it the next morning, and she laughed. I fuzzily recall going into the living room and telling my husband, who seemed puzzled not to see me shouting for joy. And later, much later, I did cry–for the shock and surprise and the joy of it all combined into these tears that burned my eyes and cleared my head.

And so now, let me shout my joy, my utter delight!: I am a Finalist! Me! Whoo-hoooooo!

If you have no idea what I’m talking about, let me explain a bit here: The Writers of the Future Contest has been running 33 years, and is for “new” writers–those without significant publications to their name. The contest is divided into 4 quarters each year, and each quarter thousands of writers worldwide submit their best work. Of those thousands, only 8 are chosen as Finalists. Do you see the reason for my shock?

But this isn’t the end! In the coming weeks, the 8 will be narrowed to 3 Winners. This repeats in each quarter of the year, and at the year’s end, the 3 Winning Stories from each quarter compete head-to-head as the judges wrangle out the Golden Pen Winner for the year. Each of the Winning Stories will be published in the annual anthology, and perhaps for a lucky one or two other Finalist, there will be a “Published Finalist”–their story pubbed alongside the rest in the anthology.

So, I’ve made incredible, unhoped for progress. But I’m far from the pinnacle, and honestly, I have no expectation of making it further. And yet, just having made it here? It takes my breath away still. And I’ve got to admit, I’m going to be on edge, my breath catching, every time my phone rings until the three are announced.

Cross your fingers for me?

awards, Reading, research, What I'm Reading, Writing

Need A Little Something to Read?

M.E. Garber

Here’s a write-up from NPR on the Campbell Award and the authors eligible for it, highlighting the 2014 Campbellian Anthology. As the story states, this is a really long work, so you’ll have both plenty to keep you reading, and plenty of reading that you’ll like. You can find the anthology here, free to download and to read.

Why else should you read this, except for the joy of it (since initial voting for the Campbell Award is over)? Well, as K. Tempest Bradford suggests, its a good way to see what editors are publishing from the “young up-and-comers,” and how those stories compare to what you may be writing. Not to copy them, but to try judging your work’s quality, side by side, against a wide variety of “competition.”

And also to see who you may be reading more of in the near future! Good luck and best wishes to all those eligible for the Campbell Award this year. And for the rest of us, happy (and free!) reading.

awards, Writing Workshops

Two Countdowns

M.E. Garber

COUNTDOWN ONE

53 hours to go and there is only $63 left to raise in order for the “What Fates Impose” Kickstarter to be fully funded. The goals of 200 contributors has been met–woo-hoo!–and now it’s just a few more bucks to go. Interested in some really awesome reading by good writers, published by really good people? Check this out and donate today. (Yes, I’m pushing this because I really want to read it.) Oh, and if you’re interested in an publishing an ebook, check out that last contribution level. You’ll not only get a copy of this anthology, but you’ll get an awesome discount on ebook conversions from Alliteration Ink, the publisher of this anthology.

COUNTDOWN TWO

The storySouth Million Writers Award for 2013 is now accepting nominations, and donations for prizes. This award is open to any 1000+ word short story first published in 2012 in an online publication. Both editors and readers may nominate stories, so what are you waiting for? Head over to their website, read the official rules, and donate, then nominate. There are awesome things being published online, as you all are aware. So nominate your favorite today, and maybe that author will get a bonus cash prize!

COUNTDOWN THREE (’cause I’m really bad at math)

Only a few more hours until I start Mary Robinette Kowal’s Short Story Weekend Intensive class. However, she just posted another version of this class for later in the year. Check it out at her blog. Registration opens July 20, and spots tend to move fast. Be ready at the crack of noon Central Time, if you’re interested. Before then, I hope to have posted regarding the class I’m taking this weekend (starting tonight–gulp!), so I’ll get to tell you how many flavors of amazing it is. (My hint: if you don’t get a spot, sign up for the waiting list. You’ll get first crack at the next class she offers. Just don’t tell anyone I told you 😉 )

awards, Writing

Know a Writer Who Could Use a Monetary Award?

M.E. Garber

Well, duh, you probably do! So, listen up. There’s still time before the April 9th deadline to nominate your favorite qualifying story for the storySouth Million Writers Award. To qualify, a story of 1000+ words must have been first published online by a magazine (not self-published on a website) in the 2011 calendar year. Simple enough. Readers get to nominate one story, editors of magazines may nominate up to three stories. All the rules and such, along with some history of the award can be found here.

Before you ask, no, I have nothing that qualifies for this award. And yes, I did nominate a story already. So, hurry along and help out a friend, or yourself, gain some notice and perhaps to win a cash prize. Because after all, we’re in this writing game together.

Readers, writers, editors form an interdependent world. I don’t know about you, but I like to beautify my corner of the world. Supporting this prize (by nominating a writer’s story and/or donating a few bucks to the kitty) looks pretty beautiful to me.