2016 Hugo Voter Packet Released by MidAmeriCon II
Members of MidAmeriCon II can begin downloading the sample work provided by 2016 Hugo Award nominees. All five Best Novel nominees are represented. Neal Stephenson’s Seveneves is complete. The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin is labeled an excerpt, though there are … Continue reading →
Erica Satifka Interview
Short story writer, freelance editor, workshopper, and debut novelist Erica Satifka has been coming on strong the last few years. Stories in Clarkesworld, Lightspeed, Daily Science Fiction, Apex. Podcasts in Drabblecast, Escape Pod, Toasted Cake, Podcastle. In August, she’ll graduate … Continue reading →
MidAmeriCon II Membership Offer
Over Memorial Day Weekend Only, the 2016 Worldcon will be offering a special Weekend (Fri-Sun) Pass* for $150 (*Weekend passes do not include Hugo Award or Site Selection Voting rights.) Or for just $50 more you can purchase a Full Attending … Continue reading →
Pixel Scroll 5/28/16 The Boy Who Cried Woof
(1) WISCON GOHS. Justine Larbalestier, Sofia Samatar, and Nalo Hopkinson. Your accidentally colour-coordinated #wiscon2016 Guests of Honour @JustineLavaworm @SofiaSamatar pic.twitter.com/TzEwaknbk4 — Nalo Hopkinson (@Nalo_Hopkinson) May 27, 2016 (2) AMERICAN SNARKER. John Z. Upjohn is at WisCon, too. WisSched app has … Continue reading →
Watch This Space
By Jameson Quinn: The discussion here of Hugo reform proposals (3SV, EPH+, etc.) will have a new thread anon. There’s a bit of a delay to make sure we’re not stepping on the toes of the people who were already … Continue reading →
Balticon 50 Opening Ceremonies
Last night’s opening ceremonies for Balticon 50, photographed by Sean Kirk. Pictured are the past and present Guests Of Honors in attendance for the convention’s 50th anniversary. From left to right: George R. R. Martin, Jo Walton, Joe Halderman, Jody Lynn … Continue reading →
Pixel Scroll 5/27/16 With Pix You Get Eggscroll
(1) HANG ONTO YOUR TOWEL. Britain’s Radio 4 has provisionally ordered a six-episode Hitchhikers sequel. Radio 4 has commissioned a new series of The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy, over a decade since the last series aired. It will become … Continue reading →
Bandersnatch Kickstarter Nears the Finish Line
With four days left to run, the Kickstarter to fund an audiobook edition of Diana Pavlac Glyer’s Bandersnatch has received $4,906 of pledges towards its $5,550 goal. Can it go the distance? Bandersnatch is an inspiring new book that tells … Continue reading →
2018 Worldcon Site Selection Voting Opens
MidAmeriCon II has unveiled its Site Selection Voting page for the 2018 Worldcon and 2017 NASFiC. However, all you can do today is download a ballot and mail it in with a check. MACII’s token purchase system for buying Advance … Continue reading →
New NYC-Area Convention Coming in 2017
Mark Richards, who resigned as the Lunacon chair last December saying that circumstances did not allow him to present the kind of con he envisioned, is returning to conrunning as chair of HELIOsphere. The new convention will debut March 10-12, 2017 in Tarrytown, New York. … Continue reading →
2016 Prix Imaginales
The winners of the 2016 Prix Imaginales have been announced. The awards will be given at Imaginales, the Festival of the Imaginary Worlds in Épinal, France on May 28. The winners were selected by a jury composed of Anne Besson, Jacques Grasser (Président), … Continue reading →
Pixel Scroll 5/26/16 You Got Your Scroll In My Pixel Butter
(1) CAPTAIN SPOILED. At The Mary Sue “Comics Fans Respond to Captain America’s ‘Big Secret’”. Um … whut? **SPOILERS FOR CAPTAIN AMERICA: STEVE ROGERS #1** If you read the new Captain America: Steve Rogers #1 that came out today, you … Continue reading →
Castalia Blog Posts Excluded from Hugo Packet
Daniel Enness announced he has been informed by MidAmeriCon II that “Safe Space as Rape Room,” his Hugo-nominated series of posts on the Castalia House Blog, will not be part of the Hugo Voter Packet: Worldcon Members who are looking forward to … Continue reading →
Joe Hill Signs in Pasadena
By John King Tarpinian: Joe Hill is doing a book signing tour to promote his new book, The Fireman. (In the book he admits he stole the title from Ray Bradbury) This is my third encounter with Stephen’s boy, who … Continue reading →
Pixel Scroll 5/25/16 Hivescape
(1) TINGLE IN YOUR PACKET. Maybe this helps explain why the Hugo Voter Packet wasn’t released on May 23. my story will have TWO WARNINGS in Hugo Awards packet, one for explicit content and one for spelling. Thank you. pic.twitter.com/oJPgfU3T0u … Continue reading →
2016 Roswell Award
Liam Hogan’s short story “Tribbulations” is the 2016 Roswell Award winner. The author will receive a cash prize of $1,000.00. Hogan is a London based writer and host of the monthly literary event Liars’ League. He was the winner of … Continue reading →
Twelve Centuries of Patience
By John Hertz: May 20th (by the Gregorian calendar; not yet if you’re an Orthodox Christian using the Julian calendar) was St. Alcuin’s Day. He lived 735-804. To him is attributed the problem of the wolf, the goat, and the cabbage. … Continue reading →
Pixel Scroll 5/24/16 Bark Side Of the Moon
(1) RELEASE THE MONSTER BALLOT. Jo Lindsay Walton is pleased with the flood of Sputnik Award ballots, and is at least not horrified by one of the suggestions. Btw: I’ve received some really touching enthusiasm, warmth and wise counsels and … Continue reading →
Prix Aurora/Boréal 2016
The Prix Aurora/Boréal winners were announced at Congrés Boréal 2016 held May 20-22 in Mont-Laurier, Quebec. These are awards for sf/f in the French language given by the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association. Prix du meilleur roman (Best novel) Le Jeu du Démiurge … Continue reading →
Burt Kwouk (1930-2016)
By Steve Green: Burt Kwouk, British actor, has died aged 85. Genre appearances include Curse of the Fly (1965), The Avengers (three episodes, 1961-65), Out of the Unknown (one episode, 1965), the first episode of The Champions (1968), The Tomorrow … Continue reading →
Octavia Butler Legacy Conference
Scholars and writers will convene at the UCSD Cross-Cultural Center in La Jolla from June 3-5 for Shaping Change: Remembering Octavia E. Butler Through Archives, Art, and Worldmaking. The conference will feature talks by Adrienne Maree Brown Aimee Bahng Alexis Lothian … Continue reading →
2016 Premio Italia
The Premio Italia, Premio Vegetti and the new Premio Alberto Lisiero were presented at Italcon 42, the Italian national sf/f convention, in Bellaria on May 21. PREMIO ITALIA Romanzo di autore italiano – Fantascienza (Italian Science Fiction Novel) Quel che … Continue reading →
Pixel Scroll 5/23/16 Ralph 124C41Pixel
(1) EMMA WATSON IS BELLE. The new Beauty and the Beast teaser trailer conveys the faintest hint of the movie’s remarkable cast. Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” is a live-action re-telling of the studio’s animated classic which refashions the classic … Continue reading →
Clifton’s Hosts Big Read
By John King Tarpinian: Last night was the Cultural Affairs Department of the Los Angeles Library celebration of the National Big Read program. Our hosts for the evening were David Kipen and Sam Weller. David is the founder of Libros … Continue reading →
Eugie Foster Memorial Award Created
The inaugural Eugie Foster Memorial Award for Short Fiction will be given this year at Dragon Con. Foster, who passed away in 2014, was the author of the Nebula-winning novelette “Sinner, Baker, Fabulist, Priest; Red Mask, Black Mask, Gentleman, Beast” … Continue reading →
2016 Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award
Aimee Ogden of Madison, Wisconsin has won the grand prize in the 2016 Jim Baen Memorial Award competition for her short story “Dear Ammi.” Jennifer Brozek took second place, and Ronald D. Ferguson third. GRAND PRIZE “Dear Ammi” by Aimee … Continue reading →
Pixel Scroll 5/22/16 Pixelpotamus vs. Scrolloceros
(1) PRECISION. In “Save the Allegory!” on Slate, Laura Miller calls on writers to actually define “allegory” correctly. She quotes from C. S. Lewis’ The Allegory of Love at length and makes lots of superhero references. What people usually mean … Continue reading →
