No longer will I be able to refer to myself as a “multi-award nearly-nominated author”, as today I have actually been nominated for the John W. Campbell award for best new writer. My grovelling thanks to anyone who put my name forward for this utterly undeserved honour.
But Joe, I hear you cry, have you not written three books and are you not half way through a fourth? It’s an odd selection criteria which allows for anyone who released their first professional work in the genre within the last 2 years (2006-7), so I was eligible last year but, like, Joe who? Patrick Rothfuss, I’m sure, would have been an absolute shoe-in for this, but due to a short story published way-back-when he’s not eligible. David Anthony Durham, on the other hand, is eligible despite having some successful historical fiction under his belt, because Acacia is his first sf/f work. Them’s the vagaries of the selection process, I guess. The absence of Rothfuss probably means that I can get urinated on from a great height by Scott Lynch instead. Well, bit of urine never hurt anyone, did it? Perhaps the benevolent God of Release Dates will come to my aid in this time of crisis, but I doubt it, and it’s great to be on the ballot, in any case.
Sweeping my eye over the rest of the nominations I cannot but notice my US Editor Lou Anders, of Pyr, up for best Long Form Editor. He’s a man who believes in, and puts great effort into, every title he publishes. It’s testament to the great work he does that, even though Pyr is a small outfit compared to some and puts out less than twenty titles a year, he’s got a nomination for the Best Novel Hugo via Ian McDonald’s Brasyl, me AND David Louis Edelman in the Campbell section, and himself in the Best Editor. Round of applause for Lou, please.
You spend five years waiting for a bus to come along, then two come at once, because I’ve also been nominated for the Compton Crook Award which is given for the best first novel of the year written by a new author by the Baltimore Science Fiction Society. But Joe, I hear you cry, was your first novel not written and released years ago? Ah, well, not in the US, you see. Better yet, this award actually comes with a cash prize. Worse yet, that fiend Rothfuss no doubt will be eligible for this one. Enjoy your Compton Crook, Rothfuss! Ha ha! I’ll enjoy being … pissed on … by … Scott Lynch. Hmmmm.
In other news, there were some fifty folks at the signing at Forbidden Planet last night, my thanks to anyone who turned out in inclement weather to be there. I’ve done one of these for each book, and the attendance has more or less tripled for each one, which is great. There was actually something you could reasonably describe as a queue this time. Astonishing. Also signed a big heap of 100 hardbacks for Goldsboro books as well, so if anyone has ordered books from them they should be on their way. Lined and dated half of ’em too. My hand hurts now. Off to Eastercon. Maybe see you there…
13 comments so far
But – but – but Joe, where’s you in the Best Novel category? I’ve read two of the five on their choice – and you deserve to be there.
Guess they couldn’t make up their minds, huh.
Congratulations for the nomination, I hope you get it!
(I’m kinda pissed off that this year there’s not even one female writer up for Best Novel at the Hugo :()
Congrats and such for the nominations, well deserved I must say.
When do they actually get decided? and is there a novel little award ceremony, like at the Oscars, except not shit?
The Campbell Awards get chosen along with the Hugos at each year’s Worldcon. Worldcon 2008 is being held this year in Denver, Colorado, at the start of August. Next year it’s in Montreal.
Good to see you again, Joe! I think I have some appropriate photographs floating around somewhere, including of the first T-shirt I’ve seen based on your work 😉
Congrats from a fellow soon-to-be-Lynch-urine-soaked Pyr author. But I wouldn’t count myself out of the running for either the Campbell or the Compton Crook, if I were you… Methinks you’ve got a good shot at both.
Any excess Lynch-urine can always be sent to me, there’s gotta be a market for it on Ebay. Well, Shatner sold his kidney stones didn’t he?
I feel kind of embarrassed to admit that the only reason I was in the queue was that, well, the Waterstones on Trafalgar Square didn’t have a copy in stock, and Forbidden Planet was the nearest place likely to have it in…
Great book, though. I do have to ask if Colleem West is a gonner, however…
Congratulations! I’ll bring a parasol to Denver and we can all huddle together while watching Scott Lynch.
I’m looking forward to seeing you there.
Look, we told you before: we’ll only vote for you if you come to Denver.
I’m keen to know how the adapting Tolkien panel went (should have got off my arse and found out for myself, I know)… con report? After they lever you out from under a pile of fangirls?
Ady,
Must be some kind of clerical error. I’ll get right on to them about that.
Etrangere,
Many thanks. Who would you have liked to see up there, do you reckon?
Jason,
What Adam said.
Adam,
Likewise, and yes, that t-shirt was excellent. The first of many, I hope.
Mr. Edelman,
I can almost smell the Lynch-piss already. Or perhaps that’s mine. I wouldn’t count you out either. Wouldn’t be surprised if us fantasy boys stab each other in the back and leave a sci-fi bandit to scoop the treasure. Congrats on the nomination, though, much deserved.
Bob,
I’ll see what I can do.
Preachy,
Oh, I couldn’t possibly comment where others might see it.
Mary Robinette,
Congratulations likewise! It’s a regular Campbell club over here. Don’t know whether I’ll make it to Denver, yet, but if I do, keep a place under the parasol.
Isis,
It went OK, probably I’ll blog about it when I’ve got a bit more time.
Oooh, congrats! I’m sending an umbrella.
I also wanted to say that it was really nice to see you in person at Orbital, and thanks for signing my book with your shiny SpecialPen(TM). If I have one regret it’s that the red-hotness of my face prevented me from making any kind of polite or even sensible conversation – apologies. Here’s what I wanted to say:
Hello, how are you? How did the signing go on Thursday? We would have been there, but I was picking up my friend here from the airport so we could be here today.
Aww, thanks for signing this. What are you working on now? – Really? Cool. I can’t wait to read this one. Many thanks. Nice to meet you. Bye.
Sorry. My head broke and it didn’t come out this way.
I’m 30 pages from the end of Last argument and I’m LOVING it. It’s been a blast so far. I worry for my favourite characters. I’m very glad you said that no one dies on the last page…
Received my LAOKs today from Amazon, once I’ve finished Bone Song by John Meaney (quite a good book!) I’ll be snuggling up with yours (book I mean)
Would have liked to have gotten to Eastercon to get you scribbling in my First Law editions but The Fates decided otherwise. You visiting Wales anytime this year?
Bob