Archive for the ‘Nebula Weekend’ Category

SFWA Announces Newest Damon Knight Grand Master – William Gibson

January 8th, 2019

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA, Inc.) is pleased to announce that William Gibson has been named the 35th Damon Knight Grand Master for his contributions to the literature of Science Fiction and Fantasy.

The Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award recognizes “lifetime achievement in science fiction and/or fantasy.” Gibson joins the Grand Master ranks alongside such legends as C. J. Cherryh, Peter S. Beagle, Ursula K. Le Guin, Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, and Joe Haldeman. The award will be presented at the 54th Annual Nebula Conference and Awards Ceremony in Woodland Hills, CA, May 16th-19th, 2019.

Gibson is known for his cyberpunk novels Neuromancer, Virtual Light, and Mona Lisa Overdrive,and co-wrote the steampunk novel The Difference Enginewith Bruce Sterling. Gibson’s writing, through novels such as Pattern Recognition and The Peripheral, continues to break new ground and stimulate conversation about the cyberworld. The influence of Gibson’s writing has not only been felt within the science fiction community, but has expanded to other forms of art, as seen in the music of Billy Idol and Warren Zevon and the Matrixfilms, as well as throughout computer culture.

SFWA PRESIDENT, CAT RAMBO

William Gibson coined the word cyberspace in his story “Burning Chrome,” expanding on that concept two years later in the novel Neuromancer. He forged a body of work that has played a major part in the coalescing of the cyberpunk movement, influencing dozens of writers of cinema, fiction, and games, among other creatives. Not content to be one of the definitive writers in only one subgenre, he then went on to help engender steampunk with Bruce Sterling in their collaborative work,The Difference Engine. Gibson continues to produce taut, evocative works that reflect the despair and hope of the 21st century. To be a SFWA Grand Master is to be a speculative fiction writer that has shaped the genre and made it what it is today. Gibson fills that role abundantly.

The Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award will be presented along with the Nebula Awards® during the annual SFWA Nebula Conference, which will run from May 16th-19th and features seminars and panel discussions on the craft and business of writing, SFWA’s annual business meeting, and receptions. On May 18th, a mass autograph session will take place at the Warner Center Marriott Woodland Hills and is open to the public.

The Nebula Awards®, presented annually, recognize the best works of science fiction and fantasy published in the United States as selected by members of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. The first Nebula Awards® were presented in 1966.

The Nebula Awards® include four fiction awards, a game writing award, the Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation, the Andre Norton Award for Outstanding Young Adult Science Fiction or Fantasy Book. SFWA also administers the Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award, the Kevin O’Donnell Jr. Service to SFWA Award, and the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award.

http://nebulas.sfwa.org/nebula-conference/

 

Gardner Dozois and Sheila Williams Named SFWA Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award Recipients

Gardner Dozois and Sheila Williams Named SFWA Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award Recipients

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) is pleased to announce that Gardner Dozois and Sheila Williams have been named the recipients of the Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award to honor their editing careers in support of science fiction and fantasy.

The Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award is given by SFWA for distinguished contributions to the science fiction and fantasy community. Dozois and Williams join the ranks of previous Solstice Award winners, including Octavia E. Butler, James Tiptree, Jr., Tom Doherty, Carl Sagan, and Stanley Schmidt. The award will be presented at the 53rd Annual Nebula Conference in Pittsburgh, PA, May 17th-20th, 2018.

In addition to an honored career as a science fiction author, Gardner Dozois has edited science fiction since the 1970s. In 1977, he took over editing the Best Science Fiction of the Year series from Lester Del Rey, editing volumes 6-10 until 1981. He began editing a new series of The Year’s Best Science Fiction in 1984, and 2018 will see the release of the 35th annual volume of that series. From 1984 to 2004, he served as the editor of Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine. He has also co-edited anthologies with Jack Dann, George R.R. Martin, and Sheila Williams, among others.

Sheila Williams took over the helm of Asimov’s from Dozois in 2004 and is the magazine’s current editor. In addition to her work on the magazine, Williams has edited and co-edited numerous anthologies, sometimes in collaboration with Cynthia Manson, Charles Ardai, and Connie Willis. Williams co-founded the Dell Magazines Award for undergraduate Excellence in Science Fiction and Fantasy in 1992 and continues to administer the award.

SFWA President Cat Rambo has noted, “Two of the most influential editors of our time, both Dozois and Williams have shaped our field through encouraging, growing, and spreading word of new voices. Honoring them for their contribution to our community seemed like a great use of the Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award.”

The Nebula Awards® will be presented during the annual SFWA Nebula Conference, which will run from May 17th-20th and feature seminars and panel discussions on the craft and business of writing, SFWA’s annual business meeting, and receptions. On May 20th, a mass autograph session will take place at the Pittsburgh Marriott Downtown and is open to the public.

The Nebula Awards® recognize the best works of science fiction and fantasy published in the United States as selected by members of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, membership in which is open to professional science fiction and fantasy authors. The first Nebula Awards® were presented in 1966.

In addition to the Nebula Awards®, SFWA will present the Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation, the Andre Norton Award for Outstanding Young Adult Science Fiction or Fantasy Book, the Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award, the Kevin O’Donnell, Jr. Service to SFWA Award, and the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award.

Room Reservation Cutoff Reminder

If you’re going to the Nebula Conference, don’t forget the block deadline is Wednesday, April 26. This is your last chance to make a reservation at the conference hotel.  Make a reservation.

If you already have a reservation, please check your confirmation E-mail to ensure your reservation dates match the dates you plan to be in Pittsburgh.

If you try to reserve before April 26 and can’t get a room (hotel claims the block is full), please e-mail steven.silver@sfwa.org immediately and he should be able to help.  If you wait until after April 26 to reserve, there is nothing he can do to get you a room at SFWA’s reduced rate.

Astronaut Dr. Kjell Lindgren Named Nebula Conference Toastmaster

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) is pleased to announce that Dr. Kjell Lindgren has agreed to serve as the Toastmaster for the 52nd Nebula Award Ceremony in Pittsburgh, PA, May 18th-21st, 2017.

Dr. Lindgren flew to the International Space Station on Soyuz TMA-17M in 2015 to serve as part of ISS Expedition 44 and 45. During Expedition 44, Dr. Lindgren became one of the first American astronauts to eat food that was entirely grown in space. For Expedition 45, Dr. Lindgren and the other five astronauts posed as Jedi for their mission poster with the tag line “The Science Continues.” His missions lasted from July 22nd to December 11th, 2015.

Dr. Lindgren was born in Taipei, Taiwan and spent most of his childhood in England. He holds a BS in Biology, an MS in Cardiovascular Physiology, and a Doctorate of Medicine with a two year residency in aerospace health and a Masters of Public Health. He has served as a jumpmaster for the US Air Force Academy’s Wings of Blue parachute team. In 2007, he began working at Johnson Space Center and was serving in Star City when he was selected for NASA Astronaut Group 20. While aboard the International Space Station, Dr. Lindgren was a Guest of Honor for the 2015 Worldcon, Sasquan, participating remotely from Low Earth Orbit.

The Nebula Awards® will be presented during the annual SFWA Nebula Conference, which will run from May 18th-21st and feature seminars and panel discussions on the craft and business of writing, SFWA’s annual business meeting, and receptions. On May 19th, a mass autograph session will take place at the Pittsburgh Marriott City Center and is open to the public.

Registration rates are currently $180.00 to attend the weekend. Rates will be increasing on April 8th, 2017 to $200.00. Additionally, banquet tickets are still available. Register Here!

The Nebula Awards® recognize the best works of science fiction and fantasy published in the United States as selected by members of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, membership in which is open to professional science fiction and fantasy authors. The first Nebula Awards® were presented in 1966.

In addition to the Nebula Awards®, SFWA will present the Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation, the Andre Norton Award for Outstanding Young Adult Science Fiction or Fantasy Book, the Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award, the Kevin O’Donnell, Jr. Service to SFWA Award, and the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award.

http://nebulas.sfwa.org/nebula-conference/

Jim Fiscus to Receive Kevin O’Donnell, Jr. Service to SFWA Award

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America has awarded Jim Fiscus the 2017 Kevin O’Donnell, Jr. Service to SFWA Award for his outstanding work on behalf of the organization.

Jim Fiscus’ long service to SFWA began when he volunteered to serve as the SFWA Liaison to Westercon in 1990, hosting an Oregon wine tasting.  He repeated the event in 1995, hosting an Oregon beer tasting at that year’s Westercon.  In the mid-90s, Fiscus began writing a column for the SFWA Bulletin looking at the business and legal aspects of the publishing industry, including an explanation of the Tasini case, contracts which were hostile to writers, and other aspects of the law.  Fiscus oversaw a review of the SFWA Handbook from 2002-3.

When Russell Davis was elected SFWA President in 2008, he appointed Fiscus to fill his position as Western Regional Director, a position Fiscus held until the California re-incorporation, at which time he became a Director-at-large until 2015.  While serving as a Director, Fiscus served as Chair of the Orphan Works Committee.  When the Orphan Works Committee was re-formed as the Legal Affairs Committee, Fiscus remained on board as co-Chair with Michael Capobianco.  Fiscus also joined the Contracts Committee in 2014 and became Chair when the former chair stepped down.

Previous recipients of the Kevin O’Donnell, Jr. Service to SFWA Award include Victoria Strauss, George Zebrowski and Pamela Sargent (joint), Michael Capobianco and Ann Crispin (joint awards), Keith Stokes, Vonda McIntyre and John E. Johnston, III.

The award will be presented during the annual Nebula Award Conference, which will run from May 18th-21st and feature a series of seminars and panel discussions on the craft and business of writing, SFWA’s annual business meeting, and receptions. On May 19th, a mass autograph session will take place at the Pittsburgh Marriott City Center and is open to the public.

The Nebula Awards® recognize the best works of science fiction and fantasy published in the United States as selected by members of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, membership in which is open to all professional science fiction and fantasy authors. The first Nebula Awards® were presented in 1966.

In addition to the Nebula Awards®, SFWA will present the Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation, the Andre Norton Award for Outstanding Young Adult Science Fiction or Fantasy Book, the Solstice Award, the Kevin O’Donnell, Jr. Service to SFWA Award, and the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award.

For more information please email pr@sfwa.org.

http://www.sfwa.org/nebula-awards/nebula-weekend/

Correction to the SFWA Nebula Awards® Ballot

Due to an unfortunate error in word-count verification, SFWA has to regretfully make a few changes to our final Nebula ballot. Cat Rambo’s work, “Red in Tooth and Cog” has been deemed ineligible for the category of Novelette for a word count of 7,070. Novelette consideration starts at 7,500 words.

With her current number of nominations, Ms. Rambo would be eligible to take the fourth-place spot on the current finalist list for short story, but she has declined and withdrawn her work from consideration as not to displace a three-way tie for the fifth position in that category.

In addition, SFWA would like to congratulate Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam, for her novelette, “The Orangery” published by Beneath Ceaseless Skies in December of 2016 which has been added to the ballot.

SFWA President, Cat Rambo added, “The Nebula Awards® are about celebrating amazing works by talented writers in our genre. I choose to see the silver lining in that we elevate another writer to the stage, and keep the ballot otherwise intact.”

SFWA will be tightening procedures in the future to make sure this unfortunate issue does not happen again. We will be working on new standards to verify word-count and eligibility with publishers far ahead of any official announcements.

Again, our heartfelt apologies go out to Cat.

The revised Nebula, Norton, and Bradbury finalists is below:

Novel

  • All the Birds in the Sky, Charlie Jane Anders (Tor; Titan)
  • Borderline, Mishell Baker (Saga)
  • The Obelisk Gate, N.K. Jemisin (Orbit US; Orbit UK)
  • Ninefox Gambit,Yoon Ha Lee (Solaris US; Solaris UK)
  • Everfair, Nisi Shawl (Tor)

Novella

  • Runtime, S.B. Divya (Tor.com Publishing)
  • The Dream-Quest of Vellitt Boe, Kij Johnson (Tor.com Publishing)
  • The Ballad of Black Tom, Victor LaValle (Tor.com Publishing)
  • Every Heart a Doorway, Seanan McGuire (Tor.com Publishing)
  • “The Liar”, John P. Murphy (The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction)
  • A Taste of Honey, Kai Ashante Wilson (Tor.com Publishing)

Novelette      

  • “The Long Fall Up”, William Ledbetter (The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction)
  • “Sooner or Later Everything Falls Into the Sea”, Sarah Pinsker (Lightspeed)
  • “Blood Grains Speak Through Memories”, Jason Sanford (Beneath Ceaseless Skies)
  • “The Orangery”, Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam (Beneath Ceaseless Skies)
  • The Jewel and Her Lapidary, Fran Wilde (Tor.com Publishing)
  • “You’ll Surely Drown Here If You Stay”, Alyssa Wong (Uncanny)

Short Story

  • “Our Talons Can Crush Galaxies”, Brooke Bolander (Uncanny)
  • “Seasons of Glass and Iron”, Amal El-Mohtar (The Starlit Wood)
  • “Sabbath Wine”, Barbara Krasnoff (Clockwork Phoenix 5)
  • “Things With Beards”, Sam J. Miller (Clarkesworld)
  • “This Is Not a Wardrobe Door”, A. Merc Rustad (Fireside Magazine)
  • “A Fist of Permutations in Lightning and Wildflowers”, Alyssa Wong (Tor.com)
  • “Welcome to the Medical Clinic at the Interplanetary Relay Station│Hours Since the Last Patient Death: 0”, Caroline M. Yoachim (Lightspeed)

 

Bradbury

  • Arrival, Directed by Denis Villeneuve, Screenplay by Eric Heisserer, 21 Laps Entertainment/FilmNation Entertainment/Lava Bear Films/Xenolinguistics
  • Doctor Strange, Directed by Scott Derrickson, Screenplay by Scott Derrickson & C. Robert Cargill, Marvel Studios/Walt Disney Studio Motion Pictures
  • Kubo and the Two Strings, Directed by Travis Knight, Screenplay by Mark Haimes & Chris Butler; Laika Entertainment
  • Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Directed by Gareth Edwards, Written by Chris Weitz & Tony Gilroy; Lucusfilm/ Walt Disney Studio Motion Pictures
  • Westworld: ‘‘The Bicameral Mind’’, Directed by Jonathan Nolan, Written by Lisa Joy & Jonathan Nolan; HBO
  • Zootopia, Directed by Byron Howard, Rich Moore, & Jared Bush, Screenplay by Jared Bush & Phil Johnston; Walt Disney Pictures/Walt Disney Animation Studios

 

Norton

  • The Girl Who Drank the Moon, Kelly Barnhill (Algonquin Young Readers)
  • The Star-Touched Queen, Roshani Chokshi (St. Martin’s)
  • The Lie Tree, Frances Hardinge (Macmillan UK; Abrams)
  • Arabella of Mars, David D. Levine (Tor)
  • Railhead, Philip Reeve (Oxford University Press; Switch)
  • Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies, Lindsay Ribar (Kathy Dawson Books)
  • The Evil Wizard Smallbone, Delia Sherman (Candlewick)

 

Voting will begin on the final ballot for all Active, Active Family, and Lifetime Active members on March 1st, 2017. The awards will be presented during the annual Nebula Conference, which will run from May 18th-21st and feature seminars and panel discussions on the craft and business of writing, SFWA’s annual business meeting, and receptions. On May 19th, a mass autograph session, open to the public, will take place at the Pittsburgh Marriott City Center.

The Nebula Awards® recognize the best works of science fiction and fantasy published in the United States as selected by members of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, membership in which is open to all professional science fiction and fantasy authors. The first Nebula Awards® were presented in 1966.

In addition to the Nebula Awards®, SFWA will present the Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation, the Andre Norton Award for Outstanding Young Adult Science Fiction or Fantasy Book, the Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award, the Kevin O’Donnell, Jr. Service to SFWA Award, and the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award.

For more information please visit http://nebulas.sfwa.org/nebula-conference/

For more information please email pr@sfwa.org.

SFWA Announces 2016 Nebula, Norton, and Bradbury Award Nominees!

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America is pleased to announce the nominees for the 51st Annual Nebula Awards®, the Ray Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation, and the Andre Norton Award for Outstanding Young Adult Science Fiction or Fantasy Book.

Novel

  • All the Birds in the Sky, Charlie Jane Anders (Tor; Titan)
  • Borderline, Mishell Baker (Saga)
  • The Obelisk Gate, N.K. Jemisin (Orbit US; Orbit UK)
  • Ninefox Gambit,Yoon Ha Lee (Solaris US; Solaris UK)
  • Everfair, Nisi Shawl (Tor)

Novella

  • Runtime, S.B. Divya (Tor.com Publishing)
  • The Dream-Quest of Vellitt Boe, Kij Johnson (Tor.com Publishing)
  • The Ballad of Black Tom, Victor LaValle (Tor.com Publishing)
  • Every Heart a Doorway, Seanan McGuire (Tor.com Publishing)
  • “The Liar”, John P. Murphy (The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction)
  • A Taste of Honey, Kai Ashante Wilson (Tor.com Publishing)

Novelette      

  • “The Long Fall Up”, William Ledbetter (The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction)
  • “Sooner or Later Everything Falls Into the Sea”, Sarah Pinsker (Lightspeed)
  • “Blood Grains Speak Through Memories”, Jason Sanford (Beneath Ceaseless Skies)
  • “The Orangery”, Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam (Beneath Ceaseless Skies)*
  • The Jewel and Her Lapidary, Fran Wilde (Tor.com Publishing)
  • “You’ll Surely Drown Here If You Stay”, Alyssa Wong (Uncanny)

Short Story

  • “Our Talons Can Crush Galaxies”, Brooke Bolander (Uncanny)
  • “Seasons of Glass and Iron”, Amal El-Mohtar (The Starlit Wood)
  • “Sabbath Wine”, Barbara Krasnoff (Clockwork Phoenix 5)
  • “Things With Beards”, Sam J. Miller (Clarkesworld)
  • “This Is Not a Wardrobe Door”, A. Merc Rustad (Fireside Magazine)
  • “A Fist of Permutations in Lightning and Wildflowers”, Alyssa Wong (Tor.com)
  • “Welcome to the Medical Clinic at the Interplanetary Relay Station│Hours Since the Last Patient Death: 0”, Caroline M. Yoachim (Lightspeed)

Bradbury

  • Arrival, Directed by Denis Villeneuve, Screenplay by Eric Heisserer, 21 Laps Entertainment/FilmNation Entertainment/Lava Bear Films/Xenolinguistics
  • Doctor Strange, Directed by Scott Derrickson, Screenplay by Scott Derrickson & C. Robert Cargill, Marvel Studios/Walt Disney Studio Motion Pictures
  • Kubo and the Two Strings, Directed by Travis Knight, Screenplay by Mark Haimes & Chris Butler; Laika Entertainment
  • Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Directed by Gareth Edwards, Written by Chris Weitz & Tony Gilroy; Lucasfilm/ Walt Disney Studio Motion Pictures
  • Westworld: ‘‘The Bicameral Mind’’, Directed by Jonathan Nolan, Written by Lisa Joy & Jonathan Nolan; HBO
  • Zootopia, Directed by Byron Howard, Rich Moore, & Jared Bush, Screenplay by Jared Bush & Phil Johnston; Walt Disney Pictures/Walt Disney Animation Studios

Norton

  • The Girl Who Drank the Moon, Kelly Barnhill (Algonquin Young Readers)
  • The Star-Touched Queen, Roshani Chokshi (St. Martin’s)
  • The Lie Tree, Frances Hardinge (Macmillan UK; Abrams)
  • Arabella of Mars, David D. Levine (Tor)
  • Railhead, Philip Reeve (Oxford University Press; Switch)
  • Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies, Lindsay Ribar (Kathy Dawson Books)
  • The Evil Wizard Smallbone, Delia Sherman (Candlewick)

*Due to an unfortunate error in word-count verification, SFWA has to regretfully make a few changes to our final Nebula ballot. Cat Rambo’s work, “Red in Tooth and Cog” has been deemed ineligible for the category of Novelette for a word count of 7,070. Novelette consideration starts at 7,500 words. Cat Rambo has withdrawn the work completely as not to displace a three-way tie in the short story category. The work has been replaced with “The Orangery” by Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam (Beneath Ceaseless Skies).

Voting will begin on the final ballot for all Active, Active Family, and Lifetime Active members on March 1st, 2017. The awards will be presented during the annual Nebula Conference, which will run from May 18th-21st and feature seminars and panel discussions on the craft and business of writing, SFWA’s annual business meeting, and receptions. On May 19th, a mass autograph session, open to the public, will take place at the Pittsburgh Marriott City Center.

The Nebula Awards® recognize the best works of science fiction and fantasy published in the United States as selected by members of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, membership in which is open to all professional science fiction and fantasy authors. The first Nebula Awards® were presented in 1966.

In addition to the Nebula Awards®, SFWA will present the Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation, the Andre Norton Award for Outstanding Young Adult Science Fiction or Fantasy Book, the Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award, the Kevin O’Donnell, Jr. Service to SFWA Award, and the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award.

For more information please visit http://nebulas.sfwa.org/nebula-conference/.

Toni Weisskopf to receive the Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award

Photo by Paul Cory.

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) is pleased to announce that Toni Weisskopf has been named the recipient of the Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award to honor her activities in support of science fiction and fantasy.

The Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award is given by SFWA for distinguished contributions to the science fiction and fantasy community. Ms. Weisskopf joins the ranks of previous Solstice Award winners, including Octavia Butler, James Tiptree, Jr., Tom Doherty, Carl Sagan, and Stanley Schmidt. The award will be presented at the 52nd Annual Nebula Conference and Awards in Pittsburgh, PA May 18th-21st, 2017.

Toni Weisskopf has been the publisher of Baen Books since 2006 when she took over following the death of Jim Baen. During that time, Weisskopf has creative an innovative e-publishing program, worked with established authors, discovered a galaxy of new authors, and created the Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award, the Baen Fantasy Adventure Award, and the Baen Best Military SF & Adventure SF Reader’s Choice Award.

In addition to her current role as Baen Books editor and publisher, Ms. Weisskopf compiled Greasy Grimy Gopher Guts, along with Josepha Sherman, a collected of subversive children’s folklore. She has edited several anthologies of science fiction, including Cosmic Tales: Adventures in Far Futures and Cosmic Tales: Adventures in Sol System.

Ms. Weisskopf has also been active in the fannish side of science fiction, co-chairing DeepSouthCon 50 in 2012, publishing the fanzine Yngvi is a Louse! And Other Graffitos, and serving as the official Editor of the SFPA, the Southern Fannish Press Alliance, and editing an history of Southern Fandom for the Southern Fandom Confederation.

Ms. Weisskopf joins Peggy Rae Sapienza, who was previously announced, as a recipient of this year’s Kate Wilhelm Solstice Awards.

​The Nebula Awards® will be presented during the annual SFWA Nebula Conference, which will run from May 18th-21st and feature a series of seminars and panel discussions on the craft and business of writing, SFWA’s annual business meeting, and receptions. On May 19th, a mass autograph session will take place at Pittsburgh Marriott City Center and is open to the public.

The Nebula Awards® recognize the best works of science fiction and fantasy published in the United States as selected by members of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, membership in which is open to all professional science fiction and fantasy authors. The first Nebula Awards® were presented in 1966.

In addition to the Nebula Awards®, SFWA will present the Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation, the Andre Norton Award for Outstanding Young Adult Science Fiction or Fantasy Book, the Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award, the Kevin O’Donnell, Jr. Service to SFWA Award, and the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award.

For more information please email pr@sfwa.org.

Peggy Rae Sapienza to Receive the SFWA Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) is pleased to announce that Peggy Rae Sapienza has been named the recipient of the Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award to honor her activities in support of science fiction and fantasy.The Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award is given by SFWA for distinguished contributions to the science fiction and fantasy community.

Sapienza joins the ranks of previous Solstice Award winners, including Octavia Butler, James Tiptree, Jr., Tom Doherty, Carl Sagan, and Stanley Schmidt. The award will be presented at the 52nd Annual Nebula Conference and Awards in Pittsburgh, PA May 18th-21st, 2017.

If anyone was born into science fiction, it was Peggy Rae McKnight (1944-2015), whose father, Jack McKnight famously missed most of the 1953 Worldcon because he was creating the first Hugo Award trophies. She attended her first science fiction convention in 1956 and met her first husband, Bob Pavlat at her first Worldcon in 1960. Over the years, Sapienza was active in fanzine fandom as well as convention running. At Constellation in 1983, she and Pavlat received the Big Heart Award, shortly after Bob died. Science fiction wouldn’t release Peggy Rae. Active in local convention running, she also worked many Worldcon press offices and created the modern Worldcon fan concourse.

In 1998, she chaired Bucconeer, the Baltimore Worldcon, and the following year married John Sapienza. She was proud of her role in Nippon 2007, the first Japanese Worldcon. In 2012, Sapienza was named a Guest of Honor for Chicon 7, that year’s Worldcon. She also co-chaired the 2014 World Fantasy Convention before her death in March of 2015. The Peggy Rae Sapienza Endowment at Northern Illinois University is named in her honor and helps support the SFWA Collection at the library.

During the 2000s, she became active in helping run events for SFWA, including the New York Reception and the Nebula Weekends. She co-chaired the 2010 Nebulas in Cocoa Beach and then chaired the Washington Nebulas in 2011 and 2012. She continued to help SFWA run its events and publish its magazine until shortly before her death.

SFWA will announce a second recipient of the Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award on January 31st.

The Nebula Awards® will be presented during the annual SFWA Nebula Conference, which will run from May 18th-21st and feature a series of seminars and panel discussions on the craft and business of writing, SFWA’s annual business meeting, and receptions. On May 19th, a mass autograph session will take place at Pittsburgh Marriott City Center and is open to the public.

The Nebula Awards® recognize the best works of science fiction and fantasy published in the United States as selected by members of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, membership in which is open to all professional science fiction and fantasy authors. The first Nebula Awards® were presented in 1966.

In addition to the Nebula Awards®, SFWA will present the Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation, the Andre Norton Award for Outstanding Young Adult Science Fiction or Fantasy Book, the Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award, the Kevin O’Donnell, Jr. Service to SFWA Award, and the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award.

For more information please email pr@sfwa.org.

Photo by: Moshe Feder