THREE DAYS OF ONLINE VIDEO PANELS WITH REAL-TIME INTERACTION

MAY 29 – 31

SFWA’s 2020 Nebula Awards^® will be one of the highlights of the SFWA Nebula Conference. This year’s conference is transforming into an entirely virtual conference. It will be presented live and in interactive form from May 29th-31st. The innovative program will convey the essence of the in-person Nebula Conference, albeit in an all-online format due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “The Nebula Awards Ceremony will be seen live online by people around the globe,” said Mary Robinette Kowal, SFWA President. “While the circumstances are difficult, we’re excited that the conference is more accessible than when in a physical location.”

As part of the celebration of the Nebula Award winners, SFWA has partnered with audio-first entertainment studio Podium Audio to adapt, produce and distribute its 55th Nebula Awards Showcase Anthology, edited by Cat Valente, in audio format. A top publisher of science-fiction and fantasy audiobooks, Podium Audio is on the forefront of discovering new authors and voice artists from the U.S. and around the world.

“Since the publication of the first Nebula anthology in 1966, the yearly collection has only been available in print. Expanding into the world of audiobooks offers new opportunities for expression and outreach,” says Kowal. “We’re delighted to partner with the innovative and experienced team at Podium Audio.”

There are multiple writing categories and their respective finalists for the 2020 Nebula Awards listed below and, of course, the Nebula Awards ceremony itself will stream live at 8 pm Eastern on May 30th.

Please visit https://nebulas.sfwa.org for the latest details.

2020 Nebula Awards Categories and Finalists:

Best Novel

Marque of Caine by Charles E. Gannon,

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow

A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

A Song for a New Day by Sarah Pinsker

Best Novella

“Anxiety Is the Dizziness of Freedom” by Ted Chiang

The Haunting of Tram Car 015 by P. Djèlí Clark

This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

Her Silhouette, Drawn in Water by Vylar Kaftan

The Deep by Rivers Solomon, Daveed Diggs, William Hutson, and Jonathan Snipes

Catfish Lullaby by A C Wise

Best Novelette

“A Strange Uncertain Light” by G. V. Anderson

“For He Can Creep” by Siobhan Carroll

“His Footsteps, Through Darkness and Light” by Mimi Mondal

“The Blur in the Corner of Your Eye” by Sarah Pinsker

Carpe Glitter by Cat Rambo

“The Archronology of Love” by Caroline M. Yoachim

Best Short Story

“Give the Family My Love” by A. T. Greenblatt

“The Dead, In Their Uncontrollable Power” by Karen Osborne

“And Now His Lordship Is Laughing” by Shiv Ramdas

“Ten Excerpts from an Annotated Bibliography on the Cannibal Women of Ratnabar Island” by Nibedita Sen

“A Catalog of Storms” by Fran Wilde

“How the Trick Is Done” by A C Wise

Ray Bradbury Nebula Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation

Captain Marvel written by Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck, and Geneva Robertson-Dworet (Marvel Studios)

The Mandalorian: “The Child”, Jon Favreau (Disney+) written by Jon Favreau (Disney+)

Good Omens: “Hard Times” written by Neil Gaiman (Amazon Studios and BBC Studios)

Watchmen: “A God Walks into Abar” written by Jeff Jensen and Damon Lindelof (HBO)

Avengers: Endgame written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely (Marvel Studios)

Russian Doll: “The Way Out” written by Allison Silverman and Leslye Headland (Netflix)

Andre Norton Nebula Award for Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction

Cog by Greg van Eekhout, published by HarperCollins

Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez

Catfishing on CatNet by Naomi Kritzer

Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee

Peasprout Chen: Battle of Champions by Henry Lien

Riverland by Fran Wilde

Best Game Writing

Outer Wilds by Kelsey Beachum, published by Mobius Digital

The Outer Worlds by Leonard Boyarsky, Kate Dollarhyde, Paul Kirsch, Chris L’Etoile, Daniel McPhee, Carrie Patel, Nitai Poddar, Marc Soskin, and Megan Starks

The Magician’s Workshop by Kate Heartfield

Disco Elysium by Robert Kurvitz

Fate Accessibility Toolkit by Elsa Sjunneson-Henry, Jess Banks, Laurel Bell, C.D. “Casey” Casas, Lillian Cohen-Moore, Brian Engard, Philippe-Antoine Ménard, Clark Valentine, Mysty Vander, and Zeph Wibby

About the Nebulas

The Nebula Awards^® are voted on, and presented by, full members of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc. Founded as the Science Fiction Writers of America in 1965 by Damon Knight, the organization began with a charter membership of 78 writers; it now has more than 2000 members, among them many of the leading writers of science fiction and fantasy.

Since 1965, the Nebula Awards® have been given each year for the best novel, novella, novelette, and short story eligible for that year’s award. The Ray Bradbury Nebula Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation was added in 2000, followed by the Andre Norton Nebula Award for Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction in 2005, and the Nebula Award for Best Game Writing in 2018. An anthology including the winning pieces of short fiction and several runners-up is also published every year.

About Podium Audio

Podium Audio is an audio-first entertainment studio that finances, develops, produces, and distributes immersive audio content. It gained international notice for turning unknown author Andy Weir’s e-book The Martian into the most successful audiobook in the world. Podium Audio remains at the forefront of discovering new literary and voice talent, focused on supporting, nurturing, and discovering independent authors and narrators from the U.S. and around the world. It is an industry leader in the audiobook genres of Science Fiction and Fantasy and a pioneer in bringing the popular Science Fiction sub-genres of GameLit, LitRPG, Wuxia, and Asian fantasy to the fore. Additionally, Podium publishes mystery/thriller, young adult, romance, and non-fiction genres.

Top-selling authors who have partnered with Podium for multiple long-term agreements include Craig Alanson (Expeditionary Force), Andrew Rowe (Arcane Ascension), Lindsay Buroker (Star Kingdom) and Game-Lit Pioneer Harmon Cooper (Death’s Mantle) as well as fan-favorite voice performers R.C. Bray (Expeditionary Force, The Martian), Luke Daniels (Ascend Online), Andrea Parsneau (Death’s Mantle) and Nick Podehl (A Pattern of Shadow and Light). www.podiumaudio.com.

Great news! In addition to the Nebula-nominated books and books by attendees, all recent Nebula Awards^® Showcases are now available in the SFWA Book Depot. Great collections include all the Nebula award winning stories 2015-2019. Collect them all!

Elevation, Connection, Celebration

We are excited to announce that the new SFWA Nebula Conference Online website is live! The re-imagined conference, complete with an artistic redesign of SFWA’s logos and spaces is now open for registration. Please visit us at events.sfwa.org to secure your spot. Space is limited this year, so don’t miss out.

What is the SFWA Nebula Conference Online?

Taking place on May 29th – 31st, 2020, and focusing on content relevant to professionals in the genre, attendees will be able to choose from career management, professional development, and expert knowledge panels and workshops. The event will also include solo presentations, conference mentorships, forums, chats, and virtual room parties (including a dance party hosted by John Scalzi). We will also be hosting the Nebula Awards ceremony on Saturday night, May 31st, to celebrate all that this community continues to offer.

Register now!

A note: You do not need to be a member of SFWA to attend. We encourage anyone with a connection to the field to join us.

Want to showcase both your support for the organization and your brand/works during the conference? Please visit our sponsorships page to see current opportunities here.

OPEN OFFICE HOURS!
This year’s Nebula Office Hours will be one-on-one teleconferences where writers and interested parties can interview “experts” in their designated field of expertise.

WE NEED YOUR BRAINS!
Open to both SFWA members and non-members, we’re in search of knowledgeable people who are willing to volunteer one hour of their time to give four 15 minute interviews and have their brains picked. It’s a great way to pay it forward!

If you’re a scientist, a medical professional, web designer, combat specialist, a professional marketing strategist, or an underwater basket weaver – we want your know-how!

Contact Anne Tibbets to volunteer.

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA, Inc.) is pleased to announce that Aydrea Walden has been named the Toastmaster for the 55th annual Nebula Awards^® on May 30th, 2020 in an online ceremony.

Walden has written for the series Yin Yang Yo! and created, written, and starred in the Webby-nominated series Black Girl in a Big Dress. She has worked in the animation department on the films The Croods, Home, and How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World. Walden also performs, appearing in her one-woman show, The Oreo Experience: A Total Whitey Trapped in a Black Chick’s Body, the short film Sci-Fi 60, and an episode of The Mandalorian.

The Nebula Awards will be presented during the 2020 Nebula Conference Online during a live-streamed ceremony at 8 pm Eastern on May 30th. The conference, which will run from May 29th-31st, includes panels, solo presentations, conference mentorships, workshops, forums, chats, and virtual room parties (including a dance party hosted by John Scalzi). A portion of the funds raised for the conference will go to assist SFWA members financially affected by COVID-19.

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, and the Andre Norton Nebula Award for Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction. 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.

Click here for the full announcement.

SFWA’s 2020 Nebula Conference is transforming into an entirely virtual conference, which will be live and interactive from May 29th-31st. Our goal is to create the essence of the Nebula Conference, even though the form has changed. Our vision is for attendees to feel elevated through the content, enjoy a sense of community with their peers, and have an opportunity for celebration.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the board of SFWA feels that holding an in-person event this May would be irresponsible.

The Nebula Conference will include panels, solo presentations, conference mentorships, workshops, forums, chats, and virtual room parties (including a dance party hosted by John Scalzi). A portion of the funds we raise will go to assist SFWA members financially affected by COVID-19.

And, of course, the Nebula Awards ceremony will stream live at 8 pm Eastern on May 30th.

On March 31st, we’ll have a demonstration of the online Nebula Conference here. We are very excited by this platform because it will allow us to do online classes and host virtual book tours for our members going forward.

The online conference registration will be $150, which includes three days of online panels with real-time interaction, an annual subscription to archived content, and a one-year subscription to the Bulletin. People who have already registered will have the option to defer to the L.A. conference in 2021, donate to help with COVID-19 assistance, or receive a full refund.

Registration will open to the public on March 31st.

Beginning in April, the board will be offering grants of up to $1,000 for SFWA members financially affected by COVID-19.

If you would like to donate now to help with SFWA sponsored COVID-19 relief, visit https://www.sfwa.org/donate and select “Where The Need Is Greatest,” which the board can redirect to our relief efforts.

Thank you for your patience as we finish transforming the conference.

Mary Robinette Kowal
President, Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America

Nebula 2020 – Elevation, Connection, Celebration

Dear Members and Nebula Conference Attendees,

Last night, California announced that it was extending its shelter-in-place measures across the entire state. With the Nebula Conference scheduled to take place in Los Angeles at the end of May, we have been anticipating that move and working towards a positive solution which we had planned to announce on March 31st. I would like to keep to that timeline as it will enable us to complete some final details for what we believe will be a great conference. I would appreciate your patience until then.

Though the circumstances are distressing, the alterations that we are making to prioritize the health and safety of our attendees have offered us some exciting opportunities to make the Nebula Conference more accessible and inclusive. I know you may have questions about refunds and your hotel reservations. Please do not make any changes until we share with you our plan on March 31st, which will allow us to expand the range of options that you will have.

I look forward to speaking with you on March 31st.

Mary Robinette Kowal
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America