If You Haven't Been to A Fan Run Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention, You Are Missing Out!

My family thinks I go to the big commercial conventions that get a quick story on the TV news, but they are not the conventions I love and regularly attend. I go to conventions that are for the fans, run by the fans, and are joyous, inclusive, and multifaceted celebrations. 

What’s the difference? 

My science fiction and fantasy (SFF) conventions are not for profit. They are run by a team of amazing volunteers. They are not marketing or sales events. These conventions are usually much smaller, a few hundred to a few thousand people, and are held in a hotel, not a conference center. These conventions are local and connected to their cities, towns, and states. They feature a wide variety of activities instead of one or two big stages. They have panels, of course, but also music, art shows, gaming, films, exhibits, performances, food, costumes, activities for children, demonstrations, and a dealers room. These dealers rooms are smaller than the massive rows of merchandise at for-profit conventions, but they feature local small businesses, booksellers, authors, and craftspeople. 

Local conventions are focused on movies, television, games, and books! In fact, many local conventions are part of a network called the World Science Fiction Society that sponsors an annual World Science Fiction Convention (usually called Worldcon). This summer it is in Glasgow, Scotland. In 2025, it will be in Seattle, Washington. At Glasgow, the attendees will vote on where Worldcon will be in 2026! 

At Worldcon, in addition to all the activities above (and more), the annual Hugo Awards are given. This is the science fiction and fantasy community’s Oscar night; the awards given by the fan community. It is a splendid and spectacular event – and if you are part of Worldcon, you can vote! 

Community is one of the key features of a local not-for-profit convention. The larger events are done by professionals and used as marketing vehicles for studios and networks. Smaller, local conventions invite participation, conversation, and community. Newcomers are welcomed and become part of the family. Sure, you can purchase stuff, but the fandom community is the center of the celebration – not the selling or marketing of products. 

Do you enjoy reading or watching science fiction or fantasy? Do you want to discuss your ideas with others? Do you long not to be told that “you are the only one interested in that?” Then these conventions are for you. 

Oh, yeah, they are way less expensive than the cons that have to pay stars, rent huge exhibition halls, and advertise in the media. They are the best convention value around -and they might just change your life! 

I like going to an occasional Comic Con like C2E2 in Chicago or Wizards World or Creation’s Star Trek conventions. There is a place for both kinds of conventions. However, if I had to choose one, I would go to my local conventions without hesitation. My people are there. My friends are there. I am not merely an audience member, I am part of the family. I don’t spend my entire weekend sitting in a seat in a huge auditorium watching something far away. I go to panels about books, television shows, and topics like science, humor, music, and games. I wander through a wonderful art show and talk to strangers (who become con friends) and have a nosh at the con suite. I listen to poetry and singers at the café (and see others enjoy the coffee). I might learn about constructed languages and get a basic Klingon lesson. I reminisce about books, movies, and TV series that I cherished from long ago. I participate in book club discussions. 

Join us! There are local cons everywhere. I regularly attend the two Chicago area conventions: Windycon in November and Capricon in February. In July, I travel to Minneapolis for Convergence. I try to go to the Worldcon in the late summer. Come join the celebration! Come have those wonderful discussions you can only have with people who share your love for these special genres. And if you really like it – volunteer and make it even better! 

And if you see me, please come over and say, hello!

Reading for Treasure: Books for the Holidays!

Reading for Treasure is my list of articles that are worth your attention. Click here for an introduction!

I love books! For people like me, the best holiday gift is a book – or a book recommendation! One of the things I love about holiday travels is having the time to sit down and read, read, read. Of course, this is also one of the best things about being retired! 

Although I read all sorts of literature, my go-to genre is science fiction. However, I read just about everything. So here is a long list of book lists. A few of these are focused generally and most are of science fiction, fantasy, and genre fiction. 

Don’t know what that book lover in your life might want to read? Look at these lists and descriptions and then head to your nearest indy bookstore or library. Feel free to make some recommendations in the comments! 

Literary Hub presents “Our 38 Favorite Books of 2022”

I know it is a little old, but I don’t know the difference between a holiday read and a summer read? “WIRED’s Picks for the 15 Books You Need to Read This Summer”

Lifehacker focuses on  “10 of the Most Banned Books (and What We Can Learn From Them)”

“The Greatest Sci-Fi Authors Of All Time, According To Ranker” - Screenrant

“50 Best Sci-Fi Books of All Time - What Is The Best Science Fiction Book Ever Written?” - Esquire

“The Most Influential Sci-Fi Books Of All Time” - Book Riot

“100 Speculative Fiction Titles to Add to Your Reading List”-  tor.com

NPR did a really cool survey: “We Asked, You Answered: Your 50 Favorite Sci-Fi And Fantasy Books Of The Past Decade” 

“2022 Locus Awards Top Ten Finalists”

“2021 Shirley Jackson Awards Winners” – Locus Online

“Here’s the shortlist for the first Ursula K. Le Guin Fiction Prize”  -  Literary Hub

“Nebula Award finalists and winners” Science Fiction Awards Database 

2022 Hugo finalists and winners

2022 World Fantasy Award nominees and winners- tor.com

I am reading Noor By Nnedi Okorafor  

Cherishing the Science Fiction Fan Community at Chicon 8: The 80th World Science Fiction Convention

Over Labor Day weekend, I attended the Eightieth Annual World Science Fiction Convention at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Chicago: Chicon 8. It was a spectacular and enormous celebration of the genres I adore. It also celebrated the community of fans who have been gathering this way for decades. While there was a world convention in D.C. last December and a virtual one the year before that, this was the first time this number of fans had gathered in person at this scale. I am so grateful to have been able to be a part of it – and it has made me even more appreciative of the people who did the real heavy lifting that made it happen. 

I have been to many fan conventions. If you want to explore the difference between a fan con and something like Comic Con, click here. However, This was my first time being closely involved in the planning of a convention like this. I was involved for more than three years supporting those who were doing the real work of setting up this convention. Then, about a year ago, I got a job working on the con.   

My role for this convention was to reach out to local people, groups, businesses, and others and help them get involved in the convention. I talked to libraries, museums, bookstores, game stores, fan groups, meet-up groups, businesses, magazines, other conventions, media, and anything other organization I could think of. I asked them to be presenters, bring exhibits, participate in our art show, place ads in our program book, or be involved in many other ways. This was a local special opportunity; it has been a decade since the World Convention has been in Chicago and no one knows when it will return.

I sent out reminders as various deadlines approached, “Only one week more to be a program participant, two weeks to sign up for a fan table” – and so on. This meant that, as the convention drew near, my workload decreased as these dates passed. 

So before the convention, I responded to an email calling for volunteer help. I ended up working in the program operations office and assisting with the masquerade. 

It was wonderful! Whether I was helping put up signs, letting panelists know they need to finish in a few minutes, answering questions, directing people to rooms, or shepherding costume contestants through the stages of being judged, there was one clear common detonator: shared joy. 

On Sunday night, I attended the Hugo Awards presentation. It is like the Academy Awards – only geeky! As I listened to the winners’ acceptance speeches, I gloried in the company of this remarkable fan community. We bond over ideas, words, concepts, and stories. We are interested in how science and the arts intersect. We are an inclusive, diverse, and welcoming community to anyone who wants to join us – for the most part. No community is without areas for growth. 

I attended many panels over the course of the convention weekend. These panels’ topics ranged from Star Trek to banning books to teaching science fiction and fantasy to racism and bias in the genre. I discovered new books, shows, and movies and learned new ideas about those I was already reading and viewing. I also connected to new people from whom I could learn. 

Thank you to this year’s con chair Helen Montgomery and the many people who played Atlas through the five days of the convention. Thank you to fans who traveled from all over the world to join the celebration. Thank you to the volunteers, speakers, artists, musicians, costumers, authors, creators, and everyone else who lent their energy, creativity, money, and time to this wonderful enterprise. (Yeah, I just did that). 

I have enjoyed these conventions and the people who attend them for years. Now that I have the time, volunteering has deepened my appreciation and commitment to them. 

Thank you to the entire community of Chicon 8, the World Science Fiction Society, and everyone who participated in any way. I’ll see you at a convention soon – where I intend to raise my hand and help! 

By the way, we have two wonderful local conventions in the Chicago area: Windycon is November 11 to 13, 2022 and Capricon is February 2 to 5, 2023! 

Reading for Treasure: June is the Start of Summer Reading

Reading for Treasure is my list of articles that are worth your attention. Click here for an introduction!

Summer is an opportunity to pick up good books and read, read, read! June is important for many reasons. Now that I am retired, I love having more time to read all sorts of things. Here is a list of articles about books and reading and a few lists of titles you might want to pick up. 

Should the character or views of an author influence our reading choices? Some of my friends will not read books by certain writers because of these writers’ behavior and political involvement. I must say that The Color Purple was one of those few books I read in one sitting. I was dismayed to learn about the author’s anti-Semitism and even more about how the New Yorker treated it differently than another author’s racism: “What The New Yorker Didn’t Say About a Famous Writer’s Anti-Semitism”

I am so glad that I am not the only person who thinks that giving graduates the Dr. Seuss book, Oh, the Places You’ll Go is problematic. Please take a look at the Chicago Tribune opinion piece, “Time to Turn the Page on Children’s Books as Graduation Gifts.”

Two wonderful pieces about reading from The Atlantic.  We have all had books that stuck with us, moved us, and shaped us. For Lauren LeBlanc, that book was I Never Promised You A Rose Garden by Joanne Greenberg. In her article, “The Book That Said the Words I Couldn’t Say,” Ms. LeBlanc talks about the power of this book and the power of reading. Secondly, here is a snarky fun piece from last summer, “Please Don’t Read at the Beach.” 

I am volunteering with Chicon 8: The 80th World Science Fiction Convention coming to downtown Chicago Labor Day Weekend. So I thought it would be fun to think about books set in Chicago. Better yet, you can use this site, recommended by this Lifehacker article to find books set in any location: “This Site Helps You Find Books Set Where You Live.”

Juneteeth comes in June, so here are two Juneteenth reading lists: one from NewsOne and another from Facing History. 

June is Pride Month. Here is a list of the finalists for the Lambda Literary Awards. CNN provided a useful article for LGBTQ+ reading for younger readers: “A guide to LGBTQ summer reading for kids and teens -- from authors themselves.” 

Two good articles from Lit Hub. First, their choices for summery summer reading: “Our 15 Favorite Summery Novels for Summer Reading” as well as their “The Ultimate Summer 2022 Reading List.”

Of course, we must have some genre summer reads! Here are some recent genre award finalists and winners: 

The shortlist for the Nommo Awards, given annually by the African Speculative Fiction Society

The Nebula Winners from the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA): 

The fan’s choice: the Hugo finalists! The winners will be announced at Chicon 8: The World Science Fiction Convention in Chicago! 

The books honored by Locus Magazine: Locus Top Ten Finalists

I am currently rereading Time Enough For Love by Robert Heinlein 

Return to the Comic Cons: Cons Run By Fans and Cons Run For Profit

I attend science fiction fan conventions. Since I was in high school, I have loved their community, conversation, and connection. The first conventions I attended were not-for-profit events run by fans. The folks organizing these conventions were doing it for the love of fandom. 

These conventions featured panel discussions, film, video, and game rooms, music events, art shows, dealers' rooms, con suites (to eat and talk), and countless other planned and unplanned fun. They were immersive all day (and much of the night) experiences. The featured guests at these conventions were usually writers, artists, and, in the early days, movie and television creators and stars. Even when I attended alone, I was pulled into parties, conversations, and made friends I still see at cons today. 

In the eighties, soon after the premiere of Star Trek: The Next Generation, I attended some conventions run by companies for profit. These conventions were different than the fan cons. Initially, these pro conventions only had two spaces: a main stage and a shopping mall. Sometimes, there were exhibit spaces as well. The guests at these conventions were almost exclusively movie and television stars and creators. 

Over the years, I had seen all of the original Star Trek series cast and many from the other series at a fan-run convention in St. Louis called Space Trek. However, as the pro cons grew, they became the primary or only way to see the on-screen (or screen-related) celebrities. 

At these pro run cons, I often felt like a commodity. These for-profit conventions were shows. I found a seat in a big main stage room and stayed there most of the day. Many of the presentations felt like commercials. I felt like the Ferengi had taken over the con business. 

To be fair, a few of the fan-run conventions focused far more on literary science fiction than television, movies, or comic books – sometimes with a problematic attitude. I remember a person at a panel sneering, “Haven’t you ever read Left Hand of Darkness?” But this was not true at all fan cons; each one had a unique personality. 

I was introduced to science fiction through short stories and novels and I have always been a reader. I am also an enthusiastic fan of genre television shows and movies. There are fan conventions that catered to all of these interests, even if some had a higher-brow tone. But the pro conventions focused on comic books and media (and related products). The fan cons focused on what the fans who organized and attended them wanted: some were more literary, some were more media-focused, and some included anime, comic books, music, art, and more. 

In the 90s, I was immersed in my career and family, so spending the entire weekend at a convention was impractical. Sometimes, spending a Saturday was a luxury.  I did my best to go to the two local fan-run conventions, Windycon and Capricon, as often as my schedule permitted – which wasn’t as often as I wanted. 

For decades, my connection to fandom was through these two conventions. I did not attend the big comic cons that had become popular or the professionally run conventions focused on Star Trek or newly popular franchises. Since I didn’t have as much time (or money) for conventions, when I went, I wanted to connect with community and have substantive conversations and experiences. The pro cons felt like cotton candy, the fan cons were a sustaining meal! 

As my children and I grew older, I attended a few fan-run World Science Fiction Conventions, which were everything I loved about conventions writ gargantuan. I ventured out and went to a few fan-run conventions out of town. 

Recently, I retired. Now, I have time. I attended my first comic con, C2E2 (Chicago Comics and Entertainment Exhibition). When the folks who run C2E2 announced a major Star Trek convention in Chicago, it felt like an opportunity to reacquaint myself with the pro cons. 

I enjoyed C2E2 and Star Trek Mission: Chicago. However, if I have to make a choice between these stage and store cons and the cons run by fans for fans, I am going to the latter. I had a good time and I met some nice people, but the connections were superficial and commercial. 

All conventions must make money. There are bills to pay. Convention spaces don’t donate their space or resources. However, the commercial focus at C2E2 and Mission: Chicago was prominent. For example, it was very clear that Mission: Chicago’s real mission was to sell the new Star Trek shows. It was peddling all sorts of products and subscriptions connected to them. That was its main purpose. The celebration, exploration, and community were by-products when fans buy products. 

I liked hearing from the stars and creators, yet I missed the analysis and thoughtful conversations that are often present during smaller panels. The comedian emcees at Mission: Chicago did not seem to be fans themselves and often, perhaps unconsciously, took a condescending tone. I sometimes felt like I was at an event for children. 

I met some very nice people and had good conversations with the folks sitting around me. We didn’t walk to the con suite and sit down and talk. We didn’t ask each other, “Where are you going next?” I doubt we’ll see each other at the next con. 

I was pleased to see that both pro conventions had some events beyond the main stage. However, they were few. There were a few costume-related events, a secondary stage, and a panel room (or two); skimpy by even COVID fan con standards. 

The pro cons are not cheap! They want high prices for entry – and all the stuff in the exhibit hall. They also sell products related to their famous star guests: autographs, photo opportunities, and other ways to rub shoulders with celebrities were main items on the menu– for a price. 

Fans created these conventions many years ago. Business people now use them as marketing tools. Conventions, for me, are far more than celebrities and shopping. 

I wonder what all the folks who go to these big productions would think of their local conventions? Would they join a fan group, help with a fan-based charity project, discuss a book, and become more substantively connected to the brilliant, inclusive, and thriving fan family? I hope so. The World Science Fiction Convention is coming to Chicago over Labor Day Weekend. Windycon is in November and Capricon is in February. Join us! 

Reading For Treasure: I Miss The Good Place

Reading for Treasure is my list of articles that are worth your attention. Click here for an introduction!

It’s been a year without The Good Place and I miss it. The finale rightfully won the Hugo award in December and that made me miss it even more. The tone and ideas of this show are a balm for the daily news.  If you haven’t tried it, I hope these articles will persuade you to watch it!  Yes, there are spoilers below, but this show can handle that. Here are some articles, all from a year ago, extolling, examining, and explaining this magnificent series.

The Atlantic wrote many articles about The Good Place. Here are three of the best: 

“The Good Place Was a Metaphor All Along” which discusses the way this show reflected back upon itself and commented on television and even attempted to better its audience. 

The second article, “The Most Optimistic Show on TV is Over” talks about how “The Good Place has spent four seasons asking weighty questions about the vexing condition of being alive: Can human beings become better? If so, how, and what does that even mean?” 

The third article, although titled, “The Good Place Felt Bad in the End”, really delves into the meaning behind the end of the series and wrestles with some wonderful and meaty questions. 

“How the Good Place Redefines Soul Mates” from Syfy Wire is a great description of the power of this series. It spells out some of the wonderful aspects that make this show far more than a simple sitcom. Warning: this article has some serious spoils, so don’t read it until you’ve finished the series.  

“The Good Place Became the Last Great Sitcom on Network TV By Daring its Audience to Be Better” in Time Magazine is a wonderful testimonial to the power of this program. 

Finally, Tor.com had a wonderful recap and tribute to the series, “What We Owe to Each Other Is to Talk About The Good Place’s Finale” which quickly summarizes some of the shows best moments and accomplishments. 

I am currently reading A History of What Comes Next By Sylvian Neuvel 

Reading for Treasure: Looking for a Book to Read?

Reading for Treasure is my list of articles (and other readings) that are worth your attention. Click here for an introduction!

What book should I read? I often use award nominees and journalist recommendations as a way to find good books. So here several lists of books you could read. Many, but not all, are genre lists (my favorite catagory). Many, but not all, come from Tor.com (which is a great source for genre-based information). 

Of course, you could also look at my list of favorite books, but most of these lists are of books written more recently. 

The Hugo Awards are nominated and voted on by the science fiction and fantasy fans through the World Science Fiction Convention. I have found Hugo nominees to be one of the best sources of new authors and works to read. 

The Atlantic has a variety of book lists. Here is their summer reading list. 

The Nebula Awards are given by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. These are the awards given by  (and to) the writers themselves. 

The African Speculative Fiction Society’s Nommo Awards recognizes science fiction, fantasy, and horror authors and editors who are “part of the African diaspora.” This is their long list. 

Locus Magazine focuses on the profession of science fiction, fantasy, and horror writing. They have their own awards and provide a very inclusive reading list of books written each year. These lists are wonderful shopping lists for your next book! 

President Obama is a voracious reader. Here is what he recommends. 

Here are the nominees for the World Fantasy Awards. 

The LA Times Ray Bradbury Prize “honors and extends Bradbury’s literary legacy by celebrating and elevating the writers working in his field today.” And, of course, Bradbury is from Waukegan, Illinois! 

The Philadelphia Science Fiction Society along with the Phillip K. Dick Trust give the Philip K. Dick Award to ““distinguished science fiction published in paperback original form in the United States during the previous calendar year…” This article lists the nominees. 

Finalists for the Lambda Literary Awards which are for the best LGBTQ science fiction, fantasy, and horror literature. 

The Shirley Jackson Awards are for  “outstanding achievement in the literature of psychological suspense, horror, and the dark fantastic…”

NPR published this article on "Your 50 Favorite Science Fiction and Fantasy Books of the Past Decade" on the same day I published this list!  

Of course, there are many other awards - and awards in many genres! There’s a lot to choose from! Pick one and READ! 

I am currently reading Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark 

The World Science Fiction Convention Online!

The coronavirus prevented people from traveling to Wellington, New Zealand for the 78^th annual World Science Fiction Convention. I was not planning on making the long trek down under. I was, of course, a supporting member, and planned on participated in voting for the Hugos and site selection from afar. When the convention went virtual, I signed up to attend – online. It was an opportunity to go to a Worldcon from my home in Illinois. What a great opportunity!  

For those readers who don’t know about Worldcons, science fiction conventions, or the wonderful world of fandom, take a look at this report from the Worldcon in London a few years back to get an idea of the scope, scale, and focus of these wonderful celebrations!

The virtual Worldcon a great experience. The organizers of CoNZealand did an outstanding job of creating both an analog experience and a new way to engage with fandom. I am so grateful to the many people who worked hours and hours to transform a traditional Worldcon into a meaningful online event.

 

I am a panel person. I enjoy many aspects of conventions, but the discussions at panels are my favorite part. The panel selection at CoNZealand was strong, but the online transformation of panels enhanced my experience significantly.

 

By any convention standards, the panels were great. The panelists were expert and articulate, the moderators did a great job of structuring the conversation. There was higher quality interaction between the audience and the panelists (and among the panelists) than at a typical live convention.

 

One of my biggest panel pet peeves is the people (often in the front row) who believe they are panelists and keep participating no matter what the moderator does. We had none of these! It wasn’t possible. There was strong information for moderators and a programming and/or tech person in the background helping structure the panel and making sure the technical details worked. It showed. Things ran beautifully!

 

The use of the Q&A and chat functions in Zoom also enhanced the panel significantly. Those who wanted to participate and provide a running commentary could use the chat feature. This felt both appropriate and a good way to channel (sorry) the need to provide a running commentary on the panel. Many times, panelists pulled ideas and comments from the chat into the panel! It was a multi-leveled conversation.

 

The Q&A function was a great replacement for hands up. Questions could be voted up or down and moderators could control how they asked them. The structure helped create panels that moved forward instead of the constant “back to what so-in-so said ten comments ago.”  

Continuing the panel discussion on Discord added yet another improvement to the convention panels. For me, the only way to continue the conversation started at a panel is to talk to my friends with whom I saw it. If I am lucky enough to spot a panelist, I might be able to bring up points from the panel (which has its own problems). CoNZealand created a dedicated avenue where panelists and audience members could continue their conversation on a Discord channel! This is a great way to deepen engagement and help foster stronger relationships between convention-goers.

 

Since the panels were on Zoom, they were recorded and these recordings were available shortly after the panel and for a week following the con. I attended many panels live but saw even more afterward. I got to see every panel I wanted to attend! I’m still watching them. Of course, I didn’t get the chat and the Discord follow up when I saw the recorded panel, but just being able to see multiple panels that were scheduled at the same time or at a time when I could not attend was a huge bonus! I felt like I got much more from this convention from the sheer number of panels I got to see!

 

I attended some of the parties on Zoom, sat at a fan table for a few hours, and toured the virtual exhibit hall, dealer’s room, and art show, too. While I would have preferred to interact with these in person, I liked being able to see the displays and take as much time as I wanted. I could linger at the art show and browse the dealers’ websites. I even appreciated the ambient sound of a busy convention hall that accompanied this area.

 

I am hoping to be in attendance in D.C. for the next WorldCon, and I do prefer being present in-person to a virtual experience. Yet, there are aspects of the online convention that could be integrated into a live one. Providing an online chat for panels, recording them, having an online discussion area would all be great enhancements. Are these worth the cost and people power to make them happen? I am not sure.

 

Having a virtual track on future conventions does make it more accessible and provides more value for all attendees. Yet, it would require much more work on the part of the organizers. As we envision a post-COVID world, we may need to both prepare for the possibility of an entirely online convention and provide ways for those who cannot travel to participate. CoNZealand did an outstanding job of exploring this brave new world of virtual conventions and I am very grateful! Bravo!

Reading for Treasure: The Hugo Awards!

 

Reading for Treasure is my list of articles (and other readings) that are worth your attention. Click here for an introduction! 

 

Looking for something fun to read, but not ready to start a long book? This month’s Reading For Treasure has some award-nominated short fiction that is outstanding and free!

 

The Hugo nominations were announced last month. The Hugos are the fan nominated and selected awards for science fiction, fantasy, and related genres. To learn more about the Hugos, click here. Fans who are attending or supporting the World Science Fiction convention each summer may nominate and vote for these awards. I try to do this every year, even if I am not traveling to the actual convention. This year, the convention, which was going to be hosted in Wellington, New Zealand, has gone virtual. So you won’t have to travel to participate – or vote for the Hugos!

 

The Hugos have many categories. Here is the official list of all the nominees. Since there were no science fiction conventions during World War II, many worldcons also have RetroHugo awards for a year in which the awards were not given. This year, the RetroHugos are for 1945. Here is the list of Retro nominees.

 

If you register and become a member of the convention (either supporting or attending), not only can you vote for the Hugos, you can also download a reading packet with many of the nominated works in it. Click here to become a member; an attending membership will allow you full access to the online convention. A supporting membership means you will receive all the updates and publications (including the reading packet), be able to vote for the Hugos and the site selection of the 2022 World Science Fiction Convention.

 

However, you can read many of the nominated works without doing anything! Here is a list of nominated short stories and novelettes that are only a click away. Since all of the short story nominees are available online, if you read them all, let me know which you think should win. I am voting!

 

Short Stories:

 

·       “And Now His Lordship Is Laughing” by Shiv Ramdas

·        “As the Last I May Know” by S.L. Huang

·       “Blood Is Another Word for Hunger” by Rivers Solomon

·       “A Catalog of Storms” by Fran Wilde

·       “Do Not Look Back, My Lion” by Alix E. Harrow

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

 

Novelettes:

 

·       “The Archronology of Love” by Caroline M. Yoachim

·       “Away With the Wolves” by Sarah Gailey

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

·       Emergency Skin, by N.K. Jemisin  (you have to be a Prime member to read the whole story).

·       “For He Can Creep”, by Siobhan Carroll

·       “Omphalos”, by Ted Chiang  - this one is not available for free

 

 

I am currently reading the Hugo nominated short fiction (short stories, novelettes, and novellas).