About The Campbell Tiara
Posted on August 28, 2006 Posted by John Scalzi 35 Comments
Since there seems to be interest in it, a quick note about the new Campbell tiara, which you see me modeling here. As I can recollect the story, it was created at the behest of Campbell winners Jay Lake and Elizabeth Bear, who wanted to create Campbell regalia which would be provided to new winners to show off at the Worldcons or other conventions (away from the conventions, Jay Lake is tasked with the keeping of the regalia). The tiara — or, actually, diadem, if you want to be technical — was handcrafted by Amanda Downum from copper wire and glass beads, and now having worn it myself I’m here to tell you that it’s both quite lovely and also reasonably comfortable to wear. Not something you’d wear every day, mind you, but for a two-day stretch? No problem. And I simply enjoyed looking at it too. Ms. Downum, you did a fine, fine job. Thank you.
What’s really cool about the tiara, you should know, is that it really does work — people saw me wearing the tiara on Saturday and Sunday, and would say to me: “Hey! The Campbell tiara!” And then congratulate me on the award. As Elizabeth Bear (who as the Campbell winner just prior to me was wearing the tiara, which she then placed on my head) said, this has become an instant tradition; I look forward to placing it on the head of whomever wins the Campbell next year.
The picture above, incidentally, was taken by Keith Stokes, who graciously gave me permission to post it; in addition to being here, it is now on display as part of the extensive MidAmerican Fan Photo Archive of the 2006 Hugo Awards Ceremony, which you can see in all its glory here. Go visit! Now!
That? Is a terrific photo.
And the diadem becomes you so.
Bear was right, though – you do look a little like a demented elf prince :-)
(That was right before she presented it to you. in case you couldn’t hear from backstage.)
Only a little like a demented elf prince? I must try harder!
Only a little like a demented elf prince? I must try harder!
Photoshop, here we come…
(On the road, away from home, visiting elderly parents …)
Just dropping by to say: congratulations on the (much deserved!) Campbell; commiserations on the Hugo (I feel your pain :).
Thank you, and congratulations.
Yo! Conga-rat-ulations. That is absitively posilutely awesomely cool.
Also, I like the diadem. *turns slightly green from envy* It’s loverly.
Charlie Stross:
Charlie! Yes, commiseration right back at you, although I suspect you’ll be in the finalists’ circle again next year with Glasshouse.
Amanda Downum:
Thanks! And once again, a truly lovely headpiece. I had a ball wearing it.
heartfelt gleeful congratulations
as a crone
I hafta say
I really enjoyed the book
and I’m sure you’ll be Hugo-ing
in the near future
John –
Love the diadem. You look like a benevolent Roman overlord about to tell folks martial law is for their own good.
Seriously, congratulations!
Okay, THAT explains it. I saw a picture of you elsewhere, and it looked like you had hair, and I was greatly confused.
Wow, a new cheese cutting board and jewelry. Is this a great genre or what. :)
Second on that benevolent Roman overload thing. Now if there was only a suitable name to go with that.
Congrats again for the second time as well.
So, is there a runner up, you know, in case you can’t fulfill the duties of office for the full year? ;)
All hail King John!
Steve Buchheit:
“So, is there a runner up, you know, in case you can’t fulfill the duties of office for the full year?”
Yes, should I be found doing something particularly sordid — even for science fiction — I’m sure one of the other five will be called upon to take up the tiara. Which is as it should be. We can’t let my predilections for certain aquatic mammals taint the greatness of the Campbell.
Ye and verily, Scalzi hath been crowned Lord of the Geeks.
Congrats, man. I’m so happy I could just squee. (I won’t, ’cause I’m renting and squee all over the place makes it hard to get your deposit back, but yannao – the thought is there.)
You are such a cutie! I bet Harlan wanted to give you a big squeeze!
I rode down the elevator with you on Hugo night, puzzled by the sight of a very well-dressed man at WorldCon. (Nice tie!) I decided you were a rich and famous author’s accountant. That illusion held until you were crowned Prince of Campbells. The diadem made everything in the world look right again. You may be SF, but the diadem is pure magic.
You look like the sci-fi jesus – grats bud
an remember TANSTAAFL!
Matthew Combs:
[…] sci-fi jesus
Say, wasn’t that a Depeche Mode song?
Wow, a Campbell winner and the inspiration behind an 80s classic? Very cool, Scalzi.
Even more than the last picture: Damn, you clean up nice.
Good job Bro. At the same time that I saw the picture of you in your new head jewelry Katrina had a cartoon on and the characters were all saying “PRETTY, PRETTY, SHINY, SHINY” over and over. What a riot that was. I got all the kids in front of the computer and showed them uncle John’s
picture and had them repeat it.”PRETTY, PRETTY, SHINY, SHINY”. Now off to the school bus in a better mood.
Congrats as well. Well deserved. I’ve enjoyed each of your books that I’ve read, and really appreciate this site for pointing me towards a few other authors, Charlie Stross in particular. As other have said, if Spin beat out Charlie and yourself I guess I’ll have to give it a whirl.
John, there’s been a few comments about what a great speech you gave. For those of us poor slobs slaving away at out day jobs and couldn’t make WorldCon, is there a video, audio, or could you post the text so we can live vicariously. That and when the Grandkids ask in 2038 if we were there when Scalzi the Great won the Campbell we can lie and give them a good story.
BTW, was waiting for an open thread to post this; I was reading Ghost Brigades and when I hit, “Leave it to the humans to bang the rocks together,” I nearly fell off the couch. With that line I said, “I’ve got to read all of his books.”
Steve Buchheit:
I do believe they were videotaping the ceremony, so the speech is recorded in some form. And I’ll talk about the content in an upcoming post, to be sure.
Penny Hill:
Thanks! Yes, I got a number of puzzled looks as I walked through the hotel and convention center. But, you know, there was a possibility I was getting an award. I wanted to look as good as humanly possible.
Robert Rogers:
The thought of my nieces and nephews chanting “Pretty, pretty, shiny, shiny” makes me cackle with glee. (For everyone else: Robert Rodgers is my brother. Yes I have one. Two sisters, too!)
Nicely done, sir. Now I shall clutch the diadem of state to my ragged breast until it’s time to emerge from my hole once more next summer.
Robert Rodgers is my brother. Yes I have one. Two sisters, too!)
Interesting. May I ask where you fall in the birth order?
I’m the youngest of the naturally born kids. My youngest sister, Andrea, is adopted, and my mom adopted her when I was an adult, so I didn’t grow up with her.
So does the tiara amplify your psychic powers? A Campbell tiara should give you the ability to bend spoons with your mind.
But then, I was crushed to learn the Hugo rockets don’t fly, either.
Cambias:
The Hugo rockets fly; they just don’t land very elegantly.
The only power the tiara has is the ability to make people giggle when it’s placed on top of my head. I say that because people didn’t giggle when Bear had it on her head. But me? Titter, titter, titter.
I’m the youngest
I see (nods knowingly).
Actually I am pretty much full of it. Psycho-analyzing over the internet ain’t very reliable. Of course that doesn’t stop me from doing it.
People didn’t titter at Bear because it went so nicely with her necklace. Perhaps you need to add a torc.
I can see the Ringo Starr resemblance in the previous photo, but in this one I see a little Howie Mandel.
not to be all pedantic and stuff, but you are a professional writer. Shouldn’t it be, “I look forward to placing it on the head of WHOEVER wins the Campbell next year”?
Wow. You’re right. That is pedantic.
I’m a writer, not a copy editor.