The 2010 Award Pimpage Post
Posted on January 5, 2010 Posted by John Scalzi 20 Comments
As I do each year in the first week of January, it’s time for my annual reminder to literary award nominators what works of mine are eligible for various award type thingies in the current year time frame period. Yes, it’s unseemly, but it’s also grasping and self-serving!
And what do I have for your consideration and delectation this time around? Well:
Best Novella:
- The God Engines (Subterranean Press)
Best Novelette:
- “Judge Sn Goes Golfing” (Subterranean Press chapbook)
- “The Tale of the Wicked” (The New Space Opera 2, Eos Books)
Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form:
- “The PetMaster 2000” (Live improvisational science fiction comedy, written and performed by Mary Robinette Kowal and John Scalzi)
Those are the works I have that are generally eligible. In the case of the Nebulas and the Norton (SFWA’s YA award), as a consequence of its switchover to a new nomination system, there’s a one-time 18-month eligibility “year,” which means that for the Nebula and Norton Awards only, Zoe’s Tale is eligible for Best Novel consideration.
Some notes:
* In addition to the categories above, I’ll note that for the Hugos I am also eligible for the Best Fan Writer category (I won it in 2008) and that Whatever is now likely eligible in the Best Fanzine category. However, in both cases I suggest people pass up the chance to nominate me or the blog in these categories. In the case of the Fan Writer category, I’m still of the opinion that there are many excellent fan writers who have not won the Hugo in that category but should, so that award still needs to be spread around (current Fan Writer Award winner Cheryl Morgan believes the same thing, incidentally). As for Whatever, it won me both a Fan Writer and Best Related Book Hugo; it’s been Hugo awarded sufficiently, I think.
* I recognize my noting “The PetMaster 2000” being eligible for the Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form will raise a few eyebrows, but, you know what: Mary and I are being pretty funny there, it does meet all the qualifications for the category, and in any event this is a category where they gave a Hugo for Gollum screaming at people on MTV, so let’s just say we wouldn’t be the strangest thing ever nominated in the category. Take a listen and consider it, if you would.
* That said, when you’re considering the Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form Hugo category, I hope you will also give some thought to Stargate: Universe, the show for which I am currently Creative Consultant. Ten episodes have shown here in the US and Canada, and they all have something to recommend them (although if you had to pin me down on one, I’d suggest the mid-season cliffhanger, “Justice”). I’m proud of this show and I think we’ve done some good television, and I would be delighted to see that reflected in the nominations this year.
That’s my award pimpage for 2010.
The PetMaster 2000 is absolutely brilliant! Anyone who hasn’t listened to it should. It is, as Wil Wheaton said, full of EPIC WIN.
John,
I’d have to agree with you on the SGU episode. That cliffhanger go tto me, I must admit. But…you just cannot keep a good scientist marooned on an alien planet! Especially when you leave him examining an alien space ship. I mean, that is hardly even a MacGyver Moment when you give him everything like that! ;)
I expect to see an episode with him pulling up beside the rest of them in his spiffy alien star cruiser and asking if they
“have any Grey Poupon…?”
I agree that Justice was pretty good, but my favorite by far has been “Time.”
I think you’ve got a good shot with The God Engines, by the way.
In the case of the Fan Writer category, I’m still of the opinion that there are many excellent fan writers who have not won the Hugo in that category but should, so that award still needs to be spread around
Speaking of, I don’t know if I remembered last year when you wrote a similar post to say “thanks!” for including moi in your “for your consideration” list of other fan writers, so if not, here you go. With a “shucks” added for Obligatory Modesty. (wink) Would be flattering to think I’ve been held over for another year.
Don’t be pimping yourself without a picture of you in a hat with a feather.
Dude, no self-respecting pimp wears a feathered hat any more. That’s so 1976.
If my millinery knowledge serves me well, that’s more of a 19th century tradition Mr.Wagner (no relation to the Anti-Semitism composer I hope!).
You should be proud of SG:U. It’s really impressive. Despite the fanboy cries of “why couldn’t they have just made Battlestar Galactica 2 and given us a real Stargate show?”, I think that the gritty, almost industrial look works well for a franchise that has always been quirky and light.
“Justice” was a fantastic episode, and I am really amazed that it came as early in the series as it did. I fully expected that to happen at some point, but I thought it would at least be the S1 finale or somewhere in S2 once everything had rounded off again and hit some sort of equilibrium in the narrative. I also think that “Time” deserves more acclaim than it’s been given. It was the one where I finally started caring about the ensemble instead of just always rooting for Eli or Rush, the rest of them be damned.
Jane @ #7: No relation, though I wouldn’t mind. Not for the anti-Semitism, of course, but for inheriting all the performance royalties.
I’m another who liked the episode “Time” best. I suspect the fact that it’s classic SF at heart is a lot of why.
And yeah, I’d love to see Rush asking if they have any Grey Poupon….
A vote for TGE is certianly a possibility, once I can actually read it..(He checks his Amazon account- not shipped yet..). If only I could get it on my Kin*** ( He ducks and covers..)
Actually I was re-reading The Ghost Brigades in hardback the other night and after putting it down (aka falling asleep), when I picked it up again it had lost my place! How quaint..
Can someone enlighten me as to what “EPIC WIN” means?
-yes I’m old – no need to be rude about it.
Jeff, Epic means Big, so it’s short for Big Win. It’s awesome. It’s the bomb. It’s great…
Thanks Gray Area…..so the book is “full of Big Win”?
Epic I got, but couldn’t figure out what Win was short for….it still makes no sense to me but no doubt the kids get it….(sigh).
Regardless I’ve ordered it as I really like all John’s writing so far – including the sometimes maligned Androids Dream, which I thought was funny as hell.
Correction – it was Hate Mail that I ordered yesterday – the other I’ll attempt to listen to one day- I find many of these audio things don’t play without me adding yet another media player and it irritates me somewhat.
-hey tech heads – how about creating things in media that everyone has as standard hmm?
Are podcasts included in the categories yet? I say yet, because it always seems to be the way that well established institutions are slow to move with the times, but it would be a bit ironic if Hugo’s did not include new media presentations. Specifically I was thinking of StarShipSofa for best fanzine. Although it has published a hard copy volume of some of the short stories it has presented over the years, it is predominantly a podcast presentation. However, the format is most decidedly that of a fanzine (possibly even semi-prozine!)
I feel that podcasts are rejuvenating the genre and are free. Personally I love the StarShipSofa, it has the greatest writers plus interviews, essays, reviews, poetry, science news and beautiful art. What more could you ask for and it is free :-)
I have to say that StarShipSofa represents tons of work by fans. Tons! It would definitely be a worthy nomination.
StarShipSofa has turned fans all over the world into contributors, and the result is a top quality weekly show. In terms of quality content and numbers of subscribers and contributers, this podcast has got to be worthy of a Best Fanzine nomination. Mr. Scalzi, I encourage you to consider.
Folks, it’s kind of weird to keep posting affirmations of StarShipSofa into a thread tied to a post about me.