For Your Consideration: Final Thoughts!
Hugo nominations are due on Monday, March 11, 06:59 UTC/GMT, so it's time for me to go ahead and get my ballot sent off. I've read everything I wanted to read, watched most everything I wanted to watch, so I'm ready to go. What I wanted to do in THIS post was give you a run-down of discussions we've had, as well as offer a few more items for consideration, in the event you have time to rush out and read/watch something. This post also serves to refresh my memory of what I need to consider before I turn in my ballot, so it's as much for me as it is for you!
Best Novel
I've already talked about what books I've read that were published in 2012 that may be eligible for the Hugo. That list is here on LJ and here on WP. I just want to add a few more to that list for YOUR consideration, in case you forgot about something that was published last year that you really want to nominate. Again, I'm not saying I'm going to nominate these titles, I'm just saying I think they're eligible based on their publication date.
In alphabetical order:
Coates, Deborah: Wide Open
Gladstone, Max: Three Parts Dead
Hartman, Rachel: Seraphina
Levithan, David: Every Day
Taylor, Laini: Days of Blood & Starlight
Wells, Martha: The Serpent Sea
The Gladstone review will come this coming week, but I will say, it was excellent. The cover is deceptive, making you think it's a run-of-the-mill kick-assitude urban fantasy. It's not.
Short Fiction
I haven't talked about what I've read that's eligible in the short fiction categories. For the most part, I'm making educated guesses where these stories belong. In the case of novellas, I know for sure. In the case of short stories, they might be novelettes and I don't know it, so if you DO know, please correct me. Again, this is just a listing of what I read and what I think is eligible, not necessarily what I will be nominating (again, in alphabetical order):
Best Novella
Corey, James S.A.: Gods of Risk
Grant, Mira: San Diego 2014: The Last Stand of the California Browncoats
Kress, Nancy: After the Fall, Before the Fall, During the Fall
Best Short Story
Bardugo, Leigh: "The Witch of Duva: A Ravkan Folk Tale"
Carson, Rae: "The Shadow Cats"
Hoffman, Erin: "At the Foot of the Lighthouse (Todai Moto Kurashi)"
McCarron, Meghan: "Swift, Brutal Retaliation"
Best Graphic Story
I talked about the comics I read in 2012 rather extensively here on LJ and here on WP. Suffice to say, there are a few graphic novels that came out that collected issues of awesome stuff that I want to make sure YOU all are aware of (for consideration of course). Links go to Amazon where you can get the collection (in alphabetical order, though I'll just go ahead and say Saga is a freaking lock for me):
Hickman, Jonathan: The Manhattan Projects: Volume 1: Science Bad
Hill, Joe: The Cape
Hill, Joe: Locke & Key: Volume 5: Clockworks
Kidd, Chip: Batman: Death by Design
Simone, Gail: Batgirl: Volume 1: The Darkest Reflection
Vaughn, Brian K.: Saga: Volume 1
Best Dramatic Presentation
I've already talked this category to death for Long and Short Form. You can read my suggestions here on LJ and here on WP. Only thing I'd like to add to those lists is Seeking a Friend for the End of the World for Long Form.
Also, to plug Fringe one last time. "Letters of Transit" FOR THE SHORT FORM NOMINATION!!!!!!!!!
Best Professional Artist
Some favorites of mine with their website and a cover released last year you might recognize:
Daniel Dociu (portfolio) Caliban's War by James S.A. Corey
Dehong He (portfolio) Lance of Earth and Sky by Erin Hoffman
Stephen Martiniere (portfolio) Ashes of Candesce by Karl Schroeder
Chris McGrath (portfolio) Three Parts Dead by Max Gladstone
Cliff Nielsen (portfolio) The Inexplicables by Cherie Priest
Also, check out the cover art gallery for Beneath Ceaseless Skies. There's some great artists submitting to that magazine!
Best Semiprozine
There are a lot of these out there, and there's a lot of great ones. But one that keeps missing the ballot that I'd love to see get nominated is Beneath Ceaseless Skies, and now that Locus is no longer eligible for the award (or so I hear), then I really want this to happen. I admit I'm biased: the editor and I attended Odyssey the same year, and I know he's super-cool. But it's a great mag, so please, PLEASE, consider it for this category. Everything you need to make your decision is on the website, include current and past stories, a cover art gallery, and more!
Best Fanzine & Best Fan Writer
This is one I've talked about extensively about. Please feel free to read my considerations as well as the comments (great comments on both sites for these categories) here on LJ and here on WP.
John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer
I didn't keep as close an eye as I should've this past year for novel debuts, and of course, novel debuts don't guarantee eligibility for this award (which is why I wish there was a debut novel category, but hey), but here's who I'm pretty sure is eligible, for your consideration (please correct me if I'm wrong).
Madeline Ashby (for vN)
Max Gladstone (for Three Parts Dead)
Rachel Hartman (for Seraphina)
And that's all I've got for this category, sadly.
Whew! This list took longer to put together than I thought! Now it's time for me to nominate, and you haven't yet, it's time for you to do so as well!
Best Novel
I've already talked about what books I've read that were published in 2012 that may be eligible for the Hugo. That list is here on LJ and here on WP. I just want to add a few more to that list for YOUR consideration, in case you forgot about something that was published last year that you really want to nominate. Again, I'm not saying I'm going to nominate these titles, I'm just saying I think they're eligible based on their publication date.
In alphabetical order:
Coates, Deborah: Wide Open
Gladstone, Max: Three Parts Dead
Hartman, Rachel: Seraphina
Levithan, David: Every Day
Taylor, Laini: Days of Blood & Starlight
Wells, Martha: The Serpent Sea
The Gladstone review will come this coming week, but I will say, it was excellent. The cover is deceptive, making you think it's a run-of-the-mill kick-assitude urban fantasy. It's not.
Short Fiction
I haven't talked about what I've read that's eligible in the short fiction categories. For the most part, I'm making educated guesses where these stories belong. In the case of novellas, I know for sure. In the case of short stories, they might be novelettes and I don't know it, so if you DO know, please correct me. Again, this is just a listing of what I read and what I think is eligible, not necessarily what I will be nominating (again, in alphabetical order):
Best Novella
Corey, James S.A.: Gods of Risk
Grant, Mira: San Diego 2014: The Last Stand of the California Browncoats
Kress, Nancy: After the Fall, Before the Fall, During the Fall
Best Short Story
Bardugo, Leigh: "The Witch of Duva: A Ravkan Folk Tale"
Carson, Rae: "The Shadow Cats"
Hoffman, Erin: "At the Foot of the Lighthouse (Todai Moto Kurashi)"
McCarron, Meghan: "Swift, Brutal Retaliation"
Best Graphic Story
I talked about the comics I read in 2012 rather extensively here on LJ and here on WP. Suffice to say, there are a few graphic novels that came out that collected issues of awesome stuff that I want to make sure YOU all are aware of (for consideration of course). Links go to Amazon where you can get the collection (in alphabetical order, though I'll just go ahead and say Saga is a freaking lock for me):
Hickman, Jonathan: The Manhattan Projects: Volume 1: Science Bad
Hill, Joe: The Cape
Hill, Joe: Locke & Key: Volume 5: Clockworks
Kidd, Chip: Batman: Death by Design
Simone, Gail: Batgirl: Volume 1: The Darkest Reflection
Vaughn, Brian K.: Saga: Volume 1
Best Dramatic Presentation
I've already talked this category to death for Long and Short Form. You can read my suggestions here on LJ and here on WP. Only thing I'd like to add to those lists is Seeking a Friend for the End of the World for Long Form.
Also, to plug Fringe one last time. "Letters of Transit" FOR THE SHORT FORM NOMINATION!!!!!!!!!
Best Professional Artist
Some favorites of mine with their website and a cover released last year you might recognize:
Daniel Dociu (portfolio) Caliban's War by James S.A. Corey
Dehong He (portfolio) Lance of Earth and Sky by Erin Hoffman
Stephen Martiniere (portfolio) Ashes of Candesce by Karl Schroeder
Chris McGrath (portfolio) Three Parts Dead by Max Gladstone
Cliff Nielsen (portfolio) The Inexplicables by Cherie Priest
Also, check out the cover art gallery for Beneath Ceaseless Skies. There's some great artists submitting to that magazine!
Best Semiprozine
There are a lot of these out there, and there's a lot of great ones. But one that keeps missing the ballot that I'd love to see get nominated is Beneath Ceaseless Skies, and now that Locus is no longer eligible for the award (or so I hear), then I really want this to happen. I admit I'm biased: the editor and I attended Odyssey the same year, and I know he's super-cool. But it's a great mag, so please, PLEASE, consider it for this category. Everything you need to make your decision is on the website, include current and past stories, a cover art gallery, and more!
Best Fanzine & Best Fan Writer
This is one I've talked about extensively about. Please feel free to read my considerations as well as the comments (great comments on both sites for these categories) here on LJ and here on WP.
John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer
I didn't keep as close an eye as I should've this past year for novel debuts, and of course, novel debuts don't guarantee eligibility for this award (which is why I wish there was a debut novel category, but hey), but here's who I'm pretty sure is eligible, for your consideration (please correct me if I'm wrong).
Madeline Ashby (for vN)
Max Gladstone (for Three Parts Dead)
Rachel Hartman (for Seraphina)
And that's all I've got for this category, sadly.
Whew! This list took longer to put together than I thought! Now it's time for me to nominate, and you haven't yet, it's time for you to do so as well!