2008 Ursa Major Awards - Voting Open (plus some discussion)
I know I'm kind of late to the party in getting an announcement out there (and many of you guys have probably voted already), but the 2008 Ursa Major Awards are holding voting now through April 19th.
For the first time ever, I've actually gotten something nominated, myself, too! Specifically, it's for my story "Candy and Music," which appeared back in Heat #5 back in July of last year. I'm actually really flattered by this nomination, for a number of reasons.
This nomination actually says quite a bit, really. "Candy and Music" is a published story, available only in hard-copy form, and yet it still made the nomination cut. It was neither available online for folks to easily check out when the nominations were open, nor was it on the 'Recommended Reading' shortlist to bring to people's attention.
What this says to me, then, is that it's the folks who bought issues of Heat and read my story who liked it enough to vote for it, and who did so in enough number that it made the final five (avoiding BSG reference here), despite some stiff competition, including my own stories that were more readily available.
And honestly? That means a lot to me. It means a lot that people would go out of their way to pick that particular story when it wasn't just the quick and easy selection. Heck, when I put out a call for my own journal readers to nominate my stuff, I suggested that they choose "Stray"; that "Candy and Music" ended up making the cut is an indication that my story hit a wide audience who actually took the time to read and appreciate it, and that is absolutely not something that I take for granted1.
I've been writing furry erotica and sharing it online for well over half a decade, at this point (agh, I can feel my otter-bones aching as I type!). I'm so happy that I've had a devoted fanbase for most of those years, and it's been just plain terrific to see, especially in recent years, that furry writing is on the rise within the fandom--that it's being more widely appreciated, that it's being better appreciated, taken seriously.
And so here I sit, humbled by my first award nomination, alongside a number of other grear writers, and I think of how excited I am for the future of furry fiction. I see a little glimmer of proof that furries out there really do care about the things that they read, and that folks out there are interested in reading something more than whatever can be reached with a quick click of a hyperlink and read hastily with just one paw at the keyboard2.
So, for all you readers out there: go register your votes for your favorite stories and books and collections. Have your voices be heard. And continue to do an awesome job (and doing us writers a solid) by telling all your friends about the things you read and giving recommendations to others. That's what makes all of this work.
1. What this also all says is that people actually bought Heat #5 for reasons other than the fact that Diego and Bayshore are in it, which is another thing I wouldn't necessarily ever take for granted!
2. Though oh my god, did you see the pictures BlackTeagan did for my story? Good lord, I would not blame anyone for reading one-handed in that case!
For the first time ever, I've actually gotten something nominated, myself, too! Specifically, it's for my story "Candy and Music," which appeared back in Heat #5 back in July of last year. I'm actually really flattered by this nomination, for a number of reasons.
This nomination actually says quite a bit, really. "Candy and Music" is a published story, available only in hard-copy form, and yet it still made the nomination cut. It was neither available online for folks to easily check out when the nominations were open, nor was it on the 'Recommended Reading' shortlist to bring to people's attention.
What this says to me, then, is that it's the folks who bought issues of Heat and read my story who liked it enough to vote for it, and who did so in enough number that it made the final five (avoiding BSG reference here), despite some stiff competition, including my own stories that were more readily available.
And honestly? That means a lot to me. It means a lot that people would go out of their way to pick that particular story when it wasn't just the quick and easy selection. Heck, when I put out a call for my own journal readers to nominate my stuff, I suggested that they choose "Stray"; that "Candy and Music" ended up making the cut is an indication that my story hit a wide audience who actually took the time to read and appreciate it, and that is absolutely not something that I take for granted1.
I've been writing furry erotica and sharing it online for well over half a decade, at this point (agh, I can feel my otter-bones aching as I type!). I'm so happy that I've had a devoted fanbase for most of those years, and it's been just plain terrific to see, especially in recent years, that furry writing is on the rise within the fandom--that it's being more widely appreciated, that it's being better appreciated, taken seriously.
And so here I sit, humbled by my first award nomination, alongside a number of other grear writers, and I think of how excited I am for the future of furry fiction. I see a little glimmer of proof that furries out there really do care about the things that they read, and that folks out there are interested in reading something more than whatever can be reached with a quick click of a hyperlink and read hastily with just one paw at the keyboard2.
So, for all you readers out there: go register your votes for your favorite stories and books and collections. Have your voices be heard. And continue to do an awesome job (and doing us writers a solid) by telling all your friends about the things you read and giving recommendations to others. That's what makes all of this work.
1. What this also all says is that people actually bought Heat #5 for reasons other than the fact that Diego and Bayshore are in it, which is another thing I wouldn't necessarily ever take for granted!
2. Though oh my god, did you see the pictures BlackTeagan did for my story? Good lord, I would not blame anyone for reading one-handed in that case!