The Neb Nominees Are Out, But First The Stokers

[mondyboy]

On Saturday the Final Ballot for the 2011 Stoker Awards was announced.  Apart from Nick Mamatas, there’s been fuck all commentary of the nominees in blog-land*.  (The Nebula list has been out for less than 24 hours and it’s already received more exposure).  But then I suppose if the Australian horror Yahoo group, Southern Horror, can only muster

Comments

[benpeek]

so, the subtext of this list is, 'i don't know any authors here cause i don't really give a shit about horror, but look! awards! i must care what people i don't know and don't care about and don't read like me care to give a statue to!'

;p

rocky wood is australian, btw. he was born in NZ, but lives in meblourne.

[mondyboy]

Yeah, I fucked up re: Rocky - who I know - so I've edited the post. Thanks.

But I am... or at least thought I was... a horror fan. I'm not saying the ballot is crap because I don't know the works but more recognising that me and the scene have parted company. And, you know, I think commenting on awards - even if you have fuck all of substance to say, such as me - is a good thing. I think. Or maybe you're right and next year I shouldn't bother with the Stokers. Unless I've got something more to say then I haven't read this, woe is me.

That said I'm curious, have you read much of the work featured? Especially in the novel and first novel category? If you have can you suggest what is good?

[benpeek]

nah, i haven't read any of them. lee thomas has been around for a while, though, and people say good things about him. but i honestly don't enjoy horror, so it's not something i seek out.

i guess i just thought it funny that you were commenting on a list you hadn't read, as if somehow the list made them important to you, without even knowing the politics behind it, or the people responsible for it. the stokers have always been terrible for backslapping and little nudges to their mates, though there is apparently a jury that is involved now--though if it makes a dif, who knows. but still, the question remains, do the people involved deserve to have their opinion taken strongly? are they worthy judges of an entire scene?

no idea, personally. but it's always been my thing with awards. we treat them like they mean something, regardless of the people involved.

[mondyboy]

I'll admit it wasn't the greatest use of my time. Next year, unless there's something actually worth saying, I'm not going to bother.

And, just to note, I do think the award ballots, as distinct from the awards themselves, are important. They should be there to spark discussion about the scene, including the politics that shapes the list.

[girlycomic]

I don't think of myself as a horror fan, but seemed to have picked up some knowledge/read some stuff by knowing lots of horror writers through the British Fantasy Society.

One the first novels nominations I know Ally Bird. Read & enjoyed her short story collections but not read her novel. For info she recently moved from the UK to NZ.

I've seen all the screenplays apart from Priest & wouldn't really have thought of The Adjustment Bureau as horror. The Walking Dead & American Horror Story episodes are good. Can't remember which ep that is of True Blood.

Comics - Jay rates Locke & Key, I've not read it. Anya's Ghost is on my to read pile.

[mondyboy]

Thanks for that. I'm going to keep my eye on the Ally Bird, and I really should get my hands on Locke and Key (especially if Jay rates it).

[bunnikins]

I think I'm a horror fan, but I'm in the same boat as you with this list - many names I don't know at all, a few that sound familiar but I can't place exactly, and a sprinkling of names I do know, but haven't read the works listed. The only thing on that list I've read is the Alan Moore comic.

It's a long time since I paid attention to a nominations list, but I'm sure I used to be better informed than that...:)

[mondyboy]

The thing is, I thought I was well informed. Obviously not. At least when it comes to horror.