It’s that time of year again. Time to talk about 2021 awards eligibility so that the powers that be (you) can go out, read my works, and nominate as per your heart’s desire. There has been a lot of great stuff this year, and I’m sure you have a long reading list.
I’ve been working hard this year. I have! Really! My list is short because a lot of what I’m doing isn’t eligible for one reason or another. Let’s break it down a little.
Short Stories
Escape from the Sunset Vista – This is my science fiction nursing home escape heist, and I really love this story. It deals with memory loss, regret, and that eternal drive to discover the truth. I write a lot about competent elderly protagonists, and I think this story encapsulates everything I love about doing that.
Unfortunately it’s a bit difficult to find. It was published through OnSpec Magazine on paper, but they don’t make everything available online. SFWA members can find this story on the forum.
The Last Tangerine – This is a late addition to the lineup. It came out late December and is now available to read on Issues in Earth Science. The earth science in this one is a little tenuous, but they liked the story and there’s enough teachable stuff in there that I think it was a good fit.
Novellas
My self-published Colony of Edge series is almost all eligible this year, so I’m just going to lump the whole thing together here. Of a Strange World Made came out in 2020, but the entire rest of the series was released this year. In particular I’d like you to check out Upon Another Edge Broken, since I absolutely love how colony-driven sci-fi worked with a cozy mystery wrapped up in it. Beware the Columbo references. I’m not sorry. You can check out the Colony of Edge series page for details on where to get those books (everywhere).
That’s pretty much it! Yeah, I know it’s not that exciting this year, but there’s more to come soon. The Grandfather Anonymous release this year was technically a re-release, so no eligibility there. My novella Beyond the Hazards Unseen is only available to people who sign up for my mailing list, so that’s not really eligible (I really do like the story, though).
And, of course, the stories I publish on my Patreon have WAY too small an audience for any real award consideration. If you’re interested, you’re welcome to check them out, though.
Happy reading, everyone. As always, it’s going to be a great award season. There are tons of great stories out there.