Huh…

It looks like I made the final ballot for the Campbell Award for best new sci-fi writer. With only one published book (and one short story, also in the same universe) I figure I’m a long shot, even if I have a re-write, a sequel, a prequel, and a children’s historical book scheduled for this year. In any case, even getting to the final ballot short-list is an honor… Well, interesting, anyway. No clue what the competition is like, but it should be fun to watch unfold. I can almost hear some brains exploding from here.

Also on the list: Wesley Chu*, Jason Cordova, Kary English*, Eric S. Raymond (*Finalists in their 2nd year of eligibility.)

Mixed words on making the short list for the Prometheus. But as I hear the competition is strong this year, so I’m a long-shot there, too. But how many people manage to make both a “best new X” list at the same time they make the list for some other category in the field competing against long-time pros?

Just getting nominated for either award is proof the universe has a twisted sense of humor. If I happen to win, I know that my little corner of the cosmos is a very strange one. Not a bad one, mind you, just more than a little bit odd.

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19 thoughts on “Huh…

  1. AWESOME! I am gonna go buy a bunch of copies for you to autograph at Boomershoot — the value of books by hot authors always goes through the roof when they’re inscribed!

    Oh wait….

    • I’m sure it’ll hit paper eventually. Perhaps next year 🙂
      Once they are in actual print, I’ll likely buy a couple of boxes at a discount, sign them, and keep them handy for gifts and sales. Let me know if you want your own box full for investment purposes 🙂

  2. You’ll definitely have my vote, I signed up for the Sad Puppies campaign this year. I love a success story, and I love it even more when it’s someone that I like the way they think and write!

  3. Shouldn’t it be possible to sign “digital” books with “digital” signatures?

    I don’t know how but I be it could be done.

  4. Congratulations, Rolf! It’s great to see smart, hard work recognized with such a prestigious nomination!

  5. Congrats! But where is the prose version? Has it come out yet? (I imagine you would tell us over here when it does….)

    • Pretty much done editing, awaiting cover art. Should drop this month if all goes well. Possibly the sequel will, too, if no major changes are needed.

  6. Congrats! You should win just on using an unusual format successfully.

    • I don’t know if the format was a plus in the long run, or a minus. Nearly all the negative comments on Amazon (1- and 2- star) were based on not liking the format. On the other hand, sometimes you need something to differentiate yourself from the crowd. *eh*. It all worked out OK, I guess.

      • It took a while to get used to the movie scripting/blocking(?) format, but at some point it became an asset to the story telling. The experience was enhanced somewhat, although it could be difficult to quantify it.

        It feels a bit like watching a really good movie, and then reading the original book it was based on. In my experience, doing the reverse doesn’t work nearly as well.

        This makes me wonder if this sort of composite script setup might be what sells a movie to some big name actor, that turns out to be bad as a finished project?

  7. And I remember you way back before you were a famous author. Back when…

    🙂

    That’s pretty freaking awesome.

    • That’s kind of funny. For a while now I’ve been thinking I live in an interesting place, where I sort of casually know “people,” folks that are in some way famous (or infamous) in their field, and important enough that it’s not inconceivable that their name might get dropped in a “well I know so-and-so!” way. Then I do something millions of people have done – write a book – and suddenly *I’m* sort of a “somebody,” just because I did a decent job and it sort of fit what the universe had going on at the time. Kind an odd.

  8. It’s well deserved. I am glad I bought the book last year, I quite enjoyed it. Looking forward to more from you, Rolf.

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