Locus, March 2014

by Locus Publications

  ALA AWARDS

  The American Library Association announced several award winners at their annual Midwinter Meeting, held January 24-28, 2014 in Philadelphia PA. There were several winners and honorees of genre interest. Marcus Zusak won the Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young people. Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo (Candlewick) won the John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature. Doll Bones by Holly Black (McElderry) was one of four Newbery Honor Books. Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick (Roaring Brook) won the 2014 Michael L. Printz Award, given to a book that exemplifies literary excellence in young-adult literature. Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner, illustrated by Julian Crouch (Candlewick), was one of four Printz Honor Books. Rose under Fire by Elizabeth Wein (Hyperion) won the Schneider Family Book Award in the teen category, for books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience. Lexicon by Max Barry (Penguin) and Lives of Tao by Wesley Chu (Angry Robot) were among ten Alex Award winners for the best adult books that appeal to teen audiences. The audiobook of Roald Dahl’s Matilda (Penguin Audio) was an Odyssey Honor book, recognizing excellence in children’s and YA audiobooks.

  The Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) 2014 Reading List was also announced, with Vicious by V.E. Schwab (Tor) winning in the fantasy category, Last Days by Adam Nevil (St. Martin’s Griffin) in the horror category, and Love Minus Eighty by Will MacIntosh (Orbit) in science fiction.

  2013 BSFA SHORTLIST

  The 2013 BSFA Awards shortlist has been announced.

  Novel: God’s War, Kameron Hurley (Del Rey); Ancillary Justice, Ann Leckie (Orbit); Evening’s Empires, Paul McAuley (Gollancz); Ack-Ack Macaque, Gareth L. Powell (Solaris); The Adjacent, Christopher Priest (Gollancz). Short Fiction: Spin, Nina Allan (TTA Press); ‘‘Selkie Stories are for Losers’’, Sofia Samatar (Strange Horizons); ‘‘Saga’s Children’’, E.J. Swift (The Lowest Heaven, Pandemonium); ‘‘Boat in the Shadows Crossing’’, Tori Truslow (Beneath Ceaseless Skies). Artwork: Cover for Tony Ballantyne’s Dream London, Joey Hi-fi (Solaris); Poster for Metropolis, Kevin Tong (tragicsunshine.com); ‘‘The Angel at the Heart of the Rain’’, Richard Wagner (Interzone #246). NonFiction: Wonderbook, Jeff VanderMeer (Abrams Image); ‘‘Going Forth by Night’’, John J. Johnston (Unearthed); ‘‘Sleeps with Monsters’’, Liz Bourke (Tor.com).

  The awards will be voted on by members of BSFA and the British Annual Science Fiction Convention (Eastercon). The winners will be announced April 20, 2014 in a ceremony at the Satellite 4 Eastercon convention at the Crown Plaza Hotel, Glasgow.

  The Data File continues after ad.

  AWARDS NEWS

  Winners of the 2013 Kitschies, awarded to ‘‘the year’s most progressive, intelligent, and entertaining works of genre literature published in the UK,’’ were presented February 12, 2014 in a ceremony at the Seven Dials Club in London. Red Tentacle (Novel): A Tale for the Time Being, Ruth Ozeki (Canongate). Golden Tentacle (Debut Novel): Ancillary Justice, Ann Leckie (Orbit). Inky Tentacle (Cover Art): The Age Atomic, Adam Christopher, art by Will Staehle (Angry Robot). The ‘‘Black Tentacle,’’ presented at the discretion of the judges, went to author Malorie Blackman. The winner of the Red Tentacle received £750, and winners of the Golden Tentacle and Inky Tentacle won £250 each. All finalists received a bottle of rum from award sponsor The Kraken Rum. Judges were Kate Griffin, Nick Harkaway, Will Hill, Anab Jain, and Annabel Wright. Judges for the art award were Craig Kennedy, Sarah Anne Langton, Hazel Thompson, and Emma Vieceli. For more: .

  The results of the 2013 Reader’s Poll for Strange Horizons have been announced. Fiction: first place: ‘‘Selkie Stories are for Losers’’, Sofia Samatar; second place: ‘‘I Have Placed My Sickness Upon You’’, Karin Tidbeck; third place: ‘‘Inventory’’, Carmen Maria Machado; fourth place: ‘‘Ten Cigars’’, C.S.E. Cooney; fifth place: ‘‘Town’s End’’, Yukimi Ogawa. Poetry: first place: ‘‘Full Metal Hanuman’’, Bryan Thao Worra; second place: ‘‘Lost’’, Amal El-Mohtar; third place: ‘‘Tattertongue’’, Jenn Grunigen; fourth place: ‘‘Jael’’, Nancy Hightower; fifth place (tie): ‘‘Tatakai’’, Shweta Narayan; fifth place (tie): ‘‘I Am Learning to Forget’’, Dominik Parisien. Articles: first place: ‘‘Recentering Science Fiction and the Fantastic: What would a non-Anglocentric Understanding of Science Fiction and Fantasy Look Like?’’, Bodhisattva Chattopadhyay; second place: ‘‘Noticing Language: An Interview with Rose Lemberg’’, Julia Rios; third place: ‘‘The Convergence Between Poetry and the Fantastic: A Conversation’’, Lavie Tidhar & Shimon Adaf; fourth place: ‘‘Write Your Heart Out: An Interview with Nalo Hopkinson’’, Sofia Samatar; fifth place: ‘‘Different Frontiers: Taking Over English’’, a round-table moderated by Benjanun Sriduangkaew. Columns: first place: Intertitles, Genevieve Valentine; second place: Movements, Rochita Loenen-Ruiz; third place: Communities, Renay; fourth place: Me and Science Fiction, Eleanor Arnason; fifth place: Scores, John Clute; Reviews: first place: Sofia Samatar; second place: Aishwarya Subramanian; third place: Liz Bourke; fourth place: Nina Allan; fifth place: L. Timmel Duchamp.

  Brian Trent’s story ‘‘A Matter of Shapespace’’ was voted the 2013 Apex Magazine Story of the Year by fans and readers of the magazine.

  Finalists have been announced for the 2013 Aurealis Awards, honoring SF, fantasy, and horror by Australians. SF Novel: Lexicon, Max Barry (Hachette); Trucksong, Andrew Macrae (Twelfth Planet); A Wrong Turn at the Office of Unmade Lists, Jane Rawson (Transit Lounge); True Path, Graham Storrs (Momentum); Rupetta, Nike Sulway (Tartarus). SF Story: ‘‘The Last Tiger’’, Joanne Anderton (Daily Science Fiction 5/17/13); ‘‘Mah Song’’, Joanne Anderton (The Bone Chime Song and Other Stories); ‘‘Seven Days in Paris’’, Thoraiya Dyer (Asymmetry); ‘‘Version 4.3.0.1’’, Lucy Stone (Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine #57); ‘‘Air, Water and the Grove’’, Kaaron Warren (The Lowest Heaven). Fantasy Novel: Lexicon, Max Barry (Hachette Australia); A Crucible of Souls, Mitchell Hogan (self-published); These Broken Stars, Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner (Allen & Unwin); Newt’s Emerald, Garth Nix (Jill Grinberg Literary Management); Ink Black Magic, Tansy Rayner Roberts (FableCroft). Fantasy Story: The Last Stormdancer, Jay Kristoff (Thomas Dunne); ‘‘The Touch of the Taniwha’’, Tracie McBride (Fish); ‘‘Cold, Cold War’’, Ian McHugh (Beneath Ceaseless Skies 6/13/13); ‘‘Short Circuit’’, Kirstie Olley (Oomph: A Little Super Goes a Long Way); ‘‘The Year of Ancient Ghosts’’, Kim Wilkins (The Year of Ancient Ghosts). Horror Novel: The Marching Dead, Lee Battersby (Angry Robot); The First Bird, Greig Beck (Momentum); Path of Night, Dirk Flinthart (FableCroft); Fairytales for Wilde Girls, Allyse Near (Random House Australia). Horror Story: ‘‘Fencelines’’, Joanne Anderton (The Bone Chime Song and Other Stories); ‘‘The Sleepover’’, Terry Dowling (Exotic Gothic 5); ‘‘The Home for Broken Dolls’’, Kirstyn McDermott (Caution: Contains Small Parts); ‘‘The Human Moth’’, Kaaron Warren (The Grimscribe’s Puppets); ‘‘The Year of Ancient Ghosts’’, Kim Wilkins (The Year of Ancient Ghosts). Young Adult Novel: The Big Dry, Tony Davies (Harper Collins); Hunting, Andrea Host (self-published); These Broken Stars, Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner (Allen & Unwin); Fairytales for Wilde Girls, Allyse Near (Random House Australia); The Sky So Heavy, Claire Zorn (University of Queensland Press). Young Adult Story: ‘‘Mah Song’’, Joanne Anderton (The Bone Chime Song and Other Stories); ‘‘By Bone-Light’’, Juliet Marillier (Prickle Moon); ‘‘Morning Star’’, D.K. Mok (One Small Step); ‘‘The Year of Ancient Ghosts’’, Kim Wilkins (The Year of Ancient Ghosts). Collection: The Bone Chime Song and Other Stories, Joanne Anderton (FableCroft); Asymmetry, Thoraiya Dyer (Twelfth Planet); Caution: Contains Small Parts, Kirstyn McDermott (Twelfth Planet); The Bride Price, Cat Sparks (Ticonderoga); The Year of Ancient Ghosts, Kim Wilkins (Ticonderoga). Anthology: The Year’s Best Australian Fantasy and Horror 2012, Liz Grzyb & Talie Helene, eds.(Ticonderoga); One Small
Step: An Anthology Of Discoveries, Tehani Wessely, ed. (FableCroft); Dreaming Of Djinn, Liz Grzyb, ed. (Ticonderoga); The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Of The Year: Volume Seven, Jonathan Strahan, ed. (Night Shade); Focus 2012: Highlights of Australian Short Fiction, Tehani Wessely, ed. (FableCroft). Illustrated Book or Graphic Novel: Savage Bitch, Steve Carter and Antoinette Rydyr (Scar Studios); Mr Unpronounceable Adventures, Tim Molloy (Milk Shadow); Burger Force, Jackie Ryan (self-published); Peaceful Tomorrows Volume Two, Shane W Smith (Zetabella); The Deep Vol. 2: The Vanishing Island, Tom Taylor & James Brouwer (Gestalt). Children’s Book: Kingdom of the Lost, Book 2: Cloud Road, Isobelle Carmody (Penguin Group Australia); Refuge, Jackie French (Harper Collins); Song for a Scarlet Runner, Julie Hunt (Allen & Unwin); The Four Seasons of Lucy McKenzie, Kirsty Murray (Allen & Unwin); Rules of Summer, Shaun Tan (Hachette Australia); Ice Breaker: The Hidden 1, Lian Tanner (Allen & Unwin). Winners will be announced April 5, 2014 at the annual Aurealis Awards ceremony at the Great Hall, University House, Australian National University, Canberra. For more: .

  Finalists for the Audie Awards, honoring the best audiobooks of 2013, have been announced, with several nominees of genre interest. Science Fiction: Maddaddam, Margaret Atwood, narrated by Bernadette Dunne, Bob Walter, Robbie Daymond (Random House Audio); Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance, Lois McMaster Bujold, narrated by Grover Gardner (Blackstone); Extinction Machine, Jonathan Maberry, narrated by Ray Porter (Macmillan Audio); Shaman, Kim Stanley Robinson, narrated by Graeme Malcolm (AudioGO); The Martian, Andy Weir, narrated by R.C. Bray (Brilliance). Fantasy: Wisp of a Thing, Alex Bledsoe, narrated by Stefan Rudnicki (Blackstone); Kill City Blues, Richard Kadrey, narrated by MacLeod Andrews (HarperAudio); Swords of Waar, Nathan Long, narrated by Dina Pearlman (Audible Frontiers); The Republic of Thieves, Scott Lynch, narrated by Michael Page (Tantor); The Rithmatist, Brandon Sanderson, narrated by Michael Kramer (Macmillan Audio). Fiction: The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Neil Gaiman, narrated by Neil Gaiman (HarperAudio); Doctor Sleep, Stephen King, narrated by William Patton (Simon & Schuster Audio); The Golem and the Jinni, Helene Wecker, narrated by George Guidall (HarperAudio). Paranormal: Warbound, Larry Correia, narrated by Bronson Pinchot (Brilliance); Ever After, Kim Harrison, narrated by Marguerite Gavin (Blackstone); Inferno, Sherrilyn Kenyon, narrated by Holter Graham (Macmillan Audio); Reviver, Seth Patrick, narrated by Ari Fliakos (Macmillan); Red Moon, Benjamin Percy, narrated by Benjamin Percy (Grand Central). Children’s Ages 8-12: Matilda, Roald Dahl, narrated by Kate Winslet (Penguin Audio). Classic: Frankenstein, Mary Shelley, narrated by Dan Stevens (Audible). Original Work: Ender’s Game Alive, Orson Scott Card, narrated by Kirby Heyborne, Stefan Rudnicki, Theodore Bikel, Scott Brick, Samantha Eggar, Harlan Ellison, Susan Hanfield, Roxanne Hernandez, Janis Ian, Rex Linn, Richard McGonagle, Jim Meskimen, Emily Rankin, John Rubinstein, Christian Rummel, and a full cast (Brilliance); Rip-Off!, Gardner Dozois, ed., narrated by Wil Wheaton, Scott Brick, Christian Rummel, et al. (Audible); Thirteen, Scott Harrison, ed., narrated by Gemma Arterton, Laila Ward, Frances Barber, Barnaby Edwards, Samuel West, Greg Wise, Arthur Darvill (Spokenworld/Ladbroke); Metatropolis: Green Space, Jay Lake, ed., narrated by Dion Graham, Robin Miles, Mark Boyett, et al. (Audible). Audio Drama: The Fall of the Kings, Ellen Kushner & Delia Sherman, narrated by Ellen Kushner, Neil Gaiman, Katherine Kellgren, Simon Jones, Richard Ferrone, Robert Fass, et al. (Neil Gaiman Presents); The War of the Worlds, H.G. Wells, adapted by M.J. Elliot, narrated by David Ault, Fred Robbins, J.T. Turner, and the Colonial Radio Players (The Colonial Radio Theatre on the Air). Multi-Voiced Performance: World War Z: The Complete Edition, Max Brooks, narrated by Martin Scorcese, Alfred Molina, and a full cast (Random House Audio); Ender’s Game Alive, Orson Scott Card, narrated by Kirby Heyborne, Stefan Rudnicki, Theodore Bikel, Scott Brick, Samantha Eggar, Harlan Ellison, Susan Hanfield, Roxanne Hernandez, Janis Ian, Rex Linn, Richard McGonagle, Jim Meskimen, Emily Rankin, John Rubinstein, Christian Rummel, and a full cast (Brilliance); William Shakespeare’s Star Wars, Ian Doescher, narrated by Daniel Davis, Jonathan Davis, January LaVoy, Marc Thompson (Random House Audio); The Fall of the Kings, Ellen Kushner & Delia Sherman, narrated by Ellen Kushner, Neil Gaiman, Katherine Kellgren, Simon Jones, Richard Ferrone, Robert Fass, et al. (Neil Gaiman Presents). Narration by the Author or Authors: The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Neil Gaiman, narrated by Neil Gaiman (HarperAudio). Solo Narration – Female: NOS4A2, Joe Hill, narrated by Kate Mulgrew (HarperAudio). Solo Narration – Male: Warbound, Larry Correia, narrated by Bronson Pinchot (Brilliance); Doctor Sleep, Stephen King, narrated by William Patton (Simon & Schuster Audio); Dimension of Miracles, Robert Sheckley, narrated by John Hodgman (Neil Gaiman Presents); Frankenstein, Mary Shelley, narrated by Dan Stevens (Audible). Package Design: Clockwork Angels: The Watchmaker’s Edition, Kevin J. Anderson, narrated by Neil Peart (Brilliance); The Time Machine, H.G. Wells, narrated by Derek Jacobi (Listening Library). Winners will be announced at a gala event May 29, 2014 in New York.

  Neil Gaiman has joined the Dundee International Book Prize’s judging panel for this year. Along with fellow judges Kirsty Lang, Scott Pack, Felicity Blunt, and Stuart Kelly, he will read manuscripts from unpublished authors worldwide, each competing for a £10,000 deal with Cargo Publishing. The contest is entering its tenth year, and last year received over 350 entries. The contest is a joint venture between the ‘‘Dundee – One City, Many Discoveries’’ campaign and the University of Dundee’s ‘‘Literary Dundee’’ initiative. Submissions are welcome until March 3, 2014. For more: .

  BOOKS SOLD – YA AND CHILDREN’S

  Sherrilyn Kenyon sold three more books in her YA Chronicles of Nick series to Monique Patterson of St. Martin’s via Robert Gottlieb of Trident Media Group.

  Sarah Prineas sold Ash and Bramble and a second book to Toni Markiet at Harper Children’s via Caitlin Blasdell of Liza Dawson Associates.

  Rachel Caine sold a YA fantasy trilogy, the Great Library, to Anne Sowards at NAL via Lucienne Diver of the Knight Agency.

  Sarah Maas sold books four, five, and six in the Throne of Glass series to Catherine Onder at Bloomsbury Children’s via Tamar Rydzinski of Laura Dail Literary Agency.

  Kimberly McCreight sold YA SF trilogy The Outliers to Jennifer Klonsky at Harper Children’s in a seven-figure pre-empt via Marly Rusoff of Marly Rusoff & Associates.

  Michael Jensen & David Powers King sold Woven to David Levithan and Zachary Clark at Scholastic at auction via Meredith Bernstein.

  Amanda Sun sold the final Paper Gods novel, plus a second novel and a novella, to T.S. Ferguson at Harlequin Teen via Melissa Jeglinski of the Knight Agency.

  Pat Schmatz sold Lizard Radio to Joan Powers at Candlewick via David Bennett of Transatlantic Literary Agency.

  J.R. Johansson sold the third Night Walkers book to Brian Farrey at Flux via Kathleen Rushall of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.

  Dawn Metcalf sold Inviolate and Invincible, third and fourth in the Twixt series, to Natashya Wilson at Harlequin Teen via Sarah Davies at Greenhouse Literary Agency.

  Amy McCulloch sold The Oathbreaker’s Shadow and The Shadow’s Curse to Brian Farrey-Latz at Flux via Juliet Mushens of the Agency Group.

  Garrett Calcaterra’s second Dreamwielder novel sold to Mary Cummings at Diversion Books via Elizabeth Kracht of Kimberley Cameron & Associates.

  Chris Bradford sold YA Bulletcatcher and two more books to Emma Baker at Barrington Stoke via Charlie Viney of the Viney Agency.

  Bobby Johnson sold YA afterlife fantasy Deadgirl to Kathleen Kubasiak of Curiosity Quills Press via Belcastro Agency.

  Kevin Craig’s Half Dead and Fully Broken sold to Andrew Buckley of Curiosity Quills Press via Stacey Donaghy of Donaghy Literary Group.

  Amy Engel sold The Founder’s Daughter to Alycia Tornetta and Stacy Cantor Abrams at Entangled Teen.

  NOBLE LIBRARIANS PRIZE

  Daniel Handler, AKA Lemony Snicket, has partnered with the American Library As
sociation to launch the Lemony Snicket Prize for Noble Librarians Faced With Adversity. This $3,000 annual award will honor ‘‘a librarian who has faced adversity with integrity and dignity intact.’’ The award will also include ‘‘an odd, symbolic object from his private stash, and a certificate, which may or may not be suitable for framing.’’ Handler says, ‘‘This seems like a better way to channel money to librarians than my previous strategy, which was incurring exorbitant late fees.’’

  Librarians who have faced an ‘‘adverse incident’’ must describe the event and ‘‘their result and resources utilized’’ by the May 1, 2014 deadline. The winner will be chosen by members of the American Library Association, including at least one member from its Intellectual Freedom Committee.

  NOOK LAYOFFS

  Barnes & Noble laid off an unspecified number of people – reportedly less than a hundred – from their Nook unit in early February. It was widely reported online that the company had laid off their entire Nook hardware engineering staff, but that is untrue. Spokesperson Mary Ellen Keating said B&N has ‘‘no plans to exit the device business,’’ explaining that ‘‘as we’ve aligned Nook’s cost structure with business realities, staffing levels in certain areas of our organization have changed, leading to some job eliminations.’’

  PUBLISHING NEWS

  Penguin Random House has announced plans to close two of their four warehouse/operation centers, with the facilities in Pittston PA and Kirkwood NY getting the axe, leaving only the Westminster MD and Crawfordsville IN operations. The company also announced that ‘‘several support and distribution functions for Penguin currently performed in Pearson’s Cranbury, and Old Tappan, NJ offices will be relocated during this same time frame, as will Penguin’s Inside Sales Department.’’ The precise number of jobs lost is unclear, but is likely close to 300 positions at each facility.