So, what else should I nominate for the World Fantasy Award? I got the nominating ballot a few days ago. So far I’m nomninating:
Life Achievement
I’m nominating CJ Cherryh. I think her chances are very good this year. People should think of her right away because she was made a SFWA Grand Master this year. I’m also nominating Martha Wells. Of course she doesn’t have nearly as many books out, but then not many writers do. I keep going back and re-reading her books, and honestly, they are so well written. I expect Wells’ chances will probably be better in 20 years.
Novel
I’m nominating only fantasy novels, not SF. Not everyone limits themselves that way, but I feel the World FANTASY Award should be for fantasy. I can nominate up to five books and right now those are, in no particular order:
Archivist Wasp by Korner-Stace
Bone Gap by Ruby
Carry On by Rowell
Silver on the Road by Gilman
And I’m thinking of adding Bryony and Roses by Vernon.
Am I forgetting anything you think is an obvious choice to nominate?
Novella
I suppose I will go ahead and nominate Penric’s Demon. I expect everybody will, so it probably isn’t important that I do.
Short Fiction
World Fantasy lumps together everything under Novella as short fiction. Right now I’m definitely nominating:
Wooden Feathers by Vernon
Things You Can Buy With a Penny by Kaufman
And maybe Pecosin, also by Vernon. I just got the Apex issue that has that story in it, and I will read it tonight and decide.
I am very likely forgetting about something really good in the short fiction category. But again, I’m only thinking of fantasy stories here, not SF. And if anything is horror … like “Hungry Daughters of Starving Mothers”, say … then that isn’t likely to appeal to me. It’s hard for me to believe I would like any story better than those two, though.
Collection
I read so few Collections or Anthologies. But I am nominating Stories of the Raksura II by Martha Wells. That is such a great universe, and the stories in this collection are all good.
Uprooted is kind of an obvious choice, isn’t it?
Good heavens, I knew I was forgetting something.