UPDATE FROM MANDOLIN:
Thanks for the post, Ampersand! I wanted to add to it, though, because this is a big first for Alas–not only is one of its bloggers nominated for the Nebula Award, but two of it’s bloggers are.
Big, enormous, joyous congratulations to N. K. Jemisin, who posts here via Angry Black Woman as Nojojojo, on being nominated in the short story category for her tale, “Non-Zero Probabilities!”
* * *
Rachel Swirsky’s story A Memory of Wind, published by Tor.com, has been nominated for the Nebula award for best Novelette!
For those of you unfamiliar with the field, let me explain that the Nebulas are A Very Big Deal. The Nebula Award is one of science fiction and fantasy’s two biggest honors; whereas the other award, the Hugo, is based on fan votes, the Nebula nominations and awards are voted on by the members of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.
Rachel Swirsky is, of course, better known to “Alas” readers as Mandolin. Congratulations, Mandolin! The world is noticing what a fucking great writer you are, and that’s awesome.
In comments at Tor, Mandolin said this about “A Memory of Wind”:
…this story is based, of course, on the old stories about the Trojan war. All we really know about Iphigenia is her death. The old stories imagine her as incidental. Who she was, what she thought and said and did and felt, didn’t really matter to those writers. They were interested in how her father felt about killing her.
…Iphigenia’s death is the beginning (of my impulse to write) and the end (of almost everything we know about her from traditional sources). But I wanted to imagine her as more than just her death, to create a middle for her story.
Incidentally, word on the street is that a second novelette by Mandolin, “Eros, Philia, Agape,” came very close to also being nominated for a Nebula this year. Again with the awesome.
Related posts:
- Hereville Nominated For Two Lulu Awards!
- Rachel Swirsky's Short Story Nebula Reccommendations, 2009
- Mandolin's short story "A Monkey Will Never Be Rid of Its Black Hands" honored by storySouth
- Mandolin's story "A Monkey Will Never Be Rid Of Its Black Hands" has been podcast
- "Heartstrung," feminist-themed fiction by Mandolin, On Pseudopod!
Wow! I don’t get on with Mandolin but even if she was my sworn blood enemy I would have to say, this is pretty damn cool. Good job.
Thanks, Robert!
Holy shit! That’s AWESOME!!
Congraftufriginlations
I loved Eros, Philippa, (haven’t read Memory of Wind yet;) I loved Non-Zero, and i’m vastly enjoying 100,000 kingdoms. Both of you are outstanding writers. I’ve read every Nebula book ever printed, and I know how big a deal it is.
I sincerely hope you both win. good luck!
Congratulations both of you! This is phenomenal news.
Congratulations to Mandolin for not getting along with Robert. You’re truly in very fine company there. (Of course I’m loathe to overlook the many other fine writers on this blog who also mange to find Robert irksome.)
And that Nebula thing’s cool, too.
Congratulations to both of you. It’s great that your work is being recognized.
Wah! Wasn’t expecting a shout-out here. But thank you!
There was a post earlier giving some reading recommendations. I read this story then and meant (but neglected) to say what I’ll say now; I may have issues with your politics but I think your writing abilities and tastes are excellent.
Congratulations to you both on the nominations. I haven’t followed the field at a detailed fandom level for some time but that’s pretty much due to time pressures more than anything else. I used to, though, and I’m familiar with both the Nebula and the Hugo awards. A Nebula nomination is a fantastic honor and from what I see well deserved.
Many, many congratulations.
AWESOME!
This is very cool news.
As an SFF geek… I say “Woot! Awesome!”
Well, I just finished 100,000 Kingdoms. I HIGHLY recommend it, although it’s not up for this year’s Nebula.
*joyful dances*
Way cool, both of you! What a wonderful piece of news!
Wow that’s awesome – congratulations
Congrats for you both! I read, “memory of wind” and really loved it!
Kudos to both of you! *crossing my fingers*
Holy crap! Yay! Yay for both of you! Congratulations! WOO!
—Myca
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Woah, I must have missed this article the first time. Congratulations to you both! I will definitely have to look up those stories.