Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America

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Featured Author

Kevin Hosey

Kevin Hosey has had short stories published by Simon and Schuster.  His first novel is currently going through the editorial gauntlet at a major publisher.

Featured Book

A non-stop thrill-ride from beginning to end, Gray Wolf Throne is a must-read for 2011.–Diary of a Book Addict

Nebula Awards Weekend

The Forty-Seventh Nebula Awards Weekend will be held Thursday through Sunday, May 17 to May 20, 2012 at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Arlington, Virginia, near Reagan National Airport.

We honor Connie Willis as our Grand Master!

To register, click on “Registration” in the menu to the immediate left.  Then scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the “Register” button.

Tours, workshops and panels are available for registered attendees (the number of people who can be accommodated on the tours and workshops is limited.)  Active and Associate SFWA members may nominate works, until February 15th, for the awards to be presented at the May 19th Nebula Awards Weekend Banquet. Hour long interviews and readings will be recorded by Jim Freund for his Hour of the Wolf radio show broadcast on WBAI (99.5FM) in New York City.

Jon Williams is our Toastmaster (he will also conduct a half-day Writers Workshop on Friday morning.)  Mike Fincke is our Keynote Speaker.

The Mass Autographing Session on Friday, May 18th will be followed by a reception to honor the nominees and other honorees.

You don’t have to be a nominee, a member of SFWA, or even a writer to participate in the weekend. Registration for the 2012 Nebula Awards Weekend is open now.  The cost for the Nebula Awards Banquet is $75.00 per person.  The cost to register is $50.00 for a SFWA Member and $60.00 for a non-SFWA Member until February 29, 2012. Rates for registration will be higher as the date of the event draws closer.

Results from the 2010 Nebula Awards (presented 2011).

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Archive for April, 2010

Quick Updates for 2010-04-15

Thursday, April 15th, 2010

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Questionable Ethics?

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010

Posted by Victoria Strauss for Writer Beware

In the Ethicist column last week in the New York Times, Randy Cohen addressed the following question:
I bought an e-reader for travel and was eager to begin "Under the Dome," the new Stephen King novel. Unfortunately, the electronic version was not yet available. The publisher apparently withheld it to encourage people to buy the more expensive hardcover. So I did, all 1,074 pages, more than three and a half pounds. Then I found a pirated version online, downloaded it to my e-reader and took it on my trip. I generally disapprove of illegal downloads, but wasn’t this O.K.?
Cohen's response: "An illegal download is — to use an ugly word — illegal. But in this case, it is not unethical." Although the questioner violated copyright law, s/he is in the moral clear because s/he paid for the book, and "[b]uying a book or a piece of music should be regarded as a license to enjoy it on any platform." Oh, really? Says who? Aren't we a little closer to ideology than to ethics here? Indeed, Cohen makes it fairly clear that his conclusion is not bias-free: (more...)

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Quick Updates for 2010-04-14

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010

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How to Kill Your Imaginary Friends: Tools for the Toolbox: Going Viral

Tuesday, April 13th, 2010

“Tools for the Toolbox” is a series of posts that describe disease types and organ systems. Eventually I hope to include enough information that a writer might be able to do some creative mixing and matching to produce the symptoms they want to give a character. Because it’s really frustrating to throw darts in the dark and hope something lands near the bull’s-eye. Hope it helps!

I’ll start this discussion of viruses by saying that Virology is a field of study in and of itself. So there’s no way that this blog post is going to come even close to being comprehensive or even extensive. I’m doing highlights only, and I may post further information at a later date.

Viruses act in a huge variety of different ways. So instead of talking about individual viruses and what they do, let’s talk about HOW they do what they do.

Viruses don’t have much of a life. As a matter of fact, they aren’t really alive. They’re just tiny organic machines that exist to make copies of themselves. If that doesn’t get your sci-fi juices flowing by itself, check your pulse. Or your level of consciousness.

Let’s build a virus! (more…)

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Quick Updates for 2010-04-13

Tuesday, April 13th, 2010

Quick Updates -- istock

Member News

  • Welcome to SFWA’s newest Associate member, Kacey Grannis, with a sale to the Baen anthology “Citizens.”
  • SFWA member Seanan Mcguire has a poem “Ever-After Variations” in the new issue of Goblin Fruit.
  • SFWA member Paul Levinson has a good six minute video on the Evolution of Science Fiction.
  • Congratulations to SFWA member Elizabeth Bear who sold Subterranean Press another New Amsterdam novella.
  • Congratulations to SFWA member Jay Lake who has sold French rights for his novel GREEN.
  • M-BRANE 16 will feature SFWA member Glenn Lewis Gillette story “Why Look Down?”
  • This month’s Spectra Pulse newsletter includes SFWA member Ari Marmell’s short story, “The Ogre’s Pride.”
  • Welcome to SFWA’s newest Active member Skyler White, author of “and Falling, Fly.”
  • SFWA member Allan Cole has 3 NEW AUDIO BOOKS: Sten #1, Timura #1 & #2.
  • Congratulations to SFWA member Toni L. P. Kelner who upgraded to Active status with a sale to the anthology CRIMES BY MOONLIGHT.
  • SFWA active member Rosemary Jones (and others) in new Apex anthology: Close Encounters of the Urban Kind.
  • Congratulations to SFWA member Paul Cornell who is the new writer on Action Comics.

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Reminder: SFWA election ballots due by April 23

Monday, April 12th, 2010

As the election season winds to a close, we’d like to encourage SFWA members to ask the candidates questions in the Discussion Forums. Since we have some contested elections this year, make sure you participate in the process. Though only active members may vote, any SFWA member may ask questions.

The following candidates have declared.

So, SFWA members go ask the candidates questions in the 2010 Elections Discussion Area.

Remember, ballots must be received by April 23, 2010 to be counted. This is not a postmark due date.

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Hardball, Amazon Style

Monday, April 12th, 2010

Posted by Victoria Strauss for Writer Beware

Amazon has been paying hardball lately. In February, Amazon and major publisher Macmillan went head-to-head over ebook pricing, with Amazon wanting to keep the wholesale pricing model that has till now been the norm for both ebooks and print books, under which retailers can discount book prices as much they like; and Macmillan insisting on the newer agency model, under which pricing is controlled by the publisher (a system that does not allow for discounting). When Macmillan refused to give in, Amazon turned off the buy buttons for Macmillan's books--all books, not just ebooks. Ultimately, Amazon capitulated, admitting that it wanted to carry ebooks from Macmillan, even at higher prices. But who really won that face-off? Though Amazon bowed to Macmillan on the matter of pricing, the dispute allowed it to demonstrate the power of the buy button shutoff--and it now appears to be using this as a negotiating tool. Last week, the New York Times reported that, while agreeing that other major publishers will be able to control prices for their ebooks, Amazon is threatening to shut off buy buttons for those that don't offer concessions in return, including a guarantee that no competitor (i.e., Apple and its iBooks ebookstore) would receive lower prices or better terms. Now the European Amazons (Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.de, and Amazon.fr), are leaning on Marketplace sellers in much the same way. The Bookseller reports that Amazon is demanding price parity beginning March 31:
In order to offer customers the best possible experience on Amazon.co.uk, beginning 31st March, Amazon will require price parity for all sellers selling under the Amazon.co.uk marketplace Participation Agreement. Price parity for these sellers means that the item price and total price (total amount payable, excluding taxes) of each product a seller offers on Amazon.co.uk must generally be the same or lower than on the seller's other non-physical sales channels.
What happens if sellers don't comply? Like the publishers, they can be shut down:
Sellers who are not willing to offer parity should remove their listings, as Sellers that do not comply with our terms and conditions will lose their selling privileges. (more...)

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Quick Updates for 2010-04-12

Monday, April 12th, 2010

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Quick Updates for 2010-04-11

Sunday, April 11th, 2010

  • Welcome to SFWA's newest Associate member, Kacey Grannis, with a sale to the Baen anthology "Citizens." #
  • SFWA member @seananmcguire has a poem "Ever-After Variations" in the new issue of Goblin Fruit. #

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Quick Updates for 2010-04-10

Saturday, April 10th, 2010

Quick Updates -- istock

Member News

  • SFWA member Tom Crosshill has a steampunk love story “Waiting for Number Five” up at BCS.
  • SFWA member Ari Marmell has a contest for a signed copy of one–or possibly more–of his novels. Details here.
  • SFWA member Jane Yolen will be speaking in Portland, OR on April 12. Details here.
  • Congratulations to SFWA member Yasmine Galenorn who sold 3 more Otherworld books. She also has a contest for Night Myst ARCs.
  • SFWA member Ken Brady has a short-short story “Loss Leader” at The Daily Cabal.
  • SFWA Active members. You only have two more weeks to turn your election ballots in. Don’t forget to mail them!

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