There are few things more thrilling for a publisher than the chance to yell “STOP THE PRESSES!”
We’ve always known that Marie Vibbert, author of nearly 100 short stories in all the biggest science fiction magazines, was just this side of making it big.
And now she has! This year, Marie not only got nominated for the Nebula Award, for her story “We Built this City”, but as of this month, that story has also made her a finalist for the Hugo Award!
The Nebula was already a big deal–it’s the annual awards given out by the Science Fiction Writers of America. But the Hugos…those are the “Oscars of Science Fiction”. Marie, my friends, has made it.
So, of course, we had to change the cover!
Folks are likening The Gods Awoke to Neil Gaiman’s American Gods, but Marie’s sublime fantasy tale, skewering organized religion even while being sympathetic to its practitioners is really one of a kind. Give it a read–with the new cover!
Janice L. Newman (At First Contact) and Gideon Marcus (the Kitra Saga) got their first Hugo nominations back in 2018. Every year since then save for 2021, their landmark time travel project, Galactic Journey, has been nominated for Best Fanzine. I don’t know that calling this sprawling endeavor, what Olav Rockne calls, “The most ambitious, immersive, and extensive project in modern science fiction,” a ‘fanzine’ quite does it justice. After all, the Journey includes not just coverage of science fiction and fact, day-by-day, from the perspective of people living 55 years ago, but it also boasts a radio station, an online lounge for in-person kibbitzing and Star Trek watching, and even live shows!
Nevertheless, Newman and Marcus are honored to be selected, delighted with their fellow nominees, and whomever wins, it’s already a happy circumstance.
Here’s hoping all three of them bring home the big rocket ship come September!
