valoise

Since Renovation,the 2011 Worldcon in Reno, I've been participating in the Hugo Awards. That year I voted on the final ballot. Since then I've nominated, too.  There is so much sff today, both in books and movies/tv, that is it impossible to read and watch everything that's exceptional. And tastes differ.  There are always books and stories that friends love but don't really grab me.

But even when I can't make it to Worldcon in person I love participating in the Hugo process. I've been introduced to works that I might otherwise have missed.  I don't nominate in every category. I'm not a gamer, I don't read many YA books, and only a few graphic novels, for instance. Having said all that, here are my nominations for the 2023 Hugos.  I'll post later on how many actually make the final ballot. 

Novel
Sea of Tranquility: A Novel by Emily St. John Mandel
The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler
The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik
Babel: Or, The Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution
 by R. F. Kuang

Novella
A Prayer for the Crown Shy by Becky Chambers
Polly and (not) Charles Conquer the Solar System by Carrie Vaughn (Clarkesworld, Sept)

Novelette
Bhatia, P. I. By Shiv Ramdas (Lightspeed, March)
Mender of Sparrows by Ray Nayler (Asimov’s, March/April)
Two Hands, Wrapped in Gold by S. B. Divya (Uncanny #146)
The Sadness Box by Suzanne Palmer (Clarkeswlrld, July)
The Lonely Time Traveler of Kentish Town by Nadia Afifi (Clarkesworld, Nov)
Butirub by Samit Basu (Apex)

Short Story 
Plausible Realities, Improbable Dreams by Isobel J. Kim (Lightspeed, February)
The Goldfish Man by Maureen McHugh, (Uncanny #145)
The Clockmaker and His Daughter by Tobi Ogundiran  (Lightspeed, August)
Destiny Delayed by Oghenchovwe Donald Ekpeki (Asimov’s)
Junk Hounds by Lavie Tidhar (Clarkesworld)

Best Related Work
Vidding: A History by Fancesca Coppa
Phasers on Stun! How the Making (and Remaking) of Star Trek Changed the World by Ryan Britt,
Terry Pratchett: A Life with Footnotes by Rob Wilkins

Fanzine
The Drink Tank
Journey Planet

Fan Writer
James Davis Nicoll
Cora Buhlert
Chris M. Barkley

Dramatic Work, Long
Everything Everywhere All At Once
Severance, Season 1

Graphic novel
Chivaly by Neil Gaiman and Colleen Doran

Fancast
Octothorpe
Reality Bomb
Radio Free Skaro

I decided after the big kerfluffle over the Hugo Awards this year to do my due diligence and make sure my voice is heard during next year's nomination process. Toward that end, I've started compiling a tentative list of things I might nominate, definitely subject to change. I know that most of my LJ/DW friends are Highlander and viddng-related, so this might not meant that much to anyone else. But if you plan on attending next year's Worldcon, MidAmeriCon, or are might be getting a supporting membership for Hugo voting, feel free to consider these works and suggestions of great stuff I might want to read, watch or listen to, especially short fiction. I haven't been reading enough short stories, novellas and so forth and I'm always eager to find stuff from writers who know their shit.

Novel
The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi
The End of All Things by John Scalzi (I was going to nominate this, but Scalzi has asked folks to skip his works this year)
Luna: New Moon by Ian McDonald
Planetfall by Emma Newman
Apex by Ramez Naam
Anciliary Mercy Ann Leckie

Short Story
Hello, Hello by Seanan McGuire
Trickier with Each Translation by Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam
Cat Pictures Please by Naomi Kritzer
The Empress in Her Glory by Robert Reed
Today I am Paul by Martin L. Shoemaker

Novellette
Folding Beijing by Hao Jingfang, translated by Ken Liu
Ether by Zhang Ran, translated by Carmen Yiling Yan and Ken Liu
So Much Cooking by Naomi Krtizer
Another Word for World by Ann Leckie

Novella
Penric's Demon by Lois McMaster Bujold
The New Mother by Eugene Fischer
Witches of Lychford by Paul Cornell
Binti by Nnedi Okorafor

Podcast
The Cornell Collective
Verity!
Tea and Jeopardy
Galactic Suburbia

Dramatic Presentation, Long Form
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
Star Wars: The Force Awakens


Dramatic Presentation, Short Form
Doctor Who, Heaven Sent
Person of Interest, If-Then-What
Daredevil, Nelson v. Murdock
Mr. Robot, eps1.8_m1rr0r1ng.qt
Mr. Robot, eps1.5_br4ve-trave1er.asf

Editor, short form
Seanan Maguire (Lightspeed, June 2015)
Lynne M. Thomas
Michael Damien Thomas

Editor, long form
Malcolm Edwards
Jane Johnson
Anne Lesley Groell
Tim O’Connell
Lee Harris

Semiprozine
Uncanny
Lightspeed
Clarkesworld

Best fan writer
Mark Oshiro

Best pro artist
Julie Dillon
Richard Anderson
Stephen Youll