The Horror Writers of America has released the preliminary ballot for the Bram Stoker Awards. Active HWA members have until April 1st to vote for five items per category. Results of that vote determine the final ballot, which will go out after that. The awards will be announced and presented at the Stoker Banquet in New York on Saturday, June 6th.

(posted Wed 11 Mar 98)

Candas Jane Dorsey and Kelly Link are the co-winners of this year's James Tiptree, Jr. Award for the best works of SF or fantasy, published in 1997, that explore or expand gender roles. Dorsey won for her novel Black Wine (Tor), Link for her story ''Travels with the Snow Queen'' (from the Winter 1996/1997 issue of Lady Churchill's Rosebud Wristlet). Judges this year were Terry Garey (coordinator), Elizabeth Hand, Nalo Hopkinson, Jerry Kaufman and James Patrick Kelly. The awards, which include a cash prize of $1000, will be presented at this year's Readercon.

This is the seventh year of the Tiptree Awards, which were founded in 1992 by Karen Joy Fowler and Pat Murphy. Previous winners include Ursula K. Le Guin, Mary Doria Russell, Nicola Griffith, and Theodore Roszak. Retrospective awards have been made to works published before 1991 by Le Guin, Joanna Russ, and Suzy McKee Charnas. The full list of winners is here.

(posted Mon 9 Mar 98)

The final ballot for this year's Nebula Awards has been released by the Science-fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. Winners will be announced during the Nebula Awards Weekend, May 1-3, 1998, in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Novels
Memory, Lois McMaster Bujold (Baen 10/96)
King's Dragon, Kate Elliott (DAW 2/97)
A Game of Thrones, George R.R. Martin (Bantam Spectra 8/96)
Ancient Shores, Jack McDevitt (HarperPrism 4/96)
The Moon and the Sun, Vonda N. McIntyre (Pocket 9/97)
City on Fire, Walter Jon Williams (HarperPrism 1/97)
Bellwether, Connie Willis (Bantam Spectra 4/96)

Novellas
''The Funeral March of the Marionettes'', Adam-Troy Castro (F&SF 7/97)
''Loose Ends'', Paul Levinson (Analog 5/97)
''Abandon in Place'', Jerry Oltion (F&SF 12/96)
''Chrysalis'', Robert Reed (Asimov's 9/96)
''Primrose and Thorn'', Bud Sparhawk (Analog 5/96)
''...Where Angels Fear to Tread'', Allen Steele (Asimov's 10-11/97)

Novelettes
''The Dog's Story'', Eleanor Arnason (Asimov's 5/96)
''Three Hearings on the Existence of Snakes in the Human Bloodstream'', James Alan Gardner (Asimov's 2/97)
''We Will Drink a Fish Together...'', Bill Johnson (Asimov's 5/97)
''The Miracle of Ivar Avenue'', John Kessel (Intersections 2/96, Asimov's 9/96)
''The Flowers of Aulit Prison'', Nancy Kress (Asimov's 10-11/96)
''The Copyright Notice Case'', Paul Levinson (Analog 4/96)
''The Undiscovered'', William Sanders (Asimov's 3/97)

Short Stories
''The Crab Lice'', Gregory Feeley (Alternate Tyrants 3/97)
''The Elizabeth Complex'', Karen Joy Fowler (Crank! 6 4/96)
''Itsy Bitsy Spider'', James Patrick Kelly (Asimov's 6/97)
''The Dead'', Michael Swanwick (Starlight 1 9/96)
''Burning Bright'', K.D. Wentworth (Aboriginal Summer 96)
''Sister Emily's Lightship'', Jane Yolen (Starlight 1 9/96)

(posted Tue 24 Feb 98)

Author Jo Clayton died on Friday, February 13th in Portland, Oregon, after an 18 month battle with multiple myeloma. Hospitalized since Autumn 1996, she had responded well to chemotherapy and managed to complete the second book in her ''Drums'' trilogy while lying in a hospital bed.

Clayton was best known as the author of the ''Diadem'' series, beginning with Diadem from the Stars in 1977 and continuing with 14 other titles published through 1996. Her colorful science-fantasy novels numbered nearly three-dozen. Other notable series were three books in the Duel of Sorcery series from 1982 to 1985, and the Drinker of Souls series from 1986 to 1989.

(posted Mon 16 Feb 98)