SFWA Nebula Conference
The 2024 SFWA Nebula Conference was held June 6-9 at the Westin Pasadena in Pasadena CA and online, loosely following the tradition of running the event at the same place for two years in a row: the last in person conference was in Anaheim, CA in 2019. There were about 225 warm bodies and another 272 registered for online-only access, similar to last year’s roughly 200 warm bodies and 314 online attendees.
Programming kicked off Thursday afternoon, with robust offerings both in-person and online focused on industry-relevant topics, such as “The Craft of Writing and Selling Novellas and Novelettes” with Katelyn Brehm, Mike Cohen, Abigail Kelly, Kate Maruyama, and Rajeev Prasad; “Vomit Draft: How to Spew Up Your Ideas and Finish That First Draft” with Jennifer Estep, Somto Ihezue, Lindz McLeod, Marisca Pichette, and Wen Wen Yang; and an online SFF Poetry Meetup hosted by SFWA’s poetry committee. More than 30 in-person panels were available to attendees, and 26 panels were exclusively online. The conference additionally featured affinity meetups, “Writing Date” sessions in a quiet writing room, and a special panel titled “NASA Presents Science Fiction Versus Science Fact: What’s Possible Today and What We Can Expect Tomorrow” with NASA scientists and engineers Dr. Jessie Christiansen, Dr. Kimberley Rain Miner, and Dr. Vandi Verma, moderated by Dr. Katelyn Brehm. Conference attendees each received a bag of books, a well-received return after the bookbag program’s COVID-19 lockdown hiatus. A generous hospitality room provided food and coffee, as well as space to relax or mingle.
Following the success of last year’s format, signings were scheduled in small Meet & Greets throughout the weekend. The signers included L.P. Kindred, Alex Kingsley, Angela Liu, Annalee Newitz, Michael Solis, Wendy Van Camp, Nghi Vo, and many more. Vroman’s, a local bookstore, had a pop-up shop on Friday and Saturday.
A dessert reception for conference volunteers was held on Thursday evening, during which the volunteers received thanks from SFWA President Jeffe Kennedy, as well as a certificate of appreciation. The Finalists and Past Presidents Reception was Friday evening. In keeping with tradition, the Nebula Awards Ceremony was held on Saturday evening.
Toastmaster Sarah Gailey opened the awards with a toast “to joy and power and principle and transformation” and a second enthusiastic toast to fighting against fascism. SFWA President Jeffe Kennedy presented the Damon Knight Grand Master Award to Susan Cooper and emphasized the importance of children’s literature, saying “all of us started out as readers, and started out reading the books that were meant for younger people, and we grew up from there. The Dark is Rising and all of Susan Cooper’s amazing books helped to shape who we are now as creators, and we will forever be fighting the darkness because of the things she taught us.” Cooper accepted virtually, thanking the writers who influenced her as a young age and saying, “words on the page are the best possible food for the imagination, which is why it’s so important to keep reading books in this age of pictures on screens.”
SFWA Director-at-Large Monica Valentinelli presented the Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award to game designer Jennell Jaquays, who died in January 2024. The award was accepted by Jaquays’s wife, fellow game designer Rebecca Heineman. In her speech, Heineman described Jaquays’s signature nonlinear storytelling style: “While she may tell stories, the real story is within yourselves… this was the gift that she gave to all of us, and hopefully it will continue to be given.”
SFWA Executive Director Kate Baker presented the Ray Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation to Barbie. The film’s writers, Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach, were not available to give an acceptance speech. Instead, Gailey placed the trophy at the feet of a Barbie doll, drawing a hearty laugh from the audience.
Erin Roberts presented the award for Game Writing to Baldur’s Gate 3. Director Swen Vincke and writer Adam Smith and accepted as representatives of Larian Studios, and Smith spoke about how science fiction books have influenced and continue to influence his game writing.
SFWA Deputy Executive Director Terra LeMay presented the Kevin O’Donnell, Jr. Service to SFWA Award to James Hosek, who died in December 2023. “He was kind, thoughtful, and always ready to step in and help when needed.” Hosek’s brother, Rich Hosek, accepted on his behalf, and spoke about James Hosek’s dedication to the Nebulas: “The Nebula Awards offered him something he didn’t get from any other part of his life: the chance to mingle with fellow writers and fans and enjoy their fellowship. But he also really liked the free books!”
Hosek’s speech was followed by the In Memoriam.
Kennedy presented the Infinity Award to Tanith Lee, and read an acceptance speech from Lee’s partner, John Kaiine, who wrote: “Of all the genres, there was only one thing she couldn’t write, and that was badly.” The Infinity Award is given posthumously to recognize an author who did not receive the recognition they deserved during their lifetime.
Arley Sorg presented the award for Short Story to R.S.A. Garcia for “Tantie Merle and the Farmhand 4200”. An acceptance speech from Garcia was read on her behalf, which expressed surprise and gratitude at being the first Trinidad and Tobago author to win a Nebula Award.
Curtis C. Chen presented the award for Novelette, to “The Year Without Sunshine” by Naomi Kritzer. Kritzer accepted, thanking the disability subject matter experts who provided feedback on her drafts and discussing her inspiration for the story: “I wanted to tell a story where the reason everyone survives is because they come together to support someone who needs help surviving. And it’s not because the person they helped conveniently turned out to be the brain surgeon they needed at the end, or anything like that — I wanted it to be a story about how coming together for mutual aid saves the community. Kritzer dedicated her award to Caitlin Thomas, who died in April 2024.
Premee Mohamed took the stage by video to present the finalists for the award for Best Novella; Gailey then presented the award to Ai Jiang for Linghun. Overwhelmed, Jiang thanked her family and spouse and said, “To all my flashlights who have guided me through the darkness; to all those who have lost someone, someplace, a language, a home; to those who are mourning and who remain in timeless grief; and to those who have chosen, with reluctance, to move on: you are not alone.”
The Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Fiction was presented by Margaret Dunlap to Moniquill Blackgoose for To Shape a Dragon’s Breath. “As an Indigenous woman, this award holds immense significance for me — not just as the recognition of my work, but the celebration of the richness and resilience of indigenous storytelling traditions… I accept this award with a profound gratitude and renewed commitment to amplifying Indigenous voices in speculative fiction.”
Writing Excuses podcast hosts Mary Robinette Kowal, Erin Roberts, DongWon Song, Howard Tayler, and Dan Wells spoke briefly about the novel form, with Kowal, Song, Tayler, and Wells presenting virtually and Roberts speaking from the stage. Roberts then presented the award for Best Novel to Vajra Chandrasekera for The Saint of Bright Doors. Chandrasekera accepted by video, and used his acceptance speech to encourage writers to advocate against the war on Gaza and to support the work of writers in Gaza: “We can use whatever platforms we have while we have them… they are where the bloodied heart of literature is in this hour, and they need you.”
In their closing remarks, Gailey offered a glimmer of hope: “Sometimes we can create our own lights and find our own way, and sometimes we have the honor and joy of carrying candles for our friends.” Attendees waved glow sticks above their heads as the stage lights dimmed.
Baker said, “The Conference would not be possible without the incredible work and support of SFWA staff and hundreds of dedicated volunteers. We attempt to list as many as we can in the credits of the SFWA Nebula Conference, but even then, there are still those who step up to help on-site, or for the online offerings that continue throughout the year. From programming, to flight and ground crew, to bookbags, to registration, to banquet to the Nebula Award ceremony team, to our panelists, to our liaisons, and SFWA Board of Directors, and all the roles within the weekend it has been said many times before that volunteers are the lifeblood of the organization and simply put, we couldn’t pull off something as big as the Nebula Conference without them. The entire conference team led by Kathleen Monin, SFWA Events Director, saw a truly spectacular event both online and in person. The feedback from the event continues to be positive with many looking forward to what the team will produce for the 60th anniversary next year.”
Details about the 2025 Nebula conference have been announced here.
A selection of photos from the event follows.
–Simon Herz
Photographers: Richard Man, Liza Groen Trombi, Kyra Trombi, Phoenix Alexander
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