George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire has inspired the name of a new genus for several types of pterosaurs: Targaryendraconia is named after House Targaryen from the series. Martin declared himself “delighted” and praised the discoverer, paleontologist Rodrigo Pegas, “who is solidly on my side about dragons having two legs, not four.”
While you are here, please take a moment to support Locus with a ...Read More
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The Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) has named Lois McMaster Bujold the 36th recipient of the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award.
SFWA president Mary Robinette Kowal said Bujold “has had an undeniable influence on the field of science fiction and fantasy. From the the Vorkosigan Saga, to the Chalion series and the Sharing Knife series, she finds new ways to explore the genre, mixing and matching ...Read More
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Analog magazine is celebrating its 90th anniversary with “An Astounding 90 Years of Analog Science Fiction and Fact: The Fourth Annual City Tech Science Fiction Symposium”, to be held in conjunction with City Tech College on December 12, 2019 in New York NY.
There will be an author reading and panel, an editorial panel including Trevor Quachri and Stanley Schmidt, a keynote speech from Michael F. Flynn, and various presentations ...Read More
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George R.R. Martin was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame in a ceremony held October 27, 2019 at the Paramount Theatre in Asbury Park NJ. Inductees are recommended by New Jersey residents, and final selections are made by public vote. Martin, who currently lives in New Mexico, grew up in Bayonne NJ.
Peter Benchley was inducted posthumously.
For more information, including a complete list of inductees, see the ...Read More
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Emily Hockaday, formerly associate editor at Asimov’s and Analog, has been promoted to managing editor of both magazines. In addition to handling poetry selections and companion blogs for the science fiction magazines, she recently co-edited a horror anthology, Terror at the Crossroads (Penny), with Jackie Sherbow, managing editor of Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine and Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine. Hockaday said, “I’m busy working toward Analog’s 90th Anniversary year, including the ...Read More
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Irene Gallo has been promoted to Vice President, Publisher of Tor.com, effective immediately. Gallo joined Tor 26 years ago where she rose to become head of the art department. She was also one of the founders of the Tor.com website and involved in the creation and launch of the Tor.com imprint.
Gallo says,
To all my art friends. For better or worse, you are not rid of me! I will ...Read More
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Malcolm Edwards, the chair of Gollancz and consultant publisher at Orion, is leaving the company on May 31, 2019.
Edwards started at Gollancz in 1976, rising to publishing director before joining HarperCollins in 1989, where he was fiction publishing director. He went to Orion in 1998 as managing director; Gollancz became part of Orion shortly thereafter. He was promoted to deputy CEO and publisher in 2003. In 2015 he stepped ...Read More
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The Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) has named William Gibson the 35th recipient of the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award.
SFWA president Cat Rambo said Gibson “forged a body of work that has played a major part in the coalescing of the cyberpunk movement, influencing dozens of writers of cinema, fiction, and games, among other creatives…. Gibson continues to produce taut, evocative works that reflect the ...Read More
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Kelly Link is one of 25 MacArthur Foundation Fellows selected for 2018. Each “genius grant” recipient receives a no-strings-attached “stipend of $625,000… paid out in equal quarterly installments over five years.”
Although nominees are reviewed for their achievements, the fellowship is not a lifetime achievement award, but rather an investment in a person’s originality, insight, and potential. Indeed, the purpose of the MacArthur Fellows Program is to enable recipients to ...Read More
Read moreRobert J. Sawyer has been appointed to the Order of Ontario, that province’s highest honor, which “recognizes individuals whose exceptional achievement in their field have left a lasting legacy in the province, in Canada and beyond.” Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario and Chancellor of the Order of Ontario, called Sawyer “a champion of the Canadian fiction industry.” He will be invested as a Member of the Order during a ...Read More
Read moreThe Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) have named Peter S. Beagle the 34th recipient of the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award. SFWA president Cat Rambo said, “Beagle’s work has been the gateway for multitudes of fantasy readers, but also writers as well, including myself. His work shines a light on the human heart and its beauties even when that heart is flawed and wanting, showing how ...Read More
Read moreGene Wolfe, 86, is now out of the hospital, and is in a care facility to recover his strength. Wolfe went to the hospital in Peoria IL on October 30, 2017 after “feeling under the weather for the past few weeks.” ...Read More
Read moreGene Wolfe, 86, went to the hospital in Peoria IL on October 30, 2017 after “feeling under the weather for the past few weeks.” The hospital admitted him for further observation and evaluation as they try to determine what’s wrong. Wolfe “thanks everyone for their thoughts.” ...Read More
Read moreAuthor Sarah A. Hoyt, 54, was taken to the hospital on December 2, 2016 and kept for overnight observation after collapsing in her home. She reported on her blog, “While I did have some sort of a heart event, with continuing irregularities after, it is not in any way a ‘conventional heart attack.'”
Hoyt returned home on Saturday, December 3, and posted, “I’m okay for now.” ...Read More
Read moreWe received more appreciations for the late David Hartwell than we had room to run in our March issue, but would still like to share them with our readers. The following memorials from his friends, admirers, and colleagues are just a small part of the outpouring of appreciations for his life. Further appreciations are welcome in the comments.–Locus
Chuck Gannon
I generally do not write memoriams. My first and ...Read More
Read moreThe International Astronomical Union has approved a proposal to name an asteroid after SF writer Jack McDevitt. The asteroid, now known as “Jackmcdevitt,” is designated 328305, and was discovered in 2006 by astronomer Lawrence Wasserman at Kitt Peak observatory in Arizona. ...Read More
Read moreThe Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) have named C.J. Cherryh the 32nd recipient of the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award. SFWA president Cat Rambo said Cherryh “is a master of long-running series involving worlds and characters that the reader can visit and revisit with a true sense of wonder each and every time.”
The award, given for “lifetime achievement in science fiction and/or fantasy,” will be ...Read More
Read moreKathryn Cramer has announced on social media that Tor editor David Hartwell has suffered “a massive brain bleed and is not expected to recover.” We will update as more information is available. ...Read More
Read moreThe results of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America officers’ election were announced. Current president Steven Gould and director-at-large Jim Fiscus are stepping down on June 30, 2015. As of July 1, 2015, the new board will be: president: Cat Rambo; vice-president: M.C.A. Hogarth; secretary: Susan Forest; chief financial officer: Bud Sparhawk; directors-at-large: Jennifer Brozek, Matthew Johnson, Lee Martindale, Tansy Rayner Roberts, and Sarah Pinsker.
All elections are ...Read More
Read moreThe pseudonymous World Fantasy Award-winning author K.J. Parker revealed his true identity, humorous fantasy writer Tom Holt, in a conversation with Locus‘s own Jonathan Strahan and Gary K. Wolfe, on their Coode Street Podcast. You can listen to the interview here.
Holt, 53, began publishing as K.J. Parker in 1998 with Colours in the Steel and has produced over a dozen novels under that name, along with acclaimed short fiction ...Read More
Read moreWilliam F. Nolan, 86, has been named Grand Master by the members of the 2015 World Horror Convention, to be held May 7-10, 2015 in Atlanta GA. ...Read More
Read moreThe Horror Writers Association has announced the formation of the Rocky Wood Memorial Scholarship, in honor of their president, who died earlier this month. The scholarship was proposed by HWA treasurer Leslie Klinger and will focus on non-fiction writers. Klinger will oversee implementation of the prize.
The HWA also announced that vice president Lisa Morton will take over as president to finish out the rest of Wood’s term. Nancy Holder ...Read More
Read moreHarlan Ellison, 80, suffered a stroke on October 9, 2014, and is recovering in the hospital. His wife Susan Ellison posted October 12 at Ellison Webderland:
I will make this brief. A couple of days ago Harlan had a stroke. He’s in the hospital. His right side is paralyzed.
He’s comfortable–as possible. We will keep you up-to-date with his progress. With all kindness –Susan
He is reportedly resting and recovering ...Read More
Read moreBrian Keene has been named Grand Master by the members of the 2014 World Horror Convention, to be held May 8-11, 2014 in Portland OR. ...Read More
Read moreSFWA has announced that Ellen Klages will be Toastmaster at the 49th Nebula Awards Weekend, to be held May 15-18, 2014, at the Marriott in San Jose CA. She will be attending the event alongside Damon Knight Grand Master Samuel R. Delany, special guest Frank M. Robinson, and the Nebula Award nominees.
More information on the 2014 Nebula Awards Weekend can be found on the SFWA website. ...Read More
Read moreGillian Redfearn has been promoted to publishing director of Gollancz. Redfearn, who was previously deputy publishing director, will continue to report to Jon Wood. Wood is now the managing director of Gollancz, adding these duties to his continued roles as deputy group publisher and editor for the UK publisher.
See the Gollancz press release here. ...Read More
Read moreAuthor Jay Lake announced that he has made his entire genetic sequence open source through the Personal Genome Project. The sequencing was originally paid for by a fundraiser last January, Sequence a Science Fiction Writer, done as an attempt to find a new treatment path for Lake’s colon cancer. This may be the first time that an entire human whole genome sequencing set has been released open source. Lake’s cancer ...Read More
Read moreRobert Silverberg, 78, suffered a heart attack on October 29, 2013 while visiting the UK. He was hospitalized, had a stent implanted, and was discharged on October 30. Silverberg is in the UK for the World Fantasy Convention — which he was unable to attend — and is due to return home to California on November 4th. ...Read More
Read moreNeil Gaiman is joining the Bard College faculty as a Professor in the Arts for the Spring 2014 semester. His first course will be a writing workshop exploring “the history of the fantastic, approaches to fantasy fiction, and the meaning of fantasy today.”
Details Gaiman’s appointment can be found here. ...Read More
Read moreOn September 23, 2013, the Palms-Rancho Park library was dedicated to the late Ray Bradbury by the City of Los Angeles. That branch of the library was frequented by Bradbury and his four daughters, three of whom were in attendance for the dedication ceremony. Other attendees included Harlan Ellison, George Clayton Johnson, Steven Paul Leiva, Michelle Pincus, Mark Scott Zicree, members of the Los Angeles City Council, and other community ...Read More
Read moreAuthor Karen Russell is one of 24 MacArthur Fellows selected for 2013. Each winner of the famed “Genius Grants” will receive $125,000 per year for the next five years (up from the previous $100K per year), with no strings attached.
The awards are presented to ‘‘individuals who have shown extraordinary originality and dedication in their creative pursuits’’ in any field. Fellows are chosen through a system of anonymous nominators and ...Read More
Read moreSpider Robinson announced on his blog that he suffered a heart attack on August 31, 2013, calling 911 just in time to save his life. He was released from the hospital on September 7, and is expected to make a full recovery.
For more, see the story on his website. ...Read More
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