Rugosa Coven Book Is A Finalist For Mythopoeic Fantasy Award!

[dr_pretentious]

Here's something I had daydreamed might happen about ten or twenty years from now. Seriously, look at the list of authors who have won this thing in past years. I've dreamed of being in that company -- of course I have, for most of my life -- but it never occurred to me that the first book I saw go into print would get me on a list like, oh, this one. There you can find the ballots with each year's finalists, back to 1971, with the winning works marked by asterisk. Mature works from major presses, almost all. (A little voice in my head points out that I started writing the Rugosa novellas in my late thirties, but that's so early in my career as a professional writer of fiction that I'm not sure whether it counts as authorial maturity.) The idea that next year my name, with my little book title and my small press publisher, will appear on that list shocks me.

The Mythopoeic Society has not yet announced the 2015 ballot publicly, so I don't know who the other finalists are. Looking at the history, I will be Very Surprised if I win, at least this year. You may have heard of the toast they raise every year at the Hugo Award Losers Party -- It's an honor just to be nominated. Yes, that. I wish I knew who had nominated me. I owe that person heartfelt thanks.

Now I have to figure out how I'm going to afford airfare to Colorado Springs for Mythcon, which is more academic conference and author/publishing industry professional retreat than fan convention. The event and its award are, by outside world and other-genre standards, obscure, but in my little corner of the cosmos, they're A Very Big Deal, and I'd be a fool to miss them.

I guess it's time to drum up some tutoring business. It'll take a bunch of SAT prep gigs to buy that plane ticket.

Of all the problems I have today, here's my favorite: What on earth do I wear to the award ceremony?

For a problem like that, the Gods be thanked.

Comments

[tyellas.livejournal.com]

Congratulations!!

And I am happy to help brainstorm what you wear to the award ceremony! From what I've learned of standing-on-stage-and-talking: do NOT wear black, whether the background is black or not; do NOT wear satin; and a bright-red-and-black ensemble is like a neon sign over your head declaring you an evening-wear amateur.

However, you, personally, look great in red, so if I wasn't going all-red, I'd go red-and-silver-gray or red-and-a-vivid-contrast-color. Subtler reds (berry, madder) are fine with black. This is also a fantastic occasion for a sweep of silk velvet.

[(Anonymous)]

It is me Wild Ape. I just wanted to give you a big cheer and salute.

[dr-pretentious.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Ape!

I'm still kind of starstruck about the whole thing. I posted on an authors' listserv I lurk on that I was looking for a roommate for Mythcon to keep expenses down, and the person who took me up on that is the author of one of my favorite stories to work on with students. I've been introducing kids to her work for over a decade. Now I'll find out what her luggage looks like. Weird. Wonderful and weird.

[donnutting.livejournal.com]

That had to have been cool. I think it would be fun bumping into Larry Correia on a shooting range or M Harold Page in the park during one of his HEMA bouts.

Keep this under wraps and you might want to put on a seat belt too. I'm a teacher too. I teach Freshman English in high school. I keep my Ape persona because I am a role model and I don't want to see my students model me and become chimpanzees because of my Ape behavior. I assure you I don't act all like a Sophomore when I teach. I never voice my political views on my captive audience. They have no clue what politics I hold or what religion I am. The ask me a lot in public and private but I know they ask because they want me to validate them. I do.

I think it is funny that your writer's eye spots luggage. Mine is travel worn and beat up. I have the same luggage that my dad gave to me as a graduation present. While other kids were getting cars and trips to Europe my dad made it clear to me that I would be traveling after graduation. I was a bit miffed at first but it turned out to be the best present ever. I joined the Army when I was 17 and got to live in Germany for two years. While my buddies got to see a flash tour of Europe I saw sights that few tourists see. I spent six months touring a different castle each weekend. I spent a night in a dungeon and another in a turret. Their castles are parks over there and you can do that. Best of all I paid for my own college and car on my own dime. My dad gave me self worth in that luggage. I miss him.