Register Now to Nominate for Hugos
The World Science Fiction Convention will be in Reno this August, and I'll be there.
Lots of fellow-writers from Utah will be there, including my partners in podcasting Brandon Sanderson and Dan Wells. And of course the place will be full of big names in genre fiction (that's a convenient catch-all for Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror) and fans from all walks of life.
There's no hurry to register unless, like every good citizen of the fan community, you wish to have a say in what gets honored at this year's Hugo Awards.
Should you desire to nominate your favorite works of science fiction, fantasy, and related materials for Hugos you need to register for the convention by Monday, January 31st.
You have until late March to send in your nominations, but unless you're registered for the convention by January 31st (or attended WorldCon in Melbourne) you won't be able to nominate.
You can acquire a supporting membership for $50 (which lets you nominate and vote,) or an attending membership for $180 (you can nominate, vote, and attend the event in Reno.) Yes, it's a little pricey. It's also worth it. I've attended WorldCon four times now -- Los Angeles, Denver, Montreal, and Melbourne -- and in every case it was a wonderful experience. It also serves as excellent professional development for me. Obviously your mileage may vary in that regard. But ask the Schlockers who came to Melbourne -- we had a GREAT time.
Now, should you feel inclined to nominate something Schlockish for a Hugo, I have two qualifying works this year: Schlock Mercenary: Massively Parallel, and "Mad Scientist's Residence" (the bonus story that appeared exclusively in print in the Resident Mad Scientist collection.) Both works qualify for nomination under the "Best Graphic Story" category.
Here are some additional details, because clarity makes the committee's job ever so much easier:
Schlock Mercenary: Massively Parallel was written and illustrated by Howard Tayler, colored by Howard Tayler & Travis Walton, and published by Hypernode Media.
"Mad Scientist's Residence" was written by Howard Tayler & W. Dan Willis, Illustrated by Howard Tayler, colored by Travis Walton, and published by Hypernode Media.
You might also note that Writing Excuses: Season 4 by Brandon Sanderson, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler qualifies under the new rules for nomination for "Best Related Work."
That's just the stuff I'm personally involved with. I'll post a long list of things you might want to consider for Hugo nominations later next week. If nothing else, you can consider these things "strongly recommended reading." Or viewing, or even listening, as the case may be.