The End of the Hugos as We Know It

[cranefly]

You may have read about this. If not, the Hugos are very likely kaput going forward.
An ultra-conservative faction of SF writers just gamed the voting process.

The Hugos have always had politics. But now they have POLITICS.

We'll now have to read everything to know what's worth reading....

How the 'Sad Puppies' Internet campaign gamed the Hugo Awards

http://www.dailydot.com/geek/hugo-award-...d-puppies/

[Drunk Monk]

My pom does that when I'm not looking, I'm sure of it.

[King Bob]

And that image is from one of my favorite movies. Interesting article from the link above. Although I have to admit I haven't paid attention to the Hugos in like 20 years. Should I be sorry?

[Greg_phpbb3_import1]

This has been generating quite the buzz on some of the Science Fictions sites I follow, particularly John Scalzi, who is the author the Sad Puppies hate the most. It is quite the squabble between the right and the left.

I can keep reading the books, right? Then award away. I think the one category that felt the least influence by rigging the voting was best novel. Since, I'm usually only reading the novels, I'm good. But again, I can still read them even if they haven't won a Hugo, right?

[cranefly]

Spent most of the morning on the phone with SFWA (Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America), kept getting passed around, but finally got connected to the president, Stephen Gould. At first he was dead-set against showing any flexibility. But after I explained your situation in full, and your strong feelings, he grudgingly agreed to give you a waiver. Congrats, Greg. For one full year (ending April 8, 2016), you can read whatever you like.

As for the rest of us, we'll just have to take whatever the voting gives us.
You lucky (and not the least bit sad) puppy.

[Greg_phpbb3_import1]

That's a relief.

You would think writers would have better things to do than bitch about who is winning awards. Like writing, for instance.

[King Bob]

George R.R. Martin wades into it: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/ap...ugo-awards

[Greg_phpbb3_import1]

GRRM has about six articles and counting over on his website. It is quite the tempest.

[Dr. Ivor Yeti]

Reading more about this sounds like a few insecure douchebags rigging things because they didn't get lionized by prizes, like the vast majority of writers. I read a bit by an author named Flint who dissects things pretty neatly, and like GRRM, is a pretty Big Gun. Also, he is an unrepentant leftie who has also not won a single award which kinda disproves the working theory of the Sad Puppies.

[King Bob]

At the risk of being a Philistine, I will confess that I never paid that much attention to the Hugos, except to be glad to see that a book I liked won. It didn't guide my reading in any way. I got that big Hugo Winners anthology once, and don't think I ever read that much of it, and now I can't remember any of it. Am I alone on that?

And it makes me wonder, does winning the award help sales? Aid in mainstream recognition? Or just bring honor in the SF world?

And it makes me think of the Grammys, where crap wins out all the time (the Beatles never won).

And what about the Nebula award? Is it the same situation with it or what?

[Drunk Monk]

The only book awards that I followed were the Caldecotts, and that's because there was a ton of kid lit that was new to me when T was growing up.

[cranefly]

Just to set the stage, Guest of Honor David Gerrold has been rather vocal about the Sad Puppies and company.
In retaliation, one of their ilk sent a letter to the Spokane police department notifying them that a dangerous element (Gerrold) would be in their territory and that they should keep a very close eye on him. This person later apologized. Still, lots of science fiction people wanted to ban the dude from the convention for his actions. Gerrold kind-heartedly said no, let him come.

Meanwhile, a woman editor who had accepted a story by this dude caught wind of this, and she promptly contacted him and said she would not be publishing his story after all; however, she would pay him a kill-fee. The dude got all upset about this, contacted a bunch of his friends about it, and suddenly the woman editor was getting all kinds of hate mail, including several death threats. Once more, science fiction people wanted to ban this dude from the convention for his actions. But the woman editor kind-heartedly said no, let him come.

I tend to agree with Gerrold and the woman editor. This dude really needs to get out and meet people rather than lurk within his online persona. WorldCon could give him an opportunity to grow. I really don't expect him, or any of the Sad Puppy lot, to cause problems, and doubt very much I'll think about them at all, unless the people I hang out with obsess over them -- which, come to think of it, is a distinct possibility. If that happens, I may wander off by myself. Life is too short to be letting tiny stagnated minds occupy my time.

Then again, having said all that, one should never under-estimate the ambience-shattering power of a crying baby in a restaurant.

--cranefly

[Drunk Monk]

Will you be doing some cosplay there? Because I think you would be an excellent Sailor Moon.

[cranefly]

You been lookin' through our effin' curtains, DM?
Been working months on that costume.
Then just before I head off, you say you'll have an ASAP article for me to edit the evening of the costume competition/party.

Now how the hell am I supposed to be at my best being Sailor Moon when I have an effin' deadline hanging over me?

Enough to make me close my huge eyes in despair.

[Drunk Monk]

In the name of the moon I will punish you!

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