I have been informed that two of my poems have been nominated for the 2013 Rhysling Award! They are, in the long poem category, “Grandfather” that was first podcast on StarShipSofa Episode 229 (March 2012) and, in the short category, “Blind Obedience” first published in Eye to the Telescope (SFPA’s Online Journal of Speculative Poetry). Both can also be found in The Poring Dark.
To say that I am blown away would be the mildest of understatements! Some of the past nominees include (apologies for giving a very truncated list):
Isaac Asimov’s “Science Fiction Convention” (1978 short)
Ursula K. Le Guin’s “Siva and Kama” (1979 short)
Roger Zelazny’s “I Used to Think in Lines That Were Irregular to the Right” (1981 short)
Terry Bisson’s “Partial People” (1995 long)
Mary Turzillo’s “Dash” (1997 short)
Derek Walcott’s “Time, that gnaws at bronze lions and dolphins” (2005 short)
Joe Haldeman‘s “god is dead short live god” (2007 short)
Samantha Henderson’s “First Festival” (2007 short)
Margaret Atwood’s “Ice Palace” (2008 short)
To be nominated and on a list alongside writers such as those above is an incredible honour.
Obviously I would love to dream of actually winning (if not this year, then one day…) but my first goal was to receive a nomination and so I feel that I am on the right track with my writing.
For completeness, here are just some of the winners (oh how I wish…)
Gene Wolfe’s “The Computer Iterates the Greater Trumps” (1978 long)
Ursula K. Le Guin’s “The Well of Baln” (1982 long)
Joe W. Haldeman’s “Saul’s Death: Two Sestinas” (1984 long) “Eighteen Years Old, October Eleventh” (1991 short) and “January Fires” (2001 long)
Bruce Boston Too many to include here!
Jeff VanderMeer’s “Flight Is for Those Who Have Not Yet Crossed Over” (1994 short)
Catherynne M. Valente’s “The Seven Devils of Central California” (2008 long)
Amal El-Mohtar’s “Song for an Ancient City” (2009 short) and “Peach-Creamed Honey” (2011 short)
Ann K. Schwader’s “To Theia” (2010 short)
Wish me luck!
