Hugo Drama 2015

[Crowjack]

Ruh roh. Also gave to say GRRM is killing it on his blog. I wonder if his hugo blogging could be nominated for a hugo. :P

It's almost embarrassing how he is schooling the Puppy guy.

Has the world EVER been this divided since WWII? Politically, Spiritually...the Arts?

Man, I just want a Maker's Mark neat, a nice Bone in Rib Eye, a good book and to be left alone.

[Darth Richard II]

Oh snap.

Well Kloos just earned a spot on my authors to try out cause reasons list.

[Liffguard]

Man, I just want a Maker's Mark neat,

A man of taste I see. Now this is a topic worth discussing.

[Crowjack]

Oh snap.

Well Kloos just earned a spot on my authors to try out cause reasons list.

I read both of his books...free on Kindle. They didn't suck (I enjoyed them) and I didn't see anything too Libertarian/loony/Ayn Randish.

(I probably shouldn't do my typical understatement because I am still a relatively new poster here.)

I enjoyed both of Marko Kloos' books very much. And they weren't free (I was confusing him with Ryk Brown for a moment...I'm old...give me a break).

I know it had to have been a wrenching decision to resign the HUGO nomination. An honorable man.

[Crowjack]

A man of taste I see. Now this is a topic worth discussing.

Just bought a bottle the other day. Was going to get some Johnny Walker Blue, but I do like me some Maker's Mark.

[Darth Richard II]

Wonder if another novel will take its place.

Man its going to be an awkward ceremony this year huh.

[peterbound]

Wonder if another novel will take its place. Man its going to be an awkward ceremony this year huh.

I'll be there. I'll tell you how it goes.

[peterbound]

Oh snap.

Well Kloos just earned a spot on my authors to try out cause reasons list.

i've read all his books. I dig them.

[maarsen]

Maybe the audience will stay away too.

[beniowa]

I'll be at the con as well, and while I'm of two minds abouting attending the ceremony I'm currently planning to attend.

[Procrastimancer]

If nominations are withdrawn then do new stories get promoted onto the ballot similar to the stories ruled ineligible? Presumably at some point the ballot gets finalised, but I don't know if that's happened yet?

I do feel a little bit sorry for some of the authors thrust into the middle of the controversy. Perhaps they should have thought a bit harder before agreeing to let Torgersen recommend them but many of those nominated don't seem to have been actively involved in the campaign and as far as I can tell Vox Day didn't ask for permission before putting them on his slate.

I thought his nominated story last year was the weakest of the nominees I read (I didn't read last year's Sad Puppy nominees), but maybe this one is better.

There's been no official word on what might be done that I know about, not even anything from the usual suspects who work with Worldcon a lot. One random person elsewhere did state:

This isn’t the first time that authors have removed their works from the ballot after the final ballot was announced. In the past a few writers have had more than one story nominated in the same category and have asked that one of them be removed in order to avoid “splitting the vote” between those two stories. In those cases, the Hugo Committee has *not* moved the next highest nominated story up to the ballot, so that’s the precedent. I’m sue that Hugo administrator John Lorentz has noted this for this year..

I don't know how accurate this is, but if ends up being standard procedure then it sounds like a hearty "fuck you" to the authors who might have made the ballot had the two not accepted the nomination instead of suddenly having an issue with it more than a week after the announcement as the amount of negative media attention increased. But I'll admit that I am probably being more than a little unfair to people in a tough situation.

[The Reckoner]

GRRM thinks some folks are out for blood. :lmao:

I look forward to your account of the awards, peter.

[Lily Valley]

I'll be there. I'll tell you how it goes.

Petrer are you giing to be there too? Eeeee! I'm going to buy you a drink and then give you a BIG ARGUMENT and then shake your hand when we both win.

I am extremely disappointed Connie Willis won't be hosting. I absolutely love her writing and some of her vernacular has become part of my own personal nerd dialect.

Supporting memberships are up 1300+. I bought one for my stepdad. It is PAYBACK for sending me my first copy of GOT and dragging me into this rabbithole with all you wierdos. He is still my go to guy to talk all things sff-nerd. And $70 is not too terrible for the right to vote and even THIS packet. I know he'll read it, we can talk about it and he's a great guy in a fight.

I dunno if the numbers are because of VD'S threats or fans like me. I'm just really sad this is hanging over my first WorldCon and first Hugo ceremony. What a giant steaming pile of shit.

[Darth Richard II]

GRRM thinks some folks are out for blood. :lmao:

I look forward to your account of the awards, peter.

GRRM is correct.

[Kyoshi]

Maybe the audience will stay away too.

I doubt that. People love a good scandal.

[peterbound]

Petrer are you giing to be there too? Eeeee! I'm going to buy you a drink and then give you a BIG ARGUMENT and then shake your hand when we both win.

I am extremely disappointed Connie Willis won't be hosting. I absolutely love her writing and some of her vernacular has become part of my own personal nerd dialect.

Supporting memberships are up 1300+. I bought one for my stepdad. It is PAYBACK for sending me my first copy of GOT and dragging me into this rabbithole with all you wierdos. He is still my go to guy to talk all things sff-nerd. And $70 is not too terrible for the right to vote and even THIS packet. I know he'll read it, we can talk about it and he's a great guy in a fight.

I dunno if the numbers are because of VD'S threats or fans like me. I'm just really sad this is hanging over my first WorldCon and first Hugo ceremony. What a giant steaming pile of shit.

Well,

I don't don't drink, but I'll shake your hand.

I get to seen Connie Willis at least once a year. She lives in Colorado, and I usually try to make it to one con a year that she attends. Her husband is a pretty nice guy as well.

[benpeek]

I dunno if the numbers are because of VD'S threats or fans like me. I'm just really sad this is hanging over my first WorldCon and first Hugo ceremony. What a giant steaming pile of shit.

You will, hopefully, still enjoy it.

I was at last year's Loncon and it was pretty huge and pretty easy to lose yourself from the drama of this kind of thing, should you wish. In fact, the truth is, cons really aren't about this shit. It's about hanging with friends, meeting new people, finding cool things, and bars. Lots and lots of bars. All this Sad Puppies Rabid Puppies is a bit whatevs when you're there. And so it should be - and so a lot (I dare say the majority) of authors will treat it. It's about meeting the people who read your books, getting into conversations with them, hearing the snide the remarks from people who don't like you, room parties and bars. Did I mention bars? Well. Bars. It's important.

And yeah, the Hugos are gonna suck. But it'll be a small part of it, and it'll likely end in a bar, and if I hadn't made it clear, that's where all the good things in a con happen.

But anyhow, I guess what I'm saying is, I still think quite strongly that you'll have a good time at your first Worldcon. I'll be quite surprised if there isn't extra effort by all who are involved (authors, fans, coordinators) to make sure it is good for people who show. After all, that's what's important.

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

I usually go to the Hugo ceremony. This year, we'll see what happens. Could we have an informal BWB viewing party if we can get the Hugos on someone's hotel room TV?

[Ninefingers]

Hi,

While I consider myself a fan of sci-fi and fantasy, I'm not a member of the fandom if that makes any sense. As such, I really have no idea what this hugo issue is, although I've seen enough chatter about it recently to pique my interest. My (admittedly quick) google searches have located lots of commentary on the issue, but no so much on what the issue really is.

Would some kind person be willing to give me (or point me in the direction of) a quick summary? Sad puppies, angry puppies, just plain puppies - I can't make sense of any of it.

Thanks

[sologdin]

basic thesis is that some on the far right contend that the far left has hijacked the awards in order to advance a non-heteronormative, secular/ahteist, and multiculturalist agenda (or sometimes it is literary formalist/experimentalist texts), at the expense of well written & entertaining books.

so they organized a slate for bloc voting purposes in order to exploit a design flaw in the nomination process, whereby a focused bloc might nominate the entire field, as against independent-minded dispersed nominations otherwise, for the final ballot.

it's ludicrous, of course. if a far left clique or cabal or conspiracy were managing the awards for its alleged agenda, then the slates would've failed.