We’ve been waiting for imposter syndrome to set in. It’s Nebula season, when all the writers that you admire and pretend to be besties with on Twitter post their publications and eligibility. For those not in the cabal, the Nebula Awards are given out for short stories, novelette, novellas, novels, and game writing by the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA). Most works are eligible for a Nebula Award, the key is that works must be nominated by members of the SFWA.
Surprisingly, we haven’t had any symptoms of imposter syndrome. It must be because it’s easier to champion the works of others. Especially when they’re works that you believe in. For every piece we published this year, there was almost no debate about their inclusion. Choose a title and we’ll tell you where we were and what we were doing when we first read it.
Apparition Lit is barely a toddler (or still a baby? I don’t know; I don’t guess at baby stages), but we’ve published short stories and poems we loved deeply. We hope they’ve affected our readers just as much.
If you’re a SFWA member with voting rights, below are the eligible works we published this year. We chose our two favorite stories from each issue and we hope you’ll take your time and nominate a few.
Short Fiction
“They Are Still Building It” by C.S. Malerich is a powerful example of when fiction combines fantastical and real world horrors (Apparition Lit, Issue 3: Vision). Listed in Charles Payseur’s write-up of Queer Short SFF, July 2018.
“Sea Shanties” by Amelia Fisher sweeps us into a tale of love, obsession, and sea monsters (Apparition Lit, Issue 2: Delusion). Recommended by A.C. Wise in her Words for Thought column at Apex Magazine, May 31, 2018.
“The Honey Cure” by Robert Francis is a story about a sweet diversion that takes a newly married couple off the beaten path (Apparition Lit, Issue 4: Diversion). Listed in Charles Payseur’s write-up of Queer Short SFF, October 2018.
“A Promise” by Jennifer Hudak is lovingly, but heart-wrenchingly written from the point-of-view of a mother experiencing the passage of time (Apparition Lit, Issue 1: Apparition).
“World Cry” by Tara M. Williams introduces us to a dystopian future and the competition that may have saved humanity (Apparition Lit, Issue 1: Apparition).
“If You Require Assistance” by Chloie Piveral, a woman carrying a rebellious secret draws comfort and distraction from a computer guidance system (Apparition Lit, Issue 4: Diversion).
“The Ice Tree” by Sarena Ulibarri, where the ultimate anti-heroine takes her hero’s journey (Apparition Lit, Issue 2: Delusion).
“Visionary” by Rhonda Eikamp, a speculative story where one man is forced to participate in atrocities done in blind hatred and fear of The Other. (Apparition Lit, Issue 3: Vision).
We can’t stress enough that all of the short stories and flash fiction this year are also eligible. If you’ve got more time, check out their stories.
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