You know, life was a lot easier when I didn’t know about awards like the Hugos or the Nebulas. It was an abstract thing. “Oh, there are awards and people win them. Cool.” Then, I started knowing the people who were nominated. “Oh, there are awards and my friends are up for them. Cool!” Then, I started being eligible and nominated for awards. Suddenly, it’s becoming, “There are these awards. How the hell am I good enough for them?”

I think I was lucky. The first two awards I was up for, I wasn’t at the awards ceremonies where I won. This vexed me. The third one, I made sure I was at and wanted to throw up the entire time. I won. I had a speech to read because a friend forced me to write one even though I was sure I wasn’t going to win. When I sat down, I realized I was starving. So, that’s what awards are like for me. Am I good enough? I’m going to throw up. Then, win or lose, I’m starving.

That being said, I still want to be nominated for awards and, yes, I want to win them. Winning is awesome. It really is. But, award season is stressful. People get cranky if you post about awards. People get cranky if you don’t post about awards. It’s really a damned if you do and damned if you don’t situation.

And since I’m going to be condemned either way, here’s what’s eligible of mine for the Hugo this year:

•  "Iron Achilles Heel" - The New Hero II anthology - Stone Skin Press, February 2013
•  "An Infestation of Adverts" - Blue Shift Magazine, Issue #1 anthology - White Cat Publications, June 2013
•  "Dust Angels" - Beyond the Sun anthology - Fairwood Press, July 2013
•  "Lock and Key" - Shadowrun Returns kickstarter anthology - Catalyst Game Labs, July 2013
•  "The Price of Family" - Elementary (All-New Tales of the Elemental Masters) anthology - DAW, December 2013
•  "A Nightmare for Anna" - By Faerie Light anthology - Zombie Sky Press, December 2013

•  Children of Anu: Book Two of the Karen Wilson Chronicles, novel - Apocalypse Ink Productions, June 2013

•  Coins of Chaos anthology - EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing, Editor, October 2013 [Short form editor]