The 2010 Stoker Final Ballot has been released: Superior Achievement in a Novel Horns, Joe Hill (William Morrow) Rot and Ruin, Jonathan Maberry (Simon & Schuster) Dead Love, Linda Watanabe McFerrin (Stone Bridge Press) Apocalypse of the Dead, Joe McKinney (Pinnacle) Dweller, Jeff Strand (Leisure/Dark Regions Press) A Dark Matter, Peter Straub (DoubleDay) Superior Achievement [...]

Writer Lisa Wolfson, 47, who wrote young-adult novels as L.K. Madigan, died February 23, 2011 of cancer in Portland OR. Her first novel Flash Burnout (2009) is non-speculative, but second book The Mermaid’s Mirror (2010) is fantasy. Lisa Kay Madigan was born April 26, 1963 in Portland OR, and moved with her family to Los [...]

Shaun Tan’s film The Lost Thing, based on the eponymous picture book, won an Oscar in the Best Animated Short Film category. The award was presented at the 83rd Academy Awards, February 27, 2011 at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood. Tan and his co-director Andrew Ruhemann were present to accept. [...]

Romanian science fiction writer Ion Hobana, 80, died of cancer on Tuesday, February 22, 2011 in Bucharest. Hobana was Romania’s best internationally known SF writer. Hobana was born January 25, 1931 in Sannicolau Mare, near Timisoara, and studied science fiction literature at the University of Bucharest. He started publishing science fiction stories in 1955, and [...]

According to PW, Random House informed its employees in a memo this morning of a voluntary early retirement package with enhanced benefits for employees over the age of 50 who have worked at the company for at least five years. The offer is time-limited, available for 45 days only. The company described the option as [...]

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America have released the final ballot for the 2010 Nebula Awards: Novel The Native Star, M.K. Hobson (Spectra) The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, N.K. Jemisin (Orbit UK; Orbit US) Shades of Milk and Honey, Mary Robinette Kowal (Tor) Echo, Jack McDevitt (Ace) Who Fears Death, Nnedi Okorafor (DAW) Blackout/All Clear, Connie [...]

Joe Haldeman is recovering from his ileostomy take-down surgery of February 17, 2011. The surgery was a laparoscopic procedure, designed to reconnect his intestines after a September 19, 2009 surgery for severe pancreatitis and twisted bowel. Gay Haldeman reports that “the surgery went well,” and that Joe is cracking jokes. As of February 21, Gay [...]

Editor Stanley Schmidt of Analog has announced the magazine will begin accepting electronic submissions next week: “Effective at 11 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday, February 22, Analog Science Fiction and Fact will begin accepting — and preferring — submissions in electronic form. Electronic submissions will be accepted through http://analog.magazinesubmissions.com/, where full instructions can be found. [...]

George R.R. Martin & Parris McBride, his partner of 30 years, were married on February 15, 2010 at their home in Santa Fe NM, among a small group of friends and loved ones. There are pictures from the wedding and the celebration afterward at Martin’s website.

Canadian author Peter Watts is recovering from surgery for necrotizing fasciitis, or flesh-eating bacteria, in Toronto’s East General hospital. Part of his right calf was removed. According to Watts’s blog, “The good news is, I’m not dead, and the necrotising bugs have been scraped out of me as far as anyone can tell. The bad [...]