Locus Online News » Milestones

Clive Barker Awakens from Coma

LocusHQ — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:02:45 +0000

Clive Barker, 59, is recovering after several days spent unconscious in intensive care. He explained on his twitter feed that he suffered:

“a nearly fatal case of Toxic Shock brought on by a visit to my dentist. Apparently this is not uncommon. In my case the dental work unloaded such a spillage of poisonous bacteria into my blood that my whole system crashed, putting me into a coma. I spent several days in Intensive Care, with a machine breathing for me. Later, my doctors said that they had not anticipated a happy ending until I started to fight, repeatedly pulling out the tubes that I was constantly gagging on. After a few days of nightmarish delusions I woke up to my life again, tired, twenty pounds lighter, but happy to be back from a very dark place. And here in the world I intend to stay. I’ve books to write, films to make and paintings to paint. I seem to have come home with my sight clearer somehow, and my sense of purpose intensified.”

Wolfe Wins Fuller Award

LocusHQ — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 18:01:17 +0000

The first Fuller Award for lifetime achievement in literature will be awarded to Gene Wolfe by the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame. The presentation will take place March 17, 2012 at an Evening to Honor Gene Wolfe, hosted by Gary K. Wolfe at the San Filippo Estate in Barrington Hills IL. Among those scheduled to pay tribute to Wolfe are Neil Gaiman, Michael Swanwick, Audrey Niffeneger, and others. For tickets and more information, see the Eventbrite website.

G.R.R.M. Named USA Today’s Author of the Year

LocusHQ — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 18:20:22 +0000

George R.R. Martin has been named USA Today‘s 2011 Author of the Year. The honor comes, in no small part, thanks to the increase in popularity of his Song of Ice and Fire series after the HBO series Game of Thrones. The books, already hits, have skyrocketed to bestseller fame thanks to the HBO publicity; his latest installment, A Dance With Dragons, hit number one on the USA Today list (a first for Martin).

For more, see the USA Today post.

SF Awards Watch Under New Management

LocusHQ — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 18:37:35 +0000

The Science Fiction Awards Watch website has returned after a short hiatus during which previous owners Cheryl Morgan and Kevin Standlee transferred ownership and maintenance of the site to fan and blogger Steve Davidson. Davidson has announced that he plans to bring the listing of awards and nominations on the site back up to date soon. He also invites all those who maintain awards to contact him with nomination and selection schedules, since he plans to add a “comprehensive calendar of events” to boost the site’s content.

SFWA Lifts Night Shade Probation

LocusHQ — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:38:53 +0000

SFWA released a statement today announcing the term of probation for Night Shade Books has been lifted. The publisher was placed on probation as a qualifying market for the writers’ organization in July 2010, following “concerns about contractual issues with their authors.” Night Shade has since met a series of benchmarks set up by SFWA to “return to a solid standing.” Fiction contracted during the probationary period will qualify for SFWA membership. More details can be found at the SFWA website.

Terri Windling Fundraiser: Magick4Terri

LocusHQ — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 20:45:24 +0000

A fundraiser is underway at Magick4Terri, taking donations and auctioning items and services on behalf of Terri Windling. The auctions include items such as Tuckerizations, art, web design, advertisements, signed books and ARCs, etc., and will close on December 15, 2011.

The Magick4Terri site explains, “Beloved editor, artist and writer Terri Windling is in need, and we are asking for your help in a fundraising auction to assist her. This auction will combine donations from professionals and fans in an online sale to help Terri through a serious financial crisis.

Terri is the creator of groundbreaking fantasy and mythic art and literature over the past several decades, ranging from the influential urban fantasy series Bordertown to the online Journal of Mythic Arts. With co-editor Ellen Datlow, she changed the face of contemporary short fiction with The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror and other award-winning anthologies, including Silver Birch, Blood Moon and The Green Man: Tales from the Mythic Forest. Her remarkable Endicott Studio blog continues to bring music, poetry, art and inspiration to people all over the world.”

More information is available at the site’s About Us page on LiveJournal.

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BFS Committee Positions Filled

LocusHQ — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 17:35:27 +0000

Acting British Fantasy Society chair Graham Joyce has announced the new committee members for the organization:

Chairperson: Lee Harris, nominated by Paul Cornell, seconded by Philip Lunt
Treasurer: Amanda Rutter, nominated by Suzanne MacLeod, seconded by Neil Ford
Secretary: Marion Pitman, nominated by Tina Rath, seconded by Jan Edwards
Awards Administrator: Sarah Ann Watts, nominated by James Bennett, seconded by Lawrence Watts
Publicity Officer: Lizzie Barrett, nominated by Jared Shurin, seconded by Lou Morgan
Stock Holder: Christopher Teague, incumbent

Nominations closed on November 18th, and there were no contests for any position. The positions will be formally ratified at EGM on December 9th, 2011. For more information, see the British Fantasy Society’s website.

World SF Blog to Merge with The Portal

LocusHQ — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 01:00:29 +0000

Review site The Portal is joining forces with World Fantasy nominated World SF Blog. The Portal will bring its entire archives to the blog, and provide new material focusing on short fiction reviews, author interviews, and international writing. World SF Blog will continue in its mission in “posting links, news and original content related to science fiction, fantasy, horror, and comics from around the world.” They are also planning to restart their fiction publishing program, with a focus on international writers. For more information, see the blog post at World SF Blog.

New Owner Sought for Science Fiction Awards Watch

LocusHQ — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 23:43:57 +0000

Cheryl Morgan and Kevin Standlee of Science Fiction Awards Watch are looking for new owners to take over running the site. Science Fiction Awards Watch was founded in 2007 and reports on genre-related awards news, including nominations, finalists, and winners. Prospective owners should expect a fair amount of work, and the site does not currently generate income. Interested parties should contact Cheryl or Kevin before the end of October, at which point the site will be taken offline if new owners have not been found.

George R.R. Martin “Millionaire”

LocusHQ — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 18:20:59 +0000

Amazon.com has announced that George R.R. Martin has sold over a million Kindle e-books. Martin said, “Groucho Marx one said, ‘I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member,’ but even Groucho might have made an exception for the Kindle Million Club. It’s a real thrill to be inducted into this one.” Martin has been writing professionally since 1971. He is the eleventh author to sell over a million copies, joining writers including James Patterson, Suzanne Collins, and Charlaine Harris.

For more information, see Amazon.com.