Sunday, April 05, 2015

Texas author finalist for literary award

Internationally-renowned science fiction and fantasy author Lou Antonelli of Mount Pleasant is a nominee for the 2015 Hugo Awards, the premier awards in the Science Fiction field, given annually for over 50 years in over a dozen categories, including best books, stories, dramatic works, professional and fan activities.

The Hugos are given annually for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year, organized and overseen by the World Science Fiction Society. The awards are given each year at the annual World Science Fiction Convention as the central focus of the event. The 2015 Hugo Awards will be presented at 73rd Worldcon, which is being held August 19-23, 2015 in Spokane, Washington, where the announcement originated via live streaming video at noon Pacific Daylight Time Saturday, April 4.

Antonelli is a double finalist for both the Best Short Story and Best Related Work, a non-fiction category. His short story, “On a Spiritual Plain”, was published by the Australian-based magazine Sci-Phi Journal. His non-fiction book, “Letters from Gardner”, was published by the Merry Blacksmith Press of Providence, Rhode Island, and features short stories plus correspondence from Gardner Dozois, long-time editor of Asimov’s Science Fiction. The book covers a year-and-a-half period when Antonelli was trying to break into the science fiction field.

In addition to being a rare double finalist, this marks only the fifth time in the award’s 60-year history where an author was nominated in both a fiction and non-fiction category in the same year; the most recent occasion was in 2008.

One of the most prestigious science fiction awards, the Hugos have been termed as "among the highest honors bestowed in science fiction and fantasy writing". The awards are named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories.

“I am incredibly honored and humbled by the recognition from fellow authors and science fiction fans,” Antonelli said.

He is a journalist and the managing editor of The Clarksville Times in Red River County, Texas. He is a member of the Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA) as well as the Society for the Advancement of Speculative Storytelling (SASS).

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