Colin Harvey – author

As I noted over at Suite 101, The Speculative Literature Foundation has announced that its seventh annual Older Writers Grant is to be awarded to Mario Milosevic, for his ‘Untied States of America’ which appeared in Interzone 228. It’s particularly interesting for three reasons:

First, this is the first time since 2007 that I’m familiar with the winning entry, and for all my reservations, it’s a worthy winner.

Secondly, I judge the awards myself in 2007, and it was a tough call then to pick just one winner, so I understand perfectly Malon Edwards comments of  “Honorable Mentions for the Older Writers Grant go to Michele Cashmore, April Grey, Lynne MacLean, Ada Milenkovic Brown, and J.A. Huets for their entertaining submissions, which made the selection of the winner a difficult but enjoyable process.”

Yep, not much has changed there, then.  Come the deadline, there’s usually much tearing of hair.

Lastly, and most selfishly, in five months time I’ll be eligible for the award myself. Not that I think that I have a prayer of winning it, but I have to have a go…it’s nice to see what benchmark’s been set.

This morning’s blog is a straight list of the 2009 Nebula Award finalists. However, I couldn’t resist posting links to the stories I trumpeted when they first came out, which makes me look profoundly perspicacious. Of course, that ignores the finalists I initially rubbished, as well as all the other stories I backed which never made the final…

…here.

And said winners are the BSFA Awards, by the way. Just so you know before you click on the link!

I’m still in shock from the news that Killers has been nominated for the British Fantasy Award.

OK, so it may only be one nomination, which is all that’s needed to get it onto the long list, but the fact remains that someone likes it enough to nominate it. For a small press outfit publishing an anthology edited by a relatively new author this is a huge plus. Not just for the publicity, but also for the sense of vindication.  The real honour goes to the writers who made the book, of course.

It doesn’t matter if I don’t win, or get onto the final ballot. It’s a cliche, but being nominated really is an honour.