As an Active, Lifetime Active, or Associate member of SFWA you are eligible to submit a nomination ballot for the 2014 Nebula Awards. The nomination period opened on the 15th and ballots must be received by the deadline of February 15, 2015, 11:59 p.m. PST.
If you are one of my friends - and I do have a few - who belong to the SFWA, here is a list of my new short fiction published this year:
"Bindlestiff's Daughter" - The Lorelei Signal, January 2014
"Playing Catch-Up" - SciFi Max, May 2014
"The Sub-Basement" - The Ironic Fantastic No. 3, Sept. 2014
"Back Own My Stab" - Every Day Fiction, Sept. 16, 2014
"Bigfoot Fruit" - Common Oddities Speculative Fiction Sideshow Sept. 2014
"On a Spiritual Plain" - Sci-Phi Journal No. 2 November 2014
"The Girl Who Couldn't Fly" - "Unconventional Fantasy, a Celebration of 40 Years of the World Fantasy Convention' - Nov. 6-9, 2014
If you are an SFWA member who would like to recommend a story to me, please feel free to send me a message.
Showing posts with label SFWA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SFWA. Show all posts
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Two nominations
I recently learned , from when the SFWA published its rundown of nominations for the Nebulas, that my story "Hearts Made of Stone" received two.
I took a little time this past spring to encourage people to read the story, with the excuse to consider it for a nomination. My attitude was, if I was able to get anyone to read it, fine, if anyone wanted to nominate it, better. I thought it was a good story.
I received a couple of Nebula nominations for "A Rocket for the Republic" in 2006, and one for "The Witch of Waxahachie" in 2009.
I took a little time this past spring to encourage people to read the story, with the excuse to consider it for a nomination. My attitude was, if I was able to get anyone to read it, fine, if anyone wanted to nominate it, better. I thought it was a good story.
I received a couple of Nebula nominations for "A Rocket for the Republic" in 2006, and one for "The Witch of Waxahachie" in 2009.
Sunday, May 18, 2014
On being snubbed
The controversy this weekend with Robin Wayne Bailey, who traveled all the way from Kansas City to San Jose, California, to accept an honor on behalf of Frank M. Robinson at the SFWA Nebula awards, reminds me of what happened to me with one panel at the San Antonio Worldcon last summer
They forgot to put the award on the program, and forgot what Robin was there for. Needless to say, he was pissed. Within 24 hours the SFWA was issuing apologies for the obvious flub - which begs the question of how or why did it happen.
I don't think it was any sort of intentional slight. Perhaps what happened to me at WorldCon might shed some light (here I quote some from my original post):
"There were three woman and me and as we started the panel, since everyone else seemed to hold back, I started off; I really didn't think I would have a lot to contribute, so I thought I say my main spiel at the start and then pipe down.
"Well, I guess the moderator thought I was long-winded and/or boring, because she cut me off in mid-sentence, and then for the next 15 minutes, the three ladies all talked among themselves. This is a phenomenon that has nothing to do with the con; it's an American social phenomenon. Middle-aged American men see it all the time, especially in the workplace. When a cluster of women start talking among themselves, they will pretty much ignore any males around.
"After ten minutes I realized they had forgotten I was there, and I would have dozed off except for the noise."
There was an interruption when someone realized the room for the panel had been messed up, and we all followed a convention officer to a second room where one panelist had been all the time
"Now, while I was sitting on the dais in the first room, I was getting so bored, I thought about going down and being comfortable in the audience. This room change was a great opportunity, then, and when I got to the other room. I sat in the first row and left the ladies to join the young male author on the dais.
"They started right back up a didn't even notice me in the audience, until someone pointed me out, but I told them to carry on, they were doing fine without me."
The other panelists didn't miss me, and just went off on their own world. Some people in the audience obviously thought they were being a bunch of douchebags, and a few guys buttonholed me afterwards and asked me questions they would have if I had been allowed to participate in the panel. We all had a nice visit, and some of the other panelists, when they saw people talking to me, must have realized bad how they looked. All I got were some catty remarks on their exit.
My point is that, when you get a bunch of egotistical artistic types together, they get tunnel vision and end up forgetting there other people out there outside their own tight-knit social circle. SFWA is a badly socially inbred outfit and they probably just forgot Robin was there.
It's wasn't intentional, but it also wasn't right.
They forgot to put the award on the program, and forgot what Robin was there for. Needless to say, he was pissed. Within 24 hours the SFWA was issuing apologies for the obvious flub - which begs the question of how or why did it happen.
I don't think it was any sort of intentional slight. Perhaps what happened to me at WorldCon might shed some light (here I quote some from my original post):
"There were three woman and me and as we started the panel, since everyone else seemed to hold back, I started off; I really didn't think I would have a lot to contribute, so I thought I say my main spiel at the start and then pipe down.
"Well, I guess the moderator thought I was long-winded and/or boring, because she cut me off in mid-sentence, and then for the next 15 minutes, the three ladies all talked among themselves. This is a phenomenon that has nothing to do with the con; it's an American social phenomenon. Middle-aged American men see it all the time, especially in the workplace. When a cluster of women start talking among themselves, they will pretty much ignore any males around.
"After ten minutes I realized they had forgotten I was there, and I would have dozed off except for the noise."
There was an interruption when someone realized the room for the panel had been messed up, and we all followed a convention officer to a second room where one panelist had been all the time
"Now, while I was sitting on the dais in the first room, I was getting so bored, I thought about going down and being comfortable in the audience. This room change was a great opportunity, then, and when I got to the other room. I sat in the first row and left the ladies to join the young male author on the dais.
"They started right back up a didn't even notice me in the audience, until someone pointed me out, but I told them to carry on, they were doing fine without me."
The other panelists didn't miss me, and just went off on their own world. Some people in the audience obviously thought they were being a bunch of douchebags, and a few guys buttonholed me afterwards and asked me questions they would have if I had been allowed to participate in the panel. We all had a nice visit, and some of the other panelists, when they saw people talking to me, must have realized bad how they looked. All I got were some catty remarks on their exit.
My point is that, when you get a bunch of egotistical artistic types together, they get tunnel vision and end up forgetting there other people out there outside their own tight-knit social circle. SFWA is a badly socially inbred outfit and they probably just forgot Robin was there.
It's wasn't intentional, but it also wasn't right.
Monday, February 17, 2014
My Nebula nominations
Saturday at midnight was the deadline for members of the SFWA to nominate works for the annual Nebula awards. I nominated five short stories in that category:
The Gods That Men Don't See, Amy Sterling Casil
Smoke and Feathers, Juliette Wade
Waiting for Medusa, Jack Dann
I Come from the Dark Universe, Cat Rambo
A Brief History of the Trans-Pacific Tunnel, Ken Liu
I also nominated in the Novella category Wakulla Springs by Andy Duncan and Ellen Klages.
All of these, except for the Ken Liu story, were brought to my attention by the authors themselves, either independently or in response to my own outreach effort for "Hearts Made of Stone". I felt they were all worthy efforts. I found the Ken Liu story in a search for something clearly alternate history. All great stories.
The Gods That Men Don't See, Amy Sterling Casil
Smoke and Feathers, Juliette Wade
Waiting for Medusa, Jack Dann
I Come from the Dark Universe, Cat Rambo
A Brief History of the Trans-Pacific Tunnel, Ken Liu
I also nominated in the Novella category Wakulla Springs by Andy Duncan and Ellen Klages.
All of these, except for the Ken Liu story, were brought to my attention by the authors themselves, either independently or in response to my own outreach effort for "Hearts Made of Stone". I felt they were all worthy efforts. I found the Ken Liu story in a search for something clearly alternate history. All great stories.
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Open to new ideas
A while back I took some time to promote my story "Hearts Made of Stone", which was published in the original anthology Song Stories in 2013. Using the Nebula nominations in the SFWA as an excuse, I spent time going through the membership list and making an email list. I typed one version for Associate members - who can nominate for the award but not vote - and another one for full members, the Active members.
I sent the first email out Jan. 5, and the second Jan. 12. I included a link to a page on my blog where I had posted the story. Aside from the practical benefit of spreading the work out, I was curious to see if there was a different reaction between the classes of members.
The email to the Active members suffered from a flaw when I absent-mindedly posted all the names in the CC line instead of the BCC line (I sent the originating email to myself to check it). I mentioned that flub in a post here a while back.
Other than that, the emails were very similar. I thought what feedback I got was interesting. There were more bounced emails from the associate list, and a few "I don't write science fiction any more". A number of people asked me to read their stuff, which I am doing. It seems to have been a nice way to solicit some reading suggestions.
From the active members, a number of people told me what a mistake I made with the CC list, and some were pretty rude about it. There were also some very nice and positive replies, and some people understood the email flub was an honest mistake.
As you would think, the associate members seemed to be much more open to reading my story. The traffic to that web page the week after the email to the associate members was FOUR TIMES the traffic the week after the email to the pros.
I sent the first email out Jan. 5, and the second Jan. 12. I included a link to a page on my blog where I had posted the story. Aside from the practical benefit of spreading the work out, I was curious to see if there was a different reaction between the classes of members.
The email to the Active members suffered from a flaw when I absent-mindedly posted all the names in the CC line instead of the BCC line (I sent the originating email to myself to check it). I mentioned that flub in a post here a while back.
Other than that, the emails were very similar. I thought what feedback I got was interesting. There were more bounced emails from the associate list, and a few "I don't write science fiction any more". A number of people asked me to read their stuff, which I am doing. It seems to have been a nice way to solicit some reading suggestions.
From the active members, a number of people told me what a mistake I made with the CC list, and some were pretty rude about it. There were also some very nice and positive replies, and some people understood the email flub was an honest mistake.
As you would think, the associate members seemed to be much more open to reading my story. The traffic to that web page the week after the email to the associate members was FOUR TIMES the traffic the week after the email to the pros.
Saturday, January 18, 2014
Email mistake
Last weekend I spent a little time typing and sending out emails drumming up support and attention - in light of the upcoming Feb. 15 deadline for Nebula nominations - among fellow members of the SFWA for my story "Hearts Made of Stone", which was published in the Song Story anthology by Wakefied Mahon.
I'm proud of the story, and I'm glad I tried to garner it more attention. Like a proud mother, I think every author should love their own offspring.
In my haste I listed everyone's email address in the CC line of the email, which made them visible to everyone. A few people quickly noted the blunder. I thanked them, noting it was a mistake and a bone-headed move.
Some people were very nice about it, and some people obviously think I'm moron. I sent off an email today to one particular person who apparently has a very low opinion of me. Here is is the text, minus - of course - any information about the subject. I think it is as good as good an explanation as any of what I set out to do:
---
When I sat down last weekend and spent a few hours pulling out emails from the SFWA membership roster to send my email to about "Hearts Made of Stone", I looked for people I had previously met, dealt with in some fashion, or who I knew of and respected.
You were someone I had heard positive things about in the past, and although we've never met or dealt with each other, I thought you're someone whose opinion I should respect. Which is why I added your name.
Sorry if I offended you. I am just an amateur writer, and in my enthusiasm for my story, I was a little careless. That CC copying was just block-headed, but I've apologized to everyone who mentioned it to me. I apologize to you, also.
My "real" job is as a small-town newspaper editor, and I'm very happy, so any extra fun I get in life from fiction writing is just gravy. I'm one of those old-fashioned types who believes failing is not a problem, the problem is when you don't try at all.
Working to gain a little exposure for my story was a learning experience, so I'm glad I did it, even though it didn't turn out exactly how I planned or hoped. We live and learn.
Maybe some day we'll run into each other, and we'll laugh about this over a beer or a burger. In the meantime, good luck in whatever makes you happy in life!
I'm proud of the story, and I'm glad I tried to garner it more attention. Like a proud mother, I think every author should love their own offspring.
In my haste I listed everyone's email address in the CC line of the email, which made them visible to everyone. A few people quickly noted the blunder. I thanked them, noting it was a mistake and a bone-headed move.
Some people were very nice about it, and some people obviously think I'm moron. I sent off an email today to one particular person who apparently has a very low opinion of me. Here is is the text, minus - of course - any information about the subject. I think it is as good as good an explanation as any of what I set out to do:
---
When I sat down last weekend and spent a few hours pulling out emails from the SFWA membership roster to send my email to about "Hearts Made of Stone", I looked for people I had previously met, dealt with in some fashion, or who I knew of and respected.
You were someone I had heard positive things about in the past, and although we've never met or dealt with each other, I thought you're someone whose opinion I should respect. Which is why I added your name.
Sorry if I offended you. I am just an amateur writer, and in my enthusiasm for my story, I was a little careless. That CC copying was just block-headed, but I've apologized to everyone who mentioned it to me. I apologize to you, also.
My "real" job is as a small-town newspaper editor, and I'm very happy, so any extra fun I get in life from fiction writing is just gravy. I'm one of those old-fashioned types who believes failing is not a problem, the problem is when you don't try at all.
Working to gain a little exposure for my story was a learning experience, so I'm glad I did it, even though it didn't turn out exactly how I planned or hoped. We live and learn.
Maybe some day we'll run into each other, and we'll laugh about this over a beer or a burger. In the meantime, good luck in whatever makes you happy in life!
Sunday, January 12, 2014
Flogging the golem
I've made an effort this Sunday and last Sunday to draw attention to "Hearts Made of Stone" and the anthology it was published in, "Song Stories". There's a number of reasons I took the time to type up over 500 email addresses to send out messages, first to SFWA Associate members on Jan. 5 and then Active members today. Here's a few:
First, I really want to commend Song Stories Press and Publisher Wakefield Mahon for making the time and effort to put together the original anthology. These kinds of projects are a labor of love, and they offer more diverse and often interesting s-f and fantasy reading material to the public. I'm glad to get more public notice for the anthology.
Second, I happen to personally like my story. Of course, all authors are supposed to like their own stories, but for some reason this one really makes me smile.
Third, as a member of the SFWA, I am able to nominate and vote for the Nebula awards. Now, one can't nominate one's own story - any publication you have a personal financial interest in - but if I am going to nominate other's people work, I'd like them to also have the opportunity to read and consider mine.
Last year Andy Duncan sent out an email soliciting support for "Close Encounters". I hadn't read the story when it was first published, so I was grateful for Andy drawing my attention to it. I read it, loved it, and nominated it. It went all the way to win its Nebula. So I have come to appreciate when a fellow author draws my attention to a story.
Good authors are good objective judges of their own stories, and I don't think anyone will solicit support for a story they don't think represents their best work. So far all the recommendations I have received this year have been spot on.
Another author directed my attention to an excellent story that was published in another small press anthology, which reminded me of the situation with "Song Stories", and made me think taking an effort to garner attention for "Hearts" would be a good idea.
A few people have expressed surprise that I belong to the SFWA when I also belong to SASS, but the two organizations have different roles, and insofar as I am not totally indigent I can afford dues for both. I get something out of both of them.
It took a number of hours to type the email lists, and after I shot I did today's mailing, I got immediate replies from a couple of people who noted I put the list in the CC slot, instead of the BCC slot, therefore allowing everyone to see each other's email. Arghh! Bonehead move, but it shows I really did it myself!
I know from last weekend a number of people read "Hearts Made of Stone" on this blog, and I hope more do so today as a result of this latest mailing. I will post a link on my Facebook page in a few days, but since the Nebulas are an SFWA thing, I wanted to get these emails out first.
First, I really want to commend Song Stories Press and Publisher Wakefield Mahon for making the time and effort to put together the original anthology. These kinds of projects are a labor of love, and they offer more diverse and often interesting s-f and fantasy reading material to the public. I'm glad to get more public notice for the anthology.
Second, I happen to personally like my story. Of course, all authors are supposed to like their own stories, but for some reason this one really makes me smile.
Third, as a member of the SFWA, I am able to nominate and vote for the Nebula awards. Now, one can't nominate one's own story - any publication you have a personal financial interest in - but if I am going to nominate other's people work, I'd like them to also have the opportunity to read and consider mine.
Last year Andy Duncan sent out an email soliciting support for "Close Encounters". I hadn't read the story when it was first published, so I was grateful for Andy drawing my attention to it. I read it, loved it, and nominated it. It went all the way to win its Nebula. So I have come to appreciate when a fellow author draws my attention to a story.
Good authors are good objective judges of their own stories, and I don't think anyone will solicit support for a story they don't think represents their best work. So far all the recommendations I have received this year have been spot on.
Another author directed my attention to an excellent story that was published in another small press anthology, which reminded me of the situation with "Song Stories", and made me think taking an effort to garner attention for "Hearts" would be a good idea.
A few people have expressed surprise that I belong to the SFWA when I also belong to SASS, but the two organizations have different roles, and insofar as I am not totally indigent I can afford dues for both. I get something out of both of them.
It took a number of hours to type the email lists, and after I shot I did today's mailing, I got immediate replies from a couple of people who noted I put the list in the CC slot, instead of the BCC slot, therefore allowing everyone to see each other's email. Arghh! Bonehead move, but it shows I really did it myself!
I know from last weekend a number of people read "Hearts Made of Stone" on this blog, and I hope more do so today as a result of this latest mailing. I will post a link on my Facebook page in a few days, but since the Nebulas are an SFWA thing, I wanted to get these emails out first.
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Nebulous thinking
The SFWA annual Nebula weekend is going on in San Jose. Yawn. Last year I attended, but that was because my mother and sister live in Northern Virginia, and the awards were held in D.C., so I double dipped. I didn't stay at the hotel, I stayed with my family.
The Science Fiction Writers of America is chock-full of snobs and elitists, and the PC in the organization is bone-crunching and barbaric. There's really no active role for someone like me. I sounded them out last year with a run for office. After the briefest of exchanges I ran away from my campaign and started the process of organizing a writers group that won't piss on you if you believe in God or America.
Last year the SFWA announced the results of the annual election at the Nebula Weekend. This year, they announced them weeks in advance. I suspect this was the result of the dissident candidacy of Ted Beale. The in-group candidate Steve Gould trounced Beale, 444 to 46, but totalitarian political systems cannot tolerate dissent and I'm sure they wanted to all be happy going into the magic weekend. I'm surprised they even counted Beale's votes, and I'm sure they will expel him in the near future.
Beale was hateful and provocative, but hey, you don't gain anything by playing nice with such a bunch of inbred self-righteous snobs.
Beale's candidacy was a Parthian volley against outgoing President John Scalzi. Scalzi's PC henchman and enforcer, Jim Hines - who lives in Michigan - decided to run for South Central Regional Director against Lee Martindale of Texas, who beat back the challenge 71-64. I used to get along pretty well with Lee, but it seems when she found out I was a Christian she turned he back on me. She won't even speak to me. No big deal, Christians are used to being treated like shit in this heathen Godless country (she is a bona-fide pagan).
BUT she still does a good job, and is representative of the membership of the group, so I voted for her and urged others to do the same. Hines learned - like Beria did after Stalin died - that people don't trust the head of the secret police. They're always afraid they will be next.
I would like to think that as times goes by the SFWA will practice tolerance, if not acceptance, of people who believe in God and Country and those old-fashioned concepts. But I doubt it. Like an exclusive trade union taken over by organized crime, it really is just a PC enforcement racket.
The Science Fiction Writers of America is chock-full of snobs and elitists, and the PC in the organization is bone-crunching and barbaric. There's really no active role for someone like me. I sounded them out last year with a run for office. After the briefest of exchanges I ran away from my campaign and started the process of organizing a writers group that won't piss on you if you believe in God or America.
Last year the SFWA announced the results of the annual election at the Nebula Weekend. This year, they announced them weeks in advance. I suspect this was the result of the dissident candidacy of Ted Beale. The in-group candidate Steve Gould trounced Beale, 444 to 46, but totalitarian political systems cannot tolerate dissent and I'm sure they wanted to all be happy going into the magic weekend. I'm surprised they even counted Beale's votes, and I'm sure they will expel him in the near future.
Beale was hateful and provocative, but hey, you don't gain anything by playing nice with such a bunch of inbred self-righteous snobs.
Beale's candidacy was a Parthian volley against outgoing President John Scalzi. Scalzi's PC henchman and enforcer, Jim Hines - who lives in Michigan - decided to run for South Central Regional Director against Lee Martindale of Texas, who beat back the challenge 71-64. I used to get along pretty well with Lee, but it seems when she found out I was a Christian she turned he back on me. She won't even speak to me. No big deal, Christians are used to being treated like shit in this heathen Godless country (she is a bona-fide pagan).
BUT she still does a good job, and is representative of the membership of the group, so I voted for her and urged others to do the same. Hines learned - like Beria did after Stalin died - that people don't trust the head of the secret police. They're always afraid they will be next.
I would like to think that as times goes by the SFWA will practice tolerance, if not acceptance, of people who believe in God and Country and those old-fashioned concepts. But I doubt it. Like an exclusive trade union taken over by organized crime, it really is just a PC enforcement racket.
Thursday, February 07, 2013
DDOS and a MESS and SASS
Reposted from my Facebook page from Wednesday night:
The web site for the SFWA (Science Fiction Writers of America) has been down most of the day because of a cyber-attack. The interruption apparently commenced at 10 a.m. and the site has been up and down all day The attack is called a DDOS, which I had to look up. The best explanation I read said "DDOS, short for Distributed Denial of Service, is a type of DOS attack where multiple compromised systems -- which are usually infected with a Trojan -- are used to target a single system causing a Denial of Service (DoS) attack."
The SFWA is in the process of having its annual election, and there has been some real viciousness in its forums. An officer stepped in a couple of days ago to moderate the forums, and things quieted down considerably - and then this attack happened.
Most people would assume the two things are related. I really don't know, or care. After I launched my campaign for vice president last year, and saw the way I was attacked, I stopped campaigning and helped organize a new writers group (although I remain a member of the SFWA).
SASS (Society for the Advancement of Speculative Storytelling) fills in the middle ground between people who are fans and readers, and hard-boiled pros who make (or want to make) their living as writers. It's a nice for someone like me, who has a day job.
One thing I'm proud of is SASS - which has its own Facebook page - takes a lesson from fraternal groups (such as the Masons) and specifically prohibits internal discussions of religion or politics. That way people of all faiths and political backgrounds have a neutral common ground where they can learn and encourage each other in writing and appreciating speculative storytelling.
---
I shared the post with all the interim officers of SASS. Dario's comment on his own page is worthy of repeating:
Dario Ciriello: Lou, I was honoured to be invited last summer to be interim Chairman of the new SASS until (now imminent) board elections, when I will step down, and I accepted the post precisely *because* SASS expressly disavows political or religious agendas and prohibits members from doing so under its auspices. As I've frequently stated, I abhor intolerance, incivility, and proselytizing of every kind.
Even as an atheist with some ultra-liberal leanings I'm frankly amazed that everyone that happens to hail from Texas or who has strong religious views--as many of my own good friends do--is vilified by certain people in the SFF community, as was the case in this recent Tweet (names omitted, publicly searchable): "...too bad SASS never got off the ground--it'd be a great resource for identifying the racist a-holes in SFF."
Wow, sounds like someone's creating an enemies list, doesn't it? This sort of thing has disgusted me since my first Worldcon, when I saw Larry Niven booed and hissed by half the audience on a panel for simply making a rather mild joke. Intolerance, rudeness, and ad hominems disgust me whether from the far right or far left. A plague on ALL their houses.
Well, I think it's great that SASS *is* getting off the ground. A neutral, safe forum for fans, readers, and new, non-pro writers is both needed and doesn't threaten any existing organizations. Power to you, Lou.
In the immortal words of Rodney King, "Why can't we all get along?"
The web site for the SFWA (Science Fiction Writers of America) has been down most of the day because of a cyber-attack. The interruption apparently commenced at 10 a.m. and the site has been up and down all day The attack is called a DDOS, which I had to look up. The best explanation I read said "DDOS, short for Distributed Denial of Service, is a type of DOS attack where multiple compromised systems -- which are usually infected with a Trojan -- are used to target a single system causing a Denial of Service (DoS) attack."
The SFWA is in the process of having its annual election, and there has been some real viciousness in its forums. An officer stepped in a couple of days ago to moderate the forums, and things quieted down considerably - and then this attack happened.
Most people would assume the two things are related. I really don't know, or care. After I launched my campaign for vice president last year, and saw the way I was attacked, I stopped campaigning and helped organize a new writers group (although I remain a member of the SFWA).
SASS (Society for the Advancement of Speculative Storytelling) fills in the middle ground between people who are fans and readers, and hard-boiled pros who make (or want to make) their living as writers. It's a nice for someone like me, who has a day job.
One thing I'm proud of is SASS - which has its own Facebook page - takes a lesson from fraternal groups (such as the Masons) and specifically prohibits internal discussions of religion or politics. That way people of all faiths and political backgrounds have a neutral common ground where they can learn and encourage each other in writing and appreciating speculative storytelling.
---
I shared the post with all the interim officers of SASS. Dario's comment on his own page is worthy of repeating:
Dario Ciriello: Lou, I was honoured to be invited last summer to be interim Chairman of the new SASS until (now imminent) board elections, when I will step down, and I accepted the post precisely *because* SASS expressly disavows political or religious agendas and prohibits members from doing so under its auspices. As I've frequently stated, I abhor intolerance, incivility, and proselytizing of every kind.
Even as an atheist with some ultra-liberal leanings I'm frankly amazed that everyone that happens to hail from Texas or who has strong religious views--as many of my own good friends do--is vilified by certain people in the SFF community, as was the case in this recent Tweet (names omitted, publicly searchable): "...too bad SASS never got off the ground--it'd be a great resource for identifying the racist a-holes in SFF."
Wow, sounds like someone's creating an enemies list, doesn't it? This sort of thing has disgusted me since my first Worldcon, when I saw Larry Niven booed and hissed by half the audience on a panel for simply making a rather mild joke. Intolerance, rudeness, and ad hominems disgust me whether from the far right or far left. A plague on ALL their houses.
Well, I think it's great that SASS *is* getting off the ground. A neutral, safe forum for fans, readers, and new, non-pro writers is both needed and doesn't threaten any existing organizations. Power to you, Lou.
In the immortal words of Rodney King, "Why can't we all get along?"
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