There a few things in this world that truly make me mad. I'm not talking the things in life that can make us spark. There are lots of things in this world that can make me spark, and there is a reason that my nickname in early high school was "Spark Plug" and "Sparky." Those who truly knew me, however, knew that the problem was not when I sparked, which was soon over, but when I got very quiet and coldly precise. This morning, I awoke to very unsurprising news about the Hugo awards. I am disappointed, but honestly expected nothing less from the Social Justice Bullies and related ilk. Indeed, I'm more surprised that one or two categories more didn't get no award -- the equivalent of destroying the village to save it. That was their plan almost from the start, since those labeled "Wrong Fan" dared to get more fans involved in a dying award that represented the thoughts of less than 600 "Right Fans" who bought supporting or full memberships to the World Science Fiction Conventions -- which is where and how the Hugo awards are decided. For those truly interested, note the attendance figures for the WorldCon over the last 30 years, note the numbers of people who actually voted in the Hugo process, and then note the size of conventions like DragonCon, the various ComicCons, and such. As noted previously, I was in the past involved with some conventions and even had a small role in an Atlanta-based WorldCon (ConFederation). I long ago left such, many of the so-called "Right Fans" and people who styled themselves as Secret Masters of Fandom (SMOFs, though I note there is a huge difference between the self-styled guardians of what they regard as right and proper and real SMOFS) leaving a bad taste in my mouth. Frankly, I decided that my best interest was to focus on writing, which has been a large part of what I've done in real life. Most of my work has been in non-fiction, and that which has gone to the public has even won a couple of awards. To be very honest, one of the reasons I became active in Fandom, as it is known, was to meet editors, publishers, and other writers (particularly those of whom I was a fan). Going in was calculated, what happened was simply fun. What can you say about meeting classic Science Fiction writers from the Golden (and other) age(s)? About meeting and talking with Gordon Dickson, who's Dorsai series spoke to me and made me think and explore? About meeting and talking with the wonderful de Camps, Fred Pohl, the delightful Pournelle's, Fred Saberhagen, Harry Turtledove, Jack Williamson, the Zahn's, the Niven's, A.E. van Vogt, and others? About hanging out with the delightfully irrascible Bob "Horseclans" Adams in his room parties, or "smoothing" with Tucker himself? Of finding out that David Drake, who's combat SF was his way of dealing with his experiences in Viet Nam, was painfully shy -- and quite sharp with his wit. Of being able to form friendships with some of them, and with the likes of the Webers? Of course, you do meet a few who were and are assholes, and I shall not name them and have never bought anything by them after meeting them on panels or in private. Early on, I met a veteran named Jim Baen. Jim and his (former) wife Toni Weisskopf became something more than just acquaintances, and they pushed me to begin writing fiction. Honestly, they believed I could do it long before I thought I had a shot at writing good fiction (other than some AARs and such). Jim, of course, is the founder of Baen Books, and is widely and properly credited with saving the field of military science fiction. You can find video interviews done with Travis Taylor, Mark L. Van Name, David Drake, David Weber, Michael Z. Williamson, and Tom Kratman on that and other subjects on the Blackfive YouTube channel. That he did so because he saw that money could be made in it does nothing to diminish the fact that he did save it. Then again, Jim (and Toni) saw that publishing was changing on many levels, and found ways to embrace those changes, adapt, and be successful. I would note that Baen Books, and it's Barflies, have donated a massive amount of print and electronic books to the troops, particularly the deployed. Others play at it via token efforts. Baen and it's readers live it in a huge way. Toni has been a true and wonderful friend to me. In fact, if you look at my photo books done from my embeds for Blackfive, you will note the thanks to her for editing them. Toni has encouraged me in many ways and levels, and done things to help me along. She (and Jim) believed in me before I truly believed in myself. The Hugos have been gamed for years, and there are those very unhappy to have that exposed by Larry Correia with the original Sad Puppies campaign. This year, the Sad Puppies and the independent Rabid Puppies effort, showed that gaming for all to see -- along with the truly rabid response of those who have gamed it. The Hugos have been for some time about message and not about the best works of Science Fiction. The Puppies were and are about making it about good stories well told (and not the right cisgender normative message no matter how horrible the writing and/or editing). As I said, the response and results were not unexpected. I honestly thought No Award would take at least two more slots than it did. Where I'm not sparking is with how things were handled. First, there was the biased and childish panel that preceded the Hugos. Second, was the awards ceremony itself. That one or more Hugo nominees walked out early (along with other professionals) says it all. The deliberate and...
Read the complete post at http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Blackfive/~3/ndzNQNsS2nM/the-hugo-awards-some-thoughts.html
Posted
Aug 23 2015, 12:06 AM
by
BLACKFIVE