Clarke?!
by
So, just the other day I was thinking to myself about what an amazing year this has been, and that no matter what happened over the next months, I had essentially already won–and won BIG.
How many people finish writing an entire novel? Fewer than don’t. That’s an accomplishment in itself. Of those, how many go on to hook an agent with that novel? Far, far fewer. If I never got any farther than that, well, I’d still gotten pretty far.
How many people then actually sell that novel? The numbers are dropping, and yet again if I got that far, and no farther, I’d be doing pretty darn awesomely, thank you very much.
Wait. Award nominations? Now we’re talking an easily countable number, at least in a given year. And at the first nomination, I’m way beyond anything I ever thought was likely, or even possible. It doesn’t really matter if I win or not at that stage, because, I mean, seriously. That’s just spectacular, so unexpectedly and wonderfully so.
I’ve thought various stages of this at various times during the last year, and yes, I was thinking this again yesterday morning. Because, yes, the Clarke Award was going to be announced and I knew I wasn’t going to win. How could I? I knew what else was on the shortlist–five other other books, as it happens, truly fabulous books.
And I found that didn’t bother me at all. I mean, yes, it would have been completely awesome to have a trophy to put next to my (completely adorable) Golden Tentacle, sure. But seriously, the year I’ve been having. It’s been so amazing. And in fact, I was looking forward to congratulating whoever did win, because awesome folks being happy makes me happy. So I pulled up Twitter, so I would be ready to do that, and I sat there in my bathrobe chatting with people.
Um. You guys. Turns out, Ancillary Justice won the Clarke. Jenni Hill, my UK editor, accepted for me, and then called me to congratulate me but I’m afraid I was more or less incapable of speech.
I still mostly am. I mean, I can talk easily about what I did yesterday morning, or what I had for dinner last night.* But when I get to the part about winning the Clarke, I mostly just say Oh, my God a lot, with an occasional Holy fuck.
I guess I’ll get it processed eventually, but oh, my God. I won the freaking Clarke.
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*Sweet-potato crusted salmon with grilled asparagus, some “gourmet” macaroni and cheese and kale chips off the 14yr old’s plate cause no way was he eating kale & there was a lot of the mac & cheese. It was all amazing.
Congrats on the win!
Congrats on the win! I can’t wait to see what happens with the Hugo.
Could not be more delighted for you and Ancillary Justice. I actually got choked up telling my spouse the news yesterday. Many, many congratulations!
Congratulations on a well deserved award! I don’t doubt there will be more.
I guess you can expect more fans to find your blog now. Will you treat your blog like many other SF authors and more frequently use it as a news paper column of sorts? I am hoping you will, having read your book I can’t help but think you have interesting an well balanced social commentary to contribute.
Thank you!
And yeah, in my experience every now and then I’m seized with an overwhelming desire to say something, and then I write it up and post it. I figure that’ll probably keep happening!
Congratulations! Your book was my favorite of the year, and I read a lot. I’m looking forward to seeing what you offer us in the future; you’re on the “must read author” list now.
I greatly enjoyed reading Ancillary Justice and have recommended it to friends and on another blog. Very well done, Ms. Leckie. And congratulations on the win.
Yay!! I’m so glad Ancillary Justice is getting the recognition it deserves! Congratulations!
I only found out about your award-winning SF novel just now and it’s gone straight to the top of my ‘Books to Buy’ list. I live in the remote Ethiopian Highlands, so can’t pop out and buy a copy, but I’ll order it online. Congratulations on your achievement. I can’t wait to read ‘Ancillary Justice’!
I’m glad this book is getting so many awards, because I’m about 3/4 of the way through and it’s blowing my socks off. I feel like I’m living in the world you created. I just pre-ordered Ancillary Sword and plan to read it as soon as it comes out.
Congratulations! Very well deserved!
I was familiar with your work from Podcastle, but I’m so far behind on my podcasts, I hadn’t heard about your book deal until it showed up on the Hugo nominations list.
I picked Ancillary Justice up immediately and LOVED it. As things started wrapping up at the end of the book, I was all, “NO!! I want more!”
Color me excited when I saw that you have a sequel due out in the fourth quarter this year! Squee!