Nisi Shawl receives the Tiptree Award at WisCon

Carl Brandon Society co-founder and steering committee member Nisi Shawl received the James Tiptree, Jr Award for her story collection Filter House last night at the WisCon 33 Guest of Honor ceremonies.WisCon is special to the Carl Brandon Society as it's where the organization got its start. We're especially pleased that Mary Anne Mohanraj, also a co-founder of the Carl Brandon Society, and Nnedi Okorafor were announced as the Guests of Honor for WisCon 34!

We'll have more photos from last night soon.

Also, Think Galactic, a sister child-of-WisCon organization, will be holding its second convention June 26-28 at Roosevelt University in Chicago. Visit the Think Galacticon convention site for more information.

Fen of Color United May 18th Campaign

LiveJournaler neo_prodigy has created a campaign and LJ community for visibility of Fen of Color inspired by RaceFail 09:

On Monday May 18, 2009, we are asking anyone who identifies as a POC/non-white to post this banner, their speculative short stories, artwork, poetry or simply write a post on their favorite fandom on their blogs as an act of protest to show we will not be silent or invisible. The day of protest is entitled Fen Of Color United or more aptly, FOC_U.

White allies can also show solidarity for this event by posting this banner and expressing the need for diversity and speaking out against the bigotry in the genre, through posts and/or their creative work as well.

Full post: http://community.livejournal.com/foc_u/435.html

Jamaica, W.I. launch of two YA fantasy titles from Macmillan Caribbean

Island Fiction is a brand new fiction series from Macmillan Caribbean aimed at teenagers. The novels are all based around fantasy, science fiction and the legends and folklore of the Caribbean.

On Wednesday, May 20, 2009, Macmillan Caribbean is launching two of the titles in Kingston, Jamaica; Night of the Indigo, by Michael Holgate, and Delroy in the Marog Kingdom, by Helen Williams.

Whiter, brighter washing

From Greg Van Eekhout, via Twitter:

Sunspot then. And: Sunspot now.

I'm thinking that the two guys in the first pic had a kid. What do you think? -nalo

Nisi Shawl wins Tiptree Award

Nisi Shawl has won the James R. Tiptree Jr. Memorial Award for her short story collection Filter House (Aqueduct Press). The Tiptree is for science fiction and fantasy that expands or explores our understanding of gender. A work of art (different each year), $1000 USD, a chocolate typewriter, and the right to wear the fabulous Tiptree tiara, created by Elise Mattheson.

Science fiction writing workshop in India

Writer Vandana Singh blogs about a science fiction writing workshop that will happen in India this summer. Singh will be one of the instructors:

"Until fairly recently, though, we didn’t know if we were going to have any applicants, but now it is pukka, as we say in India. Eighteen people have been selected based on their submitted writing samples. Most are not established writers but all have promise and enthusiasm. And — amazingly — about 50% are women!"