The Nebula Award Are Over and I’m Here Once Again.

So I’m back. I’ve been quiet online for the week as I was off at the Nebula Awards Weekend, and took the long way around getting home.

It was, as expected a wonderful experience, and while I cannot say it was fun (I don’t have fun) it felt meaningful and important, and sometimes like seeing family—with all that might entail. Eugie knew this world, and the people so much better than I, but I had some acquaintance with it. I reconnected with many in the writing field, like Mary Robinette Kowal, Rachel Swirsky, Lee Martindale, Cat Rambo, Steven Silver (who had me carrying boxes…never a good idea) and met many others I knew through their work, and sometimes online communication, such as John Joseph Adams, Lawrence M. Schoen, Ursula Vernon, Ken Liu. I was lucky to meet and end up in multiple conversations with Eric Flint. I think the best times I had at the event was just sitting down with him and chatting.

I had surreal moments, like after having talked to Joe Haldeman for twenty minutes it suddenly striking me that this is JOE HALDEMAN—the man who brought thought and pathos to military SF with The Forever War.

The panels and workshops were interesting—I probably gained the most from the Intellectual Properties workshop—a class filled with lawyers both speaking and in the seats—and not simply because I spoke for a few minutes (on why, as a writer, you need to plan your estate). I could have used this more months ago. It would have saved me some trouble. I also spoke on a normal-lengthed panel on estates, with Michael Capobianco, (widower of Ann Crispin) and Joan Saberhagen (widow of Fred Saberhagen). I think I might have actually helped some people, and it was nice to be around Michael and Joan, both spectacular people.

Of course the big event was the Nebula Awards. The banquet room was noisy so I could only speak with those right next to me, but since Jack McDevitt was next to me, that was all good. The food was…OK. Banquet food is never great. The ceremony was a big change from the last one I’d been to, since the emcee was Nick Offerman doing comedy. The winners were gracious and by now you probably know Eugie didn’t win, though I don’t think I could have gone up if she had. I’m afraid I made a rather public spectacle of myself during the In memoriam section early in the ceremony. When Eugie’s name and picture (that picture) came up on screen I fell apart. Well, it’s not a party till someone cries.

It was pleasant to see the community in harmony. Sure, we had some discussions of puppies, but even those were fun. There were no arguments, no silliness, no nasty comments or claims of abuse. The whole thing was a celebration of art and artists. I’m glad I could be there for Eugie and that her colleagues had seen fit to honor her with a nomination.