San Diego 26 doesn’t take place for another nine months, but that doesn’t mean Wes and I don’t pour our coffee and drink it, too. In other words, it’s dawn on a dim day and we don’t know what that means. Still, even though work is now well underway on our LA9 conference there are still important things to keep an eye on with regards to happenings that touch upon San Diego staffers and conferees. Things like the notable recognition for their work. Things like awards.
The San Diego Book Awards finalists have been announced. The annual ceremony where the winners are announced takes place June 11, 2011 (details here). Among the nominees that extend from the esteemed SCWC staff roster and alumni: Ellen Bryson, Drusilla Campbell, Laurel Corona, Lois Joy Hofmann, Ken Kuhlken, Douglas P. Lathrop, Richard Lederer, Helen McKenna, John Mullen, Blaine C. Readler, Judy Reeves, Christine Renhard Stenstrom, and Julie Ann Weinstein. Congratulations to all.
Jim Hitt, former conferee who joined us as a workshop leader for the first time this past February, got awarded Best Novel Under 80,000 Words from the Next Generation Indie Book Awards for his recent release Carny. If that wasn’t cool enough, he just learned that he also won the Grand Prize for Fiction and will be attending the reception banquet on May 24 in NYC!
Finally, Darlene Quinn, author of the 2009 National Indie Excellence Award-winning Webs of Power, just won the 2011 International Book Award for General Fiction for its sequel, Twisted Webs, also recipient of the National USA Best Book Finalist Award for General Fiction. The prequel to the two books is out October and we expect equally just accolades.
That’s all for now. The San Diego side of the site will begin updating for our 2012 event beginning July, when ultra-Early Bard Registration discount begins. In the meantime, we look forward to seeing you September in L.A.ish (Newport Beach, actually). Between now and then, write well!
