Image description: The covers of the five books on the shortlist and underneath text reading “The Ray Bradbury Prize for Science Fiction, Fantasy & Speculative Fiction, sponsored by the Ray Bradbury Foundation, honors and extends Bradbury’s literary legacy by celebrating and elevating the writers working in his field today. Bradbury always made his own rules, writing across specific genre boundaries throughout his career.” And below that, the logo of the Ray Bradbury Foundation.
Today I woke up to snow (boo!) and the news that Spear is one of five finalists for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize Ray Bradbury Prize (yay!). Here’s the shortlist:
- Sara Gran, “The Book of the Most Precious Substance”
- Nicola Griffith, “Spear”
- Alex Jennings, “The Ballad of Perilous Graves”
- Ray Nayler, “The Mountain in the Sea: A Novel”
- George Saunders, “Liberation Day: Stories”
I love being nominated for awards—and this is especially cool because it’s a new one for me. So I’m delighted!
It also means I’ll be in Los Angeles for a couple of days during the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books April 21-23. I’ll be at the ceremony on Friday, of course, but also doing a panel and/or reading over the weekend. More details when I have them.
For now I’m going to go drink more coffee and watch the snow fall…
Nicola Griffith 
FANTASTIC!!!!
Congrats! Glad to see Spear getting the appreciation it deserves! (heart)
Wonderful news! I just finished listening to you read Spear (audiobook) and I was completely mesmerized by your words…such poetry for the ears…I was pleased that you read it slowly. The legend of King Arthur has always been one of my favorites and your new version of it is refreshing!
@Brendanpatricks 😎
@rhodrymavelyne Thank you!
@Jeanneceleste I loved narrating the book!
SO well deserved!
Well done on Spear nomination and good luck!
@Diana Thanks
@Jopeters Thank you!
Yay, congrats!
I love having my favorite living author nominated for an award named for a person who also wrote so lyrically, that I have to read their work slowly, with frequent pauses just to savor the sound, the rhythm, the sublime transport.
Yes snow, but it’s already practically gone, and my snowbells are still there, crocus buds showing color, and daffodils (poor confused things) are braving on, oblivious to the Seattle forecast for the week.
Congrats, again; in my book, you’ve already won.
Scratch the cats, nest, and stay warm.
-g
Congratulations! I love all your books.
Sent from my iPhone
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Hearty congratulations!
Forgive my facetiousness, but when the title of this blog appeared in my Feedly, absent of context, I read “Spear” as a verb. Which author, I wondered? And why?
More seriously, sincere congratulations!