HWAs Sixth Annual Summer Scares Reading List

The Horror Writers Association (HWA), in partnership with United for Libraries, Book Riot, Booklist, and NoveList®, a division of EBSCO Information Services (EBSCO), has announced the sixth annual Summer Scares Reading List, with titles selected by a panel of authors and librarians and designed to promote horror as a great reading option for all ages, during any time of the year. 

This year, Summer Scares welcomes author Clay McLeod Chapman as the 2024 spokesperson. “Our bookshelves are getting haunted this summer!” exclaims Chapman. “Every last one of the books selected for this year’s Summer Scares is a beautiful little nightmare just waiting for the right reader to come along and crack it open. The outright honor of amassing this awesome roster of authors cannot be overstated. I love each and every last one of these books and I can’t wait to shout about how terrifying they are all summer long.”

Every year, three titles are selected in each of three categories: Adult, Young Adult, and Middle Grade. For 2024 the selected titles are:

ADULT SELECTIONS:

  • Jackal by Erin E. Adams (Bantam, 2022)
  • Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison (Berkley, 2022)
  • This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno (MCD x FSG Originals, 2021)

YOUNG ADULT SELECTIONS:

  • All These Bodies by Kendare Blake (Quill Tree Books, 2021)
  • Dead Flip by Sara Farizan (Algonquin Young Readers, 2022)
  • #MurderTrending by Gretchen McNeil (Freeform, 2018)

MIDDLE GRADE SELECTIONS:

  • Ophie’s Ghosts by Justina Ireland (Balzer + Bray, 2021)
  • The Nest by Kenneth Oppel (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2015)
  • My Aunt Is A Monster by Reimena Yee (Random House Graphic, 2022)

The goal of Summer Scares is to introduce Horror titles to school and public library workers in order to help them start conversations with readers that will extend beyond the books from each list and promote reading for years to come. In addition to the annual list of recommended titles, the Summer Scares Programming Guide, created each year by the Springfield-Greene County (MO) Library–and free for libraries anywhere to access, is back with the tools libraries need to connect with their patrons. 

“The 2024 guide is packed with ideas that library workers can use to engage their communities with these great titles, whether they’re putting up book displays, hosting author events, or planning an entire Summer Scares program series,” states Konrad Stump, co-creator of the programming guide. The guide will be available beginning March 1, 2024 on the Summer Scares Resource page.

Along with the guide, the Summer Scares committee will work with both the recommended list authors and Horror authors from all over the country to provide free programming to libraries. Any library looking to host horror-themed events anytime of year is encouraged to email [email protected] to get started.

Once again, Summer Scares will be included as part of iRead, a summer reading program that is used by libraries in the United States and across the globe by the Department of Defense for libraries on military bases. “While there is nothing scary about Summer Reading, there is no better time than summer to scare up some great books. iREAD is thrilled (and chilled!) to partner once again with Summer Scares to introduce Horror titles to school and public library workers in order to help them start conversations with readers that perfectly align with our mission to bridge the summer gap while inspiring literacy and life-long learning,” shares iREAD Content and Development Manager Becca Boland. 

Booklist is helping to kick off Summer Scares 2024 in March with a series of three free webinars with this year’s featured authors in conversation with the committee members: 

  • Monday, March 11, 2024, at 4pm Eastern, featuring our Middle Grade authors and moderated by Sarah Hunter (register here)
  • Thursday, March 21, 2024, at 2pm Eastern, featuring our Young Adult authors and moderated by Yaika Sabat (register here)
  • Monday March 25, 2024, at 2pm Eastern, featuring our Adult authors and moderated by Clay McLeod Chapman (register here)

Each webinar lasts one hour. Anyone may register to participate for free at https://www.booklistonline.com/webinars. Recordings will be available for on-demand viewing after the live events at https://www.booklistonline.com/webinars-archive.

All are welcome to join the Summer Scares committee and featured authors at the HWA’s Librarians’ Day, taking place in person on May 31, 2024, in San Diego as part of StokerConⓇ. Details at: https://www.stokercon2024.com

The HWA is a non-profit organization of writers and publishing professionals and the oldest organization dedicated to the Horror/Dark Fiction genre. One of the HWA’s missions is to foster an appreciation of reading through extensive programming and partnerships with libraries, schools, and literacy-based organizations.

The 2024 Summer Scares program committee consists of author Clay McLeod Chapman, HWA Library Committee Co-Chairs Becky Spratford and Konrad Stump, as well as Academic Librarian Carolyn Ciesla, Book Riot Editor and YA specialist Kelly Jensen, Booklist Editor and Middle Grade specialist Julia Smith, and Manager of Reader Services at NoveList Yaika Sabat. 

For more information about the Summer Scares reading program, including committee member bios and how to obtain promotional materials and schedule events with the authors/committee members, please visit the Summer Scares Resource page or email HWA Library Committee Co-Chairs Becky Spratford and Konrad Stump at [email protected].

[Based on a press release.]

Philip K Dick Science Fiction Film Festival Announces 2024 Lineup

The Philip K. Dick Science Fiction Film Festival has unveiled the lineup for its eleventh annual season. The festival will be held from Thursday, April 4 through Sunday, April 7, across Manhattan and Queens. Passes are available here.

“Philip K. Dick’s themes explore our humanity and relational stance with technology,” says founder and director Daniel Abella. “He taught us to embrace our inherent qualities and capacity to make the world a better place. Whether it’s UFOs, the rapid growth of AI and genetic engineering, or everyday factors such as pain, sadness, and grief, our festival serves as a medium for his work.”

Noted for his roles in Full Metal Jacket (1987) and Netflix’s Stranger Things (2016-22), Matthew Modine will appear at the screening of I Am What You Imagine, on Thursday, April 4. In addition, Arnold Chun, who starred in the Amazon adaptation of PKD’s novel The Man in the High Castle (2015-19), will attend the presentation of Purgy’s on Saturday, April 6.

As life continues to be as unpredictable as ever, the festival remains committed to offering important lessons through entertainment. “Science fiction is a mindset,” said Abella. “The boundaries between the genre and real life are quickly evaporating, and while PKD bemoaned how sci-fi was regarded as ‘pulp fiction,’ he would be very proud to know that his works are part of the literary canon, and serve as a preview into our very near future.”

The festival film schedule follows the jump.

[Based on a press release.]

Continue reading

Locus Launches Fundraiser 2024

Locus Magazine’s annual fundraiser is live! Help fund a strong 2024 by donating today to Locus Magazine, locusmag.com, and the Locus Awards! In its 56th year of publishing, donor and reader support is a crucial component to continuing everything Locus does into 2024.

Locus is more than a review magazine or a news website or a literary award – it is an enthusiastic mix of readers, writers, fans, and industry professionals, working together to uplift the science fiction, fantasy, and horror field (SFFH) they love for a global audience. In the magazine and on the website, they provide book reviews, author interviews, curated reading lists, and industry news and resources, along with hosting the annual Locus Awards and running writing workshops. Your support will help Locus continue providing these services to the SFFH community.

The Locus Indiegogo Campaign has some great donor swag, with more being added daily, including author chats, crits, personalized and signed books, Locus coffee mugs and tees, acts of whimsy, personalized letters from bestselling authors, and more, from names like Eugen Bacon, Cory Doctorow, William Gibson, Fonda Lee, Ken Liu, George R.R. Martin, Suyi Davies Okungbowa, Suzanne Palmer, Brandon Sanderson, John Scalzi, Nisi Shawl, Wole Talabi, Sheree Renée Thomas, Jo Walton, Connie Willis, and more. 


“I’ve been part of the Locus community for over three decades, and I believe it is incredibly important to the speculative fiction community.”

Neil Gaiman


Over the past 55 years, Locus has published more than 750 issues, keeping readers, authors, artists, book buyers, industry professionals, and fans up to date on what’s happening in the field. The Locusmag.com archive holds thousands of reviews, news posts, and articles covering fiction, craft, art, conventions, international events, and more, chronicling the field, including SFADB.org. Those archives are a searchable resource to both subscribers and the general reading public. 

Beyond the magazine, they started the Locus Awards in 1971, celebrating writers, editors, and artists of SFFH; including an award specifically for debut authors as well as an award for community development, historically given to those who boost marginalized voices. Locus also started a writing workshop series tapping our immense community of master writers. They offer internships and have seen many move on to establish publishing careers.

A lot has changed at Locus over the years and with the shifting landscape of magazine publishing, including the near collapse of print advertising revenue, Locus has shifted to an annual fundraiser to continue funding the archival and community work so dear to their hearts. 

As a 501(c)(3) non-profit, Locus is now donor-supported in addition to the steady revenue from a strong subscriber base. 


Locus Magazine is the spit and baling wire that holds the entire, bizarre, wondrous enterprise of publishing together. We’re all seriously f—ed if it ever stops working.”

—Cory Doctorow


Your donations support…

  • Interviews with up-and-coming and established writers, providing an in-depth look at their publishing journey, process, philosophy, experiences, and more.
  • Reviews of books and short fiction by award winning critics who pinpoint exciting new titles and writers to look out for. 
  • Forthcoming Books Lists used worldwide by bookstores, librarians, collectors, and avid readers to make buying decisions.
  • News including international reports about what’s happening in the SFFH community around the world, to keep us all connected and informed.
  • The Locus Awards, the democratic, readers’ choice award that acknowledges, celebrates, and embraces authors and artists in the field. 
  • And more, including recommended reading lists, convention and workshop news, workshops, internships, event calendars, and obituaries honoring the life and work of SFFH’s voices.

Thank you for your support! Donate today at https://igg.me/at/locusmag

[Based on a press release.]

Space Cowboy Books Presents: Flash Science Fiction Nights Season 4

Space Cowboys Books’ online reading series of stories under 1000 words, Flash Science Fiction Nights, run 30 minutes or less, and are a fun and great way to learn about new authors from around the world. Register for the events for free at Space Cowboys Books. Seating is limited.

4/23/24 – Howard V. Hendrix, Ai Jiang, and Hailey Piper

5/21/24 – KC Grifant, Laura Blackwell, and Denise Dumars

6/11/24 – Eliane Boey, Jendia Gammon, and Jonathan Nevair

7/09/24 – From the pages of Radon Journal: Katherine Karch, H.A. Eugene, and Vivian Chou

8/20/24 – Brent A. Harris, Pedro Iniguez, and FJ Bergmann

9/09/24 – Jenna Hanchey, Eric Fomley, and Marie Vibbert

[Based on a press release.] 

Hugo Controversy Hits Mainstream News; A Chengdu Vice-Chair Comments in Social Media

By Ersatz Culture.

IN THE GUARDIAN.The Guardian’s report “Science fiction awards held in China under fire for excluding authors” includes quotes from Xiran Jay Zhao and Paul Weimer.

…No reason was given for the exclusions, which were only revealed on 20 January when the Hugo awards published the full nomination statistics for last year’s prize. Certain titles were listed as having been given votes, but were marked with an asterisk and the words “not eligible”, with no further details given….

…Concerns have been raised that the authors were targeted for political reasons, connected to the fact that the ruling Chinese Communist party exerts a tight control on all cultural events that take place inside its borders.

Dave McCarty, the head of the 2023 Hugo awards jury, wrote on Facebook: “Nobody has ordered me to do anything … There was no communication between the Hugo administration team and the Chinese government in any official manner.”

McCarty did not respond to a request from the Guardian for comment, but shared what he said was the official response from the awards administration team on Facebook: “After reviewing the constitution and the rules we must follow, the administration team determined those works/persons were not eligible.” He declined to elaborate on what the rules were.

“I can only guess to why I was excluded, but it probably has something to do with my critical comments about the Chinese government in the past,” said Xiran. “You would think that as a big, powerful country, China would be graceful about criticisms, but they in fact take it very personally, and doubly so when it’s from Chinese diaspora.”…

…In an Instagram post published on 22 January, Kuang wrote: “I wish to clarify that no reason for Babel’s ineligibility was given to me or my team. I did not decline a nomination, as no nomination was offered … I assume this was a matter of undesirability rather than ineligibility.”

Paul Weimer, a hobbyist sci-fi writer, discovered last week that he was excluded from the best fan writer category, despite receiving enough nominations to be shortlisted. “I had the highest of hopes for Chengdu,” said Weimer, who has been nominated for Hugos in previous years. “I thought it was amazing that a number of Chinese fans had got together to get this bid together.”

The organising committee of Chengdu Worldcon did not respond to requests for comment….

The Bookseller posts about the Hugo controversy; seemingly removes the post shortly afterwards

Around 1:20pm UK time on Wednesday, I noticed that the website of The Bookseller trade magazine had posted a piece about the Hugos, covering material that should already be very familiar to File 770 readers.

Perhaps more interestingly, by around an hour later, the post seemed to be no longer available, or shown on their homepage, instead presenting a visitor with a login prompt,  The Bookseller does operate a system where you can only read one article a month without creating a (paid) account, but the usual workaround of opening the link in an incognito window or clearing cookies did not work.  (As I write this up several hours later, a generic “topics” index page is instead returned.)

Fortunately, Google has a cached copy. (Click for larger image.)

Bizarre post from Chengdu Worldcon Vice-Chair and Hugo finalist/nominee La Zi

拉兹 (La Zi, aka Raz aka Lattsep) is – per his Weibo bio, as rendered by Google Translate – ‘Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Science Fiction World, Chief Editor of “Science Fiction World”‘.  (I think one of those is in reference to the general SFW company, and the other to the SFW print magazine.)  The Chengdu Worldcon site lists him as one of eleven Vice Chairs of the con.  He was co-editor of the Best Fanzine finalist 中文科幻学术速递 (Chinese Science Fiction Express), placed tenth in the Best Editor, Short Form nominations.  He also co-edited the 2022 bilingual Galaxy Awards 1 anthology, the English translations therein being the means by which the older Chinese stories “Color The World”, “Upstart”, “Turing Food Court”, “Fogong Temple Pagoda”, “Resurrection”, “Tongji Bridge” and “2039: Era of Brain Computer” appear in the Novelette and Short Story nominations lists, although only Resurrection was a finalist, with “Color the World” and “Fogong Temple Pagoda” both being marked as “Not eligible”.  (The former being excluded because the translation had previously appeared in a 2021 anthology; the issue with the latter is still unknown.)

His most recent Weibo post from Tuesday 23rd reads as follows:

烂事早晚发酵,我阻拦还被泼一身屎,搞得某人跟我断交。希望现在知道我为什么阻拦了,阻拦是因为看到了某些位子底下埋了雷,坐上去就是死路一条,却被背后传小话的小人污蔑为夺人名利。好意或许被栽赃,问心无愧便无所谓。

Google Translate renders the text as follows:

Sooner or later, the bad things started to get worse. I got shit thrown at me when I tried to stop him, which made someone break up with me. I hope I know now why I blocked it. I blocked it because I saw that there were mines under certain seats. Sitting on them meant you would die, but you were slandered by the villains who gossiped about you for taking fame and fortune. Good intentions may be framed, but it doesn’t matter if you have a clear conscience. 

If that makes “the rules we must follow” look like the model of clarity, bear in mind that of the six (as I write this up) user comments, three are variants of “what are you talking about?”, so it’s no more comprehensible to many Chinese users than those reading the translation.

Below is a screengrab of the post along with an alternative English translation from the Alibaba Cloud functionality built into Weibo.

China cracks down on publishing of false data

On Monday, Reuters (via MSN) published a short piece entitled “China vows to punish officials for falsifying economic data“.  Selected paragraphs from the story:

BEIJING, Jan 22 (Reuters) – China will investigate and punish officials for falsifying economic data, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Monday, amid scepticism about the reliability of Chinese data….

“Statistical fraud is the biggest corruption in the field of statistics, which seriously violates the statistics law, seriously affects the quality of statistical data, obstructing and even misleading macro decision-making,” the official said…

There has long been scepticism about the reliability of Chinese data, especially as the government has sought to defuse market concerns about a protracted slowdown in the world’s second-largest economy.

Self-Published Science Fiction Competition Issues Statement After Author Has Meltdown About Judge’s Review

DP Foresi became the latest writer to tee off against a reviewer in social media when he posted complaints on Nancy Foster’s X.com account about her Goodreads review of his book, which gave the reasons why she voted to cut it from the Self-Published Science Fiction Competition.

SPSFC 3 began last summer with 221 entries and ten judging teams (now down to nine after one — the original Team EPIC — was dissolved in December). The opening round of the Competition begins with each team’s judges reading the first 10 to 20 percent of each of the 20-30 books allocated to their team. Then they make a Yes/No recommendation on whether the team should read further, and books not getting enough upvotes are winnowed out of the competition.

When Team EPIC was dissolved the SPSFC administrators had other judges go over the books they had cut to evaluate whether that was a fair outcome. Apparently, Foresi’s book was one of those cut by the original Team EPIC (see reference to “MS Olney” below) and received a second look.

In “Nancy Foster’s review of The eom Expression: Beautiful Chaos – A Satirical Science Fiction Adventure, Foster said after reading 8% of DP Foresi’s entry it was a DNF (Did Not Finish) for her. On the other hand, the book is 1,249 pages, so reading 8% of it was not a trivial effort.  And she wrote a 1600-word review — also not trivial.

Among the things Foster criticized about Foresi’s book was the unlikeable co-protagonist, Jeron, a character obsessed with boobs from the time he was an 8-year-old boy in an orphanage.

…And now finally, the characters. I will start with Jeron. Along with the tried & true trope of being orphaned at a young age, Jeron is… sexually very promiscuous. At only 8 years of age, he stares at the chests of female classmates, dreams about boobs, frets and obsesses about boobs (this goes on for at least 3 pages of the backstory). He never cares about the boobs of adult women, only his classmates. We are hinted he tried to sexually harass or grope a classmate more than once with this text: And he never got to feel up one girl either, so his fascination with girls was a total waste of time as well.

Yeah, this gross behavior made it really hard for me to like him at all. The book further delves into Jeron’s latent male toxicity when he is at the orphanage crying when he is alone. Never agrees to become close with anyone else and open up. But don’t worry, he is constantly looking at the boobs of his female clients. Very professional. I am surprised he didn’t grope the waitress Linda when he visited Ted’s tavern.

Save for Jeron’s off scene mom who never gets any screentime or his teachers, all of the women within the first 8% of the book are catalogued in 3 categories: waifu AI, woman that likes it when men stare at her boobs or prostitutes. I am still unsure where Linda falls into this system. Everyone seems to agree she is is not smart according to this text: Linda couldn’t hold a conversation with a three year old, not because she’s an idiot or something, but she just doesn’t like people….

After reading these criticisms author Foresi went on X.com and called her review “woke garbage.”

Foresi also wrote a post on his Substack “Woke Book Reviewer Loses Her Mind”, no longer available to read. As he explained at X.com, “This link isn’t dead. I took it down because I told @TheSPSFC that I would not take further action going forward from yesterday so I disabled the post. That said, I’m not perfect…”

However, people made screencaps of some of what he said about Foster’s review in discussion with other users.

As a result of his remarks, DP Foresi was kicked off the Self-Published Science Fiction Competition’s Discord platform. The administrators also have issued this “Official Statement by the SPSFC” that recaps both what happened after Team EPIC was dissolved in December and their response to Foresi’s social media comments.

We have unfortunately encountered some difficulties in this 3rd round of the SPSFC.

In December, one of our judging teams resigned over a dispute regarding inclusivity and disagreements over how to resolve the ensuing conflict. We apologize for the delay in sharing our next steps, but we have been busy with books and with life over the holidays.

On both sides of this issue there were miscommunications and misunderstandings, and although emotions were running high, we have not found concrete evidence of harassment. The involved parties were cautioned and despite ongoing acrimony, it was decided that a separation of this team from the competition was the best choice.

The SPSFC has created a temporary team of volunteers to read through the books that were originally assigned to the departed team. The departing team’s reviews and interviews were well received and greatly appreciated by the competing authors and the SPSFC but we still want to be sure that there is no question among our competing writers that the contest is arranged in a fair manner.

The new team has agreed to reevaluate every entry in this grouping, which is not a quick process so please expect a delay of up to one month for the announcement of the semifinalist books in this allocation, which is planned for February 29.

In regard to the books that have previously been chosen as quarterfinalists in this allotment, SPSFC believes those authors should be proud of being chosen by the previous team and supports calling the books quarterfinalists nonetheless.

In addition to this, we also want to address a more recent incident where an author personally attacked and harassed one of our judges across multiple media platforms.

The SPSFC strives to make this competition a safe space for female judges and authors and encourages diversity because we live in a diverse world. We recognize that there is a possibility that a book will be assigned to a judge with a different worldview but our judges strive to remain fair in their assessments nonetheless. The judging and reviewing of art can never be truly objective though (that’s why we have multiple rounds and do as much as we can to ensure equal treatment) and we understand that receiving criticism about the result of the hard work of writing a book can be difficult, but we do want to remind everyone that this competition is run entirely by volunteers and takes up a significant amount of their time.

If you do feel that there is a serious issue in regard to the handling of your book, please reach out to the moderators of the contest rather than personally attacking any of the judges. We understand that emotions can run high sometimes when someone doesn’t love or agree with a book but that is no excuse to harass someone on multiple media platforms.

The SPSFC has removed the author in question from their discord and blocked them on other accounts after asking them to stop attacking our judge multiple times because we do not condone this behavior. We have evaluated the review in question and do not agree with the assessment that it was inappropriate. The judge stated her opinion about the book in question and did not make any comments about its author.

It is not appropriate to contact individual judges about their reviews, and there is absolutely no excuse for harassing judges through any outlet. We again ask that you contact contest moderation directly if you feel that there is an issue with how your book was handled.

Foresi’s choice of terms in dismissing Foster’s review has led to some other authors promoting their books as “woke garbage” and “woke trash.” There is even a #wokegarbage hash tag. 🙂

[Thanks to Anne Marble for the story.]

Texas Library Association Reverses Decision and Reinvites Chuck Tingle, But He Declines

The public outcry against the Texas Library Association’s decision to revoke their invitation to Dr. Chuck Tingle to participate on their annual conference program, including expressions of support from Neil Gaiman and Ursula Vernon, as well as TJ Klune’s announcement that he would refuse his own invitation, has prompted the organization to apologize and renew their invitation to Tingle; however, he says he will not accept.

On January 10 the Texas Library Association’s executive director Shirley Robinson published a “TLA Statement Regarding Author Chuck Tingle” on the organization’s website which says they want him to reconsider participating in their annual conference. But the statement said nothing one way or the other about him going masked, which the group had contended was the issue.

As you may know, the Texas Library Association is currently planning and securing speakers for our annual conference in April. Last fall, we extended an initial invitation to author Chuck Tingle to participate as a panelist at our Evening with Authors event. We later offered Mr. Tingle the opportunity to participate in a different conference event.

This was a misstep that we regret, and it is counter to our mission to ‘unite and amplify voices…through intentional equity, diversity, and inclusion.’

I contacted Mr. Tingle’s publisher today to apologize and to ask whether or not he might reconsider participating in our Evening with Authors event. I hope Mr. Tingle will accept, and we can discuss what has transpired so that we may all come to a place of greater understanding.

TLA has spent the last two years fighting for the freedom to read and freedom of knowledge in school libraries, and we are always on the side of authors. We set a high standard for ourselves, and in this instance, we did not meet it. In the future, we will be more diligent in our processes and clearer and more thoughtful when discussing opportunities with potential speakers at our events. I am sorry for this mistake. We will learn from this and do better in the future.

Today, Dr. Chuck Tingle responded on Tumblr (and his other social media accounts) saying he appreciated their apology, but “very sincerely, thank you, but i will have to decline the re-invitation. maybe next year’”.

Here is Tingle’s complete statement:

[Thanks to Anne Marble for the story.]

Texas Library Association Cancels Chuck Tingle

Dr. Chuck Tingle told readers today that the Texas Library Association has rescinded his invitation to be a featured speaker at the organization’s annual conference, slated for April 16-19. Another invited speaker, TJ Klune, is following him out the door in protest.

Tingle has discussed the situation extensively in a post on Tumblr and as a free read on his Patreon: “THE TEXAS LIBRARY ASSOCIATION TELLS CHUCK TINGLE TO STAY HOME BUT WE PROVE LOVE ANYWAY”.

Tingle accepted the invitation and had it confirmed by the Texas Library Association several months ago. However, in December —

i get a call from my manager and agent and publisher saying ‘the TLA have rescinded their invitation.’

turns out some things had been going on behind the scenes

at some point the TLA asked chucks INCREDIBLE HEROIC BAD ASS PUBLISHER if chuck would be okay with not wearing the mask, to which tor/nightfire/macmillan said ‘what the heck are you talking about of course chuck is going to wear his mask. this is how chuck presents himself’ (NOT EXACT QUOTE)

as you all know, my pink bag way is a VERY IMPORTANT SPACE. as an autistic buckaroo it is a boundary that allows me to express myself freely and relieve my chronic pain from neurotypically masking all day. i have talked about this for years, and it is why i consider my private identity a SACRED THING. it is literally a health issue.

fortunately THE PINK BAG is never really a problem when making appearances. i have spent years going on television shows, doing interviews, speaking at other conferences and conventions, hosting book events on tour, and even MEETING WITH LAWYERS in my pink face covering. it is always respected and that is very validating to my way.

when arriving anywhere i always take precautions. i always warn buckaroos ahead of time that there is a masked man coming. i always have someone go in ahead of me JUST IN CASE. again, there has never been an issue. at a big conference where i am a special guest there is ESPECIALLY not an issue because my face and bio are printed IN THE DANG PROGRAM

PART TWO: RESCINDED

a few days ago TEXAS LIBRARY ASSOCIATION suddenly messaged my publishers and said that chuck tingle is no longer invited. my invitation was rescinded. the reason given was that people could possibly be uncomfortable with my mask

right out of the gate i would like to say this: it is absolutely the right of the texas library association to disinvite someone from their conference. it is their event, after all, and they can ban anyone they would like, for any reason.

of course, that doesnt mean other folks HEARING THIS NEWS wont have their own opinions the TLA choices. if the TLA disinvites someone, their reasoning for doing this can be discussed and analyzed. whether or not they follow their own guidelines can be questioned, and certainly their kindness and tact can be considered

As Tingle explains later in his post, the decision to revoke his invitation was made by the organization based on their unwillingness to host a masked speaker, not because of complaints from TLA members or the public (in contrast with the “disinvitations” tendered sff writers like Larry Correia and John Ringo after some members of an event where they were announced as guests of honor protested in social media.)

Tingle justifiably notes, “I just gotta say buckaroos, it is incredibly rude to invite someone to be a guest speaker at your event, have them confirm and mark off their calendar and turn down other offers, then rescind their invitation. this is maybe the simplest of the points, but it is an important one.”

He goes on to ask why his means of coping with neurodivergence would not be honored by the TLA when it is a practice he follows at every public appearance.

second, (DEEP BREATH HERE WE GO BUCKAROOS) i personally do not think of my autism as a disability very often, but i also KNOW that despite these feelings it ABSOLUTELY IS. autism is important to be listed as a recognized disability because of the help some autistic buckaroos need regarding government programs and things like that. ALSO just because my neurodivergence has helped me in some ways (hyperfocus and a unique artistic sensibility for example). i personally need to step back and remember my battle with stress and chronic pain from having to neurotypically mask all the time. for as much as i love being autistic it has made some things very difficult.

in other words, i am perfectly capable of speaking and interacting with folks without this pink bag on my head BUT WHEN I AM IN THE CHUCK TINGLE SPACE I REQUIRE IT. i can ONLY use this space while covering my face. is not a want. it is a need. holding this boundary is more important than i can ever say. i will not, and can not, let these spaces cross.

TLA not letting an autistic author wear the face cover theyve set up to express their neurodivergence in a safe, healthy way is–for lack of a better term–NOT A GOOD LOOK…

Meanwhile, Tingle wonders whether the objection to his mask is a stalking horse for objections to his queerness or political expression.

you MIGHT think chucks queerness and left leaning politics could be the issue with this organization, but they have had drag queens as past speakers (also featuring some GLORIOUS makeup and hair that covers almost all of their faces. VERY CURIOUS). regardless, the TLA do not seem like a conservative bunch.

if you are bisexual or an autistic person who is good at ‘passing’ you probably already know where this is headed, your dang spiderbuckaroo senses are tingling at FULL ALERT. i will say i do not KNOW the real reason why i was uninvited, and i do not have enough information to make any concrete statement of the real answer. there is only evidence that masks have been fine at TEXAS LIBRARY ASSOCIATION events in the past, but not much else to go on.

He also feels forced to consider another possibility:

… AGAIN, i do not know if this is the answer, but someone in my position might be VERY STRONGLY INCLINED TO THINK that a few well-meaning left leaning buckaroos think i am a joke and that this is a character, and that there is something problematic about my work because i am not really a real person.

any upstanding left leaning organization would OF COURSE allow a mask for a neurodivergent buckaroo with an unusual visual presentation, an autistic buckaroo who conquered his chronic pain ONLY by creating this important space… but what about a FAKE autistic buckaroo?

any upstanding left leaning organization would OF COURSE allow a mask for a queer LGBTQ activist standing up for gay and trans rights against a torrent of scoundrels hunting for his legal identity. its a matter of safety… but what about a FAKE queer activist?

let me be very clear for the 100th time: i am a real person. this is not a joke. i am not playing a character. i am really autistic and bisexual. tinglers are sincere and they are not ‘so bad theyre good’. they are just good. camp damascus is not ‘my first serious book’ because my queer erotica is serious. my art is important and real….

Tingle concludes:

i did not want to spend my whole family holiday worrying whether or not i should say something publicly or just lie down and shut my dang mouth. i had to consider HOW i should say it. i had to worry whether or not its worth standing up for myself in the face of the largest state library association in the country. i think buckaroos with differences are with me when i say: WE ARE SICK OF HAVING TO DO THIS WORK TO COVER FOR THE POOR BEHAVIOR OF LARGE ORGANIZATIONS WHO TREAT US BADLY

another option would just be to use kindness and common sense and happily accommodate artists with unique presentations to your conventions

Upon hearing about Tingle’s fate, sff author TJ Klune, who had also been invited to participate on a panel with Tingle at the TLA annual conference, turned down his own invitation.  

And Tingle expressed thanks for the support:

Sakinah Hofler Accepts the 2023 Analog Award for Emerging Black Voices

Sakinah Hofler. Photo Credit: Yvel Clovis

Sakinah Hofler, winner of the 2023 Analog Award For Emerging Black Voices, made an impressive acceptance speech to the audience of the online 8th Annual City Tech Science Fiction Symposium this past November 30. Hofler has given permission for File 770 to publish her remarks.


I am thrilled and humbled to be selected as this year’s winner for the Analog Award for Emerging Black Voices. Growing up in an ultra-conservative Muslim community in New Jersey where the line between “RIGHT and “WRONG” was drawn with a thick black marker, I discovered complication and nuance through reading and writing. I met characters who were different races, from different backgrounds, from all around the world or different parts of the universe. I witnessed other spiritual practices. I observed how a monster could become a person and a person could become a monster. I started to see gray all around me. I questioned everything. My questioning always got me into trouble, so I spent a lot of time on punishment, banished to my room where I reread and eventually rewrote the endings of my favorite books, always asking “What if…” “What if life doesn’t have to be this way?” “What if I also lived on Fear Street and had to battle ghosts and murderers?” “What if Jim Crow had never happened? Where would we be?” I could build worlds, and no one could stop me. 

For a while, though, reality did. We have not figured out a way to live without money and, so, we have bills. I buried my questions and became practical, pursing a degree in chemical engineering. I spent years sitting in more rooms, but those rooms were filled with people dressed in uniforms and suits, making decisions about weapons while we were in the midst of two wars. Those rooms were cold. Logical. Full of statistics and devoid of empathy. Deadly. In those rooms the walls were decorated with photographs of soldiers firing mortars or howitzers or shooting M16s, the type of photos taken on bright days with expensive cameras able to capture the taut look of concentration on each soldier’s face and the billowing smoke right after the moment of fire.

I once asked my boss why we didn’t have any pictures of the weapons hitting their target. Where, I wondered, were the pictures of demolished homes, collapsed buildings, wailing children, dismembered bodies, dust?

His response: Why would anyone want to come to work and see that?

What I didn’t say at that time, but I wished I had was: because we need to see. By stripping people from their multi-faceted stories and narratives, by stripping them from their humanity, we will continue to Other. We will continue to be the protagonists in every story, lose empathy, and remain stuck in a never-ending cycle of receiving and delivering pain. We would never see what could be, how our world could different, how we could live in peace. It’s possible.

We need science fiction. We need the Octavia Butlers, the Samuel Delanys, the Ted Chiang’s, the Isaac Asimovs, the N.K. Jemisins, the Sofia Samatars, and so on. We need the Analogs, the Strange Horizons, the Lightspeeds, the FIYAHs, the Clarkesworlds, and so on to be outlets for our imaginations. I am thankful to the judges and Analog for selecting my work as this year’s winner. I’m so excited to be mentored by wonderful editors. I am thankful for all of you in this room, right here, where there’s hope and a belief in what science fiction is capable of. When it feels like the world is crumbling or, rather, stacking up dystopian nightmares (climate disaster, totalitarianism, the pandemic, income inequality, decreasing autonomy over our bodies, war, etc., etc.), it’s stories that allow us to imagine how we can shift and shape our futures, how we can interact with technology, how we can live differently, how we can change the world, by simply starting our questions with “What if…” Thank you all so much.


[Thanks to Analog editor Trevor Quachri for obtaining permission for File 770 to publish this.]

Court Exhibit Names Artists Midjourney Scraped To Train Its AI; Includes Many Hugo Winners

Phil Foglio

Hugo-winning artist Phil Foglio told Bluesky readers today “They just dropped a list of All the artists that Midjourney admits to having scraped to train its A.I. engine. Are YOU on it? (We are) Do you have a good lawyer? (We do).”

Early in 2023 artists filed one of the many cases brought against developers of so-called generative artificial intelligence programs – which can create media based on text prompts – against Stability AI and Midjourney, with artists claiming the text-to-image generators only function by being trained on copyrighted artwork.

“Though Defendants like to describe their AI image products in lofty terms, the reality is grubbier and nastier,” the artists said. “AI image products are primarily valued as copyright-laundering devices, promising customers the benefits of art without the costs of artists.”

The plaintiffs listed thousands of artists whose styles Midjourney’s CEO claimed their service could emulate in an exhibit filed with the court on November 29, 2023. These names were publicly posted by the CEO on the Midjourney Discord:

260. In February 2022, near the release of the initial version of the Midjourney Image Product, Midjourney CEO David Holz posted messages on the Midjourney Discord server promoting the Midjourney Image Product’s ability to emulate existing artistic styles, in particular the styles of certain artists.

261. Over a series of Discord messages, Holz said “i think you’re all gonna get [your] mind blown by this style feature … we were very liberal in building out the dictionary … it has cores and punks and artist names … as much as we could dump in there … i should be clear it’s not just genres its also artist names … it’s mostly artist names … 4000 artist names.”43

262. Holz then said, “here is our style list”44 and posted a link to a spreadsheet on Google Docs called “Midjourney Style List.”45 One of the tabs on the spreadsheet was called “Artists” and listed over 4700 artist names. In other words, Holz published a list of artists who the Midjourney Image Product recognizes with the express purpose of these names being used by users and licensees of the Midjourney Image Product as terms in prompts. Holz’s comment, and the list, have remained available ever since.

The complete list is available online: Exhibit J: Midjourney Name List.

Nearly all Best Professional Artist Hugo winners are on the list: Rovina Cai, John Picacio, Charles Vess, Julie Dillon, Shaun Tan, Donato Giancola, Stephan Martinière, Jim Burns, Bob Eggleton, Michael Whelan, Don Maitz, Vincent DiFate, Rick Sternbach, Frank Kelly Freas, Leo and Diane Dillon, Jack Gaughan, John Schoenherr, Ed Emshwiller, Virgil Finlay.

So are many other famous genre artists including Chesley Bonestell, Richard M. Powers, Ray Harryhausen, and Frank Frazetta.

Artwork by Bill Rotsler.

And fans might be surprised how many fanzine artists are on the list. William Rotsler is there, as are these winners of the Rotsler Award named for him: Alexis A. Gilliland, Arthur (ATom) Thomson, Brad W. Foster, Dan Steffan, Steve Stiles, Teddy Harvia, and Tim Kirk.

Not all Rotsler Award winners names are on the list, though. (Sorry?) Missing are Alan White, Alison Scott, Dick “Ditmar” Jenssen, Grant Canfield, Harry Bell, Jeanne Gomoll, Jim Barker, Ken Fletcher, Kurt Erichsen, Marc Schirmeister, Ray Nelson, Ross Chamberlain, Sue Mason, Stu Shiffman, Taral Wayne, Terry Jeeves, and Ulrika O’Brien. I’m not sure how they will feel. They probably should be glad. However, I remember when Robert Silverberg visited eastern Germany after the Berlin Wall fell he was disappointed not to be more well-known because they hadn’t pirated much of his work there. You never know.

[Thanks to Anne Marble for the story.]