Tag Archives: James Sallis

2019 Philip K. Dick Award Judges

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The five Philip K. Dick Award judges for distinguished science fiction published in paperback original format in the United States in the 2019 award year are:

  • Thomas A. Easton, 84 Commonmwealth Ave., Dedham MA 02026-1425
  • Karen Heuler, (until October 31) 13 Antler Drive, Sandyston NJ 07826; (after October 31) 80 Charles Street Apt. 3R,  New York NY 10014-6110
  • Mur Lafferty, 8311 Brier Creek Pkwy. Ste. 105274, Raleigh NC 27617-7328
  • Patricia MacEwen, 1046 W Longview Ave., Stockton, CA 95207-4719
  • James Sallis, 1534 E. Earll Drive, Phoenix AZ 85014-5639

They will consider issue eligible titles — all works of science fiction published originally in the United States as paperbacks during the year 2019. The nominees will be announced in January 2020.

The Philip K. Dick Award is presented annually with the support of the Philip K. Dick Trust for distinguished science fiction published in paperback original form in the United States.

The award is sponsored by the Philadelphia Science Fiction Society and the award ceremony is sponsored by the Northwest Science Fiction Society.

The 2019 award for work published in 2018 was given to Theory of Bastards by Audrey Schulman (Europa Editions) with a special citation to 84K by Claire North (Orbit). The 2020 awards for work published in 2019 will be announced on April 10 at Norwescon 43 in SeaTac, WA..

[Thanks to Gordon Van Gelder for the story.]

Crime Fiction Awards Season

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Crime fiction awards season is in full swing. Even J.K. Rowling’s pseudonymous work took one home. So did James Sallis, once a New Wave sff author with two stories in Again, Dangerous Visions, who long ago moved on from writing sff.

CRIMEFEST. The winners of seven separate prizes were announced at CrimeFest in Bristol, UK held May 7-10.

Audible Sounds of Crime Award (for the best unabridged crime audiobook)

  • Lethal White, by “Robert Galbraith,” aka J.K. Rowling; read by Robert Glenister (Hachette Audio)

eDunnit Award (“for the best crime fiction e-book first published in both hardcopy and in electronic format”)

  • Sunburn, by Laura Lippman (Faber and Faber)

Last Laugh Award (for the best humorous crime novel)

  • A Shot in the Dark, by Lynne Truss (Bloomsbury)

H.R.F. Keating Award (for the best biographical or critical book related to crime fiction)

  • Difficult Lives–Hitching Rides, by James Sallis (No Exit Press)

Best Crime Novel for Children (aged 8-12)

  • Kat Wolfe Investigates, by Lauren St. John (Macmillan Children’s Books)

Best Crime Novel for Young Adults (aged 12-16)

  • Run, Riot, by Nikesh Shukla (Hodder Children’s Books)

Petrona Award for Best Scandinavian Crime Novel of the Year

  • The Katharina Code, by Jørn Lier Horst, translated by Anne Bruce (Michael Joseph; Norway)

LINDISFARNE. The winner of the inaugural Lindisfarne Prize for Debut Crime Fiction has been announced

  • The Roll Bearer’s Daughter by Cressida Downing

ELLERY QUEEN. Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine posted the winners of their 2018 Readers Awards:

  • “Duty, Honor, Hammett” by Stacy Woodson
  • “50” by Josh Pachter
  • “Sofee” by David Dean

STRAND. The Strand Magazine has announced the nominees for its 2019 Strand Critics Awards.

Best Mystery Novel

  • Lullaby Road by James Anderson (Crown)
  • Transcription by Kate Atkinson (Little, Brown and Company)
  • November Road by Lou Berney (William Morrow)
  • Dark Sacred Night by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown and Company)
  • The Witch Elm by Tana French (Viking)
  • Sun Burn by Laura Lippman (HarperCollins)

Best Debut Novel

  • Dodging and Burning by John Copenhaver (Pegasus)
  • Star of the North by D.B. John  (Crown)
  • The Other Side of Everything by Lauren Doyle Owens (Touchstone)
  • The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton (Sourcebooks Landmark)
  • Beautiful Bad by Annie Ward (Park Row Books)

Lifetime Achievement Awards

  • Heather Graham
  • Donna Leon

Publisher of the Year

  • Dominique Raccah of Sourcebooks

[Thanks to Cora Buhlert for the story.]

James Sallis Quits as College Instructor Over Arizona Loyalty Oath

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James Sallis

James Sallis

James Sallis quit as an adjunct professor at Phoenix College in the middle of the semester when called on to sign the state of Arizona’s loyalty oath.

Sallis’ name first became familiar to fans as a New Wave author who had two stories in Again, Dangerous Visions, though his literary reputation derives from many later works, such as his novel Drive, which was made into a film starring Ryan Gosling.

Arizona has a loyalty oath requirement for all employees of the state or other government units.

“I never imagined that things like this were still around. It horrified me,” Sallis said in an interview Monday.

Officials at the college told the station that it had no choice under state law but to require Sallis to sign. The officials said that, in preparation for an accreditation review, the college reached out to 800 adjunct instructors — Sallis among them — and found that some of them had never signed the loyalty oath, and that they have been told they must do so to keep their jobs. Sallis had taught at the school for 14 years.

The text of the oath is a pledge to —

“support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution and laws of the State of Arizona; That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same, and defend them against all enemies, foreign and domestic.”

Inside Higher Ed reports —

Students are expressing outrage over the enforcement of the loyalty oath rule, and are saying that they signed up for a course with Sallis because he would be the instructor. E. J. Montini, a columnist for The Arizona Republic, quoted from a student letter to the college. “He provided an opportunity for the kind of world-class instruction that is typically only accessible to those who attend prestigious and expensive M.F.A. programs.”

[Thanks to Michael J. Walsh for the story.]