C. J. Cherryh Wins 2021 Robert A. Heinlein Award

C. J. Cherryh is the 2021 winner of the Robert A. Heinlein Award. The award is bestowed for outstanding published works in science fiction and technical writings that inspire the human exploration of space. This award is in recognition of Cherryh’s body of work, with emphasis on her detailed social science and commercial-relationship-based stories set in the space station rich Alliance–Union universe. She is currently working with Jane S. Fancher on a sequel to their 2019 novel Alliance Rising set in the Alliance–Union universe.

The award will be formally announced on the evening of Friday, May 28, 2021, 8:00 PM at opening ceremonies during Virtual Balticon 55, the 55th Maryland Regional Science Fiction Convention. Cherryh will participate on program at Virtual Balticon across Memorial Day Weekend. Virtual Balticon will be a free online event for the second year in a row because of the pandemic. (Donations will be appreciated to defray costs)

Balticon and the Robert A. Heinlein Award are both managed and sponsored by The Baltimore Science Fiction Society. A grant from the Heinlein Society funds half of the costs associated with the award and the family of the late author Dr. Yoji Kondo provides additional funding for the award.

The Robert A. Heinlein Award is a sterling silver medallion bearing the image of Robert A. Heinlein, as depicted by artist Arlin Robbins. The medallion is matched with a red-white-blue lanyard. In addition, the winner receives two lapel pins for use when a large medallion is impractical, and a plaque describing the award for home or office wall display.  

The Robert A. Heinlein Award selection committee consists of science fiction writers and was founded by Dr. Yoji Kondo, a long-time friend of Robert and Virginia Heinlein. Members of the original committee were approved by Virginia Heinlein.

Virginia Heinlein authorized multiple awards in memory of her husband, other awards include the Heinlein Prize, which is fully funded by Virginia Heinlein’s estate, and a National Space Society award for volunteer projects.

More information on the Robert A. Heinlein Award, including past winners, can be found here.

Carolyn Janice Cherry, known to readers as C. J. Cherryh, maintains an official website here. She lives in Spokane, Washington.

[Based on a press release.]

C.J. Cherryh at NorWesCon in 2006. Photo taken by Sharon Reynolds

20 thoughts on “C. J. Cherryh Wins 2021 Robert A. Heinlein Award

  1. An honour so well earned! It’s gilding a lily, but she deserves it (and more!)

  2. Congratulations. Looking forward to the virtual ceremony. If only it could be in-person.

  3. Has anyone published more words of space-exploration based fiction than Cherryh. It feels like she has 300 novels out there. An overdue but necessary honor!

  4. You completely deserve this award! Your writing is so good and you showed me how amazing women can write amazingly. We are lucky to have your books in the world. I first found you with RUSALKA and I’ve been hooked ever since.

  5. Heartiest congratulations for earning this major award. Your works lead us to worlds and their inhabitants which, once encountered, cannot be forgotten and remain to enrich our lives.
    Thank you.

  6. This is SO deserved! I have loved your books for YEARS and years, and I loved how they challenge me to stop, think, analyze, and do mental work while reading and loving the characters (even the hard to love ones) all at the same time.

  7. Pingback: C.J. Cherry, ganadora del premio Robert A. Heinlein 2021 – Fantástica – Ficción

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