Category Archives: Editorial Notes

Top 10 Stories for August 2021

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Jon Del Arroz banned by Twitter. Vox Day ousted from Blogger. Any doubt why these were last month’s two most-read posts?

And here are the rest of the top 10 posts for August 2021 according to Google Analytics.

  1. Jon Del Arroz Permabanned from Twitter
  2. Vox Day’s Blog Offline
  3. DisCon III Team Announces Covid-19 Policy for December Convention
  4. 2021 Dragon Awards Ballot
  5. Celebrating The Wonderful Nehemiah Persoff At 102
  6. Pixel Scroll 8/14/21 WandangerousVisions
  7. Pixel Scroll 8/18/21 Science Fiction Grand Pixel Banned From Scroll
  8. RWA Rescinds One of the Inaugural Vivian Awards
  9. Pixel Scroll 8/7/21 Do Not Taunt Happy Fun Scroll
  10. Pixel Scroll 8/9/21 The Wards Are All In Place, But The Junes Are Busting Out All Over

Top 10 Stories for July 2021

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An 18-month-old reaction roundup from January 2020 — “Clarkesworld Removes Isabel Fall’s Story” – returned as July’s most-read post after Vox linked to it in Emily VanDer Werff’s “How Twitter can ruin a life: Isabel Fall’s complicated story”, an interview with author Fall.

Among the month’s new posts, Jason Brock’s obituary for the late William F. Nolan had the most readers.

Here are the top 10 posts – with and without Scrolls – for July 2021 according to Google Analytics.

  1. Clarkesworld Removes Isabel Fall’s Story
  2. William F. Nolan (1928-2021)
  3. BasedCon Planning for Dozens of Attendees
  4. Pixel Scroll 7/28/21 So Put Another File In The Jukebox, Baby
  5. Pixel Scroll 7/16/21 All Scrollnanas Make A Pixel, And So Do Many More
  6. Pixel Scroll 7/21/21 No Gods Were Stalked In the Making Of This Scroll Title
  7. Pixel Scroll 7/6/21 And Why Are There So Many Files About Pixels?
  8. Pixel Scroll 7/18/21 Please Pixel Carefully As Our Menu Scrolls Have Recently Changed
  9. Pixel Scroll 7/15/21 This Pixel Will Self-Destruct In Five Parsecs
  10. Pixel Scroll 7/14/21 Still Crazy After All These Light-Years

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[Art credit: Teddy Harvia.]

Top 10 Stories for June 2021

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Worldcon 76’s settlement with Jon Del Arroz, ending three years of litigation — File 770’s 11th most-read story of the past year — seems like it happened a long time ago, not just in the first week of June.

That is because since then the internal and external stresses on this year’s Worldcon, DisCon III, involving some of its policies toward Hugo finalists, led to the successive resignations of the Hugo administration team, and the convention chair – reported in what have proved to be the 3rd and 15th most-read stories of the past year.

And there was a constellation of related Worldcon news items filling out the list of the top stories in June according to Google Analytics.

  1. Another DisCon III Hugo Administration Team Resigns
  2. Worldcon 76 Settles with Jon Del Arroz: Issues Apology, Will Pay Compensation
  3. DisCon III Chair Lawhorn Resigns
  4. Clarkesworld Removes Isabel Fall’s Story
  5. Pixel Scroll 6/19/21 Oilcan — Did You Say Something? – Oilcan — He Said, “Pixel Scroll!”
  6. DisCon III Explains Why It Isn’t Posting a Membership List
  7. Pixel Scroll 6/3/21 An Iron Pixel In A Velvet Scroll
  8. Bill Lawhorn’s Goodbye Message to DisCon III Staff
  9. Pixel Scroll 6/1/21 Welcome To The Hotel Cthulhu: You Can Get Eaten Anytime You Like, But You Will Never Leave
  10. Pixel Scroll 6/7/21 Scroll Up The Usual Pixels

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  1. Another DisCon III Hugo Administration Team Resigns
  2. Worldcon 76 Settles with Jon Del Arroz: Issues Apology, Will Pay Compensation
  3. DisCon III Chair Lawhorn Resigns
  4. Clarkesworld Removes Isabel Fall’s Story
  5. DisCon III Explains Why It Isn’t Posting a Membership List
  6. Bill Lawhorn’s Goodbye Message to DisCon III Staff
  7. Progress Made Toward Resolving Issues Between Hugo Finalists and DisCon III
  8. DisCon III Hugo Voter Packet Available
  9. DisCon III Reaches Out to Hugo Finalists About Communications Plan, Leadership Change, and Participation Options
  10. Seminar’s Focus on Diversity in Tolkien Draws Conservatives’ Ire

Top 10 Posts for May 2021

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Some red/blue politics leaked into the May 18 Scroll, firing up the commenters and making that the post with the most hits for the month; saying it was “most read” probably would put the spotlight in the wrong place.

Outside of the daily Scroll, the updates about Jon Del Arroz’ lawsuit against Worldcon 76 were the most closely-followed posts — in May, the court rejected the defendant’s motion for summary judgment. A mandatory settlement conference is set for June 9, and the jury trial is calendared for June 14. Del Arroz continues to milk publicity from the suit, taunting the defendants in a YouTube video with his absurd settlement demands.

Here are the posts in May that had the most traffic according to Google Analytics.

  1. Pixel Scroll 5/18/21 Manic Pixel Dreamsnake And The Scrollers Of Doom
  2. Pixel Scroll 5/9/21 Scrolled In The Pixel Was – Oh! Oh! Oh!
  3. Pixel Scroll 5/27/21 We Sell Mobius Scrolls, In Klein Bottles
  4. Pixel Scroll 5/1/21 This Scroll Is Infested With Killer Pixels
  5. Del Arroz Suit Will Go To Trial; Court Rejects Worldcon 76’s Motion for Summary Judgment
  6. Pixel Scroll 5/5/21 Soon May The Filerman Come To Bring Us Books And Cats And Rum
  7. Pixel Scroll 5/26/21 Buy Me Some Pixels And Shadowjack, I Don’t Care If I Never Loop Back
  8. Pixel Scroll 5/24/21 Pixelback Scroller
  9. Pixel Scroll 5/3/21 The 770 File Cabinets Of Dr. Credential
  10. Pixel Scroll 5/14/21 I Plan To Read All The Hugo Nominees Tonight, Said Tom Swiftly.

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  1. Del Arroz Suit Will Go To Trial; Court Rejects Worldcon 76’s Motion for Summary Judgment
  2. JDA Broadcasts His Settlement Demands
  3. #DisneyMustPay Task Force Updates
  4. Where To Find The 2021 Hugo Award Finalists For Free Online
  5. Worldcon 76 Files Last Round of Responses to Del Arroz Before Summary Judgment Hearing
  6. London Comic Mart Resumes
  7. Dan Simmons Criticized for Remarks About Thunberg
  8. Waiting For Online Hugo Voting And The 2021 Voter Packet
  9. DisCon III Declines to Comment on Code of Conduct Issue About Hugo Finalist
  10. DisCon III Opens Online 2021 Hugo Voting

Top 10 Stories for April 2021

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Among April’s most-read posts, the announcement of the Hugo Award finalists ran second only to the discussion of one of the Best Related Work nominees with the title “George R.R. Martin Can Fuck Off Into the Sun, Or: The 2020 Hugo Awards Ceremony (Rageblog Edition).”

When a fan asked here whether DisCon III violated its Code of Conduct by repeating the insult in the announcement video that seemed a valid question and I emailed it to the committee. They declined to address it. What to do? I had no peace saying nothing about the CoC issue, although I knew full well what the consequences would be, and they all came to pass. However, one of them is – I have peace because I did speak up.

Here are the ten most-frequently-read posts for April 2021 according to Google Analytics.

  1. DisCon III Declines to Comment on Code of Conduct Issue About Hugo Finalist
  2. 2021 Hugo Awards Finalists Announced
  3. Where To Find The 2021 Hugo Award Finalists For Free Online
  4. Baen’s Bar Returns
  5. DisCon III Moves to December 2021 at the Omni Shoreham
  6. Pixel Scroll 4/1/21 I’ve Been Pixeled, Been Misfiled, When Will I Be Scrolled
  7. Pixel Scroll 4/20/21 Because A Pixel Softly Filing, Left More Books As I Was Whiling
  8. The Weaponization of the ARC
  9. Pixel Scroll 4/22/21 Do Jedi Name Their Lightsabers?
  10. Pixel Scroll 4/2/21 Vorkosigan-Wagen, The Flying Car Of The Future

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  1. DisCon III Declines to Comment on Code of Conduct Issue About Hugo Finalist
  2. 2021 Hugo Awards Finalists Announced
  3. Where To Find The 2021 Hugo Award Finalists For Free Online
  4. Baen’s Bar Returns
  5. DisCon III Moves to December 2021 at the Omni Shoreham
  6. The Weaponization of the ARC
  7. GRRM on the Hugo Losers Party
  8. Chicon 8 Publishes First Progress Report; Launches Community Fund; Won’t Run Retro-Hugos
  9. Winnipeg Joins the Race for the 2023 Worldcon
  10. Del Arroz Response to Worldcon 76 Motion for Summary Judgment in Defamation Suit Now Online

Top 10 Posts for March 2021

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Sometimes the news is good! Peter S. Beagle and his ownership group got back control of much of his IP after years of delay caused by his ex-manager resorting to bankruptcy proceedings. The result was enthusiastically welcomed by social media.

Other welcome news was SFWA’s announcement of the Nebula Awards finalists, and C.J. Cherryh winning the Heinlein Award.

Another post about litigation was the second most-read in March, with links to copies of court filings seeking summary judgment to end Jon Del Arroz’ defamation suit against the 2018 Worldcon.  

Here are the ten most-frequently-read posts for March 2021 according to Google Analytics.

  1. Peter S. Beagle and Ownership Group Regain Control of Rights to His Work Following Sale Approved by Bankruptcy Court
  2. Worldcon 76 Filings for Summary Judgment in Del Arroz Defamation Suit Now Online
  3. SFWA Announces the 56th Annual Nebula Awards® Finalists
  4. C. J. Cherryh Wins 2021 Robert A. Heinlein Award
  5. Pixel Scroll 3/4/21 And All The Scrolls Are Full Of Pix
  6. Pixel Scroll 3/3/21 The Pixels Are Due On Scroll Street
  7. Pixel Scroll 3/7/21 You’ve Got Tribbles! Right Here In Riverworld City!
  8. Wishing William Shatner A Happy 90th Birthday
  9. What Did You Nominate For The 2021 Hugo Awards?
  10. Pixel Scroll 3/2/21 What Is Pixel, But Scroll Persevering

2021 Recommended SF/F List

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two cats reading a book © Can Stock Photo / dolgachov

By JJ: This thread is for posts about 2021-published works, which people have read and recommend to other Filers.

There will be no tallying of recommendations done in this thread; its purpose is to provide a source of recommendations for people who want to find something to read which will be eligible for the Hugos or other awards (Nebula, Locus, Asimov’s, etc.) next year.

If you’re recommending for an award other than / in addition to the Hugo Awards which has different categories than the Hugos (such as Locus Awards’ First Novel), then be sure to specify the award and category.

You don’t have to stop recommending works in Pixel Scrolls, please don’t! But it would be nice if you also post here, to capture the information for other readers.

The Suggested Format for posts is:

  • Title, Author, Published by / Published in (Anthology, Collection, Website, or Magazine + Issue)
  • Hugo or other Award Category: (Novel, Novella, Novelette, Short Story, Related Work, Graphic Novel, Lodestar, Astounding, etc)
  • link (if available to read/view online)
  • optional “Brief, spoiler-free description of story premise:”
  • “What I liked / didn’t like about it:”
  • (Please rot-13 any spoilers.)

There is a permalink to this thread in the blog header.

Top 10 Posts for February 2021

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News about Jason Sanford’s expose of the Baen’s Bar forum, and about Baen publisher and now-former Worldcon GoH Toni Weisskopf dominated the Top 10 in February.

A month after the January 6 insurrection in Washington DC, Jason Sanford published “Baen Books Forum Being Used to Advocate for Political Violence” on Patreon. Baen publisher Toni Weisskopf responded by putting the Baen’s Bar forum on hiatus, a move explained in a statement to users that emphasized her refusal to “commit censorship of lawful speech” and assurance that the posts in the Bar “do not represent the publisher’s opinion, except in a deep belief that free speech is worthy in and of itself.”

Weisskopf was scheduled to be a guest of honor at DisCon III (2021 Worldcon), to be held in Washington, DC (if an in-person con is possible). How some were using Baen’s Bar and her stance towards them were such a source of controversy within the committee that they withdrew the GoH invitation. There were reports of committee departures because the decision wasn’t made immediately, and of a couple who resigned afterwards because of the decision.

Here are the ten most frequently-read posts for February 2021 according to Google Analytics.

  1. Weisskopf Announces Hiatus for Baen’s Bar
  2. DisCon III Removes Weisskopf as a Guest of Honor
  3. Weisskopf, Correia, Weber Defend Baen’s Bar; Jason Sanford Subjected to Harassment Over His Report
  4. Baen Strikes Back; Sanford Under Growing Storm of Harassment
  5. Pixel Scroll 2/19/21 Why, I Sweep My Scroll With A Geiger Counter Every Day, And Nary A Pixel!
  6. Walt Boyes on the Consequences of Taking Down Baen’s Bar
  7. Pixel Scroll 2/20/21 (I’m Picking Up) Good Vibraniums
  8. Pixel Scroll 2/15/21 A Hit! A Palpatine Hit!
  9. Pixel Scroll 2/21/21 He Was Born With A Gift For Pixels, And A Sense That The World Was Scrolled
  10. Pixel Scroll 2/22/21 Sacred Locomotive Files

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  1. Weisskopf Announces Hiatus for Baen’s Bar
  2. DisCon III Removes Weisskopf as a Guest of Honor
  3. Weisskopf, Correia, Weber Defend Baen’s Bar; Jason Sanford Subjected to Harassment Over His Report
  4. Baen Strikes Back; Sanford Under Growing Storm of Harassment
  5. Walt Boyes on the Consequences of Taking Down Baen’s Bar
  6. Worldcon 76 Moves for Summary Judgment in Del Arroz’ Defamation Suit
  7. Rowena Morrill (1944-2021)
  8. 2021 World Fantasy Awards Judges Announced
  9. 2020 Novellapalooza | File 770
  10. 2020 Recommended SF/F List | File 770

Top 10 Posts for January 2021

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Social media reacted so strongly to DisCon III’s plan to cap the number of names that would appear on the 2021 Hugo ballot and the award plaques – even though all creators of Hugo finalists would still have their names in other publications and on the Worldcon website – that the policy was immediately rolled back. However, within the committee the experience led co-chair Colette H. Fozard and WSFS Division Head Jared Dashoff to resign, each for their own reasons. Fozard gave hers in a guest post, and Dashoff explained his in a comment on the post.

Chris Barkley also took up the topic in a widely-read installment of his column.

Here are the ten most frequently-read posts for January 2021 according to Google Analytics.

  1. Fozard Guest Post About Resigning as Worldcon Co-Chair
  2. Pixel Scroll 1/9/21 Magnetic Monopology: Do Not Exceed C, Do Not Collect 200 Zorkmids
  3. Le Guin Will Appear on U.S. Postage Stamp This Year
  4. SFF Creators Sign Letter Opposing Book Deals for Trump
  5. Barkley — So Glad You (Didn’t) Ask: A Column of Unsolicited Opinions #57
  6. DisCon III Announces 2021 Hugo Award-Related Policies
  7. Pixel Scroll 1/11/21 The Muppet Pastors
  8. eFanzines Drops N3F Zines After Group’s President Seeks to Promote It on Parler and Gab
  9. Pixel Scroll 1/3/21 Short Pixels Have No Reason To Scroll
  10. Pixel Scroll 1/21/21 Underpeople S’top And S’tare, They Don’t Bother Me

And here’s the Top 10 when the daily Pixel Scrolls are excluded:

  1. Fozard Guest Post About Resigning as Worldcon Co-Chair
  2. Le Guin Will Appear on U.S. Postage Stamp This Year
  3. SFF Creators Sign Letter Opposing Book Deals for Trump
  4. Barkley — So Glad You (Didn’t) Ask: A Column of Unsolicited Opinions #57
  5. DisCon III Announces 2021 Hugo Award-Related Policies
  6. eFanzines Drops N3F Zines After Group’s President Seeks to Promote It on Parler and Gab
  7. DisCon III Abandons Previously Announced Hugo Policy
  8. Kathleen Ann Goonan (1952-2021)
  9. 2020 Stabby Award Nominees
  10. DisCon III Co-Chair Fozard Resigns

Top 10 Posts for December 2020

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Were a lot of people interested in reading the list of 2020 Stabby Award nominees picked by readers of Reddit’s r/Fantasy forum? Why yes, they were. Especially people who are nominated. It only took 18 hours for the list to become December’s top post.

Our tribute to Phyllis Eisenstein also was widely-shared by her many friends and the people who love her books.

Here are last month’s top 10 posts.

  1. 2020 Stabby Award Nominees
  2. Phyllis Eisenstein (1946-2020)
  3. Pixel Scroll 12/28/20 This Irrepixel-Able, Trantor ‘Original’, This Mule-Produced Crime
  4. Pixel Scroll 12/29/20 A Mime In A Tesseract Still Has Ways To Get Out
  5. Pixel Scroll 12/7/20 When All You Have Is A Scroll, Everything Looks Like A Pixel
  6. Pixel Scroll 12/20/20 May The Luck Of The Seven Pixels Of Gulu Be With You At All Times
  7. Pixel Scroll 12/11/20 In And Around The Scroll, Pixels Come Out Of The File And They Stand There
  8. Pixel Scroll 12/21/20 I Saw Mommy Kzin Santa Claus
  9. Pixel Scroll 12/3/20 Scrolls Are Seldom What They Seemeth, Mithril Masquerades As Scrith
  10. Del Arroz Says Trial Date Set in Suit Against 2018 Worldcon

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  1. 2020 Stabby Award Nominees
  2. Phyllis Eisenstein (1946-2020)
  3. Del Arroz Says Trial Date Set in Suit Against 2018 Worldcon
  4. Artists Corroborate Flegal Harassment Allegations
  5. SFWA Grand Master Wishlist
  6. Flegal and Mohrbacher Respond to Accusations in Video
  7. NetGalley Member Login Data Compromised
  8. Taking Inventory of Future Worldcon Bids
  9. Dan Simmons Criticized for Remarks About Thunberg
  10. Goodreads Choice Awards 2020 Winners