Locus News

Montréal 2027, the 85th World Science Fiction Convention, has added Linda D. Addison and Cory Doctorow as guests of honor. Doctorow will be toastmaster for Montréal 2027.

Addison and Doctorow join previously announced guests of honor Chris Barkley, Jeph Jacques, Yves Meynard, and Jo Walton. Montréal 2027 Worldcon will be held September 2-6, 2027 at the Palais des congrès de Montréal in Québec, Canada. For more information, see the …Read More

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The National Book Foundation hasannounced that it will present Salman Rushdie with the 2026 Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters (DCAL) at this year's National Book Awards Ceremony on November 18, 2026. Author Kiran Desai will present the award.

The DCAL Medal was created in 1988 to recognize a lifetime of literary achievement. Prior recipients of genre interest include Ursula K. Le Guin, Toni Morrison, and Walter Mosley. The …Read More

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MILESTONES

WENDY N. WAGNER is stepping down as editor-in-chief of Nightmare Magazine and senior editor of Lightspeed to focus on her own writing. Founding editor John Joseph Adams will resume the role at Nightmare starting with the January 2027 issue; in her place, associate publisher Christie Yant will assume the role of senior editor.

BOOKS SOLD

C. RHOAD ELLIS sold The Poison Vein, first in the Saga of …Read More

The post People & Publishing Roundup, September 2026 appeared first on Locus.

The Sunburst Award Society hasannounced Helen Marshall, author of The Lady, The Tiger and the Girl Who Loved Death (Titan) [amazon / bookshop], as the winner of this year's Sunburst Awardfor Excellence in Canadian Literature of the Fantastic.

Other shortlisted works include:

• The Works of Vermin, Hiron Ennes (Tor) amazon / bookshop
• Horsefly, Mireille Gagné, tr. Pablo Strauss (Coach House) amazon / bookshop
• Wild Life, Amanda Leduc (Random …Read More

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The Indiana Authors Awards have announced the 2026 winners. The awards celebrate the best books by Indiana authors written in eight different categories and published during the previous two years. Works from the Genre category follow.

Genre

• WINNER: Departure 37, Scott Carson (Artia/Emily Bestler)

• Breath of Oblivion, Maurice Broaddus (Tor)
• Sisters of Fortune, Anna Lee Huber (Kensington)
• Veil, Jonathan Janz (Blackstone)
• The Lost Heiress, Elizabeth Klehfoth (Lake Union)

Winners …Read More

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The HWA (Horror Writers Association) has undergone several changes throughout August and early September. Many of these changes were announced via video message by the organization's president, Lisa Wood, as well as a September 6 text update on their Facebook page.

• Due to timing conflicts with World Fantasy convention, the HWA general meeting has been moved to 3:30pm, October 3.
• Wood stated, We have dissolved the Executive Director position …Read More

  The post Updates from the HWA Board appeared first on Locus.

The August 30 LAcon V WSFS business meeting voted to censure and place bans of varying lengths on four officials for their actions related to the 2023 Worldcon : Dave McCarty, the 2023 Hugo administrator, Yao Chi, a 2023 Hugo co-administrator, Shi Chen, a 2023 Worldcon co-chair, and Ben Yalow, also a 2023 Worldcon co-chair.

According to a recap of the session posted by Business Meeting Chair Jesi Lipp, future …Read More

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Dream Foundry, a non-profit dedicated to bolstering the careers of nascent professionals working with the speculative arts, hasannounced the winners for its 2026 contests.

Writing Contest

• N.A. Blair (First Place)
• Natalie Anai Nowo Lydick (Second Place)
• Tomás Xavier Díaz (Third Place)

Art Contest

• Emelia Feldman (First Place)
• Niko Kristic (Second Place)
• Marcus Leon Solomon (Third Place)

First place winners receive $1,500, second place receives $750, and …Read More

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Baen Books, an independent publisher of military science fiction and fantasy, has announced the creation of a new short story award, named in honor of the author David A. Drake. The reward is in addition to their currently sponsored awards, the Baen Fantasy Adventure Award and Jim Baen Memorial Award.

Baen hopes to find new writing talent and will reward winners with professional publication contracts for their stories as well …Read More

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The shortlist for the2026 Prix Utopiales(honoring the best SF published in France) has been announced.

• Heureux comme jamais,Guillaume Chamanadjian (Aux forges de Vulcain)
• Spectres, Thomas Gunzig (Au diable Vauvert)
• Bordure, Lucie Mosca (L'Atalante)
• Gogmagog, Jeff Noon and Steve Beard (La Volte)
• Les Dieux lents,Claire North (Le Bélial')

Youth short story competition winners were also announced.

• Godet Rochette , Clément - …Read More

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Wolf Moon, Antler Moon by A. C. Wise (Reactor 1/13/25) is the winner of the 2026 Eugie Foster Memorial Award for Short Fictionfor stories that are irreplaceable, that inspire, enlighten, and entertain.

Other finalists were:

• Concerning the Multiplicity of Children in Central Florida's Suburbanized Wet Lands , Ichabod Cassius Kilroy (Analog Science Fiction & Fact 4/25)
• Four People I Need You to Kill Before the …Read More

  The post 2026 Eugie Award Winner appeared first on Locus.

The winners of the 2026 Dragon Awards were presented at Dragon Con, held September 3 – September 7, 2026 in Atlanta GA.

Best Science Fiction Novel

• WINNER: Operation Bounce House, Matt Dinniman (Ace)

• God's Junk Drawer, Peter Clines (Blackstone)
• The Faith of Beasts, James S.A. Corey (Orbit)
• Radiant Star, Ann Leckie (Orbit US)
• Slow Gods, Claire North (Orbit US; Orbit UK)
• The Shattering Peace, John Scalzi …Read More

  The post 2026 Dragon Awards Winners appeared first on Locus.

Several awards for services to fandom were presented by the First Fandom Foundation during the opening ceremonies of LAcon V, the 84th Worldcon, held August 27, 2026.

First Fandom Hall of Fame Award

• Mike Glyer
• Craig Miller
• Bjo Trimble

First Fandom Posthumous Hall of Fame Award

• Fredric Brown
• Myrtle R. Douglas

Sam Moskowitz Archive Award

• Andrew Porter
• David Ritter

[via File 770] …Read More

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The winners for the 2025 Sidewise Awards for Alternate History were announced August 31, 2026 at LAcon V.

Long Form

• WINNER: Ten Incarnations of Rebellion, Vaishnavi Patel (Ballantine) amazon / bookshop

• Pagans, James Alistair Henry (Moonflower) amazon
• Tobacco Republic: What If The 13 Colonies Never United?, R.A. Moss (Beck & Branch) amazon

Short Form

• WINNER: Caesar at Sea , Alan Smale (Skull X Bones)

…Read More

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Author and editor David Kopaska-Merkel, 69, died August 26, 2026.

David C. Kopaska-Merkel was born January 11, 1957 in Charlottesville VA. He attended William & Mary, earned a doctorate in geology, worked for the Geological Survey of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, and wrote several articles and books on geology and paleontology. He began writing speculative work in short fiction, starting with his first published story Mecroniya (1981), but soon began publishing …Read More

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The African Speculative Fiction Society (ASFS) announced the shortlist for the 2026 Nommo Awards, given to works by African authors as defined by the ASFS and Nommo Awards Guidelines, on August 27, 2026 at LAcon V, the 84th World Science Fiction Convention, in Anaheim CA.

Ilube Award for Best Novel

• The Bone River, Nkereuwem Albert (Phoenix)
• Black Navel, Paul Olisaeloka Anozie (Griots Lounge) amazon / bookshop
• Firstborn of the …Read More

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The Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA) has named Nancy Kress the 43rd recipient of the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award.

SFWA President Kate Ristau said,

When we choose a SFWA Grand Master, the discussion begins with the Past Presidents. Year after year, Nancy's name has come up as an author who is long overdue for this award. She has made an incredible impact on our …Read More

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LAcon V has announced that Aussiecon 5 and the Brisbane in 2028 bid won the right to host the 2028 Worldcon. The 86th World Science Fiction Convention will be held July 27-31, 2028 at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre in Brisbane, Australia.

Guests of honor announced so far include Claire G. Coleman, David Gaider, Kathleen Jennings, Seanan McGuire, Perry Middlemiss, and Jonathan Strahan.

According to File 770, Brisbane …Read More

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The winners of the Hugo Awards, the Astounding Award for Best New Writer, and the Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book were announced on August 30, 2026 by LAcon V, the 84th World Science Fiction Convention.

The winners are:

Best Novel

• WINNER: The Everlasting,Alix E. Harrow (Tor US; Tor UK) amazon / bookshop

• A Drop of Corruption, Robert Jackson Bennett (Del Rey; Hodderscape) amazon / bookshop

…Read More

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Fan and organizer Robin Johnson, 89, died July 6, 2026 in Ballarat, Australia of underlying causes after a fall.

Johnson was born March 9, 1937 and lived variously in Melbourne, Sydney, Hobart, and Ballarat, as well as in England. He chaired the first Australian Worldcon in 1975 as well as Thylacons 1-3. He was awarded the Ditmar Awards Special Award in 1974 and in 1983, and he received the Big …Read More

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