The Crawford Award

I just found out yesterday (and see the news was just released) that this year’s Crawford Award is being given to One for Sorrow.

The award, according to the press release, is sponsored by the International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts, recognizes an outstanding first book of fantasy published during the preceding year, and will be presented March 22 at the association’s annual conference in Orlando, Florida, where I will certainly be.

Other titles on this year’s shortlist are Laird Barron, The Imago Sequence (Night Shade); Ron Currie, Jr., God is Dead (Viking); Ellen Klages, Portable Childhoods (Tachyon); and Ysabeau Wilce, Flora Segunda (Harcourt).

Instead of a formal committee structure, the Crawford Award is determined by a panel of nominators, who review and discuss each other’s nominations. This year’s panel included John Clute, Kelly Link, Farah Mendlesohn, Cheryl Morgan, and Graham Sleight. The award is administered by Gary K. Wolfe of the IAFA Board.

The Crawford Award was established in 1985 through a grant from Andre Norton in memory of early fantasy small-press publisher William L. Crawford, who had died the preceding year. Past winners have included Charles de Lint, Susan Palwick, Greer Gilman, Jonathan Lethem, Candas Jane Dorsey, Alexander Irvine, Steph Swainston, and Joe Hill. Last year’s winner was M. Rickert.

I can say this two ways:

1.) I’m so honored to be in the company of writers such as these (both in the previous winners list, as well as the short list for this year).

2.) I’m totally flipping out in the best possible way.

Both really capture the truth.

27 responses

congrats! that’s really awesome! just to add to your freaking, I’ve nominated you for the Printz and the Alex award.

Thanks, John, and–wow, thanks!

Awesome news 🙂 Much congratulations!!!

Bravo, man.

Hooray! It’s well deserved.

Congrats. 🙂

Woohoooooo!

Congratulations – you have earned this honor – One for Sorrow is an important book. Judy

Yay!! Great news! and most deserved! Hope you’re planning a fun celebration…of course you are!

Congratulations CB!!! You earned it.

I read OFS a few weeks ago and I loved it (I was hoping to tell you in person when you were recently in town at KGB, but then I got sick and couldn’t make it). Thanks for a wonderful read!

Glad you’re flipping out in a good way. Just to endorse your point, and without wanting to take anything away from you: I think all the books on the shortlist are awesome, and I hope our decision (first time this year) to announce shortlist + winner at the same time gets all these books the attention they deserve.

Go Chris! That’s great news!

Congratulations on the much deserved win, Chris!

Flip away Your Awesomeness. Yippee.

Thank you, everyone! I really appreciate it!

And Graham–that shortlist is really great. I’ve read most of them, but am really looking forward to reading “God is Dead” which I hadn’t heard of before this. I looked it up online and it sound awesome.

Christopher:

Well done, man. As for me, I had no idea Imago was even on the list…

Cheers!!

Woohoo! Keep doing what you love Chris. Congratulations, we are sooo proud of you. Love ya, Mom & Dad

すごい！

おめでとう！

やったね！

だから、そこに春（はる）が来（き）てたんだね！？

Huge congrats!!!

Thanks, Laird, Mom, Okaasan, and Beth!

Hey Christopher —

Congratulations! I’ll toast you properly in Orlando. I’m proud to be short-listed behind you. Cleveland Rocks.

Thank you, Ellen! I’m proud to be on the list with you as well!

Hello — The Ohioana Library Association (www.ohioana.org) is inviting you to its 2nd annual book festival. Please drop me a line if/when you can (I’ve read your book and think it is wonderful!)

Best,

Leslie Birdwell
editor, Ohioana Quarterly