SFX Awards

So, I went to the SFX Weekender at Camber Sands.  And while there, talking and meeting people and watch my editors get scarily into their air hockey, I found myself flicking through the schedule looking for where the hell I was supposed to be next, and discovered a page entitled ‘Awards’.  And there were awards for everything; books, TV, film and even Best Collectable, Model or Toy, whose shortlisted entries included Star Trek badges and Star Wars headphones.

Now, I had no idea about this, and was still trying to figure out whether it was left at the biohazard zone or right at the giant dancing robot, when I found the Midnight Mayor had been nominated in the book category along with Kraken by China Mieville (scarily intelligent man), I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett (god) and The Passage by Justin Cronin, about whom I’m embarrassed to say I know very little, but will try to rectify this ignorance as soon as possible.
And on this revelation, I should say a number of things.  Firstly… how cool is that?!  I had no idea and yeap, it’s made my day that bit brighter.  Second up… I get the impression that this is something people vote for, which kinda makes it cooler to my mind and, scarily, implies that people have read the books… or liked the cover, who can say… in which case… hello anyone who voted!  A surprised but genuine thank you!

I’ve never really won any awards.  I mean, I’ve been nominated for a few, which does wonderful things for my mood and terrible things to my ego, but apart from the school chess cup I’m not really awards woman.  Which made my astonishment that much more satisfactory…

For a start, and most importantly, how cool is it to be on the same list as Terry Pratchett and China Mieville?  I have a sneaky recollection that last year A Madness of Angels was competing in the same category against Pratchett and Gaiman, and got beaten into third place in the voting by both of the above.  And I’ll admit, on finding this out, I was dancing round the room.  Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett are two of my gods; to beat them would have been a dishonour that could have disembowelled a samurai, and being even on the same list as them is such a surreal experience that I actually struggle to find suitable words for it.  Maybe when I’m forty, I’ll feel differently on the subject, but right now, even being on the same shortlist as these writers who I’ve adored ever since the Barbican library issued me my first borrower’s card, is the most fantastic feeling.