Those of us who have memberships of recent World Fantasy Conventions need to get our act together and send off our ballots. Two places in each category of the short lists are chosen by popular vote, and if we want our views to be reflected in the results we need to participate.

The latest Coode Street podcast devotes most of its length to discussing potential candidates for the Lifetime Achievement Award, and lamenting the fact that it is never possible to give this to everyone who deserves it. Quite rightly, we only get to see the winners of this category, but for what it’s worth here are the people I am nominating: Jean Giraud (Moebius), Mary Stewart, Maurice Sendak, M. John Harrison, Hayao Miyazake. Note than candidates have to have been alive in 2011 to qualify.

For novel I’m tempted to just nominate Deathless five times, but I guess I’ll find four other books I like to keep it company. Equally in Anthology I can’t see anything challenging Ann & Jeff VanderMeer’s titanic reprint volume: The Weird. There are lots of good collections around, but I find I’m really struggling with the short fiction.

Part of this is due to World Fantasy’s obstinate insistence on using different definitions for Novella and Short Story to every other award. All the usual guides to length are rendered unreliable. But also, looking through the Locus Recommending Reading List, I have been struck by how many of the stories that I like appear to be science fiction rather than fantasy or horror. Suggestions would be appreciated.

The same goes for the Special Award categories. I still stick doggedly to the campaign to get Deanna Hoak the award her copy editing so richly deserves, but thinking of other people who have done good work, and haven’t been honored in the past, can be hard. All feedback gratefully appreciated.