As close to a red carpet event as the sci-fi/fantasy world gets, the Nebula Awards, like so many other 2020 events, has adapted to a digital format this year.

Speculative fiction, and awards for said, may seem a bit frivolous with super-viruses rampaging the globe, people who are supposed to protect and serve committing murder with impunity, and racists inciting riots for the sole purpose of endangering people of color exercising their right to protest peacefully. But remember that all art is political.

As writers, we have the responsibility to examine where our society is, where it could go if it doesn’t change, and where it might go if we sit passive and let events move without planting ourselves like trees and saying, “No. You move.” To men who wear KKK hoods to the grocery store because they happen to have them “laying around.” To “protestors” who light “abandoned” police cars on fire when marches have been in progress for two hours without incident.

With all that in mind, let’s look at the writing to which the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America granted one of their most prestigious awards in the year of our dumpster fire 2020.

The Awards

The first Nebulas were awarded in 1965 for best novel, best novella, best novelette, and best short story from the pool of eligible works. New categories have been added as media options have expanded. To be eligible for a Nebula, an entry must be published between January 1 and December 31 of the year in question, meet word count and other criteria as set by the SFWA, and be science fiction/fantasy/related genre fiction. Works are eligible in their first year of English publication (year of publication for works first published in English, first year in translation for other works). Games must be credited to at least one actual human to be eligible. Works cannot be nominated by anyone involved with their writing or publication. The final ballot consists of the six works in each category with the most nominations.

This year’s winners (i.e., works published between January 1 and December 31, 2019)

Best Novel

A Song for a New Day by Sarah Pinkster: Terror attacks and killer viruses have prompted governments to prohibit large gatherings, including concerts. Not everyone is willing to let the music die, however, and Luce Cannon is one of the musicians still performing for the brave few. Rosemary Laws lives her life online until a new job prompts her to step out into world for the first time. What she sees in the relationship between passionate musicians and live audiences will change everything.

Best Novella

This is How You Lose The Time War by Amal al-Mohtar and Max Gladstone: Two rival agents facing the ruins of their world are willing to change the past to ensure their respective sides win. Until one of them leaves a letter for the other, a letter intended to become a challenge that becomes something else. Something that may alter both the past and the future.

Best Novelette

Carpe Glitter by Cat Rambo: When Persephone Aim’s grandmother dies, it falls to Persephone to sort though the detritus of her stage magician/hoarder life. When she finds a genuine magical artifact from WWII, however – one coveted by others – Persephone has to decide which is more important: her past or her future.

Best Short Story

“Give the Family My Love” by A.T. Greenblatt: A single human is invited to an alien library where she hopes to find information that will save Earth from ecological collapse.

Ray Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation

Good Omens: “Hard Times,” by Neil Gaiman (based on Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Prachett): Alright, I’m generally trying to avoid commentary on these but this is one of my favorite episodes of television not only from last year but of all time. Masterfully adapted and, perhaps even more importantly, exquisitely acted by Michael Sheen (Aziraphele) and David Tennant (Crowley), the majority of this episode traces the friendship of the angel and demon through time and space, a friendship that should never have been and yet endures, the path of two  brings who should be enemies but have defied expectations to become one another’s  ride or die.

We should all be so blessed. Or… cursed.

Andre Norton Award for Middle Grade And Young Adult Fiction

Riverland by Fran Wilde: Eleanor and Mike hide from the terrors of the real real world under Eleanor’s bed telling stories. When their father breaks an heirloom witch ball, however, a river appears in their secret spot and they fall into a magical world where dreams, and nightmares, come to life. To survive, they’ll have to make magic of their own to protect themselves and one another.

Best Game Writing

The Outer Worlds: Leonard Boyarsky, Kate Dollarhyde, Paul Kirsch, Chris E’toile, Daniel McPhee, Carrie Patel, Nitai Poddar, Marc Soskin, Megan Starks: Your colony ship is  lost in transit. You’re woken from cryo decades later than intended to find yourself in the middle of a corporate conspiracy that could destroy your colony. What do you, the unplanned variable, do?

Damon Knight Memorial Grandmaster Award

Lois McMaster Bujold

Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award (distinguished contributions to SFF community)

John Picacio and Gaughran

Kevin J. O’Donnell, Jr. Service to SFWA Award

Julia Rios

And there you have  it! Congratulations to all of the winners and all of the nominees. Keep fighting the good fight. And if  you have a spot at the table? Be like Rick Riordan and wedge some chairs in there for people who haven’t had a chance yet.