One nice thing about being a Hugo Award finalist is that we got a complimentary virtual membership to the convention currently happening in Los Angeles. This morning I watched a panel with four representatives from some of the semi-pro magazines in our category. Represented were Uncanny, Escape Pod, The Deadlands and khōréō.  The discussion covered my favourite topics, from why is short fiction so important, to how a magazine of volunteers can keep any institutional memory over the years, to how can we survive financially in the current landscape.

The Hugo ceremony will be held on Sunday, August 30th. Olav Rokne, with the Edmonton in 2030 WorldCon bid committee, will represent On Spec, and happily accept the trophy, should we be so lucky.

After 35 years, it was a warm fuzzy feeling to have our little magazine finally recognized on this large stage. We know it’s been followed and supported by our fellow Canadians for years, and being on a Hugo ballot is just icing on the cake.

Best wishes to all the magazines in our category, as well as all the Hugo nominees. We are all family.