Ever Wondered about the Genre Awards? Hugo, RITA, Nebula, Edgars, Poe and more...

I read a lot of books, and I feel like I keep up with the genres I try to
follow. But recently when it was time to make nominations for the Hugo Awards,
I realized I couldn't think of too many science fiction or fantasy books I had
read that were published in the previous year. Then when the final ballot for
the Nebula Awards came out, I'd only read two books on the whole list. That
inspired me to track down the Nebula finalist books, and I hope to do the same
when the Hugo nominees are announced. And that made me realize that industry
awards are a good way to find reading recommendations.

The Hugo Awards are given at the World Science Fiction Convention and are
nominated and voted on by the members of the convention, who are both fans and
professionals in the fields of science fiction and fantasy. This year's
nominees will be announced later this month, but you can find a list of the
previous year's nominees at:

Locus Magazine has a comprehensive list of winners and nominees over the years:

The Nebula Awards are presented by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of
America and are nominated and voted on by members, who are all professional
writers. There's information on the award and a list of current finalists at:

This site has an updated listing of finalists and winners over the years:

In the romance genre, the RITA Awards are given by the Romance Writers of
America. Members submit their books for consideration, and then finalists and
winners are chosen by judging panels. Multiple awards are given for various
categories. This year's finalists will be announced later this month, but last
year's winners are listed at:

This site has a list of previous winners:

The Mystery Writers of America give out the Edgar Allen Poe Award, along with
other mystery genre awards. Winners are selected by panels of judges. The MWA
site has a page about the awards, including a searchable database of past
winners:

The Horror Writers Association grants the Bram Stoker Awards for Superior
Achievement. These are recommended and then voted on by the association's
members. For information about these awards and lists of recent winners, visit:

In the fantasy genre, there are the World Fantasy Awards, which are nominated
and voted on by members of the World Fantasy Convention. Lists of nominees and
winners can be found at:

Although the big names and bestsellers often show up on these lists, you might
be surprised at the variety you'll find. This is a great way to find new
authors whose work is recommended by fans or professional peers.

Shanna Swendson writes "Fairy Tales for Modern Times" and is the author of the Enchanted, Inc. series about a Texan in New York City, a magical NYC. Visit her website or blog for more information.