Tag Archives: recommended reading 2020

What Have You Done, What Have You Loved? 2020

Interrupted Reading, Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, 1870It’s getting to be that time of year again, when award eligibility and recommended reading lists begin to crop up around the internet. And if people are posting them, it means it’s time for me to start collecting them! This has been a hard year for folks, for a multitude of reasons, but there are still plenty of things to celebrate, like all the wonderful books, short stories, poems, essays, and art made and consumed throughout the year. I am a huge proponent of authors and artists sharing the award-eligible work they produced during the year, and I personally find it immensely helpful as a reader for catching stuff I missed. So please, creators, do let people know what you made and where to find it!

As in years past, this post is designed to help folks find work to nominate for various awards, or simply work to enjoy. The post is divided into three sections – author/artist/publication eligibility posts, recommendation posts, and general resources/review sites. I will update the post regularly over the next several months, so if you don’t have a post yet, don’t worry, there’s plenty of time!

If and when you do create an eligibility or recommendation post, I definitely want to see it! Please ping me on twitter (@ac_wise), drop a note in the comment, or email me at a.c.wise [at] hotmail.com to share links, and I will add them here. If you’ve never done an eligibility post and aren’t sure what they should look like, check out what some of the other authors on the list have done this year, or in years past. As an extra bonus, you may find some new work to read while you’re at it! Cat Rambo also maintains a list of eligibility posts, which you can find here/a>, so do check that out as well, and make sure she gets your links too. Now, lets get on with sharing the links and sharing the love!

ETA: The SF Awards Database is a handy resource for authors, publishers, and editors wanting to research what awards their work might be eligible for. The list is fairly comprehensive, and includes links to individual award pages with rules and eligibility requirement.

Nerds of a Feather also has a handy “How To” guide for the Hugo Awards for those considering voting for the first time, or those who need a refresher!

Links and Deadlines

Stoker Awards (Must be HWA member to vote) – deadline for voting on the Preliminary Ballot February 15, 2021

Nebula Award (Must be a SFWA member to nominate and vote) – nominating deadline February 28, 2021

Aurora Awards (Must be a member of CSFFA to list eligible works, nominate, and vote) – deadline to list eligible works February 28, 2021; nominations open March 6, 2021

Hugo Awards (Must be a member of WorldCon 2020 or 2021 to nominate and vote) – nominating deadline March 19, 2021

WSFA Small Press Award (Juried award, but authors, editors, and publishers can submit work for consideration) – deadline to submit work for consideration March 31, 2021

Locus Award (Anyone can vote) – voting deadline April 15, 2021

World Fantasy Award (Must be a member of World Fantasy Convention to vote) – deadline to submit works for consideration (membership not required for this stage) – June 1, 2021

British Fantasy Society Awards (Must be a member of the British Fantasy Society or member of FantasyCon) – deadlines TBD

Award Eligibility

This list contains eligibility posts from authors, editors, artists, and publications, listing award-eligible work published in 2020. Wherever possible, I will note authors who are also eligible for the Astounding Award for Best New Writer with an *.

Reading by Jean-Pierre Prudhon
Aikawa, Eisuke*
Alexander, Phoenix
Allen, B. Morris
Allen, Mike (includes Mythic Delirium Publishing)
Anderson, G.V.
Apparition Literary Magazine
Astounding Award Eligibility List
Atthis Arts
Baltazar, Jason
Barb, Patrick
Barlow, Devan
Barsukov, Yaroslav
Barton, Phoebe
Bell, Helena
Best Editor Short Form Eligibility List (compiled by File770)
Bhatia, Gautam*
Boden, Derrick
Broaddus, Maurice
Brothers, Laurence Raphael
Bryski, K.T.
Buchanan, Andi
Buhlert, Cora
Burgis, Stephanie
Campbell, Lisbeth
Campbell, Rebecca
Casson, H.E.
Cerridwen, Minerva
Chan, L.
Chase-Young, Jordan
Chen, Mike
Chng, Joyce
Cho, Zen
Choi, Charles Q.
Chong, May
Chronister, Kay
Cipri, Nino (includes recommended works as well)
Clarke, Chandra
Claybourne, Z.Z.
Cooney, C.S.E.
Cossmass Infinities
Crighton, Katherine
Criley, Marc
Crilly, Brandon
Cuinn, Carrie
Daley, Ray
Das, Indra (includes recommended reading as well).
Datlow, Ellen
Dawson, J.R.
de Bodard, Aliette (included recommended reading)
Deng, Ashley
Deonn, Tracy*
Diabolical Plots
Divya, S.B.
Dominion: An Anthology of Speculative Fiction from Africa and the African Diaspora
Dong, Maria
Young Woman Reading PaintingDonohue, Jennifer
Dorós, Vraiux*
Doyle, Aidan
Duckett, Katharine
Duckworth, Jonathan Louis
Dudak, Andy
Duerr, Laura
Duncan, R.K.
Ekpeki, Oghenechovwe Donald
Engstrom, Doug
Evans, Louis*
Farrenkopf, Corey
Ferreria, Illmani*
Fitzwarer, A.J.
Fiyah
Fogg, Vanessa
Fusion Fragment
Gailey, Sarah
Gale, Ephiny (includes recommended reading)
Garcia, R.S.A.
Gibbon, Emma J.
Gidney, Craig Laurence
Ginther, Chadwick
Glitchy Pancakes Podcast
Gray, Lora
Greathouse, J.T.
Greenblatt, A.T.
Greene, R.W.W.
Grimmer, Mika*
Gunnell Lee, Eileen
Ha, Thomas
Haber, Elad
Hansen, Essa*
Harlen, Leigh
Haskins, Maria
Heartfield, Kate
Heijndermans, Joachim
Heike, Sylvia
Hernandez, Carlos
Hilton, Alicia
Holborn, Stark
Howell, A.P.
Hugo Eligibility Database (lists eligible work by category, crowdsourced, anyone can add work to the list)
Reading Girl PaintingHudak, Jennifer
Hudson, Andrew D.
Ize-Iyamu, Osahon
Jain, Sid*
Jo, Jessica
Jones, Rachael K.
Josephs, Anya
Kajifune, Keishi*
Katsuyama, Umiyuri
Katz, Gwen C.
Kelly, Ava
Kelly, Michael
Kemp, Juliet
Kindred, L.P.
King, Scott
Kinney, Benjamin C.
Kiste, Gwendolyn
Knight, Zelda
Kobb, Shawn
Koch, Joanna
Kurella, Jordan
Lakshminarayan, Lavanya
Lavigne, C.J.
Lawless, J.H.R.*
Lee, P.H.
Lemberg, R.B.
Lewis, L.D.
Li, Mina
Lin, Monte
Lingen, Marissa
Little Badger, Darcie
Louzon, Monica
Lu, S. Qiouyi
Luhrs, Natalie
Lundoff, Catherine (includes Queen of Swords Press author eligibility as well.)
MacGriogair, M. Evan
MacNutt, Toby
McCarthy, J.A.W.
Madrigano, Clara
Malik, Usman T.
Manusos, Lyndsie*
Martino, Anna
Miles, Jo
Miller, Lawrence
Mills, Samantha
Mohamed, Premee
Moore, Elisabeth R. *
Moore, L.H.
Moraine, Sunny
Moren, Dan
Myer, Ilana C.
Nayler, Ray
Ndlovu, Yvette Lisa
Neon Hemlock Press
Nerds of a Feather
Neri, Celia
Ness, Mari
Nikel, Wendy
Ning, Leah*
Niskanen, Nina
Nogle, Christi
Novakova, Julie
O’Dell, Claire
Odell, Sandra M.
Ogden, Aimee
Ogrundian, Tobi
Ow, Anya
Dancer ReadingPalmer, Suzanne
Patterson, Irette
Paul, Shari
Payseur, Charles
Petricone, E.A.
Picchi, Amy
Pinsker, Sarah
Piper, Hailey
PodCastle
Prasad, Vina Jie-Min
Pseudopod
Queen of Swords Press
Rajotte, Mary
Rappaport, Jenny Rae
Rambo, Cat
Ratnakar, Arula*
Reynolds, Jeff
Reynolds-Ward, Joyce
Richardson, Endria Isa*
Ring, Lauren*
Roanhorse, Rebecca
Robson, Kelly
Rountree, Josh
Rowat, Frances
Sabin, Jed
Salazar Macia, Malena*
Sanford, Jason
Sand, R.P. *
Sargeant, Lynne
Satifka, Erika
Sayre, A.T.*
Shannon, Adam
Shelby, Jennifer
Siddiqui, Sameem*
Siebert, T.R.
Sjunneson, Elsa
Space Cowboy Books/Jean-Paul L. Garnier
Srivatsa, Prashanth
St. George, Carlie (includes recommended reading and eligibility)
Starling, Caitlin*
Stelliform Press
Strandberg, Mats
Strange Horizons
Sulaiman, Sonia
Takács, Bogi
Tales from the Trunk
Taylor, Jordan
Ten, Kristina
Theodore, R.J.
Theodoridou, Natalia
Thomas, Sheree Renée
Ticknor, M. Elizabeth
Toase, Steve
Tobler, E. Catherine
Tordotcom Publishing
Tordotcom Short Fiction
Treasure, Rebecca E.
Triantafyllou, Eugenia
Tristen, Sienna
Uncanny Magazine
Vance, Marcus
Ventura, Morgan L.
Vilar Madruga, Elaine*
Washington, Kelly
Wasserstein, Izzy
Weimer, Paul
Wells, Martha
White, M. Douglas
Wigmore, Rem
Wijeratne, Yudhanjaya
Wilde, Fran
Williams, Brittany
Wiswell, John
Wolfmoor, Merc Fenn
Yeager Rodriguez, Karlo
Yoachim, Caroline
Yoakeim, Ramez
Zeenah
Zorko, Filip Hajar Drnovšek*

Recommended Reading

Two Women Reading Harunobu PrintThis list includes various year-end round-ups, recommendation posts, favorite reads, and year’s best lists.

Aardvarkian Reviews Year in Books
The Atlantic 15 Best Books of 2020
Carina Bissette Best Books of the Year
Books and Books Favorites of 2020
Book Riot’s Best of 2020
Eric M. Bosarge Top TV Shows of 2020
British Science Fiction Association Long List 2020
Laurence Raphael Brothers Recommended Reading
Alex Brown 2020 Year in Review
Karen Burnham Year in Review 2020
Buzzfeed Best YA Spec Fic of 2020
Buzzfeed Best Books of 2020
M.L. Clark Recommended Reading
Comic Years Top 10 Fantasy Books of the Year
Crime Reads Best Gothic Fiction of 2020
Den of Geek Best Books of 2020
Aidan Doyle Favorite Novels and Novellas of 2020
Andy Duncan Recommended Reading from 2020
Entertainment Weekly 10 Best Books of 2020
The Guardian’s Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Books of 2020
Paula Guran Year in Review 2020
Edward Austin Hall Recommended Reading
Maria Haskins Recommended Reading 2020
Rich Horton Year in Review 2020
Gabino Iglesias Favorite Horror of the Year 2020
iHorror News Top Horror of 2020
Paul Jessup Best Short Fiction of 2020
Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2020
Kirkus Reviews Best Indie Paranormal Books of 2020
Lady Business (Bookgazing) Favorite Short Stories Read in 2020 (note, not all stories are 2020 publications)
John Langan Year in Review 2020
Russell Letson Year in Review 2020
Library Journal Best Horror Books of 2020
Library Journal Best Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books of 2020
The Line-Up Best Horror Books of 2020
Marissa Lingen Recommended Reading
Lit Reactor Best Books of 2020 Part 1 & Part 2 and Part 3
Joe M. McDermott’s Best Books of 2020
Ian Mond Year in Review 2020
Colleen Mondor Year in Review 2020
Mother Horror (Sadie Hartmann) Favorite Horror Anthologies, Collections, and Short Stories of 2020
Nerds of a Feather (Joe) Top 9 Books of 2020
Nerds of a Feather Hugo Recommendations: Fiction Categories
Nerds of a Feather Hugo Recommendations: Visual Categories
Nerds of a Feather Hugo Recommendations: Individual Categories
Nerds of a Feather Hugo Recommendations: Institutional Categories
NPR Favorite Speculative Fiction Books of 2020
NYPL Best Books of 2020
Tim Pratt Year in Review 2020
Quick Sip Reviews Best Short Fiction of 2020
Jenny Rae Rappaport Recommended Reading Thread (Scroll down.)
SFWA Nebula Reading List (SFWA members can add their own recommendations as well.)
Simon and Schuster Best Books of the Year
Sleeps With Monsters/Liz Bourke Best Books of 2020
Graham Sleight 2020 Year in Review
Arley Sorg 2020 Year in Review
Stabby Award Nominees 2020
Stoker Award Recommended Reading List
Jonathan Strahan Year in Review 2020
Table of Contents for the Year’s Best Science Fiction edited by Jonathan Strahan
Strange Horizons Reviewer Recommendations
Stoker Award Preliminary Ballot
Time Magazine’s 100 Must Read Books of 2020
Tor.com Reviewers’ Choice: Best Books of 2020
Tor.com’s Best YA Science Fiction Fantasy and Horror of 2020
Eugenia Triantafyllou Recommended Reading
Vanity Fair Best Books of 2020
Vox Best Books of 2020
Washington Post Best SFFH of the Year
Westport Library Best of 2020 Staff Picks
John Wiswell Recommended Reading
Caroline Yoachim Recommended Reading
James Yu Recommended Reading
Alvaro Zinos-Amaro Non-Fiction Year in Review 2020

Reviews and Resources

This list includes websites and publications that regularly review speculative fiction/media, along with publishing other speculative fiction-relevant content. Not all of the work reviewed or discussed will necessarily be award eligible in 2020, but they can be a useful resource/starting place for finding work. (Note, some links go to a specific instance of a monthly column with multiple installations.)

It’s a Jumble/Vanessa Fogg Reviews
Kirkus
Lady Business/Short Business
Locus Magazine
Maria Haskins Monthly Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Horror Short Fiction Round-Up
A.P. Howell Recommendation Thread
Quick Sip Reviews
Shiny Shorts (reviews by yours truly)
Strange Horizons/Short Fiction Treasures Quarterly
The Book Smugglers
The Coil Magazine/Reviews and Weekly Indie Reading Recommendation Round-Ups
Vernacular Books/Paul Jessup’s Monthly Short Fiction Round-Up

Images

All images in this post are COZero/No Rights Reserved images drawn from various museum collections. In order, they are:

Interrupted Reading, Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, 1870, Art Institute of Chicago

Reading, Pierre-Paul Prud’hon, 1822, Art Institute of Chicago

Young  Woman Reading, Alexandre-Louis-Marie Charpentier, 1896, Cleveland Museum of Art
Just a Couple of Girls, Henry Wilson Watrous, 1915, Brooklyn Museum
Dancer Reading, Charles Felix Gir, Date Unknown, Brooklyn Museum
Two Young Women Reading, Suzuki Harunobu, 1767, Art Institute of Chicago

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