Officially the Princess of the Kingdom of Poison and Flame.: seanan

Officially the Princess of the Kingdom of Poison and Flame.

You guys.

This is so hard to write. I've literally started this post eight times, and deleted it every time, and started over, trying to find the words I want. Words are usually something that I find pretty easy—sometimes too easy, as my tendency to never shut the hell up can testify. Not right now. Right now, the words are very hard. So very hard.

I spent most of this year's WorldCon in a cheerful fugue state, throwing myself into things as hard as I could in order to keep from thinking about the Hugo Awards. Jeanne, Cat, Rob, Liz, Paul, Mondy, Jay, Shannon, John, seriously, thank you so much, because if you hadn't been there, I would probably have spontaneously combusted. As it was, it was occasionally difficult not to ask how people could be so damn calm when the votes were in and there was nothing we could do and why couldn't we just know already?

Sunday, Jeanne, Gretchen, and I descended on Cat's hotel room to get ready for the Hugos. Cat met us at the door, and ordered me to close my eyes. I am a trusting blonde; I closed my eyes. She led me into the main room, and let me open my eyes, to find myself facing a bed covered in tiaras. Covered in tiaras. "Because," she said, "your friends wanted to be sure that no matter what, you went home with a tiara."

You guys.

I love you so much.

Susan came to do our hair. We put on dresses and makeup and nail polish and smiles, like nothing about the night mattered...and to a degree, right then, it didn't. We sang along to "Firebird's Child" and "Ship Full of Monsters," and the Night Kitchen in Seattle filled with people watching the live feed and sending all their love across the sea. We were together, and the world was full of magic, and we went to the reception and drank free champagne and had people tell us how amazing we looked, and it was amazing. (Cat and I managed, totally accidentally, to acquire dresses in basically the same colors. I felt like I should have brought her a corsage.)

Then we went to the actual award ceremony. Cat and I sat in the second row; Gretchen and Jeanne sat right behind us. The order of the evening was "opening speech, video presentation, First Fandom Award, Big Heart Award, Campbell Award." Jay Lake and John Scalzi presented the Campbell. They took the stage together, and explained the tiara, and read the nominees, and I clutched Cat's hand like the audience was an ocean and I was going to go under. Kathryn Daugherty came out, holding the award, name turned toward her so no one could see it. John opened the envelope.

"And the winner of this year's John W. Campbell Award for best new writer is..."

And they said my name.

And I sat there, because the room was spinning and I could taste sounds and they couldn't mean me. And Cat pushed me to my feet, and everyone was clapping, and I walked to the stage while the Buffy: the Vampire Slayer theme played and the room spun and tears made everything blurry, and I just said "Oh my God" over and over again, because there was nothing else in the whole world that I could say. And Kathryn gave me the plaque, and John and Jay gave me hugs, and they put the tiara on my head, and you guys...oh, you guys...

I am the Princess of the Kingdom of Poison and Flame. I am the 2010 Campbell Award winner. I am the first urban fantasist to win the Campbell Award. Because they said my name.

I will be more coherent soon. I will write about my acceptance speech soon. I will stop gasping a little every time I see the tiara soon. But oh, you guys.

I won.

blackic

September 9 2010, 19:09:32 UTC 6 years ago

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WIN! Congrats!

seanan_mcguire

September 11 2010, 00:24:28 UTC 6 years ago

Thank you!

jacylrin

September 9 2010, 19:09:34 UTC 6 years ago

There was MUCH squeeing and Kermit flailing when I got the news. Very well-deserved. And you were right, it was the perfect dress :-)

September 11 2010, 00:24:44 UTC 6 years ago

I know, right?! Best dress ever.

$C: cimorene \o/$

alessandriana

September 9 2010, 19:11:39 UTC 6 years ago

OH MY GOD CONGRATS. That is so incredibly awesome! I actually just teared up a little, because you TOTALLY deserve it. (Possibly this is also because I was up until 2 am last night finishing An Artificial Night, and I always get a little teary when tired, but!) Seriously, looking at the list of nominees, I can't think of a single writer who deserved it more.

September 11 2010, 00:25:49 UTC 6 years ago

Thank you so, so much. Seriously.

I'm still in shock.

aryana_filker

September 9 2010, 19:12:03 UTC 6 years ago

Congratulations!

September 11 2010, 00:26:05 UTC 6 years ago

copperwise

September 9 2010, 19:12:13 UTC 6 years ago

You did. And in the live chat Vixy and I squealed like piglets and then I sat at home and cried. It was awesome and you deserved it. <3

September 11 2010, 00:26:30 UTC 6 years ago

I love that we live in the future, where you could be there with me, even virtually.

controuble

September 9 2010, 19:12:33 UTC 6 years ago

Congrats!
Well and truly deserved because your books are wonderful.

September 11 2010, 00:26:46 UTC 6 years ago

tsgeisel

September 9 2010, 19:14:12 UTC 6 years ago

Worth saying again - Congratulations, and well-deserved!

And if they decide to make you a presenter next year, hopefully you can give it to one of your fellow nominees from *this* year. Because the Bay Area needs to represent, yo.

September 11 2010, 00:27:31 UTC 6 years ago

If they decide to make me a presenter next year, hopefully I can give it to someone wonderful and awesome and game-changing. Hell, we may not know that person yet. My first book came out September of last year, after all...

chelsearoad

September 9 2010, 19:14:48 UTC 6 years ago

Just really really happy for you.

September 11 2010, 00:27:42 UTC 6 years ago

Thank you so much.

wldhrsjen3

September 9 2010, 19:20:18 UTC 6 years ago

Congratulations, Your Highness. :) You totally, totally deserve this.

September 11 2010, 00:27:54 UTC 6 years ago

les121

September 9 2010, 19:21:45 UTC 6 years ago

Congratulations! You deserve it!

September 11 2010, 00:28:22 UTC 6 years ago

Thank you. :)

mephron

September 9 2010, 19:25:00 UTC 6 years ago

Your Majesty.

September 11 2010, 00:34:46 UTC 6 years ago

Rise, Sir Mephron.

6 years ago

herewiss13

September 9 2010, 19:26:15 UTC 6 years ago

Very hearty congratulations indeed. May this be the first of many awards to come!

September 11 2010, 00:35:34 UTC 6 years ago

georgiamagnolia

September 9 2010, 19:26:37 UTC 6 years ago

I'm crying as I read this, for the third time, and I'm NOT EVEN YOU!!!

I (and my bookstore coworkers) are thrilled for you and we can't wait top put up a sign over your books that says Hugo Award Winner!

Congratulations. You deserve all good things and a rain of candy corn.

*hugs*

Not a Hugo - - YET

darcy807

September 9 2010, 20:17:24 UTC 6 years ago

Technically, the Campbell award isn't a Hugo. But hang onto the sign for next year!

ladyqkat

September 9 2010, 19:28:45 UTC 6 years ago

YAY! (Icon says it all.)

September 11 2010, 00:38:39 UTC 6 years ago

Hee. Thank you.

touch_of_ink

September 9 2010, 19:30:36 UTC 6 years ago

You made me cry. At work.

Wonderful!

September 11 2010, 00:38:49 UTC 6 years ago

Thank you.

seabhac_mhor

September 9 2010, 19:31:22 UTC 6 years ago

*adds to the tsunami of congratulations*

I am beyond happy for you as I sit here and grin and cry because the awesome came home to roost in the most perfect place possible - in Australia, with the tiara, on Seanan's head.

I admire you and all those things of yours that have brought you (oh so deservedly) to this point.

May _your_ tiara never tarnish.

September 11 2010, 00:39:24 UTC 6 years ago

My tiara is pretty. Pretty pretty pretty. I must photograph it atop many things, like a pumpkin, and Lilly.

brightlotusmoon

September 9 2010, 19:32:05 UTC 6 years ago

Congratulations, Princess Seanan!!

September 11 2010, 00:39:48 UTC 6 years ago

xanath

September 9 2010, 19:36:31 UTC 6 years ago

{{{{{{{{{{{Seanan}}}}}}}}}}}}}

Congratulations. :D I'm glad you're coming home with that tiara!

September 11 2010, 00:40:14 UTC 6 years ago

peachtess

September 9 2010, 19:36:40 UTC 6 years ago

You have awesome friends. :)

Congratulations on the Campbell award! You deserve it! I wish I could have been there to see it.

September 11 2010, 00:48:00 UTC 6 years ago

ceitfianna

September 9 2010, 19:40:31 UTC 6 years ago

Congratulations!! *confettis*

An Artificial Night is wonderful. I'm reading it during my first week of classes and love going into the amazing world you've created.

September 11 2010, 00:48:59 UTC 6 years ago

annathepiper

September 9 2010, 19:42:30 UTC 6 years ago

Huge, huge congratulations! :D This is something to be enormously proud of!

September 11 2010, 00:49:57 UTC 6 years ago

Thank you. I think so, too.

Deleted comment

September 11 2010, 00:50:28 UTC 6 years ago

I know, right?! Our genre's growing up!

cleothyla

September 9 2010, 19:49:37 UTC 6 years ago

You deserve it, honey!!!! P.S. I want pictures!!!!!!

September 11 2010, 00:51:11 UTC 6 years ago

They will come.

jodimuse

September 9 2010, 19:54:21 UTC 6 years ago

I know TONS of folks have already wished you many congratulations - and I'll toss in mine too. :) But really, Seanan. It's WELL deserved. You put blood and sweat and tears into every book you've ever written and they're all *wonderful*. You should be very proud of what you've accomplished. And keep writing! Because your adoring fans will always want more (I freely confess to being one of them. ;) ). :D Many *hugs*.

September 11 2010, 00:52:36 UTC 6 years ago

I don't think I could stop writing if I wanted to!

Thank you so much.

kshandra

September 9 2010, 20:00:55 UTC 6 years ago

Oh, sweetheart. I'm in tears. I said it once already, but I'll said it again: You earned this. You deserve it. And it is an honor and a privilege to know you, however faintly.

September 11 2010, 00:54:40 UTC 6 years ago

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Officially the Princess of the Kingdom of Poison and Flame.

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Not a Hugo - - YET