Nothing ventured, nothing gained, eh?
When Mitchell Allen nominated me for the “Versatile Blogger Award,” he quipped, “But seriously, I think overall in the scheme of things winning a Versatile Blogger Award is not important. Let’s get our priorities straight. I think we all know what’s really important in life – winning a Hugo.” That got me thinking.
Anyone who knows me at all knows that can be a dangerous thing to get started. As if last year’s Surviving the Blog Contest wasn’t enough, Mitch’s comment gave me a new goal to reach for – winning a Hugo Award. Crazy, right?
A Velvet Gauntlet Full of Steel and Brass
But what’s life without crazy goals and a few “frienemies” to egg you on and challenge you with a little competition? Mitchell and I found ourselves on opposing teams in Surviving the Blog, a “Survivor” style blogging contest that lasted a grueling 10 weeks, so it seems only natural to go for a rematch. I wrote back, “Race you to the Hugo, Boss!” and took off running, gleefully, laughing maniacally, down the back alleys of the Internet, hoping not to get caught by the SFWA’s imposter police.
And lest anyone think I was merely tweaking Mitchell Allen’s nose, I set up this site in order to very publicly toss the gauntlet at him – a gauntlet that I assured him was made of velvet and lined with steel and lots of brass.
Improving the Odds
We invited the marvelous Marian Allen to join us in our quest to reach the Hugo Nebula. And for a year or more, the three of us sailed the stars in our pirate ship – having a lot more fun than competition. Fun remains our focus to this day, and though we put into port for a while, we never really went our separate ways. With a new ship, we’re ready to sail the night skies again in search of our own place among the constellations.
A Re-Launch and a Re-Match
As we re-launch Race to the Hugo Award, we hope that you will join us and enjoy our stories, poems, and notes – serious or silly, we are delighted to share!
Holly Jahangiri
Author & Wielder of the Velvet Gauntlet
