Spoonie Authors Network Annual Report
Editor’s note: This article has been updated to include the 2019 achievements of authors Robin Elizabeth and Rachel Marie.
WHEW! What a year! Once again, I apologize for the gaps in posting articles, but I had a great reason. (I was busy co-editing a fabulous anthology and preparing for the release of my second novel!)
It’s still so amazing to me that this multi-contributor blog has been running for just over three years, with more exciting things to come in 2020. Let’s look at what happened in 2019.
New contributors
This year we welcomed these wonderful contributors to the SpAN family. You can click their names to read their bios:
Now what’s cool about having author Dianna Gunn join us is that she’s also going to be the Producer/Director of the Spoonie Authors Podcast in 2020! If you want to be interviewed by Dianna, please check out her calling for writers post!
Published things got published
Many of our contributors published works this year! (If I haven’t listed your work, please let me know in the comments, and I’ll update this post!)
Talia C. Johnson and Cait Gordon co-edited the Nothing Without Us anthology. It’s a collection of 22 multi-genre, own-voices stories where the authors and their protagonists identify as disabled, Deaf, neurodiverse, Spoonie, and/or they manage mental illness. Carolyn Charron’s Knit One, Purl Two, a senior citizen-vampire romance, is included in this anthology. Derek Newman-Stille wrote the foreword and “closed” the anthology with their short story, Charity™.
’Nathan Burgoine wrote yet another charming A Little Village Novella called Faux Ho Ho, a holiday romance with a “fake boyfriend” theme.
Stephen Graham King released the third novel in his fantastic The Maverick Heart Cycle series: A Congress of Ships. Keene and Lexa Blue are now joined by Ember, making for a whole new dynamic of PEW, PEW, PEW! And if you thought one sentient ship (’Vrick) was awesome, just hold onto your hats!
Jamieson Wolf released Love and Lemonade, the third and final novel of his Lemonade series. Join Blaine and his family and friends once again as they navigate through the ups and downs of life while trying to figure out this fascinating little thing called love.
Rachel Marie released her first romance novel, Carefree and Consequences. When Annie May and Lewis share a night on the beach right after highschool, how will their lives change? (This delightful story is set in the 1950s.)
Dianna Gunn published Branding for Fiction Authors: A Workbook for Authors with No Business Experience. This workbook offers “a step-by-step process for creating an authentic author brand so you can build a devoted fan base.”
Cait Gordon released her second book, The Stealth Lovers, a prequel to Life in the ’Cosm and the origin story of Draga warriors Xax Knightly and Viv Tirowen, a duo that is legendary, formidable, and fabulous. Be prepared for equal parts laughing, dreamy sighing, and a moving moment or two.
And the nominees are…
This year the Prix Aurora Awards took place in Ottawa as part of the 2019 Can-Con activities. Four of our SpAN contributors were finalists!
- ’Nathan Burgoine: Best YA novel nominee for Exit Plans for Teenage Freaks.
- Éric Desmarais: Best YA novel nominee for The Sign of Faust
- Jen Desmarais: Best Fan Writing and Publications nominee for The Travelling TARDIS
- Derek Newman-Stille: Best Related Work nominee for We Shall Be Monsters, Best Fan Related Work nominee for Speculating Canada, and Best Fan Writing and Publications nominee for Constructing the Future
Our very own Robin Elizabeth’s The Rabbit Paperweight is on the shortlist for the Dorothy Hewett Award for an Unpublished Manuscript. Read more about this on Robin’s website!
Congratulations, everyone! You’re all winners in my eyes!
Going forward into the new decade
I’m just tickled pink about the upcoming launch of the Spoonie Authors Podcast, produced and directed by Diana Gunn. It’s be another way to connect with authors who identify as disabled, Deaf, neurodiverse, Spoonie, and/or who manage mental illness. Episodes will also be linked to from this website. Stay tuned for details!
In addition to the podcast, the SpAN will still continue to have articles written by Spoonie authors. I am so grateful to every writer who has volunteered their time to share their experiences with us. You teach me so much, and I know you’re reaching out to others as well.
We’re always looking for new contributors, so if you’d like to write for the SpAN, please review our submission guidelines!
Have a wonderful holiday season. I wish you all the good things, including a tonne of spoons in The New Roaring ’20s!
Much love,
Cait Gordon
Editor in Chief
Featured image photo by Candis Hidalgo from Pexels.
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