TEXAS IN 2013, Reno, and the Hugo Ballot

As anyone who follows this blog knows, we are supporters of the TEXAS in 2013 Worldcon bid to bring the World Science Fiction Convention to San Antonio over Labor Day weekend of 2013. To do that, San Antonio must be chosen by the members of the 2011 World Science Fiction Convention. The WorldCon is a travelling convention, hosted by different cities each year. The 2011 convention takes place in August in Reno, NV.

You can be a part of the vote for San Antonio and, the best part, voting now will help you get your membership at the lowest possible price. To participate, you must be a member of the Reno convention. You can get a supporting membership for $50 online from the Renovation SF website or you can download this PDF form and pay by mail.

I hear those hearts stopping tight now. $50!!!! But you get something for your money. For your membership, you get to vote for the Hugo Awards (the annual Science Fiction Achievement Awards.) And you get electronic copies most of the nominees. That includes six novels (BLACKOUT and ALL CLEAR by Connie Willis, THE DERVISH HOUSE by Ian McDonald, CRYOBURN by Lois McMaster Bujold, FEED by Mira Grant, and THE HUNDRED THOUSAND KINGDOMS by N. K. Jimisen) and all the nominated short fiction (five novellas, five novelettes, and four short stories). There are galleries of art by the fan artist and pro artist nominees (including Mission Unknown’s John Picacio). There are graphic novels from the nominees including Bill Willingham’s FABLES series. There are writings from the John W. Campbell Award nominees for Best New Writer including Lev Grossman’s novel THE MAGICIANS. In the Best Related Work you get two full volumes THE BUSINESS OF SCIENCE FICTION by Mike Resnick and Barry N. Malzberg and CHICKS DIG TIMELORDS edited by Lynne M. Thomas and Tara O’Shea as well as links to the entire WRITING EXCUSES, SEASON 4 by Brandon Sanderson, Jordan Sanderson, Howard Tayler and Dan Wells. That’s a lot of stuff. Essentially what you do not get are the Dramatic Presentation pieces (long or short form). All that for your $50. Plus they send you the program book from the convention and their undying love. All that is available until July 31 when the voting ends and the files go away.

At the time that you vote, you can also do site selection (that means voting for TEXAS in 2013. The fee for that is $60 and it gets you an automatic supporting membership in the SA convention which can be converted to attending. The voting fee applies toward your conversion to attending to make things better.

Now, if you do not want to pay it all out now, you have options. Pay in July and get the Hugo voter packet and vote. Complete the site selection ballot (at http://renosf.org/downloads/2013-site-ballot.pdf) and get it with your check to me before I leave for Reno and I will personally take it there and get it processed. You get the credit and hold off the payment until August. Simple. If you want to do it that way, drop me a line at scott@scottacupp.com before August 10 and we will work it all out. The earlier the better.

So, if you have always wanted to attend the World Science Fiction Convention in San Antonio and you missed the 1997 convention (or, even if you went), you need to get on this right away. There are now less than THREE weeks for you to join and vote. And only five weeks until it all starts to come together.