Because there have been Questions, mostly around the fact that there was no Liaden Universe® novel published in 2021 (ref “fuck cancer”), and therefore how can the series possibly be eligible for the Series Hugo?

We checked with Appropriate Authority, so’s to be sure we weren’t Telling you Wrong, and here’s how it works:

First, you must have been a member of ChiCon8, the 80th World Science Fiction Convention, on or before January 31, 2022 in order to nominate works for the Hugo Ballot.   OR You must have been a member of DisCon III, the 79th WorldCon.

Second, if you meet the above stipulation, you have until March 15 to nominate.  Only members of ChiCon8 may vote on the final ballot.

Third, Specific to the Series Hugo:  The Liaden Universe® is already established as eligible for this award.  That is, there are already (many more than*) 240,000 published words of Liaden Universe® out there in the literary world.

Since we have crossed the eligibility threshold of 240,000 published words in-series, there only needs to be one installment of any length in-series for the Nominating Year — which is 2021.

There were four installments of the Liaden Universe® published in 2021.  I will list them at the end of this posting.  This is important because, when you enter a series into the nomination form, it asks you for a “2021 Example from Series.”  This is where you enter your choice of the four shorter Liaden works that were published in 2021.  Those works are:

SHORT STORY
“Standing Orders,” Derelict, Zombies Need Brains, July 2021 (5,775 words)

NOVELETTE
“From Every Storm a Rainbow,” Baen.com (link to free story) December 2021 (7,957 words)

“Our Lady of Benevolence,” Bread Alone: Adventures in the Liaden Universe® Number 34, Pinbeam Books, November 2021 (14,500 words)

NOVELLA
“Dead Men Dream,” Change State: Adventures in the Liaden Universe® Number 32, Pinbeam Books, March 2021 (19,800 words)

As an aside, all of the works listed above are eligible for Hugo nominations in their own categories.

Everybody good?

Good.

Please do consider nominating the Liaden Universe® as one of your five choices for the Series Hugo.  Please mention the Liaden Universe® in whatever Hugo discussions you may be having.

Why is the series worthy of the Series Hugo?  Well — it’s a good, solid piece of work, if I do say so.  The Liaden Universe® currently includes 23 published novels, and dozens of short stories — closing in on 5 million words.  The very first Liaden Universe® novel, Agent of Change, was published in February 1988.  The twenty-fourth Liaden Universe® novel, Fair Trade, will be published in May 2022.  The series is qualified — perhaps overqualified — for the Series Hugo.

Side reading, for those who are interested:

Wikipedia article here
Locus article here
The Little Series that Could, tor.com
Portland Press Herald