This week I confirmed that my one publication in 2010 — “Memorial at Copernicus,” in Redstone Science Fiction — did, in fact, make me eligible for the Campbell Award. For folks unfamiliar with Science Fiction and Fantasy awards, the full title is the “John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer.”
One story, of course, is not enough to justify actually being nominated by WorldCon (specifically, Renovation) members. But … since eligibility runs by calendar year, I wonder if I can sell enough stories to have something to show by the time 2011 winds down and my eligibility ends. Probably not at the rate that I write and submit them. And even if everything I sent out got accepted tomorrow, I doubt I would have a great shot at winning.
Still, it’s a delicious irony whenever someone my age is eligible to be the best “new” anything.
And in the end, I don’t want to feel as though I let my eligibility go to waste. So back to the grindstone I go. And to the Post Office, as soon as I print out a couple of manuscripts.
by 
Thanks for the kind words, Mike!
The moderators at the Cambpell Award site confirmed for me that RSF would be a qualifying publication, so you should direct thanks their way.
Thanks again,
G
Gray – Outstanding. We were so glad to receive your story. It is an excellent story and has the philosophical point of view about space travel that we support. I’d be quite interested to know who confirmed that your sale to us counted as qualifying you for the Campbell. That’s actually the first time we seem to have been ‘officially’ recognized as a pro market, Who should we thank? Mike Ray, RSF