Nominations for the PULP ARK 2013 Awards are now open and will close at 5 PM CST on January 15th, 2013. The awards are given in conjunction with Pulp Ark, the convention/creators' conference and the official New Pulp Convention to be held in Springdale, AR, April 26-28, 2013! The Awards are given for excellence in the field of Pulp, including books, stories, comic books, magazines, and characters as well as creators.
To determine if a work or creator qualifies for these awards the definition for works that qualify is as follows-New Pulp is fast-paced, plot-oriented storytelling of a linear nature with clearly defined, larger than life protagonists and antagonists, creative descriptions, clever use of turns of phrase and other aspects of writing that add to the intensity and pacing of the story.
Tommy Hancock, Coordinator of Pulp Ark explains something that has become a tradition of the Pulp Ark Awards-adding categories for which awards are given. “There will be one additional award this year added to the Pulp Ark Awards roster. A point that is often debated within fiction circles is just what qualifies as a short story, a novella, and a novel. Usually this argument centers around word length. It has become increasingly apparent that stories that are longer than short, but not quite novel length are a primary part of New Pulp. To that end, Pulp Ark will be adding an award for Best Novella of the Year as of the 2013 awards.”
“For the purposes of the Pulp Ark Awards,” Hancock continued, “A Short Story is any tale consisting of 17,500 words or less. A Novella is any tale consisting of 17,500 words to 40,000 words. A Novel is any work of 40,000 + words. As with all Pulp Ark award categories, these works can be print or in ebook form or both.”
Hancock also states, “We will also give a Lifetime Achievement Award again this year as well. A Ten Person committee selected from well-known Creators in New Pulp currently will decide the recipient of this award. This award is given to someone who has contributed to Pulp, not necessarily just New Pulp, but to the continuation of the interest and promotion of Pulp in all its forms.” Last year’s winner of the Pulp Ark Lifetime Achievement Award was Howard Hopkins.
The only works eligible for the Pulp Ark 2013 Awards are those produced between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2012. Anyone can make a nomination and anyone that makes a nomination will receive a ballot on January 15th, 2013 and voting will be open until 5 PM CST on February 15, 2013. The only people voting in these eleven awards will be those who made a minimum of one nomination. Also, each individual is allowed only ONE NOMINATION PER CATEGORY. A person may nominate someone in all nine categories, but may only nominate once in each category. All nominations are confidential and sources of nominations will not be revealed. All nominations should be mailed to Tommy Hancock at proseproductions@earthlink.net.The categories open for nomination are (in no particular order and this can be cut and pasted for your nominations ballot):
1. Best Novel (This includes E-books as well as print books and length must be 40,000 + words)
2. Best Collection/Anthology (This includes single author story collections and multi author anthologies. This includes E-publications as well as print books)
3. Best short story (this includes stories that appear in short story collections, anthologies, magazines, and e magazines. If from an e-mag, the story must appear on a site identified as an e-magazine, not simply be posted on a site or blog. It includes e-publications as well as traditionally printed works. Length must be 17,500 words or less.)
4. Best Novella (this includes stories that appear in short story collections, anthologies, magazines, and e magazines. If from an e-mag, the story must appear on a site identified as an e-magazine, not simply be posted on a site or blog. It includes e-publications as well as traditionally printed works. Length must be 17,500- 40,000 words)
5. Best Cover Art (This is restricted to prose book publications, including e-books)
6. Best Interior Art (This is restricted to prose book publications, including e-books)
7. Best Pulp Related Comic (This refers to a series, complete run, one shot, etc. This award is for art, writing, and all other work associated with the nominated comics and the winner. This includes e-publications as well. )
8. Best Pulp Magazine (This award is for art, writing, and all other work associated with the nominated comics and the winner. This includes e-publications as well, but the e-publication must be identified as an e-magazine on the site supporting it. )
9. Best Pulp Revival (The Revival nominated must be published within the calendar year of 2012 and relates specifically to characters featured in Pulps when they were originally created. This includes epublications as well.)
10. Best New Character (This must be a character that debuts in a New Pulp work published in 2012. This included e-publications as well)
11. Best Author (This reward refers to the author and any author with work published in 2012 is eligible, including novels, short stories, etc. This includes e-publications as well).
12. Best New Writer (To be nominated, a writer must have been published for the first time in the pulp field in the calendar year of 2012. This includes e-publications as well).
For More information on how to attend Pulp Ark 2013 as Guest, Vendor, or fan, go to www.pulpark.blogspot.com for regular updates!