I am a finalist for the Nebula Award for younger readers’ fiction, the Andre Norton Nebula Award, for THE INN AT THE AMETHYST LANTERN, the young adult Lunarpunk science fiction fantasy novel I wrote under my alt pen name, J. Dianne Dotson, and published by Android Press. You can order it from anywhere (Bookshop.org, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Kobo, Waterstones, your local seller, etc.).
Before I had The Phone Call, I never imagined I would type the words “Nebula Award Finalist” in front of my name. Even now, I can’t quite believe it. I’m beyond honored to receive this nomination and I heartily thank everyone who nominated me. Child science fiction and fantasy reader and writer me would be stunned by this news. I’ve read many winners and finalists in my life.
The embargo for the news lifted today and you can watch and read about it HERE. It has been very hard to keep this a secret!
What Are the Nebula Awards?
The Nebula Awards are given yearly by the Science Fiction Writers Association, or SFWA. (Some of us pronounce that “sif-wa”.) The Nebula Awards recognize excellent in writing and other media for science fiction and fantasy. They are given for books and other media published the previous year. You can read all about the history of the Nebula Awards HERE. It’s a fun read!
The First Ever Nebula Award-winning Novel: DUNE
You may have heard of a little thing called DUNE. Considered one of the greatest works of science fiction of all time, Dune by Frank Herbert was awarded the first Nebula Award in 1966 for Best Novel.
What Award Is This?
I am a finalist for the Andre Norton Nebula Award for Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction. This award was created separately from the regular adult novel Nebula to recognize young adult and middle grade fiction. THE INN AT THE AMETHYST LANTERN, for teens to infinity, falls under that category.
You can see all the winners and finalists for the Andre Norton Nebula Award on this page, and scroll over to the following page.
Who Was Andre Norton?
Former Nebula Award Grand Master Andre Norton was a prolific writer. As recounted on the SFWA website, “Andre Alice Norton (born Alice Mary Norton, February 17, 1912 – March 17, 2005) was an American writer of science fiction and fantasy (with some works of historical fiction and contemporary fiction) under the pen names Andre Norton, Andrew North and Allen Weston. She was the first woman to be Gandalf Grand Master of Fantasy, first to be SFWA Grand Master, and first inducted by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame.”
Read more about the remarkable Andre Norton HERE.
Just receiving the nomination for this award humbles and delights me to my core. It’s a fantastic thing, the pinnacle of my writing career.
What Does This Nomination Mean for My Career?
Simply put, this nomination places THE INN AT THE AMETHYST LANTERN, already nominated for the BSFA Award for Younger Readers, in a very special category of books. Being a Nebula Award Finalist also means that I will be quite active in the awards conference and participate in programming this year and likely perpetually.
It will, on a practical note, likely lead to far greater reach for this book. It may also mean that everything else I have written or will ever write in speculative fiction gets a closer look. We shall see!
There is no understating this honor. It signifies a turning point in my career, and it opens opportunities for me.
When and Where Are the Nebula Awards?
This year’s Nebula Conference is from June 6th to June 9th in Pasadena, California. Learn all the details and how to register HERE.
What is THE INN AT THE AMETHYST LANTERN About?
My Nebula Award finalist (!!!) book, THE INN AT THE AMETHYST LANTERN, is published by Android Press. It is a blend of science fiction, fantasy, mystery, adventure, and even bits of horror! Here is the book summary:
Atop a seaside bluff, an ancient lighthouse named the Amethyst Lantern sweeps its violet light across the sea and around the bayside town of Glimmerbight. The citizens do not remember a time in which the Lantern was built. But tales abound of the Inn in its shadow. Long ago, the Inn played host to a wonderous twilight era of a time long passed before the sun’s harsh rays forced humanity to adapt to Night Living. Legend tells that the shuttered Inn still houses a mystic hermit who powers the Lantern, and who may have founded the town itself.
Gentian “Gen” Lightworth and her brother Jas are two teens who live at the edge of the woods beyond which the Inn and the Amethyst Lantern still stands. After their cousin, Mira Celestus, breaks the societal age code by attending the annual Glowworm Ball via magic, something awakens in the Inn. Two giant Luna moths carry an invitation from the Inn addressed to Gen alone, portending that something stirs at the base of the Amethyst Lantern after all. Gen and her friends seek to uncover the truth of the Inn and find that something strange is happening in all the land, that could threaten the pleasant town of Glimmerbight and force Night Living into a more sinister era of darkness, or even worse, to bake in the brilliance of a savage sun.”
Blurb for THE INN AT THE AMETHYST LANTERN
Praise and Reviews for THE INN AT THE AMETHYST LANTERN
“An exciting, adventurous blend of heroism, fantasy, and sci-fi. The originality of the world-building in this charming YA novel is matched by beautiful writing and characters you can’t help loving as though they were friends.” – S. P. Miskowski, author of the Skillute Cycle
“The Inn at The Amethyst Lantern is as beguiling, touching, and luminous as the nocturnal world in which it’s set, containing both a fabulous tale of tomorrow and a dark warning for today.”
—Gareth L. Powell author of Descendant Machine and Embers of War
“Alive with magic, mystery, and mayhem, THE INN AT THE AMETHYST LANTERN, is a heart-pounding adventure you won’t want to miss. With vivid, bright prose, Dotson weaves a story brimming with fantastical details and memorable characters who are given the daunting task of saving the world. Highly recommended!”
— Danika Stone, author of Switchback, All the Feels, and Internet Famous
“J. Dianne Dotson has crafted a magical world young readers can get lost in until dawn. THE INN AT THE AMETHYST LANTERN is a glittering, luminescent mystery adventure that reminds us no matter how dark it gets, we are never truly alone.”
— Kristy Gardner, author of The Stars in Their Eyes and The Darkest Stars
This book review by Kara Dennison really captures perfectly what I set out to do with my novel.
How to Vote for THE INN AT THE AMETHYST LANTERN and Other Nominees
I would be honored for you to vote for my book. Head here to learn how to do just that. Thank you so much!
You can order THE INN AT THE AMETHYST LANTERN from any bookseller in paperback, hardback, or eBook. If you’d like to learn more about all my books and stories, head to my books page.