“Getting ready to announce now.” That was the DM I received from my writing buddy Margaret Dunlap, who was sitting in the audience when the winners of the Sidewise Award for Alternate History were about to be announced. What seemed like an eternity later, she texted, “And it’s you!!!!” To which I responded eloquently: “What?!!!”
This is an astounding honor. Fortunately, I had some words composed in advance, which my writing buddy Tom Doyle delivered to the assembled alternate history aficionados in Glasgow, Scotland. Here they are:
Wow, receiving this award just might be all the proof I need that alternate time lines really do exist. First of all, I’m grateful to have the support and encouragement of my husband, John. Huge thanks also go to Trevor Quachri, Analog’s extraordinary editor, and Emily Hockaday, its Senior Managing Editor for believing in this story and my work over the years. My thanks also go to those who read earlier drafts, especially Marc Stiegler and Michael Capobianco, as well as the members of the wrongly-named DC Writers Group from Hell.
Having been a judge for a different award, I can appreciate what an undertaking it is. Thank you, Eileen Gunn, Matt Mitrovich, Olav Rokne, Kurt Sidaway, and Steven H Silver. Thank you also to the driving forces behind the Sidewise Award: Steven Silver, Evelyn Leeper, and Robert Schmunk. It is such an honor to be named among the other nominees in both categories: Mark Ciccone, Francis Spufford, Sandra Newman, Josh Weiss, and Harry Turtledove.
Let me urge everyone here and others around the globe to keep reading alternate history. By envisioning different pasts, I dearly hope we will find our way along the path to creating better futures for our world.
One last thing: I want to dedicate this award to Jack Clemons, writer and aerospace engineer on the Apollo Moon Program. He was the first to be captivated by my alternate timeline. Whatever authenticity this story has is due in good measure to his patient and enthusiastic efforts. I dearly wish he could have lived long enough to see this day. Thank you.
In sum, I am quite overwhelmed and might have more to say later.