The funny thing is that I knew Martin as a Sci Fi writer decades ago. (not personally…knew OF, I should say) and when someone recommended I read ASOIAF I put it off for years because I was a) avoiding epic Fantasy and b) couldn’t get past the idea of a Sci Fi writer doing EF. I still won’t read any EF glfrom Harlan Ellison, for instance. Assuming he writes any.

I, too, miss Omni.

And I’ve labored through all the Game of Thrones books. I’m not sure why I keep doing that to myself, but I guess at this point, I want to know who the last person standing is going to be and who will wind up with the throne. Kind of a sadistic reason, I guess.

I actually like Martin better as a sci-fi writer than a fantasy writer. I got a book and a half into the Thrones series and quit because it felt so depressing and tedious.

Sandkings won both the Hugo and Nebula for a novelette, too. It’s surprisingly good for its time, and I remember seeing Game of Thrones and thinking, “Oh, it’s the sandkings guy.” It seemed like the late sixties to the early eighties had an abundance of great short SF, and Sandkings was one of them. I’ve heard of the Tuf series, but haven’t read it.

I also agree that some people jumped to the wrong conclusion about your post. I can understand their fear that the accomplishments of their friends who have won or are in nomination for a Christy might be diminished, but the focus of their ire should have been directed at the Christy committee’s obliviousness to the implications of how they were doing business rather than at you for pointing it out. I did see a lot of comments supporting your position.

Once emotions come into play, it’s hard to continue a rational discussion, which is why I posted my perspective here, besides the extra length I needed to break out all the issues.

Mr. Gerke has a vested interest in the legitimacy of the Christys because, despite his insistence that it’s had little financial impact on his company, his success at the Christys has boosted his reputation within the Christian publishing community as the premier small-independent and provided a foot in the door with booksellers. He has two authors nominated for the award this year. It’s natural he’d come to the defense of the award and his writers, though he would have served his position better by simply debating your argument on its merits rather than veering into an attack on what he presumed was your motive.

His comments also indicated that he *is* unhappy with the structure of the award, and he admits it was designed around a purpose that is no longer relevant–the Christys are established and well-known, and the major publishers are on board. There’s no need to keep kickstarting a program that’s been running for years.

Nor was it intended to be a slap in the face.

Nor was it intended to invite patronizing comments on my own blog or backbiting comments on other blogs.

Any reading of the comment thread will show that the contention came about when Jeff Gerke reframed my words as an attack on his nominated authors and argued against that false premise.

I am appalled at the way I have been repeatedly mischaracterised as you all have circled the wagons.

I am utterly relieved that I do not wrote and no longer work in this space.