Paul Harland Day 2014

Paul Harland Prijs 2013I waver.

Today was the 2014 Paul Harland Day, a day of unashamedly celebrating speculative fiction in all its facets, and the day the Paul Harland Prize for 2013 was awarded. I was there in my role as judge, having had the honor of reading and rating the 37 stories that had passed the first round. I was there as writer, selling my two Dutch paperback stories (sold half my first batch!). And I was there as a lover of speculative fiction, meeting with friends, seeing Facebook connections for the first time IRL, making new acquaintances.

I spent October, November, and December reading and judging for the Prize, and after I’d finished that gargantuan task I swore I’d never volunteer again, at least not in the next two years.

But now that I’ve been to the Day again, and met all these lovely people, and reveled in the shared love of good fiction, I’m not so sure anymore that I want to pass next time.

(Just like last year, I’ll be posting later on the stories that particularly struck me…)