Month: March 2009

Ceara Rose McCaffrey — Gold Key Award Winner!

Ceara Rose McCaffrey — Gold Key Award Winner!

I’ve been sitting on this until we actually had the award in our hands but on Monday my daughter, Ceara, received her official Gold Key Award and Certificate from the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers.  The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are sponsored by many, including Scholastic books (hence the name).

Ceara was one of 1300 winners from a pool of 140,000 entrants.  Past recipients include Robert Redford, Andy Warhol, Sylvia Plath, Joyce Carol Oates, Richard Avedon, and Truman Capote.

Ceara’s mother, Jenna, discovered the awards and encouraged Ceara to enter while the actual entry was composed on Ceara’s aunt Gigi’s computer, proofed up at Dragonhold, sent via courier from the local post office in Ashford (Ireland) with the entry fee being provided by none other than the distinguished Anne McCaffrey herself (they need a US check and I hadn’t brought any with me).

From their website:

We are proud to announce that across the country more than 140,000 works of art and writing were submitted to The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards of 2009 by students in grades 7–12. The Awards are the nation’s longest-running, largest, most prestigious recognition program for creative teenagers in the visual and literary arts.

While the 2009 deadlines are now closed, there will be another contest in 2010 open for Artists and Writers in grades 7–12.  If you are or have any children in those grades, I highly recommend that they consider entering.

The winners of 2008 and previous years are collected in anthologies “The Best Teen Writing of 2008” (2007, 2006, etc.) which are not only great reading but a good start for anyone interested in seeing what makes a winning story.

CondorCon XVI

CondorCon XVI

CondorCon was a lot of fun this year.  As Guest of Honor, I was treated royally by the convention committee.  It was something of a shock to discover myself in the same marvelous suite as GoH that Eric Flint had occupied two years before — when he’d suggested that I write something for Baen’s Universe (I did, “Tribute” it was published in 2008).

I was also delighted to meet Amber Benson (known to many as ‘Tara’ on Buffy the Vampire Slayer).  She was marvelous to meet — we had a chance to chat briefly at dinner — and we discovered that we are both the proud owners of silver 2005 Priuses! (Prii?)  She’s also an author in her own right.

I was also very impressed with Dani and Eytan Kollin — brothers who are collaborators together in their books, starting with The Unincorporated Man.  Eytan and I had a lively discussion of economics — he taught it at the high school level for several years.

I also had the honor of judging the Masquerade this year but I suppose the highlight was touching base once more with the vibrant San Diego science fiction fan and author community.