2015 Nebula Ballot Includes My Story “When Your Child Strays From God”
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America released the ballot for this year’s Nebulas, and I was so pleased that my story “When Your Child Strays From God” is a nominee in the Short Story category! Because wow, what a lineup of wonderful writers who I’m honored to be able to call colleagues. And as the fabulous K. Tempest Bradford points out in this excellent video, it’s a big victory for marginalized voices – 79% of the nominees are NOT straight cis- white men!!
But this nomination is such sweet agony, because while the whole ballot is fantastic, the Short Story category is especially magnificent. As I’ve said elsewhere, Amal El-Mohtar’s “Madeleine” is one of the two best stories of the year (tied with Sadie Bruce’s “Little Girls in Bone Museums”), and Alyssa Wong’s “Hungry Daughters of Starving Mothers,” like everything Alyssa does, has a gorgeous ability to flay the flesh from the human heart.
“When Your Child Strays From God”
Here are what some reviewers had to say:
“… an evangelical Christian pastor’s wife dealing with the sinful rebelliousness of her teenage son… a really cool made up drug that sounds absolutely transformative and I want to try it (along with a few close friends… very close)… Miller excels at blending cool speculative ideas with characters and situations very much grounded in our world.” – i09 Newstand
“It’s kind of unnerving how well the story explores the intricacies of the woman’s relationship with her son, the woman’s own self-image and outlook on life. It would have been easy to make her something of a monster. Or, I guess, it does make her something of a monster, but a very human one, one that is easily recognizable… It’s an amazing story, people, and you need to go out and read it now. Go, go and read and I will find a tissue and probably something to drink. Because damn.” – Charles Payseur, Quick Sip Reviews
“The story hooks us with its humor and then moves into vulnerable territory in order to make its point… moving and lovely.” – Tangent
Posted on: February 22, 2016, by : Sam J. M.
File under: Awards & Anthologies, Blog