2021 SFF - misc

Wrapping up this year's online short sff recommendations! These come from various places - the Locus list, recommendation lists from Quick Sip Reviews and Speculatively Queer, and random recs I came across somewhere.

For Lack of a Bed, John Wiswell, Diabolical Plots. A woman with chronic pain and an unusual magical artifact/creature.

A Minnow, or Perhaps a Colossal Squid, Carlos Hernandez and C.S.E. Cooney, Mermaids Monthly. Transfiguration as debtors' prison. This is neat.

All Worlds Left Behind, Iona Datt Sharma, khōréō. Wow, I loved this. My favorite portal fantasy I've read in awhile.

AP Practical Literary Theory Suggests This Is A Quest (Or: What Danny Did Over Spring Break), Isabel J. Kim, Cast of Wonders. Cute light story about some teenagers who do not want to be on a quest.

So your grandmother is a starship now: a quick guide for the bewildered, Marissa Lingen, Nature. A short cute piece about later-in-life transition of a sort.

Sleep and the Soul, Greg Egan, Asimov's. A railway accident and the development of anesthesia in an alternate-universe 19th century where humans don't sleep. NOVELLA. (Note: this link may not work past nomination season.)

The Case of the Teapot of Enlightenment, Anya Ow, Translunar Travelers Lounge. A detective-priest investigates a missing teapot.

Broken Idols, Guarded Hearts, Elizabeth Loupe, Translunar Travelers Lounge. Two ex-goddesses at a support group, a vaguely Sandman feel. F/F.

Treedom, A.J. Cunder, Metamorphosis. Some kids and a dude who is a tree.

Nine-Tailed Heart, Jessica Cho, khōréō. A breakup and a gumiho. F/F.

Sorry We Missed You!, Aun-Juli Riddle, khōréō. A traveling restaurant spaceship and the intertwining of food, memory, and family.

(I'm excited about khōréō; I didn't read all their 2021 stuff, but they're fundraising right now and I just subscribed.)

The Enchanted Gardener, Jessica Yang. Magical plants and asexuality and ghost grandmas, yay!

Unknown Number, Azure, screenshots on Twitter. A powerful story about alternate selves told in an interesting format.

5:37, A.P. Howell, Translunar Travelers Lounge. The Ring vs an archivist.

You'll Understand When You're a Mom Someday, Isabel J. Kim, khōréō. Motherhood and bargains.

2021 Hugo - other categories

PRO ARTIST:
Kuri Huang covers caught my eye this year.

File770 doesn't seem to have done a big roundup of eligible artists but I went through the recommendations on Renay's Spreadsheet and was struck by Sija Hong (who I also liked last year), Ashley Mackenzie, and Feifei Ruan. I think I like Alyssa Winans' newest stuff more than her packet samples last year? And it's always tempting to keep nominating Galen Dara in hopes that she'll win it some day.

ASTOUNDING:
A.K. Larkwood is eligible again. The Unspoken Name sequel came out in February and I haven't read it yet, but I'm excited to vote for her again based on the first one.

Shelley Parker-Chan is first-year eligible.

I went through the list at RSR looking for names I recognized from my short fiction reading, and came up with Isabel J. Kim (one of my favorite stories this year and two others I am also recommending, her website here). Might also nominate Blaze Forbes, who I thought did something very clever in his story for Strange Horizons.

SEMIPROZINE:
Always a fan of Strange Horizons. I did not read everything in khōréō or Translunar Travelers Lounge but khōréō published one of my favorite stories this year and I seem to be into what TTL is doing.

FAN ARTIST:
Obligatory disclaimer that nobody I nominate is ever actually a Hugo-eligible fanartist because they're not doing con brochures or displaying in con art shows. From the Renay spreadsheet, thelatestkate, who does encouraging Tumblr art cartoons, you've probably seen them if you're on Tumblr. Basically Successories for Gen Z but I feel like this should count as Art For Fandom. Also from the Renay spreadsheet, I'm not sure why Francesca Resta is a Fan rather than a Pro but her stuff is cool. Ladybusiness recommended Yutaan, whose amazing cut-paper art I've been following on Tumblr for a long time.