Locus: The Magazine of The Science Fiction & Fantasy Field,founded in 1968, is an American magazine published monthly inOakland, California.It is the news organ and trade journal for the English-language science fiction andfantasyfields.[1]It also publishes comprehensive listings of all new books published in the genres (excluding self-published).[2]The magazine also presents the annualLocus Awards.Locus Onlinewas launched in April 1997, as a semi-autonomous web version ofLocus Magazine.
| Editor | Liza Groen Trombi |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Monthly |
| Founded | 1968 |
| Country | United States |
| Based in | Oakland, California |
| Language | English |
| Website | locusmag |
| ISSN | 0047-4959 |
History
editCharles N. Brown,Ed Meskys,and Dave Vanderwerf foundedLocusin 1968 as a newsfanzineto promote the (ultimately successful) bid to host the1971 World Science Fiction ConventioninBoston,Massachusetts. Originally intended to run only until the site-selection vote was taken atSt. Louiscon,the 1969WorldconinSt. Louis, Missouri,Brown decided to continue publishingLocusas amimeographedgeneral science fiction and fantasy newszine.Locussucceeded the monthly newszineScience Fiction Times(formerlyFantasy Times,founded 1941), whenSFTceased publication in 1970. Brown directedLocusas publisher and editor-in-chief for more than 40 years, from 1968 until his death at age 72 in July 2009.[1][3]
Locusannounced that the magazine would continue operations, with then executive editor Liza Groen Trombi succeeding Brown as editor-in-chief in 2009.[4]The magazine is now owned by theLocus Science Fiction Foundation,a501(c)(3)tax-exempt, nonprofit corporation.[5]
- News about the science fiction, fantasy, and horror publishing field—stories about publishers, awards, and conferences—including "The Data File", "People & Publishing" (rights sold, books sold, books resold, books delivered, publishing news, promotions; people news and photos about vacations, weddings, and births), and obituaries
- Interviews with well-known and up-and-coming writers (and sometimes editors and artists), usually two per issue
- Reviews of new and forthcoming books, usually 20–25 per issue, by notable SF critics includingGary K. Wolfe,Faren Miller,Nick Gevers,Jonathan Strahan,Adrienne Martini, Russell Letson, Gwenda Bond, Stefan Dziemanowicz, Carolyn Cushman, Karen Burnham, andRichard Lupoffplus short fiction reviews byGardner Dozoisand Rich Horton[8][9]
- A bimonthly commentary column byCory Doctorow
- Reports from around the world about the SF scenes in various countries
- Listings of US and UK books and magazines published (monthly), bestsellers (monthly), and forthcoming books (every three months)
- Conventionreports, with many photos
- Annual year-in-review coverage, with extensive recommended reading lists and the annual Locus Poll and Survey
- Letters andclassified ads
Locus Online
editLocus Online(founded 1997)[10]is the online component ofLocus Magazine.It publishes news briefs related to the science fiction, fantasy andhorrorpublishing world, along with original reviews and feature articles, and excerpts of articles that appeared in the print edition.[3]Information for Locus Online is compiled and edited by Mark R. Kelly.[11]In 2002, Locus Online won the firstHugo Awardfor Best Web Site.[12]It was nominated again in 2005.[13] In January 2016, longtime short-fiction reviewerLois Tiltonannounced her resignation. She wrote, "Without consulting or informing me, they had begun deleting material they considered negative from my reviews. To me, this is censorship and completely unacceptable."[14]It was later clarified byLocusthat the edits were not intended to be made to work already published, but rather going forward, to future reviews. None of her past columns were changed, she was paid for the unpublished work, and the relationship ended amicably.[15]
Locus Awards
editAwarded annually since 1971, theLocus Awardsare voted on by the readership ofLocusmagazine.[16]Developed initially as a reading list for theHugo Awards,[17]they have since come to be considered a prestigious prize in science fiction, fantasy and horror literature.[18][19]
Science Fiction Awards Database
editKnown previously as the Locus Index to SF Awards, theScience Fiction Awards Database(SFADB) is an index of science fiction, fantasy and horror awards compiled by Mark R. Kelly. It is often more up-to-date than the awards' own websites (according toThe Encyclopedia of Science Fiction),[3]and has received praise from editors and authors of SF.[20][21]
Recognition
editLocushas won many Hugo Awards, first theHugo Award for Best Fanzine,and then in 1984 when the new category "BestSemiprozine"was established. As of 2012[update],Locuswon the award for "Best Fanzine" eight times and for "Best Semiprozine" 22 times during the category's first 29 years. In 2012 "Best Semiprozine" was redefined to exclude all small, independent genre magazines as "professional publications" if they had either "(1) provided at least a quarter the income of any one person or, (2) was owned or published by any entity which provided at least a quarter the income of any of its staff and/or owner."; this includedLocus.[22]There is no longer a "Professional Magazine" Hugo Award; that original category was replaced in 1973 by the current "Best Editor."[3][23]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^abClute, John(September 2, 2009)."Charles N. Brown: Sci-Fi enthusiast and founder of 'Locus' magazine".The Independent.London, England. Obituaries.RetrievedApril 4,2011.
- ^Aversa, Elizabeth. Miller, Cynthia J. Perrault, Anna. Wohlmuth, Sonia Ramirez.Information Resources in the Humanities and the Arts, 6th Edition.p. 161.
- ^abcdeNicholls, Peter;David Langford."Locus".In Clute, John; et al. (eds.).The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction(3rd ed.). Gollancz.RetrievedSeptember 11,2021.
- ^"Charles N. Brown, 1937–2009".Locus Online.July 13, 2009.RetrievedApril 4,2011.
- ^"Working to Promote and Preserve Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror".Locus Science Fiction Foundation.RetrievedMarch 18,2015.
- ^Kleckner Keefe, Karen (September 23, 2011)."Web Crush of the Week: Locus Online".The Booklist Reader.American Library Association.Archived fromthe originalon June 7, 2020.
- ^"About".Locus Magazine.April 21, 2010.RetrievedSeptember 11,2021.
- ^"Staff".Locus Online.RetrievedSeptember 18,2017.
- ^"Index to Locus Magazine".Locus Online.September 6, 2017.RetrievedSeptember 18,2017.
- ^"Locus Online: About the Website".Locus Online.September 5, 2017.Archivedfrom the original on April 17, 2019.
- ^Dozois, Gardner, ed. (July 5, 2011).The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twenty-Eighth Annual Collection.St. Martin's Publishing Group.ISBN9781429983068.
- ^"2002 Hugo Awards".The Hugo Awards.World Science Fiction Society. July 26, 2007.Archivedfrom the original on July 29, 2019.RetrievedMay 2,2010.
- ^"2005 Hugo Awards".The Hugo Awards.World Science Fiction Society. July 24, 2007.Archivedfrom the original on June 29, 2019.RetrievedNovember 25,2019.
- ^Glyer, Mike(January 10, 2016)."Lois Tilton Leaves Locus Online".File 770.
- ^Glyer, Mike (January 11, 2016)."Locus Responds to Tilton Departure".File 770.RetrievedDecember 30,2020.
- ^Langford, David."Locus Award".In Clute, John; et al. (eds.).The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction](3rd ed.). Gollancz.RetrievedSeptember 11,2021.
- ^"Locus Awards".Science Fiction Awards Database.Locus Science Fiction Foundation.RetrievedFebruary 21,2021.
- ^Schaub, Michael (June 26, 2018)."Locus Award winners include N.K. Jemisin, Victor LaValle and John Scalzi".The Los Angeles Times.
- ^Flood, Allison (June 27, 2016)."Locus awards go to Ann Leckie, Naomi Novik and other stars".The Guardian.
- ^"In Praise of.. The Locus Index to Science Fiction Awards".SF Gateway.Orion Publishing Group.March 13, 2013.
- ^Walton, Jo(2018). "Conclusion".An Informal History of the Hugos.Tor Books. p. 571.
- ^"Hugo Award Categories".The Hugo Awards.World Science Fiction Society. Archived fromthe originalon May 7, 2011.RetrievedApril 5,2017.
- ^Langford, David; Peter Nicholls (writer);Cheryl Morgan."Hugo".In Clute, John; et al. (eds.).The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction(3rd ed.). Gollancz.RetrievedSeptember 11,2021.