2003 SFWA Nebula Awards Winners Announced

Posted on April 23, 2004

The Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA) has announced the winners of the 2003 Nebula Awards for best science fiction or fantasy in the following categories:

Best Novel of 2003

The Speed of Dark

Best Novella of 2003 - Coraline by Neil Gaiman (published by HarperCollins 2003)

Best Novelette of 2003 - The Empire of Ice Cream by Jeffrey Ford (published by SCI FICTION at scifi.com 2003)

Best Short Story of 2003 - What I Didn't See by Karen Joy Fowler (published by SCI FICTION at scifi.com 2003)

Best Script - The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Stephen Sinclair & Peter Jackson (New Line Cinema, Dec. 2002)

The Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award was presented to renowned science fiction and fantasy writer Robert Silverberg for lifetime achievement in the field. Silverberg's first short story was published in 1954 and his first novel the next year. He has gone on to become one of the most prolific and successful science fiction writers ever, with over 400 short stories and 74 novels to his name. Along the way, his works have garnered an amazing combined 47 Nebula and Hugo nominations resulting in 5 Nebulas and 4 Hugos. As Isaac Asimov said "Where Silverberg goes today, the rest of science fiction will go tomorrow."

Special "Service to SFWA" awards were given to Ann Crispin and Michael Capobianco in recognition of their many years of volunteer service to the organization. Both have served on numerous committees and as elected officers of SFWA. Currently, Ann Crispin is head of the Writer Beware Committee which helps writers to recognize and avoid literary scams and frauds. Michael Capobianco, a past president of SFWA, is SFWA's liason to the Authors' Coalition and also serves on SFWA's Board of Advisors. An avid amateur astronomer and member of the International Occultation and Timing Association, Capobianco's observations were critical in determining the size and shape of the asteroid 102 Miriam.

The Nebula Awards are voted on, and presented by, active members of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc. Founded as the Science Fiction Writers of America in 1965 by Damon Knight, the organization has over 1,400 members, among them most of the leading writers of science fiction and fantasy.