Caitlin Rosemarie Thomas, 21, of Champaign, IL, formerly of DeKalb, IL and Hamden, CT, passed away April 17, 2024, due to complications from Aicardi Syndrome. She is survived by her parents, Michael Damian Thomas and Lynne M. Thomas, as well as beloved family and friends across the globe. Caitlin packed as many adventures as possible into her 21 years, including attending numerous science fiction and fantasy conventions (including awards ceremonies) across the United States and Canada, as well as attending live wrestling shows and several trips to Disney and Universal theme parks.
She loved stories.
Caitlin loved science fiction and fantasy audiobooks (especially the books of her science fiction and fantasy uncles and aunts), AEW wrestling, Doctor Who, Star Wars, Disney, and Star Trek. October was her favorite month, both because of her birthday and her penchant for classic horror films. She adored music, particularly female punk bands, Sleater-Kinney, David Bowie, the New Pornographers, Neko Case, and Belle & Sebastian, many of whom she saw live in concert. Caitlin also loved art museums, particularly modern art.
Caitlin loved to laugh, and appreciated silliness and irreverence to the highest degree. Her laugh was infectious, especially when her loved ones were being silly. She had no patience for those who underestimated her. Caitlin was opinionated, and thanks to the efforts of multiple therapists and teachers, she was able to express herself using modified ASL, yes-and-no switches, facial expressions, and movements of her hands. Caitlin loved hearing secrets and gossip, especially about the publishing industry. She was an excellent secret keeper.
Caitlin loved animals, and was always happy to meet them when she got a chance, particularly dogs and reptiles. She adored her cat, Hugo, who liked to ride around on the back of her wheelchair. Her previous cat, Marie, slept routinely at the end of her bed.
Caitlin lived a life entirely without malice—full of joy in everyday things. She was the best of us, and she touched many lives. She loved her people fiercely and unconditionally.
Lynne and Michael are currently plotting with the rest of Team Uncanny, as it is that time of the year. We will be running an Uncanny Magazine Year 11 Kickstarter starting REALLY SOON! Keep watching our social media feeds and our newsletter for more information!
Tremendous news, Space Unicorns!!
Uncanny Magazine is thrilled to announce that Betsy Aoki will be the new Uncanny Magazine Poetry Editor!!! The position was previously held by Chimedum Ohaegbu, who stepped down after Uncanny Magazine Issue 49 to focus on other career opportunities.
Betsy Aoki is a poet, game producer, and graduate of the Clarion West Writers Workshop. A Rhysling Award nominee, she won the Auburn Witness Poetry Prize Honoring Jake Adam York, selected by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Jericho Brown. Her debut poetry collection, Breakpoint, was a National Poetry Series Finalist and winner of the Patricia Bibby First Book Award. Aoki’s speculative fiction and poetry have appeared in: Asimov’s Science Fiction, Translunar Travelers Lounge, The Deadlands, 580 Split, Fantasy Magazine, Fireside Magazine, Strange Horizons, Uncanny Magazine, and anthologized in Climbing Lightly Through Forests (an Ursula K. Le Guin tribute poetry anthology). Learn more at betsyaoki.com.
Betsy is a fabulous writer and editor. We’re certain that she will continue Uncanny’s tradition of publishing gorgeous, passionate poetry that you will love. BETSY WILL BE PHENOMENAL, Space Unicorns!!
Spectacular news, Space Unicorns! “Tantie Merle and the Farmhand 4200” by R.S.A. Garcia won the Best Short Story Nebula Award, and “The Year Without Sunshine” by Naomi Kritzer won the Best Novelette Nebula Award!!! Congratulations to Rhonda, Naomi, and to all of the finalists!
Once again, congratulations to the other two Uncanny Magazine stories that were finalists: “Six Versions of My Brother Found Under the Bridge” by Eugenia Triantafyllou for Best Novelette, and “Bad Doors” by John Wiswell for Best Short Story.
Congratulations to all of the Nebula Award winners and finalists!
The ceremony can be viewed on SFWA’s YouTube channel!
(A very special thanks from the Thomases to SFWA for including Caitlin Thomas in the In Memoriam list and to Naomi Kritzer for dedicating her Nebula Award to Caitlin.)
Fabulous news, Space Unicorns! “The Year Without Sunshine” by Naomi Kritzer is a Best Novelette Locus Award finalist, “One Man’s Treasure” by Sarah Pinsker is a Best Novelette Locus Award finalist, “Six Versions of My Brother Found Under a Bridge” by Eugenia Triantafyllou is a Best Novelette Locus Award finalist, “A Soul in the World” by Charlie Jane Anders is a Best Short Story Locus Award finalist, “How to Raise a Kraken in Your Bathtub” by P. Djèlí Clark is a Best Short Story Locus Award finalist, and “The Mausoleum’s Children” by Aliette de Bodard is a Best Short Story Locus Award finalist! Congratulations to everyone!!! Plus, Uncanny Magazine is a Best Magazine Locus Award finalist, and Lynne M. Thomas & Michael Damian Thomas are a Best Editor Locus Award finalist!
We are so honored!
A huge congratulations to all of the phenomenal finalists!
Wonderful news, Space Unicorns! The 2024 Aurora Awards finalists have been announced, and “A Siren’s Call, A Banshee’s Wail, A Grandmother’s Dream” by Ai Jiang is a finalist for the Best Poem/Song Aurora Award! Congratulations to Ai, and to all of the phenomenal finalists!
From the Aurora Awards website:
This ballot is for works originally done in 2023 by Canadians. The Aurora Awards are nominated by members of the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association. The top five nominated works were selected. Additional works were included where there was a tie for fifth place. An online awards ceremony will be held on Sunday, August 11th, 2024, at 5pm EDT, with hosts Mark Leslie Lefebvre and Liz Anderson.
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Fantastic news, Space Unicorns! The 2023 Shirley Jackson Awards nominees have been announced, and “Six Versions of My Brother Found Under the Bridge” by Eugenia Triantafyllou is a finalist for the Best Novelette Shirley Jackson Award! Congratulations to Eugenia, and to all of the phenomenal finalists!
From the Shirley Jackson Awards website:
Boston, MA (June 2024)—In recognition of the legacy of Shirley Jackson’s writing, and with permission of the author’s estate, The Shirley Jackson Awards, Inc. has been established for outstanding achievement in the literature of psychological suspense, horror, and the dark fantastic.
The Shirley Jackson Awards are voted upon by a jury of professional writers, editors, critics, and academics.
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The 2023 Shirley Jackson Awards will be presented in-person on Saturday, July 13 at 8pm at Readercon 33, Conference on Imaginative Literature, in Quincy, Massachusetts.
And now the contents of Uncanny Magazine Issue 59! Our amazing cover is Lunacy Act 1 by Broci. Our fabulous new fiction includes “Signs of Life” by Sarah Pinsker, “Across the Street” by Greg van Eekhout, “The Midnight Spa” by Sunwoo Jeong, “Wonderland Is a Parking Lot in Revere” by John Chu, “Something Small Enough to Ask For” by AnaMaria Curtis, “Zarghána” by Eleanna Castroianni, and “The Worms that Ate the Universe” by Megan Chee.
Our provocative and compelling essays this month include “Book Clubs with My Imaginary Friends” by Marissa Lingen, “Southern Gothic: Shadows, Superstition, and the Supernatural” by Del Sandeen, “Scalzi on Film: Hollywood Totally Lied to Us About AI: Why Cinematic Cyborgs Are So Much Smarter Than What We Have in the Real World” by John Scalzi, and “It Is a Truth Universally Acknowledged That We Shall Return Once Again to the Regency” by Natania Barron. Our gorgeous and evocative poetry includes “In Dreams, I Cannot Read or Hope” by Terese Mason Pierre, “the city that hunted us” by Natasha King, “syzygy” by Roshani Chokshi, and “In Another World of Living” by Abdulkareem Abdulkareem. Finally, Caroline M. Yoachim interviews Greg van Eekhout and AnaMaria Curtis about their stories.
The Uncanny Magazine Podcast Episode 59A features “Signs of Life” by Sarah Pinsker, as read by Erika Ensign, “In Dreams, I Cannot Read or Hope” by Terese Mason Pierre, as read by Matt Peters, and Lynne M. Thomas interviewing Sarah Pinsker. The Uncanny Magazine Podcast Episode 59B features “Wonderland Is a Parking Lot in Revere” by John Chu, as read by Matt Peters, “syzygy” by Roshani Chokshi, as read by Erika Ensign, and Lynne M. Thomas interviewing John Chu.
As always, we are deeply grateful for your support of Uncanny Magazine. Shine on, Space Unicorns!
© 2024 Uncanny Magazine
