MABFAN NEWSLETTER # 30 (October 2001)

Michael A. Burstein's "Friends Across the Net" Newsletter

_SEPTEMBER 11, 2001_

I've hesitated sending out this latest issue of my newsletter, because after the events of September 11th, a lot of things started to seem trivial. Things like Hugo Awards, for example, which just a week before had seemed vitally important. Or fiction writing, around which I've based a lot of my life. Or the mass media in general. Or...well, you get the idea.

However, as a lot of people have reminded us in the past month, life must go on. And a new story of mine has just been published, and I can't ignore that fact and stop sending out newsletters. So, here it is, the latest issue of MABFAN, with three quick pieces of recent writing-related news.

First, though, one bit of personal news, related to the attacks. Basically, I want to assure all of you out there that I'm safe and my whole family is safe. I managed to reach all of them (including the ones in New York City) within the first few hours after the attack, and everyone was fine. And I'd like to thank all those of you who remembered my connections to New York and got in touch with me to make sure I was OK.

May the victims of the attacks, both those who are gone and those still with us, find peace.

_OUT RIGHT NOW_

The December 2001 issue of ANALOG contains my short story "The Great Miracle," a Chanukah allegory. You can find copies of ANALOG in all the usual places. This is a cute story, and I'm pleased with how it turned out.

_AWARD NEWS_

For those of you who haven't heard yet, "Kaddish for the Last Survivor" lost the Hugo Award. (If I had won, I would have sent out a newsletter immediately upon returning from the World Science Fiction Convention.) This is the fourth time I've lost a Hugo Award, and I haven't won it yet. However, I am delighted to note that "Kaddish for the Last Survivor" came in second, placing ahead of stories by some pretty well-respected writers in the field. And there's still a chance for this story to actually win something, as it's on the preliminary ballot for next year's Nebula Award. So we'll see what happens.

_COMING SOON_

"Reflections in Black Granite," a collaboration with Mike Resnick, will appear next year in a hardcover anthology of Vietnam Wall stories. More information as I get it.

_ADMINISTRATIVA_

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-- Michael A. Burstein