“A Sip of Pombé” Places Second, Receives Special Commendation, in the 2018 James White Award

James White Award Logo

My story “A Sip of Pombé” placed second and received a Judges’ Commendation in the 2018 James White Award which, as far as I can tell after obsessively checking the history, has only been awarded twice before.

You can read the formal announcement here, but to save everyone some time, I’ve copied judge Una McCormack’s thoughts about my story below:

“Our world at the moment seems to have turned inwards, away from the stars and the promise of the stars, becoming lost in divisions and threat. ‘A Sip of Pombé’, which concerns an illicit Ugandan mission to Mars, shows us how humanity can be audacious and strive towards a better future. It reminds us that if we are to have such a future, it must be found together. A fine story within an excellent set of short stories.”