So if you aren’t familiar with the Parsec Awards-they’ve only been around since 2006-here’s the low down from Parsec’s Site:
Mur Lafferty, Michael R. Mennenga & Tracy Hickman founded The Parsec Awards in 2006 to celebrate Speculative Fiction Podcasting, under the banner of Farpoint Media.
Podcast shows are nominated by fans, and finalists are chosen by a yearly steering committee. Those finalists are then voted on by an independent panel of judges from outside of podcasting. Awards are given in several categories ranging from content to audio quality.
[Kyle's Note: If you're a fan of podcasting and haven't checked out Farpoint Media yet, you're missing out. They are a group of independently produced podcasts (most of which specialize in SciFi and Fantasy) who have come together to form what they call "The Indie Podcast Network." The shows are fun, informative, and just generally some of the best things to happen to my iPod since time began. No joke.]
The winners will be announced during this year’s Dragon*Con in Atlanta, which means this weekend.
Just a few quick words before I plunge you head first into the nominees. First, I have tried to tell you in previous posts how very very good Mur Lafferty and Scott Sigler are. If my yammering on and on about them isn’t enough to convince you, then hopefully the nominations here will be. Between them, they have 8 nominations (Mur: 3 & Scott: 5) this year. If you still aren’t listening to them (assuming their genres are of interest to you) then you’re missing out big time. I’m trying to help you here, I really, really am.
More after the jump…
Secondly, I am torn as to whom I would give the Best Speculative Fiction Story (Novella Form). I’m leaning to Mur Lafferty’s Heaven-Season Four because of how much I love her Heaven series. But there’s a bit of a dark horse in the mix: How to Succeed in Evil. HtSiE follows the story of Edwin Windsor, Evil Efficiency Consultant, a man who makes sure that evil runs smoothly and efficiently. It’s also deliciously good listening. Considering Mur’s outside success, I think I’m rooting for How to Succeed in Evil to take home the prize. This is just one of those categories where I wish everyone could be awarded a prize. Tough competition this year.
So who is up for Speculative Fiction’s biggest podcasting awards? Here are your nominees (if you listen to any of these entries, or if you have others that you enjoy, hit up the comments and let us know about them):
Best Speculative Fiction Story (Short Form)
• Metamor Huntress
• Scott Sigler: error3 reconstruct 
::|:
• Scott Sigler: Red Man
• Scott Sigler: Kissyman
• Variant Frequencies: Delve
Best Speculative Fiction Story (Novella Form)
• The Arwen, Season 2: Ulliam
• Beautiful Red
• Heaven – Season Four: Wasteland
• How to Succeed in Evil
• Scott Sigler: Passenger
• Scott Sigler: Snipe Hunt
Best Speculative Fiction Story (Long Form)
• Billibub Baddings and the Case of the Singing Sword
• J.C. Hutchins’ 7th Son: Destruction (Current Shows)
• Full Share
• Playing for Keeps
• South Coast
Best Speculative Fiction Audio Drama (Short Form including Independents)
• Decoder Ring Theatre
• Maudelayne – BrokenSea
• Outlaw, The Thriller Miniseries
• Space Casey
• Star Trek: Unity
Best Speculative Fiction Audio Drama (Long Form including Independents)
• Billibub Baddings and the Case of the Singing Sword
• Once Upon a Time in Vegas – Pendant Productions
• The Radio Adventures Of Dr. Floyd
• Ulysses Galactic Guides and Bounties Inc – BrokenSea
• Wormwood: A Serialized Mystery
Best Speculative Fiction Video Podcast
• Calls for Cthulhu
• Moron Life: The Vaudcast (Sketch Comedy)
• Stranger Things TV
• Space Adventure
Best Speculative Fiction Magazine or Anthology Podcast
• Decoder Ring Theatre
• Hall of Mirrors: Tales of Horror and the Grotesque
• The Metamor City Podcast
• Variant Frequencies
• Well Told Tales
Best Speculative Fiction Comedy/Parody Podcast
• A Different Point of View
• Calls for Cthulhu
• Geek Survival Guide
• Short Cummings Audio
• Space Casey
Best Speculative Fiction Fan Podcast
• A Different Point of View
• Doctor Who: Tin Dog Podcast: Torchwood
• Galactica Quorum
• The GeekSpin
• The Signal
Best Speculative Fiction News Podcast
• Geek Radio Daily
• PodCulture
• Skepticality – Science and Revolutionary Ideas
• Slice of SciFi
• Television Zombies
Best Writing-related Podcast
• Adventures in Scifi Publishing
• I Should Be Writing
• The ScapeCast
• The Survival Guide to Writing Fantasy
• Tale Chasing
Best “Infotainment” Cast
• The GeekSpin
• Geologic Podcast
• Podculture
• The Signal
• The Weird Show
Best Gaming Podcast
• Brilliant Gameologists
• CoH Podcast
• Family Night
• The Game Kennel
• Out of Character
• WoW Radio : Octale and Hordak vs The World
So there you have it. I urge you to check at least some of these productions out! You’ll be rewarded with what you find. Now, if you need me, I’ll be filling up my iPod…
