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2020 Awards Eligibility Post, Science Fiction Novelette Category, “Muzik Man” by Wulf Moon

“Muzik Man” by Wulf Moon.   It’s the tale of an android minstrel missionary, sent to save a tone deaf world. And this time, he won’t screw up!

A science fiction novelette published October 13, 2020.

Deep Magic Magazine, Fall 2020  

This PDF of the story kindly permitted by the Deep Magic editor for award season reading.

Click HERE for your FREE PDF copy for your reading pleasure and consideration.

Current Preliminary Awards’ Announcements

Critters 2020 Readers’ Choice Awards:  2500 people from around the world voted during three weeks of polling. On January 16, 2021,  “Muzik Man” won Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Story of 2020!   Wulf Moon won Best Author of 2020.

Nebula Awards: Listed on the 2020 Nebula Reading List for Novelettes and receiving preliminary nominations from SFWA members.

Hugo Awards: No official preliminary nomination/reading lists.

Accolades and reviews:

Tangent Online Starred Review on their 2020 Recommended Reading List: “Moon shows he can masterfully construct a triumphant feel-good finish. Recommended.” 

Goodreads: “Wulf Moon’s “Muzik Man”-I think that story itself might end up being nominated for an award for this year.”-Jeff Wheeler, WSJ bestseller, publisher of Deep Magic.

Posted by a SFWA member: “Muzik Man” by Wulf Moon is without a doubt one of the best stories of the year. Moon weaves pure magic with this heartfelt tale about an android minstrel who wants to help a tone-deaf world. I loved the heck out of the story. It’s quirky, it’s fun, but more importantly, it’s uplifting. After the year we’ve had, it’s exactly what we need.”–Steve Pantazis, award-winning writer

Fan Mail from a Biology Professor: “I found Muzik Man to be as enjoyable as your WOTF winning story….I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Muzik Man will win! I really like how compelling your characters are right away. You breathe such life and voice into them from the first sentence.”–Amy R. Wethington, Professor of Biology at Chowan University and President of Southeastern Writers Association

Critters’ Poll Comments:

Voters’ comments posted for “Muzik Man” in the Critters 2020 Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Story Category:

“This story is a delightful reminder of what passion and love for music can do to save your soul. Mr. Wulf is a talented writer with a great musical ear (as we say in Greece). Well done!”

“Beautiful story! This one made me cry—even the second read through. Moon delivers a powerful story that will stick with you long after you finish reading. Well done!”

“This is an awesome story by Wulf Moon. It’s not only a fun story, but it has a unique message. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry…it’s the best short story I’ve read all year!”

“An amazing story about spreading hope to those who don’t realize they need it. With 2020 being the year that it was, this story is a perfect way to cheer you up and make you smile. I highly recommend it!”

“Muzik Man was exceptionally well-written and entertaining. Wulf Moon shows incredible talent.”

“Muzik Man was the most awesome story I’ve ever read! …. Loved this story!”

Posted to a writers’ forum:

“What must it be like to grow up in a world with so many restrictions? ….
Really packed a punch. The big question he asks gets at the core of who we are as people and what is our purpose in the world. What bigger questions are there?
“This part together with all the rest drives the point home: “What is Empathy? Simply this. Your pain . . . in my heart.” Humans are social animals and yet the Earth has been soaked with blood and tears time and again because of our malice but if we could feel each others pain in our hearts? What a world it would be! And what a time to write a story that addresses this given the pandemic. The civil unrest in many countries, etc.”–BlackInk
Thank you so much for reading and considering “Muzik Man” for nomination in the various science fiction awards for works published in 2020!
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Wulf Moon Wins Four Readers’ Choice Awards in 2019

I suppose I should post something about this on my blog, now that the year is about to end, and a new awards’ season begins. I actually won four readers’ choice awards for 2019. I announced a couple because it’s important to thank the voters and those writers nominated with you who also produced worthy work. However, I never posted how many categories I won. Frankly, I was in shock. It’s not like I’m a famous bestselling writer; I’m not. It’s not like had a huge newsletter fan list; I had none. So I kept quiet. It wasn’t because I was too shy, it was because I was having an “I’m not worthy” moment. Even though I had been writing for over forty years, even though I did accomplish major things in 2019 (like winning the Writers of the Future Contest), I felt that I’m just Wulf Moon, why should anyone care about me and what I did?

And that’s a mistake. We should acknowledge our accomplishments, and when we’ve worked our asses off and dealt with hundreds of rejections and ‘almosts’ and all the other life trials you have to endure to keep believing in your writing, accolades from your peers and fans should be graciously accepted. You did earn them. It’s why people took time from their busy schedules to vote for you and your work. They didn’t have to do it. And they could easily have voted for someone else’s work–there’s a lot of brilliant, beautiful stories and articles being published each year by excellent writers.

So here is what I won in the 2019 Critters Readers’ Choice Awards, where over two thousand readers from around the world voted for their favorites in the various categories in the speculative fiction publishing industry. I am deeply grateful to all those that deemed me worthy.

 

 

  1. Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Short Story: “Super-Duper Moongirl and the Amazing Moon Dawdler” published by Writers of the Future, Vol. 35. Reprinted in Future Science Fiction Digest, Issue 3.

  1. Best Author: Wulf Moon. This one surprised me the most, until someone told me it’s not just about a writer’s stories, it’s about how you are viewed by the writing community and how you give back.

  1. Best Nonfiction Article: “Never Let Go” in the anthology How I Got Published and What I Learned Along the Way by Camden Park Press.

  1. Best Writing Workshop: Wulf Moon’s Super Secrets Writing Workshop.

 

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Wulf Moon Receives 115,000 Listens on the Writers of the Future Podcast!

Would you like to find out why I received 115,000+ listens on the interview with John Goodwin on December 28th for the Writers of the Future Podcast? Perhaps people enjoyed the advice on creating multiple income streams to keep your income boat afloat as you move toward full-time writing. It could have been the announcement of a publisher making an offer on my SUPER SECRETS writing book, which many have been waiting for.  Or it might just have been the encouragement given to aspiring writers to join the Writers of the Future Forum. You decide. And you can! By clicking HERE.

One thing I did speak a good deal about were the Critters Readers’ Choice Awards, where polling goes on for three weeks at the end of every year to honor the best in forty-one publishing related categories. Would you like to find out how it all turned out in the end? Here’s the Writers of the Future press release regarding the many awards won, but may I be the first to say, “Congratulations, Writers of the Future Forum!” Click HERE to read their exciting press release!