The Baltimore Science Fiction Society has announced that the novel “Updraft” by Fran Wilde is the winner of the 2016 Compton Crook Award. Updraft was published September 1, 2015 by Tor Books. A check for $1000.00 and a commemorative plaque will be presented to Ms Wilde at 8:00 pm on Friday, May 27, 2016, during Balticon 50 Opening Ceremonies. Balticon is the Maryland Regional Science Fiction Convention and we are celebrating the fiftieth Balticon this year.

“An impressive debut by an author who possess both a great voice and knack for world-building, and an ability to show-off those attributes with great skill.” From Rob Bedford’s SFFWorld review (full review here).

The Compton Crook Award is presented by the members of the Baltimore Science Fiction Society for the best first novel in the genre published during the previous year. The Award is named in memory of Towson State College Professor of Natural Sciences Compton Crook, who wrote under the name Stephen Tall, and who died in 1981. The award has been presented since 1983 and is also known as the Compton Crook/Stephen Tall Award.

More information about Fran Wilde can be found at her website and for more information about the Compton Crook Award and the Baltimore Science Fiction Society and Balticon is available at http://www.bsfs.org

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