HWA Dissolves Executive Director Position Amid Series of Controversies - File 770

Put this in a story and nobody would believe it.

Today's first stop in the Catophere for Panzer was at the File 770 site. There are some mystery writers who like to include a little horror here and there in their stories and Panzer likes to keep up on the news about Horror Writers of America (HWA).

 

According to a post at File 770 there's a lot going on at HWA. That includes more than the dissolution of the Executive Director's  position. 

 

Panzer says, "There's more going on there than anybody knew."

 

Note: This is a very long post. Bring a sandwich and a glass of milk to snack on.

 

To read the post tootle over to Horror Writers  

Must Reada Magazines Statement on Changes Made to Standard Contract in Response to SFWA - File 770

You don't want to mess with writers' groups.

Panzer's second stop in the Catosphere today was at the File 770 site. With a little digging in the posts our inquisitive boy found one about the publisher Must Reads Magazines writers contracts.

 

Mike Glyer's post has Must Reads Magazines direct statement about the contract changes made. 

 

Panzer says, "The publisher received similar push-back from mystery writers groups for the contract for their mystery magazines too."

 

Note: This is a long post. You'll need to decide what you want to snack on.

  

To read the post tootle over to SFWA

SFWA Launches, Aborts LLM Tools Nebula Rule Change on Same Day - File 770

What a mess that is.

Today, Panzer found an interesting post at the File 770 site. The post is about writers using LLMs in their writing process.

 

According to Mike Glyer's post, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA) made a new rules announcement, got some writers push-back and re-wrote the rules.

 

Panzer says, "Be sure to read the "Comments" section also."

 

Note:This is a medium length post; but, if you read the "Comments" too, it becomes a long post. You decide what to bring to snack on.

 

To read the post tootle over to SFW.A Nebula 

Seattle Worldcon 2025 ChatGPT Controversy Roundup - File 770

Did they think nobody would care?

Today Panzer was shaken from his kitty bed by loud and unhappy noises coming from the Catosphere. Jumping into the Panzermobile, our brave kitty followed all the uproar to the File 770 site. There he discovered the use of ChatGPT by this year's World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon) was the cause of all the anger.

 

According to the information posted by Mike Glyer, a Worldcon committee used ChatGPT to vet perspective panel members without telling them until after the panels' participants were decided. Near the beginning of the post there's a link to the Worldcon statement about ChatGPT's use. As a result at least one author removed his work from award consideration and some people are asking how to get their membership money refunded.

 

Panzer says, "LLMs, and ChatGPT in particular, are hated by a lot of writers. Remember what happened to NaNoWriMo after their AI statement? Hint: The last nail in the coffin."

 

Note: This is a very long post. You'll need to decide what to bring to snack on.

 

To read the post tootle over to Seattle Worldcon 2025

SFWA: In My House There Are Many Issues - File 770

Watch where you step.

Panzer likes to follow the sci fi and fantasy news, so today he made a trip to the File 770 site. There our inquisitive kitty boy found a post about the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA) and recent problems with resignations and terminations.

 

The post addresses a list of "issues" within the SFWA. One of the first major "issues" discussed is the lack of transparency within the group, probably caused by NDA's. The list is actually very long, so you'll need to read the post to see what's happening.

 

Panzer says, "This post reads like a hot mess in my litter box."

 

Note: This is a quite l-o-n-g post. You will need a pitcher of lemonade or a pot of tea (depending on where you live) and a plate of cookies (biscuits) to snack on while you read this selection.

 

To read the post tootle over to SFWA

Inside the Censorship and Exclusion Mess of the Hugo Awards - Various

 

Back to regular news tonight.

Because a wind storm brought down a tree yesterday and we lost power, Panzer couldn't post the news. To catch up, here's three posts about the 2024 Hugo Awards problems. There are two posts from Publishers Weekly and one from File 770. It's a complicated problem, so it makes more sense if the posts are read in order at the end of this post.

 

Panzer says, "This little kitty didn't know anything about this problem with the Awards, so he has nothing to say about it. He's just reporting these posts that clogged his news feed."

 

Note: You'll need to decide what to snack on while you read these.

 

To read post one tootle over to Resignations

To read post two tootle over to Glasgow Worldcon

To read or download post three (the report) tootle over to Censorship and Exclusion

Ray Bradbury's Home Razed

Not my house too?

Panzer was out in the Catosphere today and nearly lost control of the Panzermobile. Our intrepid kitty explorer couldn't believe the news he read at John King Tarpinian's File 770 site. The home where bestselling writer Ray Bradbury wrote some of his most memorable science fiction stories has been torn down.

Have you ever wondered where the Panzermobile came from? When Panzer was just a kitten (and before his mystery solving days), he developed a love of science fiction stories. One of his favorite SF writers was Ray Bradbury. When our little black kitty learned Mr. Bradbury had advised NASA, that generated an interest in space travel and hence the Panzermobile.

Panzer says, "First the shock of Mr. Bradbury's demise and now this. Humans have no concept of the importance of history."

Warning: This post is long and includes several photos of the building's destruction.

To read the full post, tootle over to Ray Bradbury