Compton Crook Award

The Compton Crook Award is presented by the Baltimore Science Fiction Society (BSFS) to the year's best English language debut novel in the science fiction, fantasy, or horror genres, as voted by its members. BSFS confers the award at their annual science fiction convention, Balticon, held in Baltimore on Memorial Day weekend. The award, also known as the Compton Crook/Stephen Tall Award, has been presented since 1983.[1][2][3] Compton Crook, who wrote under the name of Stephen Tall, was a long-time Baltimore resident, Towson University professor, and science fiction author who died in 1981.

The list of eligible books is published in the monthly newsletter so that all club members will have a chance to read and vote. The winning author receives a cash award of $1,000 as well as a plaque, and their Balticon attendance is sponsored for two years; in the second year, the author presents the award to their successor. The invitation to Balticon is intended in part as a professional networking opportunity for the new author.[4]

  1. ^ "Compton Crook Award". Fancyclopedia. August 17, 2017. Archived from the original on August 18, 2017. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
  2. ^ "Compton Crook Award". Science Fiction Awards Watch. August 20, 2007. Archived from the original on July 7, 2012. Retrieved June 25, 2012.
  3. ^ David Langford (15 April 2020). "Compton Crook/Stephen Tall Memorial Award". In John Clute, David Langford (ed.). The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction. SFE/Ansible. Archived from the original on 27 April 2022. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  4. ^ Thompson, Maria; Lubell, Sam. "40TH Anniversary Compton Crook/Stephen Tall Memorial Award" (PDF). Baltimore Science Fiction Society.