Amal El-Mohtar has a very sweet post about what it was like to get “The Phone Call” that her story “The Green Book” was nominated for a Nebula. I got to be the one who called her. She was adorable. It is one of the things I love most about working with SFWA is getting to be one of the people who make those calls.
Let me tell you, an astonishing number of writers lose their use of language.
Go read Voices on the Midnight Air – Nebula Nomination: The Phone Call. I think she really captures exactly what that moment is like.
Why do we call people? Two reasons: The practical is in case someone wants to decline a nomination — which does happen. The one I think is more important is so that someone can share that moment and prolong it. With an email, you get it and have the wave of disbelief, but unless someone is in the room with you, that moment is very transitory. You already shift into how you are going to tell someone else your exciting news.
But a phone call. Back when I performing regularly, I got a phone call from the president of UNIMA-USA (the American Branch of the international puppeteers organization) to let me know that we’d received a Citation of Excellence for one of our shows.
I had the exact loss of language that Amal describes but there was someone there to bear witness and let me expand the sheer joy into the world.
So, I was very happy to be able to call Amal and let her have that moment.
Haha, always great to be that messenger!
Since we don’t have this on tape (as opposed to “congrats, you are caller 21!”), it will be an even more special memory between you two.
By making phone calls, you also make it harder for me and the thousands of emails I send out every year telling people they’ve been nominated. It’s almost as though you’re against cruelty.
It’s all done to thwart you.
So, if you called Amal, who called you? Or did you miss out on that experience?
No call for me. ::sadness::