written by David Steffen
This year we published the long-awaited Long List Anthology Volume 9, which marked a few milestones in the anthology. The previous 8 volumes were edited by me alone, this one was co-edited by me, Chelle Parker, and Hal Y. Zhang. It also marked the first time that a story in the anthology is eligible itself for the Hugo because it was a new English translation of a story nominated in a different language, for “Heavens Fall” by Lu Qiucha, translated by Hal Y. Zhang. The production for this book took longer than originally anticipated as it originally planned to come out in 2024.
In 2024, we published 24 original stories in Diabolical Plots.
Diabolical Plots opened for general submissions in July. We read almost 1800 submissions and accepted 25 stories from the window. This time there were no big changes to the submission system, but after updating our guidelines and contracts last year to ask writers to commit to not using generative AI, we added commitments that we as the publisher and editors will also not use generative AI for anything, including editing, translating, narrating, or slushreading.
This year, late in the year we lost our dog Mabel to cancer, a year after her diagnosis. We are glad we were able to give her that extra year, most of which was spent in great health and great spirits.
It is never not a busy year in my personal life, but (crossing fingers) we are on the verge of having finished a calendar year without one of our dogs passing away, after losing one both of the prior years. Our dog Mabel had a crappy diagnosis this year, but so far she’s been doing well with treatment.
The rest of this post is award eligibility, suggesting categories for major awards, as well as a full link of stories with teasers.
Magazine/Anthology/Editor/Publisher
Diabolical Plots is eligible in the Hugo Best Semiprozine category or the Locus Magazine category with our team of First Readers as well as our Editors.
David Steffen is eligible as Editor-In-Chief of Diabolical Plots. Editors within this year were Ziv Wities, Hal Y. Zhang, and Amanda Helms. For Hugos there are precedents for nominating and awarding multiple editors of a single publication, so I would ask that if you want to nominate for editors, that you nominate the three of us together.
Diabolical Plots, LLC is eligible for Locus award for Publisher.
The Long List Anthology Volume 9 is eligible for Locus Award for Best Anthology.
Fan Artist
Is cross-stitch eligible for anything? Maybe fan art? LOL probably not. But check out this cross-stitch of Yoda. If you like a ridiculous amount of cross-stitch progress photos, you’re in luck because that is much of the Diabolical Plots Bluesky feed.
Short Stories
Heavens Fall (published in The Long List Anthology Volume 9)
by Lu Qiucha
translated by Hal Y. Zhang
The Year the Sheep God Shattered
by Marissa Lingen
Every year, Suvin’s village lets go its old gods, and casts new ones. It’s not always an easy transition.
The Statue Hunt
by E. Carey Crowder
Two academics indulging a boisterous student treasure hunt stumble across more than they had bargained for.
Application For Continuance: vMingle Restroom Utility (RedemptionMod)
by Ethan Charles Reed
A Virtual Restroom Utility sets out to make tolerable Macy’s date with the customer colloquially known as Irredeemable Narcissist Tim.
In His Image
by R. Haven
A statue, in its crafting, is full of love for its creator, but rather short on understanding.
The Matador and the Labyrinth
by C.C. Finlay
The matador takes to the ring, ready to dance with death and a somewhat disappointing bull.
The Witches Who Drowned
by R.J. Becks
Don’t get too precious about what you can do, and the Navy and police and career academics will let you swim deep enough to hide what’s actually important.
The Unfactory
by Derrick Boden
You clock in, you unmake a bit of reality, you write a tidy little report, you clock out.
The Octopus Dreams of Personhood
by Hannah Yang
An octopus wants to borrow Shun’s body. And why not; it’s not like she’s doing anything with it.
The Rat King Who Wasn’t
by Stephen Granade
The sudden abdication of a rat king leaves his successor angry and his friend worried.
Laser Eyes Ain’t Everything
by Effie Seiberg
Falling space debris changes a lot about your life. You’d think the Superhero Union would understand that.
Irina, Unafraid
by Anna Clark
No one’s really sure what to think, when they find out Irina was augmenting with a fear-inhibitor before she tried to jump through the moon.
Paths, Littlings, and Holy Things
by Somto Ihezue
Olaedo’s not going to let it happen. Not this time. When she felt there were two, she planned her escape.
Please Properly Cage Your Words
by Beth Goder
The fourth wall there, it can make or break Jane’s reality.
The Saint of Arms
by Mason Yeater
What does it matter if you take away everyone else’s weapons, if you cant use one against them?
Will He Speak With Gentle Words?
by A.J. Rocca
When the fisherman brings in the leviathan, it leaves calm seas in its wake and brings strangers to their shore.
Skin as Warp, Blood as Weft
by Lilia Zhang
Zhinü weaves endlessly to forget the man who trapped her in her skin, and all the things he took.
The Glorious Pursuit of Nominal
by Lisa Brideau
A maintanence bot is going to bring its ship’s metrics to the unimaginable glory of 100% nominal.
On the Effects and Efficiency of Birdsong: A Meta-Analysis
by F.T. Berner
Marco’s research on generating power from birdsong is taken too far and too fast.
(Skin)
by Chelsea Sutton
When Estelle dies, her Skin doesn’t. Some people take that better than others.
Resurrection Scars
by Sheila Massie
The ishetim can resurrect her lover, once. Even if she never wanted to come back.
When Eve Chose Us
by Tia Tashiro
On my best friend Eve’s 34th birthday, she decided to join the hivemind.
The Interview
by Tim Hickson
Job interviews are stressful enough, but when you’re applying for the right of personhood, your entire future depends on it.
Our Lady of the Elevator
by Shiwei Zhou
Ahyi is the elevator operator in the apartment building. She always knows what to do, even when things start getting weird.
This Is Not a Space Kidnapping Fantasy
by Priya Sridhar
Fandom is where Vega finds friendship, community, commiseration. But what she really wants is for the rockets to come for her.
