Photo: Rina Weisman

Our feelings toward Peter are well known and it is with great joy and honor that we share this announcement from the SFWA.

The Science Fiction
and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) is pleased to announce that
Peter S. Beagle has been named the 34th Damon Knight Grand Master for
his contributions to the literature of Science Fiction and Fantasy.

The Damon Knight
Memorial Grand Master Award is given by SFWA for “lifetime
achievement in science fiction and/or fantasy.” Beagle joins the
Grand Master ranks alongside such legends as C. J. Cherryh, Anne
McCaffrey, Ursula K. LeGuin, Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, and Joe
Haldeman. The award will be presented at the 52nd Annual Nebula
Awards Weekend in Pittsburgh, PA, May 17-20, 2018.

Beagle may be best
known for his novel The Last Unicorn, and has also explored our
fascination with the mythical in The Innkeeper’s Song, A Fine and
Private Place, and a wide variety of short fiction. Beagle won the
Hugo and the Nebula Award for his 2005 novelette “Two Hearts.” He
has won the Mythopoeic Award for his novels The Folk of the Air and
Tamsin. He was nominated for a Hugo for his adaptation of  J.R.R.
Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings for Ralph Bakshi’s animated
version and wrote the screenplay for the Star Trek: The Next
Generation episode “Sarek.”

SFWA PRESIDENT, CAT
RAMBO

Peter Beagle’s work
has been the gateway for multitudes of fantasy readers, but also
writers as well, including myself. His work shines a light on the
human heart and its beauties even when that heart is flawed and
wanting, showing how that beauty arises from such imperfect
conditions. Beagle unquestionably belongs among the greats, and I
count it a privilege to invite him to be the next SFWA Damon Knight
Memorial Grand Master.

​The Nebula Awards
will be presented during the annual SFWA Nebula Conference, which
will run fromMay 17th-20th and feature expert presentations, seminars
and panel discussions on the craft and business of writing, SFWA’s
annual business meeting, and receptions. On May 20th, a mass
autograph session will take place at the Pittsburgh Marriott City
Center and is open to the public. For more information on the
conference, including a link to register, please visit
nebulas.sfwa.org.