Comments: 1979 was a banner year for women at the World Fantasy Awards. Well, comparatively speaking it was. Yes there were only three women nominated across the categories, and only one award was won by a woman. But the sad fact is that these three nominations and one win served to double the recognition that women had been given during the lifetime of the World Fantasy Awards. It is somewhat depressing to realize that Avram Davidson, by himself, received as many nominations and wins in 1979 as the entire female half of the human race. For Davidson, this was a fantastically successful year, but for women, as usual, they were mostly ignored as the World Fantasy Awards continued their embarrassing run of rampant sexism.
Best Novel
Gloriana by Michael Moorcock
Other Nominees:
The Black Castle by Les Daniels
Night's Master by Tanith Lee
The Sound of Midnight by Charles L. Grant
The Stand by Stephen King
Best Short Fiction
Naples by Avram Davidson
Other Nominees:
A Good Night's Sleep (aka Sleep Well of Nights) by Avram Davidson
Hear Me Now, My Sweet Abbey Rose by Charles L. Grant
The Magic Goes Away by Larry Niven
Within the Walls of Tyre by Michael Bishop
Best Anthology or Collection
Shadows edited by Charles L. Grant
Other Nominees:
Heroes and Horrors by Fritz Leiber
Night Shift by Stephen King
Night Winds by Karl Edward Wagner
The Redward Edward Papers by Avram Davidson
The Year's Best Horror Stories: Series VI edited by Gerald W. Page
Lifetime Achievement
Jorge Luis Borges
Other Nominees:
John Collier
L. Sprague de Camp
H. Warner Munn
John Myers Myers
Manly Wade Wellman
Best Artist
(tie) Alicia Austin
(tie) Dale Enzenbacher
Other Nominees:
Stephen Fabian
Michael Whelan
Special Award, Professional
Edward L. Ferman
Other Nominees:
Donald M. Grant
Special Award, Non-Professional
Donald H. Tuck
Other Nominees:
Paul C. Allen
Pat Cadigan and Arnie Fenner
W. Paul Ganley
Stuart David Schiff
Special Convention Award
Glen Lord
Other Nominees:
None
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Go to subsequent year's nominees: 1980
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