John Wiswell

John Wiswell
Occupation	author
Nationality	American
Genre	Speculative fiction Fantasy Science fiction
Notable awards	Nebula Award for Best Short Story; Nebula Award for Best Novel

John Wiswell is an American science fiction and fantasy author. Since 2020, he has won the Nebula Award and the Locus Award, each twice. He has also been a finalist for the Hugo, British Fantasy, and World Fantasy Awards. His debut fantasy novel, Someone You Can Build a Nest In , was released in April 2024 by DAW Books and Quercus. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

Fiction

Wiswell's short fiction has been characterized as making outlandish and unsettling concepts feel familiar, often overlapping with metaphors for disability, ^[4] while also frequently having a "lighthearted and clever" tone. ^[5] He has written fiction for numerous venues including Nature , Fantasy and Science Fiction , ^[5] Lightspeed , Tor.com, ^[6] the NoSleep Podcast, and Uncanny Magazine .

In 2022, DAW Books acquired the rights to publish Wiswell's first two fantasy novels. ^[1] The debut novel, Someone You Can Build a Nest In, is described as a "creepy, charming monster-slaying sapphic romance — from the perspective of the monster" and was released in spring 2024. ^{[1] [2]}

Awards

Year	Work	Award	Result	Reference
2020	Open House on Haunted Hill	Nebula Award for Best Short Story	Won	[7]
2021		Hugo Award for Best Short Story	Finalist	[8]
		Locus Award for Best Short Story	Finalist	[9]
		World Fantasy Award—Short Fiction	Finalist	[10]
	8-Bit Free Will	British Fantasy Award for Short Fiction	Shortlisted	[11]
	For Lack of a Bed	Nebula Award for Best Short Story	Finalist	[12]
	That Story Isn't the Story	Nebula Award for Best Novelette	Finalist	[12]
2022	For Lack of a Bed	Locus Award for Best Short Story	Finalist	[13]
	That Story Isn't the Story	Hugo Award for Best Novelette	Finalist	[14]
		Locus Award for Best Novelette	Won	[13]
	D.I.Y.	Nebula Award for Best Short Story	Finalist	[15]
2023		Hugo Award for Best Short Story	Finalist	[16]
		Locus Award for Best Short Story	Finalist	[17]
	The Coward Who Stole God's Name		Finalist	[17]
	Bad Doors	Nebula Award for Best Short Story	Finalist	[18]
2024	Someone You Can Build a Nest In	Nebula Award for Best Novel	Won	[19]
2025		Hugo Award for Best Novel	Finalist	[20]
		Locus Award for Best First Novel	Won	[21]

References

1. "Katie Hoffman at DAW Books Acquires World Rights to Two Fantasy Novels by John Wiswell," Astra Publishing House, October 13, 2022.
2. "Books Sold," Locus Magazine, November 2022, page 9.
3. "Spotlight on Anne Perry of Arcadia," Locus Magazine, March 2024
4. Duckett, Katharine (2019-03-13). ""The Tentacle and You" and the Fundamental Weirdness of a Physical World Not Built For Your Form". Tor.com . Retrieved 2021-07-23.
5. "Charles Payseur Reviews Short Fiction: Diabolical Plots, Lightspeed, Fantasy and F&SF" by Charles Payseur, Locus Magazine, July 19, 2022.
6. "2023 Hugo, Astounding, and Lodestar Awards Finalists," Locus Magazine, July 6, 2023.
7. "2020 Nebula Awards Winners". Locus. 5 Jun 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
8. "2021 Hugo, Astounding, and Lodestar Awards Finalists". Locus. 13 Apr 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
9. "2021 Locus Awards Winners". Locus. 26 Jun 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
10. Emmet Asher-Perrin (21 Jul 2021). "Announcing the 2021 World Fantasy Award Finalists". Tor.com . Retrieved 13 May 2025.
11. Andrew Liptak (27 Jun 2021). "Here Are the Finalists for the 2021 British Fantasy Awards". Reactor . Retrieved 13 May 2025.
12. "2021 Nebula Awards Winners". Locus. 21 May 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
13. "2022 Locus Awards Winners". Locus. 25 Jun 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
14. "2022 Hugo, Astounding, and Lodestar Awards Winners". Locus. 4 Sep 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
15. "2022 Nebula Awards Winners". Locus. 14 May 2023. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
16. "2023 Hugo, Astounding, and Lodestar Awards Winners". Locus. 21 Oct 2023. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
17. "2023 Locus Awards Winners". Locus. 24 Jun 2023. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
18. "2023 Nebula Awards Winners". Locus. 8 Jun 2024. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
19. "2024 Nebula Awards Winners". Locus. 7 Jun 2025. Retrieved 8 Jun 2025.
20. "2025 Hugo, Lodestar, and Astounding Awards Winners". Locus. 16 Aug 2025. Retrieved 17 Aug 2025.
21. "2025 Locus Awards Top Ten Finalists". Locus. 2 May 2025. Retrieved 13 May 2025.

External links

• John Wiswell at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database