Of all the photos I took during last weekend’s World Fantasy Convention, I’m proudest of this one, snapped of Sofia Samatar after she took the stage during Sunday’s banquet to accept the Best Novel Award for A Stranger in Olondria.

I was proud because the dramatically posed image came out so crisp and clear, even though I was sitting way in the back, in the last row of tables, and using a zoom with no flash, since one wouldn’t have worked at that distance anyway.

But more importantly, I’m proud of Sofia, because she used her time onstage to address the elephant in the room that is the H. P. Lovecraft trophy. (Here’s what she later had to say about the moment.) I was extremely upset there was no panel at the convention devoted to that topic, so after I saw the convention program, and noted the absence of one, I tweeted my disappointment.

When I learned via the official WFC Twitter feed that the programming committee had been instructed by the board not to have a panel, I was even more upset. (more…)