Deanna Hoak (right) has a lot of fans in the science fiction/fantasy community, even though her name has never appeared on a book jacket. She’s a freelance copyeditor who’s worked over dozens of manuscripts, including nominees for the genre’s biggest prizes. So a group of writers, led by British novelist Paul Cornell, have started a campaign to get Hoak an award at the next World Fantasy Convention this fall, nominating her in a special category for industry professionals.
“Deanna Hoak is one of the unsung heroes of science fiction and fantasy,” says Chris Roberson, in one of many online testimonials, “and it’s high time that people started to sing about her.” Her other champions include high-profile SF writers like China Miéville and Alan Dean Foster, as well as Prometheus Books editorial director Lou Anders. “Thank you all,” Hoak writes on her blog. “I know it’s a huge long shot as a copyeditor, but I’m incredibly happy about it anyway.”