The 2011 Hugo Awards nomination period has begun. The Hugos are considered the most prestigious award in science fiction and fantasy literature. Think of them as the Oscars, but for books. Unlike the Oscars, the Hugos are decided by a popular vote of fans from around the world. You can find out more about the awards and their history here.

To be eligible to vote in the Hugos, you need to be a member of the World Science Fiction Society, which is defined by the members of either the previous WorldCon or the upcoming WorldCon. So those of you that attended the WorldCon in Melbourne last year are eligible to vote on this year's Hugos, along with anyone registered for the upcoming WorldCon in Reno. To be eligible to nominate you must be pre-registered (either Supporting or Attending) for the next WorldCon by January 31st. To find out more about how to register for WorldCon and participate in the Hugos, check out their website.

While we certainly wouldn't dream of telling you how to nominate or vote, here are some Wheel of Time related things that are eligible for Hugos that you might consider when filling out your ballot.

Best Novel:

Towers of Midnight by Brandon Sanderson & Robert Jordan

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

Alcatraz Verses the Shattered Lens by Brandon Sanderson

(Of these three novels, I personally consider The Way of Kings to be the more Hugo worthy. Your opinion may differ.)

Best Fan Writer:

Linda Taglieri

Leigh Butler

Best Fanzine:

Dragonmount.com

(There is no Hugo for "Best Fan Website", unfortunately. Jason & I think we fit best in the fanzine category because we serve as a Wheel of Time news portal.)

Also, any of the artists who produced work for the Wheel of Time eBooks published in 2010 would be eligible for the "Best Professional Artist" award. You can see their artwork on Tor.com.

Remember, to be able to participate in nominating, you need to be pre-registered for WorldCon by the end of this month.