A Peaks Island author’s novelette has been named a finalist for a prestigious science fiction award.

The finalists for the 2026 Hugo Awards were announced on Tuesday, and “When He Calls Your Name” by Catherynne M. Valente, of Peaks Island, is one of six pieces of writing to make the cut in the “Best Novelette” category.

The piece was published in the July and August 2025 edition of Uncanny Magazine.

“You might think, after 22 years and more than my fair share of ceremonies, it would be old hat and no big deal,” Valente stated in a Substack post on Tuesday. “Not even a little bit true. The first time I saw an email in my inbox saying I’d been nominated for a Hugo I felt like I’d been bodied by a speeding freight train — and the train got me this time, too.”

Though originally from the West Coast, Valente has lived on Peaks Island full time for nearly two decades. She is a New York Times bestselling author who has published 40 works of fiction and poetry.

Over 400 ballots were cast for the best novelette category for 144 nominees.

“All I ever wanted in my life was to write my little stories and have people read them,” Valente said in her post. “What a nomination like this says to me is that the dream happened, and that’s the whole game, for me.”