Editorial
APPROACHING A MILESTONE
By Emily Hockaday
For the last issue of our 2026 calendar year, I’d like to look ahead to the future, while sharing some news from within our Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine family.
In December 2025, Sheila Williams, editor of this magazine for twenty-two years, experienced a health setback and is still in recovery and focused on getting better. I’m sure you’ve all noticed Sheila’s absence here in the editorial page.
I’ve had the privilege of working with Sheila for the past sixteen years. She discovered countless incredible talents in the slush pile over that time, shepherded students into the genre with the undergraduate award alongside Rick Wilber, and curated each issue with care and attention, always keeping in mind what you, our readers, wanted to see in these pages. Sheila lovingly prepared numerous anthologies in her time with the magazines, and worked her way up, occupying almost every editorial spot on the masthead at one time or another!
Sheila always said that this was her dream job and she was lucky to forge a career in the science fiction short story field. Her love of storytelling and imagination and future speculation shines through in every installment, and her philosophy background leant an advantage when considering revisions and story selection. I know we have all raptly read each bouquet of tales she prepared for us, and I’m particularly grateful to have had an insider view on much of the decision making and editorial preparation involved in this position. She was truly excited about every story to appear in these pages.
Sheila was and is a devoted advocate for the magazine, its readers, and the authors published within. She takes her role as a platformer and community figure seriously and has always been generous with her time and advice for other editors, up-and-coming authors, readers, and anyone who cared to reach out.
Personally, Sheila has been a shining example of impeccable editorial taste and talent. I’ve learned so much from her—tricks for reading submissions, how to advocate for our writers—and how to self-advocate, too!—balancing the thought and time and energy that goes into the revision process, and when it’s right to take a beat. (Something I think we all can revisit now and then!) So much of what makes me the editor I am is Sheila and her mentorship, and it is my sincere hope that we’ll be able to work together in the future. (In fact, we have a coedited 50th Anniversary anthology cooking!)
Those of you keeping count will know that 2027 marks our fiftieth year. I have a lot of fun things instore for you, including spot illustrations, a throw-back logo, retrospective articles, and authors familiar and new!
In all my time with Asimov’s, we never included interior illustrations. There were reasons for that change, and they are all valid, but as art is part of our storied history, I’m bringing spot illustrations back for one year only as a special fiftieth anniversary feature. I’ve already seen a number of the pieces, and our incredible artists will not disappoint you!
We’ll also have guests dear to the magazine reflecting on editors past and the different tenures of Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine. There is a lot of heart and humor in these reminiscences, and I think you’ll enjoy the peek behind the scenes.
I can’t tease everything on the schedule, but I’d like to mention a few highlights. We have an upcoming short novel from none other than James Patrick Kelly, featuring beloved PI Fay Hardaway. There’s a brand new novella from Elizabeth Bear with intrigue and drama galore. John Richard Trtek will be appearing with a substantial alternate history take on Edgar Allen Poe and the science fiction field—I have a feeling the literary anachronisms will be fun for our readers to spot (and maybe nitpick!). We’ll also see new fiction from Ian Creasey, Michèle Laframboise, Ian MacLeod, Ray Nayler, Sarina Dorie, and more.
Before I use up all of my “Next Issue” material, I’ll leave it here—but do watch our social media and these pages for information on our official 50th Anniversary reading to take place in April of 2027 in the New York metro area. We’ll have authors reading from the pages of the extra-stuffed March/April issue.
I’ll keep you abreast of all of our anniversary news and events—we’re in for an exciting year, and I can’t wait to celebrate with all of you!