Emergence

From The Journals Of Candidia Smith-Foster:

"By now reader probably wondering who or what H. post hominem might be. Or (at very least) me. Viewed in that light, introductions are in order: "

Name: Candidia Maria Smith-Foster. Born 11 years ago to Smiths; orphaned six months later; adopted by Dr. and Mrs. Foster-'Daddy' and 'Momma.' Been known as 'Candy' since first breath.

"Homo post hominem is new species, apparently immune to all 'human' disease, plus smarter, stronger, faster, etc., emerging to inherit Earth after H. sapiens eliminated selves in short, efficient bio-nuclear war. Am myself Homo post hominem. Rode out war in Daddy's marvelous shelter, now engaged in walkabout, searching for fellow survivors. Of which reader must be one. . . ."

"Tomorrow morning, though, not now. Tired. Disappointed. Perhaps just bad day: too long, too many expectations. Too much letdown."

"Never mind. Tomorrow is another day-Pollyanna lives!"

The original Emergence novella, Volume I herein, and its sequel, Seeking, Volume II, were published in Analog Science Fiction and Fact magazine. Both earned Nebula Award nominations, Hugo Award nominations, as well as Philip K. Dick Award nominations for best new writer. In addition to those nominations (and coming in second in the final Hugo balloting in 1985), the Emergence novel won the Balticon's Compton Crook Award for best first novel.