In this chapter, we learn that the novel's protagonist has won the coveted prize for the best new novelist in the country. This is a big deal, since the novel is set in the present, and it's the first time that the protagonist has ever won the prize. He's also the first person in the novel to win the prize, which means that he's been nominated for a lot of literary awards, including the Hugo, the Norton, and even the Premio de Justicias. Plus, he has won a bunch of other awards, too, like the Governor's Literary Award and the Governor of the State Literary Award. He also has a new book deal with a major publisher, which makes him even more of a celebrity. He and his friends are psyched about all the new awards they've just won. They're also psyched about the fact that they're going to be in the running for the Hugo and the Norton.