Yeah, I got into a stupid smack-around on the SFWA ElectionBlog (actually a newsgroup) with one of the SFWA VP candidates, thus showing I have the maturity to lead a major writer’s organization. This is the post where I admit I was a moron for having done it, and make various apologies.

Sigh. Being a grown-up is hard.

Check out other conversations too — lots of interesting topics relating to SFWA, plus a few flamewars to add a special kick.

The Android’s Dream meets The Last Colony, an author copy of which arrived here yesterday. The meeting doesn’t go well.

The cameraperson on this one: Athena. I think her hand-held, cinema verite style adds a certain authenticity, no?

Funny story about getting my author copy. For the last couple of days there were heavy rains, which flooded out the front part of my driveway and part of the road. So I’m sitting here in my office and I get a phone call, and it’s the Fed Ex guy, who tell me he can get up to me. So I walk all the way out to the bottom of my yard, where I have to stop because there’s a drainage gully knee-deep in water between me and the Fed Ex guy. So he ends up throwing my package to me from about ten yards away. Good throw, fair catch, touchdown. Thank God I didn’t have to sign for it.

The Last Colony looks fabulous, by the way. It’ll be another few weeks before it hits stores (it will in fact arrive perfectly timed for my book tour, the itinerary for which is now lovingly displayed on the gorgeous new Tor Books Web site — yes! Tor books has a new Web site!) but it’s totally going to be worth the wait. Patience.

As for The Android’s Dream it gets a fine write-up in the new issue of Some Fantastic (pdf link to the latest issue here). The review is intensely spoiler-riffic — it gives away oodles of stuff I’d want you to find out on your own, so be warned before you read (this has been an endemic problem for TAD reviews, I’m afraid, and I wonder why). That said, it has nice things to say about the book:

In all, Android’s Dream is a wonderful departure for Scalzi. Up till now, his SF work has resided within the confines of the universe created for Old Man’s War, but this book shows he capable of far more… I thoroughly enjoyed this frenetic romp that made entertaining use of any literary device Scalzi seemed interested in playing with. As much as I love his Old Man’s War series, I am looking forward to any other future diversions he plans on taking from that universe.

See, TAD? You’re still beautiful and beloved. Now stop drinking.

Uh-oh:

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales approved plans to fire several U.S. attorneys in a November meeting, according to documents released Friday that contradict earlier claims that he was not closely involved in the dismissals.

The Nov. 27 meeting, in which the attorney general and at least five top Justice Department officials participated, focused on a five-step plan for carrying out the firings of the prosecutors, Justice Department officials said late Friday.

So, is Wednesday a good day for a resignation? Wednesday, around 11am? I’m putting my marker down there. Anyone else?