Books, Writing, Etc.

Posted on August 24, 2003    Posted by John Scalzi

Three notes from the writing life.

1. The Book of the Dumb is done. I finished it up in the wee hours of Sunday morning as I pulled in the last of the quotes on stupidity from famous people, which we’ll use to fill out pages where the main text is a little short. There is technically a little bit of writing left (the acknowledgments and dedication, as well as a brief intro), and of course there’s some editing to be done. But these are nitpicks. I’m done! Yay! Not that I have any time to rest, since I have another book deadline in a month. But even so. Done is done, and done is good.

2. A lovely review of The Rough Guide to the Universe from the Budapest Sun. Don’t worry, the review is in English. I find it mildly ironic I can get a review in a Hungarian newspaper but not one in Ohio. But what are you going to do. And it’s not every day my writing is called “clear, yet intelligently poetic.” Ooooh. Me like good.

3. In addition to participating in two panels at Torcon, I’ve been informed that I will also be giving a half-hour reading on Sunday at 3:30. I found this mildly surprising since I didn’t actually sign up to give a reading, and since I don’t actually have a novel out and have had exactly one science fiction short story published (and it less than 2,000 words long), I wouldn’t expect I’d be anyone’s first choice for a reading to attend. So it makes me wonder what sort of meds were skipped in the process of penciling me in for this reading.

Nevertheless, far be it from me to pass up an opportunity for shameless self promotion. So I will indeed be giving a reading, and my selection will be a specially prepared version of the first chapter of The Android’s Dream, the novel which I am currently writing. I chose this because the chapter is pretty much self-contained: It’s very close to being its own short story. And also, it’s action-packed, with tense diplomatic negotiations, insults of honor between sentient species, revenge, betrayal, government seizure of property, the seeds of planetary rebellion and pandas. And get this: I haven’t even mentioned the most interesting plot device.

I won’t be serializing this novel online, so the only way to experience this chapter before its official publication in (good lord!) 2005 is to come to the reading. Which for most of you will mean a trip to Toronto. But you know you’ve wanted to visit Toronto for years. Here’s your excuse.