Monthly Archives: March 2009
Zoe’s Tale Review at io9
Posted on March 24, 2009 8 Comments
The science fiction blog io9 has taken it upon itself to review all the Hugo and Nebula nominees this year and has started with Zoe’s Tale, and happily for me has given it a pretty positive review, and even better makes a point that I think is salient about the book: But Zoe’s Tale isn’t […]
If You Dare
Posted on March 24, 2009 44 Comments
Shaky cell phone video of me doing karaoke to Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love” at Millennicon. I accept no responsibility for what happens to your eyeballs, eardrums, or brain if you follow that link. None. That’s the only warning you get from me. Update: Even more horror.
Interview at Tor.com
Posted on March 24, 2009 25 Comments
Look! It’s me! All arty with the glowy duck! This particular picture is being used to illustrate a fairly long interview I did, which is now up over at Tor.com. In the interview, I talk about the cliches of military science fiction, writing sequels, the teleological implications of getting a new body, consciousness or lack […]
The Internet Has Just Justified Its Existence
Posted on March 23, 2009 44 Comments
Carl Sagan’s Cosmos series — all 13 episodes — available for viewing via Hulu. I envy those of you who get to watch it for the first time.
Re: The Hugo eBooks Package: Patience, Please
Posted on March 23, 2009 28 Comments
I normally don’t ask people to forward on the posts I write but I’m doing it in this particular case, so feel free to point to this or repost it as you see fit. I’m getting reports from various quarters that some folks have started to complain that the “traditional” Hugo Best Novel ebook package […]
Mary Robinette Kowal Interviews the Campbell Nominees
Posted on March 23, 2009 4 Comments
Current Campbell Award tiara wearer Mary Robinette Kowal is interviewing this year’s Campbell nominees, one of whom will take the tiara (and cheeseboard) from her this August at Anticipation, this year’s Worldcon in Montreal. This week it’s David Anthony Durham, whose fantasy novel Acacia I admire quite a bit. Check out the interview, and then […]
Updates on BigIdeaAuthors and Whateveresque
Posted on March 23, 2009 8 Comments
Quick notes on things: * The publicist guide for BigIdeaAuthors.com is completed and I’ll be sending a URL for it to folks on the site’s mailing list in the next couple of days. If you’re not on the mailing list and would like to be, go to BigIdeaAuthors.com and sign up. We’ll also most likely […]
Paging Bobby Jindal
Posted on March 23, 2009 76 Comments
So, Governor Jindal, what was that you were saying about the wastefulness of volcano monitoring?
Correlation is Not Causation, Hugo Division
Posted on March 23, 2009 75 Comments
The entrail reading around the Hugo selections has begun, notably regarding the Best Novel candidates. One of the leading memes about this year’s batch of nominees is how the Internet is a prohibitively influential factor on the ballot. It goes a bit like this: “Look! Four of the five authors on the Best Novel ballot […]
That Thing I’m Working On
Posted on March 22, 2009 41 Comments
If you missed it, the teaser trailer for Stargate: Universe. Whee! Creative consulting is fun.
What You Missed By Not Being at Millennicon
Posted on March 22, 2009 34 Comments
Me, making an ass of myself doing karaoke. Yes, I know, I do not need karaoke to make an ass of myself, thanks much. Even so. For those of you either fascinated or horrified enough to wonder what songs I slaughtered, they were “Tainted Love” (shown above), “Let’s Dance,” “Superfreak” (with Tobias Buckell and Kaza […]
Pick Some Toes
Posted on March 21, 2009 180 Comments
For reasons I can’t explain at the moment, you must choose between these two feet: Take your time. This is important stuff. BUT YOU MUST CHOOSE. That is all.
Eventually We Ran Out of Bits and Someone Had to Have “Or Death”
Posted on March 21, 2009 18 Comments
But until that time, the cake was lovely. As has been Millennicon so far. We had cake and cookies, and did my usual ranty thing at my Q&A, which is always fun, and at opening ceremonies the Millennicon folks both gave me a cool Guest of Honor shirt (which I am wearing today), and also […]
Love Your Indie Bookstore, Apply for a Grant, Promote Something NOW
Posted on March 20, 2009 67 Comments
But enough about me. Let me tell you about some cool stuff other people are doing. * Joe Hill, aside from someone whose writing is a slice of awesome generously slathered with awesome sauce with a sprig of awesome as a garnish (and that’s a lot of awesome, friends), strongly believes that you should support […]
Hugo Followup Q&A
Posted on March 20, 2009 17 Comments
To follow-up on some me-centered Hugo-related questions folks have asked via Twitter, Facebook, e-mail and here (and damn if my Internet presence isn’t diffuse these days): 1. Think you’ll win? My answer to this at this moment was the same answer I had at the same time last year: Don’t know, don’t care. Yeah, yeah, […]
Hugo Thoughts, 2009
Posted on March 19, 2009 56 Comments
Some early thoughts for you about the Hugos this year: * So, uh, as it turns out, I have three Hugo nominations this year: Zoe’s Tale is in the Best Novel category, Your Hate Mail Will Be Graded is in Best Related Book, and perhaps most remarkably, METAtropolis, which I edited, is in the Best […]
Hugo Award Nominees, 2009
Posted on March 19, 2009 48 Comments
Here’s the list, from the Anticipation Web site. I’ll write further thoughts soon (update: Further thoughts here). Best Novel * Anathem by Neal Stephenson (Morrow; Atlantic UK) * The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (HarperCollins; Bloomsbury UK) * Little Brother by Cory Doctorow (Tor Teen; HarperVoyager UK) * Saturn’s Children by Charles Stross (Ace; Orbit […]
You Need Some New Music
Posted on March 19, 2009 10 Comments
So, here you go. The band is called Ume, and this is their song “The Conductor,” off their new Sunshower EP: An alternate version of the video, with a high quality option, is here. Hat tip to my pal Doselle Young for hipping me to these wacky cats.
Okay, One More
Posted on March 19, 2009 8 Comments
Since you asked. There, I’m done. Once again, illustrated by my friend Richard Polt.
Millennicon Schedule
Posted on March 19, 2009 20 Comments
As you all know, I’m the guest of honor at this year’s Millennicon science fiction convention, in Cincinnati. This weekend! Where where I be and how will I be embarrassing myself while I am there? Here’s my official schedule (via the handy-dandy online pocket program): Friday, 7pm: Opening Ceremonies. Your chance to pledge eternal fidelity! […]
Whatever Everyone Else is Saying