Monthly Archives: April 2009
Anticipating Anticipation
Posted on April 30, 2009 28 Comments
Oh, and just to make it official: Yes, I will be at Anticipation this year. I think it should have been assumed by this point, since I said it would be, and also given I’m up for three Hugos I’d look like a bit of a dick if I wasn’t there, wouldn’t I. But I’m […]
My Penguicon Schedule
Posted on April 30, 2009 23 Comments
What will I be doing while I am at Penguicon this weekend? I’m glad you asked! FRIDAY: No a damn thing, apparently. At least I can’t find anything I’m supposed to be on. Guess I’ll just hang about and be hang abouty. I’ll likely be in the lobby and/or bar. Come say hello. SATURDAY: 11am: […]
Meanwhile, On LASER Twitter
Posted on April 30, 2009 51 Comments
Me: Everything is better with LASER in front of it: LASER pizza. LASER gerbil. LASER toothbrush. LASER sigmoidoscopy. Okay, maybe not that. ElectricPaladin: But everything is also better with KUNG FU. KUNG FU pizza. KUNG FU gerbil. KUNG FU toothbrush. Does this mean that LASER = KUNG FU!? Me: LASER does not equal KUNG FU, […]
Those Germans and Their Laser Spaceships
Posted on April 30, 2009 64 Comments
Courtesy of a kind German reader, the cover art for the upcoming German edition of Agent to the Stars: And you ask: Is there, in fact, a laser-shooting spaceship in Agent to the Stars? And the answer is, why, no, no there is not. But apparently at some point it was decided at all my […]
I Answer Mail
Posted on April 30, 2009
Over at the AMC column, I answer reader mail on whether women lusting after Hugh Jackman will affect the Wolverine box office, if I hate Georgle Lucas AND THINK HE SHOULD BE SHOT, and why years from now Speed Racer will be seen as absolutely brilliant. Okay, maybe not brilliant. Maybe just as more than […]
Obama’s First 100 Days: A Complete and Utter Failure
Posted on April 29, 2009 133 Comments
Why? Well, I’ll tell you. 1. I’m continuing to go bald. 2. I haven’t lost any weight since January 20. 3. I AM STILL AGING. 4. In March, one of my cats (or more — conspiracy!) peed in the corner of my closet. 5. My hot chocolate this morning was distinctly unsatisfactory. 6. Last week, […]
That Horrible Slicing Sound
Posted on April 28, 2009 230 Comments
As the GOP’s filiburstering balls are cut off: Arlen Specter apparently switching parties. On the other hand, this probably means Norm Coleman will take his election appeal all the way to the US Supreme Court. Because that’s what the GOP has to keep the Democrats from 60 votes now. Discuss. Politely.
Zoe’s Tale Out in Paperback
Posted on April 28, 2009 79 Comments
Today’s the day: Zoe’s Tale officially hits the shelves in paperback form. If you’ve been holding off on getting the book until it was presented in this easily transportable and affordable form, wait no longer! Or at the very least, wait no longer than it takes to get dressed, hop into the transport of your […]
2009 Locus Award Finalist List is Out
Posted on April 27, 2009 8 Comments
And it is here, for those of you who are interested. I’m a finalist in two categories: Young Adult Novel Little Brother, Cory Doctorow (Tor); The Graveyard Book, Neil Gaiman (HarperCollins, Bloomsbury); Tender Morsels, Margo Lanagan (Knopf); Nation, Terry Pratchett (Doubleday UK, HarperCollins); Zoe’s Tale, John Scalzi (Tor) and Short Story “King Pelles the Sure”, […]
May Appearance Reminders
Posted on April 27, 2009 35 Comments
May is going to be a busy month for me in terms of appearances, and then I hide in a hole until the last weekend of July. So if you’re gonna stalk me, May’s your month. Here’s where and when: May 1 – 3: Penguicon 7.0. I’ll be a “nifty guest” here, which is like […]
Really the Only Thing That Has to Be Said About the YA Thing
Posted on April 27, 2009 115 Comments
Observers of the science fiction field will note the Nebula Award for Best Novel was won this year by a YA book, that the Tiptree Award is co-shared by a YA novel, and that in the Hugo Best Novel category, two and a half of the books nominated are also YA (the “half” in this […]
Free Anthology; Tiptree Awards
Posted on April 27, 2009 11 Comments
Two quick things: First, you may recall Mary Anne Mohanraj did me a mitzvah recently and did a thoughtful and very interesting guest entry on racism (two, actually). Some of you mentioned at the time you wondered what her fiction was like. Well, here’s a chance to find out: MAM is a contributor to a […]
My Drug of Choice
Posted on April 27, 2009 49 Comments
This morning the local convenience store manager looked at me, and asked with neighborly concern if everything was all right. I told her everything was fine, except that the entire plant kingdom was trying to mate in my nose. Which necessitated the Claritin you see above. With luck it’ll keep me from sneezing every seven […]
Your Musical WTF Moment for a Sunday Afternoon
Posted on April 26, 2009 38 Comments
Max Raabe performs “Tainted Love” as if the Weimar Republic somehow made it to 1981. Which, you know, wouldn’t have been a bad thing, considering what the alternative was. Mind the abrupt ending. Ganked from here. Frankly, I’m too scared to click through and listen to their version of “Oops, I Did It Again.” On […]
Sunday #BookHaul
Posted on April 26, 2009 22 Comments
More BookHaulery today, available to you here. Note I’ve caught up on 30 books over the last two days and I’ve hardly made a dent in the books I’ve recently received. Again: There are worse things in life.
2009 Nebula Winners
Posted on April 26, 2009 17 Comments
In case you were wondering: Novel: Powers – Ursula K. Le Guin (Harcourt, Sept. 2007) Novella: “The Spacetime Pool” – Catherine Asaro (Analog, March 2008) Novelette: “Pride and Prometheus” – John Kessel (The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Jan. 2008) Short Story: “Trophy Wives” – Nina Kiriki Hoffman (Fellowship Fantastic, Martin H. Greenberg and […]
Meet the New Roof
Posted on April 25, 2009 43 Comments
Not the same as the old roof: The new roof is made of dimensional shingles, which my wife tells me are better and more durable than regular shingles (these came with a 30-year warranty in any event). Krissy also got them in green to match the house trim. It looks very nice, I think. Hopefully […]
Saturday #BookHaul
Posted on April 25, 2009 17 Comments
I just completed today’s #BookHaul; more than a dozen books including work from China Mieville, Ian McDonald, Chris Roberson, Chuck Palahnuik and Anne Bishop. It’s here.
A Cat Picture to Get You Through the Weekend
Posted on April 25, 2009 23 Comments
Honestly, I don’t know how some of you survive without one. Is she pensive? Or just very interested in the finch at the bird feeder? Twitter feed notwithstanding, we may never know. Update: Oh, and look — an homage.
#BookHaul
Posted on April 24, 2009 44 Comments
So, with the exception of the Stranger in a Strange Land uncut edition and my old copy of Shogun which Athena was looking at, what you see here are some of the books that come to me on a daily basis, some to be considered for The Big Idea, some for potential blurbage, and some […]
Whatever Everyone Else is Saying