Monthly Archives: January 2010
Perhaps an Indication of How Far Into My Own Head I’ve Been the Last Several Days
Posted on January 27, 2010 38 Comments
Wait, what? The State of the Union address is tonight? Someone was supposed to tell me these things. Also, what is Obama thinking? Doesn’t he realize that he’s going to get swamped by the release of the Apple Tablet? This is madness! Mmmmm… Apple Tablet.
Quick Backend Note re: Comments
Posted on January 27, 2010 11 Comments
Dear Whatever commenters: WordPress’ spam detection has the last couple of weeks been bumping a few more of you into spam and moderation queues than is usual. I’ll be working on tweaking the backend, but in the meantime if you post a message and it seems to go nowhere, don’t panic, and don’t assume I’ve […]
LA Times Article on Science Fiction and the Oscars
Posted on January 26, 2010 19 Comments
I’m quoted in it. Because I am an authority, damn it!
For the Deskgrazing Set
Posted on January 26, 2010 62 Comments
I was grumbling to my friend, copy editor Deanna Hoak, about my need to lop twenty pounds or so from my frame, and she responded by giving me a whole scad of advice about dietary intake, especially for folks like me who do a lot of eating at their desks. After she was done, I […]
The Big Idea: Margaret Ronald
Posted on January 26, 2010 12 Comments
When thinking about “urban fantasy,” we’re aware that the word “urban” sets the fantasy in a particular type of setting — but does that setting (and those stories) require a specific place? For the purposes of the genre, and our conversation, is one “urban” as good as another? Not for author Margaret Ronald, and in […]
Dear The Internets: I Am Running For President of SFWA
Posted on January 25, 2010 108 Comments
Yes, you read that right. Just a few moments ago I formally sent my candidacy letter to the Elections Committee of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, and also posted it to the SFWA Web forums. But so the rest of you know as well, I’m telling you here, too. Posted below the […]
Meanwhile, On Instant Message, The Truth Emerges
Posted on January 25, 2010 22 Comments
My Friend Bill: Ahoy John — very quick question for you, as a man who is well-informed on a wide variety of topics, if you don’t mind. Me: Fire away! Bill: An apt response, because the question is: What sort of ordnance is fired from pie-mounted artillery? Me: Hmmm. Bill: My feeling is that the […]
Bits, 1/25/10
Posted on January 25, 2010 20 Comments
A couple of notes: * Serious stuff first: There’s an online initiative called 100 Stories for Haiti, in which writer Greg McQueen is hoping to very quickly gather up that number of short short stories (1,000 words or less) and put them together in a flash e-book anthology, all of the proceeds of which will […]
You Know —
Posted on January 25, 2010 22 Comments
Posts like this are why one of the best blogs you can read right now just happens to be written by a 90-year-old man.
Weekend Update
Posted on January 25, 2010 30 Comments
I spent my weekend in Michigan, watching this: That’s my friend Yanni feeding creme brulee to Krissy while both of them are wearing very sexy cocktail dresses. I could watch that all evening long, and did. So there. We were in Michigan to visit friends, but as it happens most of the friends in Michigan […]
Zeus the Cat Confronts the Existential Conundrum of a Weekend Away From the Internet
Posted on January 22, 2010 29 Comments
“It’s… it’s not possible, is it? An entire weekend away from Teh Interweebs?” Well, we’re about to find out, my fuzzy little friend. I have much to do that does not involve this mighty Series of Tubes™ we all know and love, and so am signing off until Monday. Do try to keep it together […]
Inevitably Someone Will Complain About Being Called a “Larva”
Posted on January 21, 2010 32 Comments
Jay Lake, a clever young fellow I think you’ll be hearing about a lot in the coming days, offers up “The larval stages of the common American speculative fiction writer,” detailing all the Stations of the Cross a newbie science fiction and/or fantasy writer is likely to visit on his or her path to crucifixion […]
Apropos of Today’s Supreme Court Ruling
Posted on January 21, 2010 162 Comments
So, how long before the Supreme Court gives corporations the vote?
The Big Idea: Josh Sundquist
Posted on January 21, 2010 15 Comments
What you want to hear vs. what you need to hear: This is an eternal struggle with writers when they approach someone to read the drafts of their work. What you want to hear (“It’s brilliant! Change nothing!”) is sometimes very different than what you need to hear (“Here are the problems”) — so much […]
3D Thoughts Plus AMC Notes
Posted on January 21, 2010
Over at AMC this week, I’m talking about what the future of 3D might be, in the wake of the massive success of Avatar. Are we facing Northanger Abbey 3D? The answers await you over there. Check it out. Also, a note for those of you following my column: in the next couple of weeks […]
Dude. Whoa. Just, Like, Whoa.
Posted on January 20, 2010 59 Comments
Just for perspective, everything I’ve ever written and everything I am ever likely to write in my entire life will fit onto this thumb drive. Several times over. On one hand, it’s weird to consider one’s life’s work compressed into a space smaller than one’s thumb. On the other hand, I really don’t have any […]
Cherie Priest on Authorial Control
Posted on January 20, 2010 11 Comments
Want to know what aspects of the writing and publishing industry your average book author has control over? Sure you do. Well, Cherie Priest is here to tell you which they are in this useful and interesting essay (short answer: really very few). Click through to be enlightened, and then for f@#&’s sake stop e-mailing […]
A Reminder Regarding Political Prognostications
Posted on January 20, 2010 46 Comments
Because everyone, including me, has thoughts about what last night’s elections means for the 2010 vote ten months from now: Ten months ago, everyone assumed the GOP was doomed for several political cycles. Ten months before that, there was still a chance Hillary Clinton would have been the next president of the United States, and […]
Judge Sn: The Abridged Audio Version
Posted on January 20, 2010 11 Comments
Hey there, kids! I and Subterranean Press have got a present for you: An abridged audio version of “Judge Sn Goes Golfing,” the short story of mine set in the universe of The Android’s Dream, which was published as a stand-alone chapbook by SubPress. The audio version is the version that I read live when […]
Political Thoughts Before Bed
Posted on January 20, 2010 215 Comments
Slightly rambly as I’m running on a deficit of sleep. * First, of course, it does seem that the Democratic ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory seems wholly undiminished. Depending on one’s personal politics, you could argue whether the newly-minted Senator-Elect Brown deserved to win the election, but given the campaign she […]
Whatever Everyone Else is Saying