February One Notes and Reminders
Posted on February 1, 2011 Posted by John Scalzi 28 Comments
As we at the Scalzi Compound prep ourselves for the second half of Icepocalypse ’11, I have a few notes to get out there today, mostly involving things relating to science fiction.
1. If you were thinking of applying to the Clarion writing workshop this year, at which I will be teaching for a week, this is a reminder that as of today, you have exactly one month to get your act together and apply. As a reminder, aside from me, the other instructors will be Nina Kiriki Hoffman, Elizabeth Bear, David Anthony Durham, John Kessel and Kij Johnson, i.e., pretty damn awesome writers from whom you will learn an amazing amount. Plus you’ll be in San Diego, where they have excellent fish tacos. Indeed, it’s the only place I’ll eat fish tacos. Everywhere on the planet messes it up. In fact, while I am at Clarion, I will eat naught but fish tacos (and Double-Doubles. Because, come on). But this isn’t about me, or fish tacos. It’s about you, getting amazing writing advice. You can get it. As long as you get your application in. Which now you have a month to do. Get to it.
2. If you’re a SFWA member, a reminder that we are now in our organization’s election season, and we have put out a general call for candidates for our board. So if you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to have phenomenal cosmic power be an integral part of science fiction and fantasy’s largest writer organization, this could be your chance. And, before anyone asks, yes, I’m running for a second term as president. I’ll make a more official statement about that soon.
3. An additional reminder that in less than two weeks now — assuming both they and I have managed to chip ourselves out of the encasing of ice into which we will soon be plunged — I’ll be in the Chicagoland area as the author guest of honor at Capricon, February 10 – 13. I’ll be doing panels, a reading (from which I will read from Fuzzy Nation plus possibly the current work in progress), a Q&A session and a book signing, plus a light night session in which I will offer advice for all your erotic conundrums (warning: a) My answer to all your erotic conundrums will be “use more Miracle Whip!”; b) I’m lying, and “John Scalzi: Erotic Counselor” is not actually on the sked). It’s not too late to join in on the fun.
4. After I posted plans for the Germany trip, I was pinged by people who wanted to know the status of the US book tour this year. The answer is: There will definitely be one, and it will very probably be in May, and that’s all I can tell you at the moment because my publicist is still talking to bookstores and such. It’s a tricky thing because among other things we’re scheduling in and around other commitments I have, including this year’s Nebula Awards Weekend, in Washington DC, May 19-22nd (which will be awesome, by the way). But we’re making progress. When we have everything pinned down, I will let you all know. Because I want you to know! Because I want you to come to the tour events. Oh God, please come to the tour events. I’ll stop now before my pleading becomes too pathetic.
Just make sure there are In and Out Burgers available at each stop. The one in Tempe, is just a couple of miles south of The Poisoned Pen….
I hope Anderson’s Bookshop in Naperville, IL, might be on your tour – it gets a lot of good authors, anyhow. If so, I’ll be there. In my 75th year I don’t get around as much as I once did, but I can make it to downtown Naperville even if I have to drive in the dark.
Will you be doing any book signings (or whatever) in San Diego?
Keri:
As noted in the entry, the tour is still being scheduled and I don’t have any confirmed dates yet.
Note to Scalzi: The proper name is actually Snowmageddon.
Not when you’re getting ice, not snow.
Oh! Fish tacos, so delicious. Also, last time I was in SD I had a lobster burrito. It was a-frickin-mazing. I wish I remembered the name of the place I got it from, but it was pure deliciousness. I highly recommend it.
If your tour brings you anywhere near northern Utah, I will absolutely come and see you. BTW, the Salt Lake area now has several In-n-Outs.
Hmmm, you have a point there. Perhaps there is some sort of middle ground that captures both.
Sorry, I thought maybe you’d planned something special for San Diego, aside from Rubio’s and In N Out.
We are supposed to get snowmageddon here tomorrow. The weather guys say it is the biggest storm yet this winter.
Any chance of a Canadian book tour? Nova Scotia is lovely in May, June, July, August, Sept & Oct. : ) The rest of the year is too cold, rainy and snowy and I would understand you not wanting to come then. ; ) I
Any of an appearance @ Dragon*con 2011? I am hoping to be there this year.
If you have a tour event near enough to the Niagara Region of Ontario I’ll come out. No pleading needed. :)
Keri,
Last year there were readings from Clarion instructors Jeff Vandermeer and Samuel Delaney (both of them utterly awesome) at Mysterious Galaxy bookstore in San Diego. Do they do this every year? Hopefully hopefully John will do the same.
Canada: This is my only scheduled Canadian appearance this year.
I don’t expect to be at Dragon*Con this year, no.
Since you’ll already be in the southeast (ish… DC almost counts, right?) come on down to Raleigh for a tour stop. How do we make it happen? What bookstores do we need to start bribing and/or threatening? It’s on the way to Atlanta! (Via Richmond, VA, Raleigh, Greensboro, and Charlotte, NC, and Greenville, SC.) OK I’ll stop being pathetic now. We did get Brandon Sanderson and William Gibson (and the North American Science Fiction Convention) last year, so I guess we’re good for a while longer.
You obviously have never had the fish tacos at the Hula Hut in Austin. Yes, I know Austin isn’t a coastal city, but c’mon, it’s AUSTIN!
Of course, there’s so much good food there it’s tough to eat it all. Who can turn down the Elvis Presley Memorial Combo at Chuy’s?
John,
I can’t speak for the entire village, but provided I’m not otherwise delayed, if you show up anywhere between Portland OR and Vancouver BC, I’ll be there.
I like mine animal-style… ;-)
I’d be happy to come see you if you come to Philadelphia. If you really want to get nuts, you could come to Chester County Book & Music Company, and I guarantee I’ll be there (as though that were any kind of incentive for you).
Todd Stull@9: Hmmm, you have a point there. Perhaps there is some sort of middle ground that captures both.
There is. “Buffalo.”
John,
Omaha is a great town for book signings… Great people, fabulous steak, and we’re smack dab in the middle of the country! You probably fly over us all the time!
I promise to keep the Badger Overlords under control!
If you’re tour brings you anywhere close to me, I swear I will be at the event. Sadly, Albany is generally considered more a “place to avoid” than a “place to be.” I never should have left Denver. And I had A GOOD REASON for leaving Chicago.
Dear John’s Publicist,
Please send John to Colorado Springs or Denver. There are a couple of good independents in both cities.
So, when you become an author, do you just get lucrative convention offers wrapped around bricks and tossed into your window? Or is it not that easy?
I miss Rubio’s. I found one in Pasadena too when I was on holiday there but sadly they haven’t opened a branch in London. Enjoy your fish tacos.
I’m quite hard on my students, and even I wouldn’t workshop a paper, sitting in close quarters, after living on fish tacos for several days.
I read “Double Double” and forgot everything else you said.
That place is about the only thing I miss about living in LA.
Wow, that was spectacular miswriting…I meant “…is the thing I miss most about…”
There was lots to love about living in LA. Not the cost of living, though.