826
Posted on March 31, 2011 Posted by John Scalzi 19 Comments
That was the number I had in mind for yesterday’s contest, and this was the fellow who picked it first. Congratulations, Mike, and thanks everybody for playing. I will probably give away at least a couple more ARCs of Fuzzy Nation before the release date, so be ready. Because it could happen at any time.
Remember how you BWA-HA-HAed me when I took a guess as to why Wil was the perfect narrator for Fuzzy Nation and asked what do I win?
Make that your next contest. “Why is Wil the perfect narrator for Fuzzy Nation?”
Or not. I could see how that would ruin the surprise for those that listen to the audiobook.
Never mind. I’ll just wish you a good Thursday morning and be on my merry way.
Hrm, my guess was off by merely 801 (I was *that* close!). Ah well, at least I’m lucky in love. Congrats to the winner!
As long as 826 was the magic number, here’s a plug for http://www.826national.org/ which helps tutor young writers (among other things). Great organization with chapters in a few major cities – check ’em out!
Blast! Foiled again! Now I must crouch in cat-like readiness for when the next chance appears.
Is now a qualified any time? Do I win for asking if it is?
I’m reading through Little Fuzzy now, and I can’t help thinking “Wow, a lot of this humor sounds like John Scalzi’s writing.” Also wishing there was more Piper available electronically.
You can get 32 HBP books in one vol for GBP0.70:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Works-Piper-Books-active-contents/dp/B002D48TJA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=A3TVV12T0I6NSM&qid=1301582179&sr=1-1
but it doesn’t include ‘Gunpowder God’ – my favourite of his books!
Or you could go to Project Gutenberg and get the exact same H. Beam Piper works for free. (Presumably, Gunpowder God isn’t in Project Gutenberg because—unlike most of Piper’s works—the publisher properly renewed the copyright.)
826… hmm…. 8/26…. August 26th?
Or am I over analyzing?
No, too simple Aurian! 826 is the first three digits of Pi times 200, in reverse order. Obviously.
I wouldn’t have won anyway, but if I’d had a brain in my head, I would have searched for whether or not 337 had been chosen before blithely typed it. I think I was the eighth person to choose that number.
D’oh!
@ #5 and #6 – Sorry, I meant to say more of his Fuzzy series electronically. But I’m definitely digging his writing style in everything I’ve read so far. And I did buy all of his works for Kindle.
Can we reserve numbers in advance? ;-)
Well, I only missed it by a couple hundred. Thanks for the chance though!
I was off by 827. Dang it!
Wow. I guessed 829…. meaning I was only three off. Cruel fate! Why must you deprive me of free things! I suppose I’ll just have to BUY IT now. Harrumph!
Drat!! I was only three off. So close!
OMG! That’s my birthday. I would totally picked that had i read it in time
826? Are you sure? I could have SWORN it was 961…. =)
Congrats Mike! We’re all very jealous.
-Buxley
Woot! Woot! Happy dance! That was pretty much my reaction when I saw it was my number.
I would like to say that 826 was chosen due to some arcane divination of the planets and their alignment or something. But the fact is, it was totally random as my 1st three guesses were taken.
Now to just sit by the mailbox and wait for it to fly over the Atlantic.
Mike
Aw, I was so CLOSE! I picked a 3 digit number too.