Monthly Archives: March 2011
The SFX Blog Awards
Posted on March 16, 2011 8 Comments
UK science fiction magazine SFX has listed Whatever as a finalist in its Blog awards, in the category of “Best Celebrity Blog,” along with the blogs of Neil Gaiman, Wil Wheaton, Jane Espenson, Kate Griffin and James Moran. They’d like for you to vote for your favorite. And there are five other categories as well […]
Sunset 3/16/11
Posted on March 16, 2011 8 Comments
I could totally tell you wanted one of these. Well, here you go. Enjoy.
Reader Request Week 2011 #5: Taking Compliments
Posted on March 16, 2011 21 Comments
Blake asks: Can you ever just accept a compliment when you get one? Just a curious thought that passed through my mind when reading your answer to the poll that OMW was number one on. In fact, my standard operating procedure when someone compliments me or my work is to say “thank you,” without too […]
Reader Request Week 2011 #4: Old Man’s War and the Best SF/F Novel of the Decade
Posted on March 16, 2011 104 Comments
Via e-mail, Gareth asks: Old Man’s War was voted the best science fiction/fantasy novel of the last decade in that Tor.com poll. Is it? And if not, what is? Well, let’s take this in two parts. OMW certainly did place number one in the Tor.com poll, but let’s keep two things in mind about that. […]
Why Mars Needs Moms Flopped, and Other Things
Posted on March 16, 2011
Over at FilmCritic.com this week, I rummage through the mailbag and answer questions about the magnificent floppitude of Mars Needs Mom, how I would plan an alien invasion, and why there are so many science fiction movies scheduled this March. It’s all the stuff you need to know, none of the stuff you don’t. As […]
Reader Request Week 2011 #3: Middle Ages Me
Posted on March 15, 2011 72 Comments
Charles asks: If you were born in the dark ages, and couldn’t be a writer, how would you earn a living? Technology related jobs are out, because remember it’s the DARK AGES. I don’t see you as the farmer type, so what would you do? Well, first, I’m not 100% behind the phrase “dark ages,” […]
The Big Idea: Martha Wells
Posted on March 15, 2011 14 Comments
Where do we belong? To whom do we belong? Do we, in fact, belong at all? Questions that strike at the heart of any person who ever feels alone, and questions that Martha Wells kept in mind when it came time for her to write The Cloud Roads. Keeping these questions in mind have paid […]
The Cats, Displeased With the State of Their Food Bowls, Warm Up Their LASER EYEBALLS
Posted on March 15, 2011 46 Comments
But then they remembered that vaporizing me would still not give them opposable thumbs. Score one for the primates! And yes, I then fed them. Because I am not stupid.
E-Mail Wonky (Update: Fixed)
Posted on March 15, 2011 1 Comment
I’m having problems today both sending and receiving e-mail — it’s a problem with my site host, it seems — so if you get mail bounced back or otherwise have mail-related difficulties involving me, that would be why. I’m on it and will try to get it cleared up as soon as possible. Thanks. Update: […]
Reader Request Week 2011 #2: The End of Whatever
Posted on March 14, 2011 10 Comments
Todd Stull asks: At what point could you foresee ending the Whatever? When you become fabulously rich and (more) famous? When John Cusack rolls up in an airplane on your lawn and bits of the planet are splitting off? Only from your cold dead hands? (Disclaimer: None of these questions are to be taken as […]
Lopsided Cat Shows You His Bearskin Rug Imitation
Posted on March 14, 2011 24 Comments
It’s uncanny, is what it is. That is, until you get the frontal view: Which is less “bear” and more “Do you mind? I’m napping here.” Fair enough, Lopsided Cat. Fair enough.
Reader Request Week 2011 #1: Children and Faith
Posted on March 14, 2011 122 Comments
Alphager asks: As far as I understand from your lent-related post, you are an atheist/agnostic and encourage your daughter to take an interest in religions in general and the christian faiths in particular. Can you explain how that came to be and by which principles (e.g. will you go to church with her? Are you […]
I Don’t Know About Anyone Else
Posted on March 12, 2011 138 Comments
But I could have gotten through the whole day without having a nuclear energy facility blow up. Maybe that’s just me. I don’t have a whole lot to add to that. This isn’t an issue of human error or negligence from what I can see; it’s the aftereffect of one of the largest earthquakes in […]
Today Kind Of Needs a Cat Pic, Doesn’t It
Posted on March 11, 2011 46 Comments
Because, seriously. Not a good day for the planet. Hope this helps to take the edge off.
Reader Request Week 2011: Get Your Requests In!
Posted on March 11, 2011 194 Comments
This blog is called “Whatever” for a reason: It’s about whatever I feel like writing about. But one week a year, I make the blog about whatever you want to talk about: The Reader Request Week. For 2011, that week starts next Monday — which means it’s time for you to ask me whatever questions […]
The Big Idea: Christopher Rowe
Posted on March 10, 2011 14 Comments
There’s a very special joy when you, as an adult, do something that, when you were a kid, you said that you were going to do when you grew up. With his debut novel Sandstorm, Hugo, Nebula and World Fantasy Award nominee Christoper Rowe has done just that — and, in a nod to being […]
What I’m Giving Up For Lent*
Posted on March 9, 2011 130 Comments
We were talking to Athena today about Lent, and what it means in a religious sense that during Lent people give things up, and how, if you’re serious about Lent, you don’t give up something you won’t miss, you give up something you’ll miss a lot. This concept intrigued our daughter, who announced that she […]
Amanda Hocking and Self-Publishing
Posted on March 9, 2011 52 Comments
Tons of e-mails recently from people who want to know what I think about Amanda Hocking or [insert some other self-published e-book author here] and the fact they’re selling lots of self-published ebooks via the Kindle and so on. Answer: See what Jim Hines has to say about it here, since I would say pretty […]
Some Alien Invasions Are Better Than Others
Posted on March 9, 2011
Over at the FilmCritic.com site this week, and in honor of the upcoming Battle: Los Angeles film, I take a look at previous cinematic alien invasions and grade them in terms of style and effectiveness. Because, you know. Why not. Come see the grades and then leave your own comments in the thread over there.
And Now Something Entirely Unrelated to Me
Posted on March 8, 2011 9 Comments
Except that I find the song strange and compelling. Enjoy. From this album.
Whatever Everyone Else is Saying