Surprise! I Have Another Fuzzy Nation ARC to Give Away
Posted on April 12, 2011 Posted by John Scalzi 1,153 Comments
I’m traveling later in the week, so I figure I should probably give one away now, you know?
Here’s how we’re playing it this time:
1. I asked my daughter to think of a number between one and one thousand. She has.
2. Leave a comment in the comment thread. If your comment number matches her number, you win!
3. It is the number of your comment that is important, not what you put in the comment. If you try to guess which comment number will win, that won’t do anything.
4. Only one entry per person. If you put in a comment and it doesn’t show up immediately, don’t panic — it’s in the moderation queue and I will free it before I do the final count. If you post more than one entry, you will be disqualified. Sorry.
5. This contest runs until 7pm Eastern time, April 13, 2011, at which time I will announce the winner.
6. In the event that not enough people comment to reach the number in question, then I will have my daughter think of a number between one and whatever the last number is at 7pm Eastern, April 13, 2011. Whatever comment is at that number will win.
7. The contest is open to anyone anywhere in the world. So go on, leave a comment.
Got it? Okay: Go!
here goes nothing!
Bring back the haiku competitions!
always the bridesmaid
773
253
729
*growl* I hunger for your soul, John Scalzi… *slaver*
What, nobody wants to be first?
Hi Athena!
Damn, I never win anything…
Woot?
Bippity-blark balooooooo!
Hi
If I win, I promise to be good until the end of thyme.
Anyone want to take bets how many comments containing only a number will exist in this thread?
Comment!
i like cake
Loved the original books by H. Beam Piper. I’m looking forward to your book.
Heya… Here we go!
I needs me some Fuzzy :P (take that how you may)
242
703
Well, sure, I’ll bite. All in a good cause: SOMEONE will get a book, and I’ll have helped determine who! Bwahahaha, I have gone MAD with POWER! Or with sleep deprivation. Something.
Sure, why not?
Third time’s the charm?
Here’s to hoping :)
Here I am.
75
Maybe I’ll win this time! It could happen.
Okey-dokey!
WANT BWAINS
6
Comment commenty comment.
428
i SEE you
Stranger things have happened. Who knows, maybe I’ll get lucky.
I’ve never had an ARC before, it would make me terribly excited to win one!
On an unrelated note: I have a one-month-old daughter named Zoe. She is partially named after the character. (Mostly we were trying to think of a name and I happened to have just read The Last Colony and we both liked the sound of it.)
1
482
I feel fuzzy.
Fuzzy!
42 (yeah, I went there)
Woo Woo Woo You Know It.
I miss the Scott Westerfeld gets eaten by Cthulhu for dissing Pluto video. :-(
Just got my 1st-ever copy of one of your books delivered today. Look forward to reading it.
Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
“I have come to believe that the whole world is an enigma, a harmless enigma that is made terrible by our own mad attempt to interpret it as though it had an underlying truth.” – Umberto Eco (I love this quote.)
314
I love these “contests”. :)
Hooray!
it sure would be nice if this were the winning comment.
Give me the Fuzzy, or I’ll shoot!!
Trying.
This is a comment/blog contest entry.
735 reasons why I really want that book, perhaps?
commenting…
I have only the smallest hope of winning; but small hope is better than no hope at all.
/dev/null :)
I really hope she likes <100 numbers.
In the odd hopes that she likes Herbie the Love Bug, I’m shooting for #53
I went to random.org and asked for a number between 1 and 1000 and it gave me 321.
Let’s try it one more time!
I am so excited about this. I loved Piper’s Fuzzy books!
592
347
573
I hope I win!
Lucky 13.
‘Allo allo!
THIS IS A COMMENT
Thanks for the chance
Comment. :)
Two digit numbers FTW!
count me in
Fingers crossed!
872
Thrilled!
This takes away all the fretful attempting to guess, and leaves it to “when did I get around to leaving a comment.” Perfect!
Yippeee??
Whatever comment number this is.
fingers are crossed- making it very hard to type!
Cranberry juice is tasty.
Wow. People just really don’t pay attention to the way things work, do they?
As soon as he put on the light, something inside the shower stall said, “Yeeeek!” in a startled voice.
Totally doing this on work time to get in before comment #1,000.
*sneaky glances*
My guess is that, given a large range, she would tend towards the top of that range, at least 4 digits. However, I have to run, so rather than just not play, my comment is just a placeholder so someone else can win. I wish you the best.
Oooh! I’m gonna choose (insert correct comment # here)! it’s my lucky number!
743
My comment.
Even harder then the last arbitrary contest. Well done!
Woo! show me the Fuzzy Nation ARC!!
comment
Bacon.
woo. Thanks for taking the grunt work of having to guess a number out of the guess-a-number contest.
She probably chose a 3 digit number, but it is a $10 book, so it hardly seems worth waiting to post….
Simple rules. I like!
777
lorem ipsum
She likes this low number because she has taste and panache.
here’s hoping :)
Oh man, this is such a difficult competition! I’m sure to do something wrong and my entry will get disqualified.
wooooo
this number tastes funny
Me please!
Will there be pie?
Crossing my fingers. They shall remain crossed until the close of the give away. :D
742
Yay!
lets try that :) im bad at winning things, but not trying is the safest way not to win.
I’m looking forward to reading Fuzzy Nation. ARC’d be nice, if not I’ll wait longer…
This comment intentionally left blank.
Ooh! Ooh! Pick me!
Fuzzy!
452
And the winning number is……
Sure, why not.
Well, I’ll have something new to read in class. :>
This, I believe, is the one number to rule them all.
el nombre no es importante
271
Fuzzy Nation for me!
What the hey, I’ll give it a try. The way my day is going, I’m sure not to win. :D
This is the lowest uninteresting number.
@34 Chris
I too have a 4month old child with the middle name Perry named for John Perry. I bet he’d like an ARC Fuzzy Nation, when he can read.
Pie.
Sure, count me in :)
Hi John
A semi-random winning.
Witty comment here.
It was the beast of times, it was the wurst of times.
998
Wheeeee!
851
I would like a copy of the book for free, but if I don’t get it free, I’ll undoubtedly buy it.
I’m trying to hit my lucky number 128.
K
number?
Too early I’ll bet – but I’m going to be busy for a while so………………..
Here’s hoping!
rivit…commented
In the immortal words of Fezzik the Giant, “I hope we win.”
Who knows.. maybe this one?
Probably too early…
Meta comment is meta.
Me! Me! Athena, Pick MEEEEE!
hmmmmm is this the lucky entry?
Yay, another chance to win!
I also suspect that I am too early. But what fun is waiting?
Gahhhh! The last time I won anything was back in the ’70s when I won a Snoopy doll at the local premier of a Charlie Brown movie.
Gahhhh! I’m old!
This one.
Yeah numbers!
Please write more.
giving it a shot
I am entering! For Great Justice.
Hi Athena!
*witty comment*
140 something for the win? Or maybe 150 something?
Can I get one?
I want to wait for comment 772, but I have a feeling that either a) we won’t get that far in, or b) I’ll be asleep about the time the comment numbers reach that point.
So, something in the mid-to-high 150s sounds good.
Athena –
This is the number you picked.
is a comment
411
is it me?
*less witty comment*
Deploying surprise in 3… 2… 1….
Here goes.
I guess this spot is as good as any.
I’m busy writing a villain’s POV in my current WIP so I cant help but imagine there’s some nefarious plan behind these “innocent” comment games. Every comment is code to lower the hog-tied hero ever closer to the certain death inside a pool filled with laser-wielding sharks. Or some such.
This was easy
423!
Did I win?
Just a chance.
I’m doing this instead of studying for my exam on Jane Austen, who was insightful enough to predict “Jersey Shore” with “Pride and Prejudice”. Oh, the parties and hookups and gossip and shallow people!
C’mon luck.
Me. And my friends.
This comment intentionally left blank.
I am not a number! I am a … eh? This is a chance to win a Fuzzy Nation ARC?
Count me in!
Wheeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!
C’mon low number.
Pick me!
I’m in.
Maybe this time?
Wha?
Daddy wants a “Fuzzy Nation”!
This is my comment!
This is the number, I hope
Winner!!!!
blarg!
I might as well enter at least one of these~
877
Me?
1701
*Fingers xed again*
116
Hoping against hope!
Comment!
Ceci n’est pas une comment.
OMG IT IS A POST
Howdy.
#666 Hopefully she’s a Heinlein fan and not a devil worshiper.
521
8
I like bacon.
Ce n’est pas un commentaire.
Winner,winner, chicken dinner.
Yay!
WINNING!
642
Thanks in advance for the free book.
No? Damn.
Look at me, I can comment! Maybe…
toasty-post.
I can haz Fuzzy Nation ARC?
I’ll keep trying…. maybe she’ll like this number!
You’re going to need to transform that number.
999
About about this one?
Why not me?
This is as likely as any other number!
Long Live Athena!
This is me, leaving a comment.
Have a safe trip.
[insert witty comment here]
This post has bacon taped to it.
Me!
there’s only one number worthy: 42
If Athena picks 42 you have raised her well.
3rd try.
ooteeenee!
Waves hello to Athena…
Here’s my comment.
Any number in the 200 range seems like a solid guess.
A MILLION AND SEVEN. Wait, what?
icanhazfuzzynavel?
This time for sure, nuthin’ up ma sleeve… Presto!
(wrong hat!)
I take a 7 and a half…
perhaps today is my lucky day…
I suppose I’d be willing to get a book.
125
Here goes nothin
My guess would have been 588
Me, me! [Bacon].
Right, if I don’t win I’ll just have to- gasp- spend some money. But it’s plain stupid that I don’t have more of your books, since I always love your writing.
Pick me!!!
*posts*
Or I could just buy the book…am I right?
Green.
Time! Time!
Oh, wait, wrong contest.
“There’s only one rule that I know of, babies—God damn it, you’ve got to be kind.”
These are the gol dangest contests ever, hardest ones I have ever played, yep.
Yes, that might be easier.
Crossing fingers
Please :-)
This one.
Pick me!
I’m game.
Mmmm fuzzy.
I guess I will take a shot.
Sweet.
I am known for winning the door prizes. People are jealous. I don’t care.
Comment
877
This is my comment. There are many like it but this one is mine.
Spoon!
Hope I won
Here goes nothing! I want a copy :)
Surprising how many people don’t read the instructions…
I don’t want to win a door, I’d like the book.
weeeeeeeeeeeee
Anywhere in the world, that means here in New Zealand then! Yay!
42…I know, its the post count, but I had to..
Victory is mine!!
This time for sure!
random crap here . :)
Okay, I’ve made my calculations and decided that this is the optimal comment number to have. Here goes nothing.
I have a feeling the winning comment number will be posted some time during my REM sleep.
post
I’m gonna go with 526
Oh, me me me me please.
GO GO GADGET FUZZY NATION ARC!
I always pick a number in the 700s, but I’m sure Athena is cooler than me and will pick THIS comment.
Here goes nothing!
Yuri Gagarin rocks.
One can only hope.
384
Peas Pappy Jack?
Okay.
Something witty.
Fingers crossed…
I expect the clever are holding back to get a large number, but what the heckaroonie…
287
Or this one?
here goes nothing
It’s amazing how many people place numbers in their comments anyway. Fools!
and so on…..
Nuts, I had a number picked out and everything. Well, here we go…
Just laughing at all of the people that didn’t read the post and see the comment number is what matters.
comment!
1 in 1,000.
I’m completely confident in my raffle-winning skills.
Veen der veer bork bork bork
Ping!
Please let it be me.
I feel like I’m too early…
I choose 677.
Count me in.
794
I am guessing that this comment will be 306, but I’ll take whatever I can get.
fnord
372
This one?
Woo. Let’s try this again :D
Come on four billion!… Fuck! Seven.
Hi
Hey-o!
Maybe this time, I’ll be lucky.
P
what, no cats ?
This one?
459
777
If I were guessing, I would have guessed a number somewhere in the 300s.
?
Nothing could possibly go wrong with this plan. Nothing.
comment
Would love to send an ARC with my boyfriend as he starts his deployment!
247
Sure, why not?!
The only number we can be sure it is not is this one. See you May 17th. I’ll be the one with the Hebrew copy of Old Mans War to be signed. And a couple of Fuzzy Nations to give to my friends.
789
I love these contests. So simple, so egalitarian.
Third time’s a charm, right? Right?
If I win, I’ll give Athena Warren Ellis’ daughter’s pony*.
I’m totally lying, Warren would eat my soul, if he hasn’t already.
Third time is the charm!
268
Hello.
C’mon big money! Or a book. Either one.
A free book to win.
One girl – a thousand choices.
A comment to write.
^_^
Woot!
Wee! Here we go again!
1 in 1000 …. good odds? Cheap cost of entry though.
For great justice (and an ARC)!
This is the one, I just know it.
I can’t see comment numbers on my iPhone, so I won’t know what I hit. :-(
(Around 330?)
Hi!
Pick me, pick me!
It’s. This. One. I hope.
Nearly contentless comment!
312
Twas brillig, and the slithy toves did gyre and gimble in the wabe.
All mimsy were the borogroves, and the mome wraths outgrabe.
Beware the Jabberwock, my son, the jaws that bite, the claws that catch
Beware the jub-jub bird and shun the frumious bandersnatch.
He took his vorpal blade in hand, long time the manxome foe he sought
So rested he by the tum-tum tree and stood awhile in thought.
And as in uffish thought he stood, the Jabberwock, with eyes of flame
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood and burbled as it came!
One, two, one, two and through and through! The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead and with its head he went galumphing back!
And hast thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy
Oh, frabjous day, calooh, calay, he chortled in his joy.
This comment is not intended to be a factual statement.
850
Maybe today’s my lucky day.
I love how many people don’t read instructions.
777
Here goes nothing.
Oh what the heck, I’ll bite.
FTW
Pick me!
Now.
BTW – are you doing a sequel to Little Fuzzy by H Beam Piper?
here goes nothin’
Good enough?
This is more fun than a drunken monkey. That’s not true actually. The drunken monkey is more entertaining. But he doesn’t read.
Yay!
This sentence is a lie
I wanted to put something clever here, but I have neither the wit nor the patience to think of something. Also, brain melting from reading the other comments. Some of which are very awesome.
…
And some of which are not. I’m looking at you number people
This post is the winner, for sure.
If only I could figure out how to hold the Internet to my forehead, I’m certain I could divine the winning comment number.
312
A young boy enters a barber shop and the barber whispers to his customer, “This is the dumbest kid in the world. Watch while I prove it to you.” The barber puts a dollar bill in one hand and two quarters in the other, then calls the boy over and asks, “Which do you want, son?” The boy takes the quarters and leaves. “What did I tell you?” said the barber. “That kid never learns!” Later, when the customer leaves, he sees the same young boy coming out of the ice cream store. “Hey, son! May I ask you a question? Why did you take the quarters instead of the dollar bill?” The boy licked his cone and replied, “Because the day I take the dollar, the game is over!”
I like pie.
Hey, this is a comment with no substance.
hey, why not?
Howdy do!
bam
357 is clearly correct, on account of it being composed of 3 consecutive odd numbers.
*crosses everything*
Why not?
So here goes nothing.
The last time I won anything was 6th grade; it was one of those hollow chocolate Easter bunny things and I ate the ears off first.
Ceci n’est pas un commentaire.
Fooble
732.
Hi
616
hoping!
Free Comic Book Day is coming!
I love ARCs! CIRCLEs, too!
I should like to claim number 386. But I’ll take what I can get.
/* You are not expected to understand this. */
I hope it’s my turn.
Whatever, whatever.
Looks like many people are not reading past rule #1.
Nothing particularly juicy, but I totally caught a dude flipping through the owner’s manual of a Yamaha RM1x sequencer.
Sorry to say that I haven’t been reading long enough to know what your book is about, although I’m not too dense to figure out that it’s most likely science fiction. If I get the winning number, I get an autographed copy right? heehee
Hi all.
Commenting like a Communicative Communist.
Hi – let’s try 555
This is not my beautiful number.
I always feel like somebody’s watching me.
I can has commit?
fingers crossed!!
No comment.
Here goes nothing :)
Word
I wonder if my number’s up?
I love fish and chips.
Here’s my try.
I’d really like to win
I wish I were a nice round number.
When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir? — John Maynard Keynes
I Comment!
I believe that I have correctly timed my entry. Please thank Athena for me. : )
Mmmmm, fuzzy books.
I wanted a higher number, but there you go.
It’s like playing lotto, but without having to go to the seven eleven. Or pay for my ticket. Yay!
Relax everyone… the ARC is mine.
What is an ARC, anyway?
“Outside of a dog, a book is a man’s best friend. Inside a dog, it’s too dark to read.” -Groucho Marx
ping
Okay, but did she tell her Mom? Because we all know we can trust her Mom.
Me?
The winning comment?
781
I wanted a higher number but was too impatient.
731
Please!
Count me in!
I never win these things…
Could this be the winning comment? Only Athena knows for sure…
This is the exact number I wanted!
Here is my uber-lucky post
Hope I’m not to late to the party! :P
howdy. Ok, Ms Scalzi, pick me, pick me!
ah, whom am I kidding, I never win anything…
Could it be me?
Dolphin code 22
@346- I was totally about to post that exact same poem. I’m not kidding. Whenever I have to say/write something random, I usually end up spouting poetry. Especially that one. People tend to give me strange looks.
Anyways, I want to read Fuzzy Nation!
L’chaim!
And here is my comment
Here goes nothing!
Feeling good about this one…
Hi, John! Hi, Athena!
Me! Me!
Pick me!
676
Could it be this one?
I’ve had the lousiest day in the lousiest week ever in my life. The universe owes me an ARC of Fuzy Nation!
The winner is me!
Winning! Wait, that’s already old. That’s me: already old.
mememememememe
Crossing my fingers.
Comment comment comment
I want one!
A Comment
42 is the best number.
Pick me
Commenting commently commatose….
Commenting.
He-inta sa-wa’aka; igga sa geeda
Best. Number. Ever. This one. Above me up there.
Might as well.
Fragile Alex 123 Orange.
The effort required for this one is right in my wheelhouse.
This is not a comment
225
Durp!
Anywhere in the world eh? OK…
Woohoo! Random chance at getting the number Athena picked!
I have this song stuck in my head.
Nothing clever to say. Move along.
bah didnt see the time. maybe next time rascal
I’m Henry the Eighth I am.
I guess this is as good as any body else’s number. Hopefully a lot better!
Comment!
These contests are cracking me up. Hope I win. That is all.
Anywhere in the world? Whee!
comment containing info on that wrist-wearable keyboard http://www.l3sys.com/wristpc/wristpc.html or about a Commodore C64 (only with a 1.8Ghz chip and optional bluray) relaunch. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12997245
sure, why not!?!
Why not?
I’ll try one more time.
I’m commenting!!!
I love this number
Here’s hoping……
I just want to point out that I tried the “my guess is my comment number” approach in the first contest, and it didn’t work. :-)
Nope, still not winning
Aw, I wanted an odd number. Oh well ;)
lucky comment number please!
comment!
I suspect that this is not the winning comment.
I hope that my earnest request to see the Cthulhu vs Scott Westerfield videos once more is a winning one, though.
Ok then I won’t say anything interesting.
[please insert witty remark of your choice here]
Just saw the Thor trailer. Mljoiner.
…
867-5309
comment +1!
It’s mine!
I’ll give Athena Brian’s post-Ellis digested soul. And Warren’s daughter’s pony. I’m sure it would fit in the house.
I can has??
now?
I feel fuzzy all ready (all puns intended)
Oooh, I’m comment #496 (before I press the submit button, anyway)!
This has GOT to be a winner.
This is not not the comment you are looking for.
this comment is not important.
I feel quite strongly about the number that has been randomly generated for me! Go my number!
So I’m just curious. If the comments were to exceed 1,00 before 7PM on the 13th should we be smart enough not to bother posting, or would you have your daughter re-think a number between 1 and whatever number over a thousand was the last comment be 7 PM EST on April 13th?
Blum
Have I commented here before?
Winning this ARC is what stands between me and a tour in the CDF… I’ll be that desperate.
I feel like there’s a Burma-Shave joke just waiting to be made in here.
Comment
This is a comment. There are many like it, but this one is mine. Without my comment, I am useless. Without me, my comment is useless.
Generic comment.
Purple
Why not give it a try, since I’m planning on getting it anyway?
Hi :)
Okay, here goes!
First.
No comment.
this is it. i can feel it.
Go me.
pleaseandthankyou
Hope my comment is the lucky comment
Win!
Since it is the number of the comment not the guess, I have a chance as we are still below 1000.
good luck to everyone. (and me8^D)
hi!
So here’s my comment.
I’m a BookCrosser and I released one of your books although I hadn’t read it. It has now been read by three different people who loved it. See this site for the details. Since then a number of people have told me how much they like your books (and one of them directed me to this site) so I obviously have to read them. So you could despoil a Scalzi virgin by picking me.
a_comment_01
C’mon…no whammies!
I am still in the running!!!!
This is my new favorite number
This comment may or may not be #527. But what I put here is not important.
Dr. Phil
This is my comment!
Number whatever-this-is.
I’m feelin’ lucky!
At least I’m before 1000!
Goodness, yes.
Squiggledoodles?
Nothing ventured..
Woo!
Glad I got in before the cutoff number!
I’ve spent the day in the hospital with a torn Achilles tendon. I NEED this!
hope springs
Here is hoping that you are having a nice spring.
Sure, I’ll give it a shot.
Fingers crossed…
I’d like to use lucky 13.
Have fun traveling! Hope to see you inSF.
I don’t have high hopes, but my low hopes are quite hopeful.
Athena is the best! AND she knows a lovely cherry tree when she sees one.
Random comment number for the win!
OK. No whammies, no whammies…Stop!
Me me me me!
I was waiting for the minute to change before I posted this, then I laughed and said “Oh yes, I am having teh dumb.”
*fingers crossed*
wow I can’t believe you guys all picked the wong number. Fools 8)
commenty comment
I have a headache and Tylenol is not fixing it.
Here’s hoping…
470
Now’s as good a time as any. I was off by five minutes last time. >_<
Yahtzee!
I bid one dollar, Bob!
Reboot “Murder in the Gun Room” next
me! me!
I like books, especially if they are Fuzzy.
Come on Fuzzy!
This seems like a very unusual way to get a lot of comments.
Okay, fine, I’ll try again.
This number is unlike any other number.
BANG!
pick me! (Have picked me? English doesn’t have the right tenses for this.)
Worth a shot…
Count me in.
Will I get any extra credit for introducing someone to Little Fuzzy yesterday? (I know….I couldn’t believe he’d never heard of Little Fuzzy but at least he did know who H Beam Piper was!)
Comment entirely devoid of political content.
Hi ya Scalzi compound!
Oh Oh Oh, Pick me pick me pick me
I like the rest of your books. What is an ARC?
Maybe???
Here, Fuzzy Fuzzy!
Third time’s a charm, right?
My house is already covered in fuzz from our cats, so a book about fuzzys will match.
Oh, so they’re making us type in comments. Okay.