Monthly Archives: October 2011
Frankfurt Saturday Update
Posted on October 15, 2011 24 Comments
So how was my Saturday? I’m glad you asked. 1. The book fair was open to the public today, and it was completely insane; there were times when it was impossible to move forward because so many people were jamming the aisles. Really sort of amazing. Like Comic Con, only larger, and with more books. […]
Saturday in Frankfurt: The Readinationing
Posted on October 15, 2011 6 Comments
For those of you who just happen to be in Frankfurt, Germany this evening, a reminder that my reading is here at 6:30 tonight: Kunstverein Frankfurt Markt 44 (Room D) 60311 Frankfurt am Main Please come. And bring every single person you know. For those of you who are not going to be in Frankfurt, […]
If It’s Friday It Must Be Frankfurt
Posted on October 14, 2011 32 Comments
So I called my wife at nearly 10pm here in Germany and it was still only 4pm there. Wow, that’s weird. Maybe not as weird as when I was in Australia and I would call and it would be an entirely different day in Ohio. But still weird enough. Notes on the day: 1. Despite […]
In Germany
Posted on October 14, 2011 16 Comments
Quick updates: 1. Have arrived in Germany. Flights in uneventful; taxi ride to hotel slightly terrifying; hotel room has the exact dimensions of the “coffin single” dorm room I had in college. It was the only room available at 6am, when I got in. They said, “it’s a room with a small bed.” I said, […]
Where in the World Is John Scalzi, 10/13
Posted on October 13, 2011 32 Comments
Answer: Currently loitering in the airport in Charlotte, North Carolina. Which is not actually a bad airport, when you have a long wait between connections, as I have today. As you can see the gate is positively packed. But then they’re not boarding the plane for another 90 minutes; I suspect it will fill up […]
The Next 11 Days
Posted on October 12, 2011 35 Comments
As most of you know by now, I’m off to Germany tomorrow to do my book tour (here are the cities and dates), and I’ll be there through the 23rd (and probably sleeping through most of the 24th). Here’s what you need to know about the next several days. 1. The cute little object above […]
The Unspeakable Eldritch Horror of Our New Bunny
Posted on October 12, 2011 61 Comments
To the surprise of almost exactly no one around here, the name “Cthulhu” took first place in our “Name the Bunny” poll, with “Lord Snuggleston,” coming in a reasonably close second. Athena liked both names, so we’re combining them to give our rabbit the rather grand name of “Cthulhu, Lord Snuggleston.” Because if ever there […]
The Big Idea: Matthew J. Kirby
Posted on October 12, 2011 6 Comments
Sometimes the big idea when the author starts a book isn’t the same big idea that the author finishes with. Matthew Kirby had this experience with his Viking fantasy Icefall — somewhere between the first and last words of the tale, some telling particulars had changed… and so had the story. Kirby tells you now […]
What Science Fiction Film Has Ruined For Me
Posted on October 12, 2011
This week at FilmCritic.com I go over some things that science fiction film has ruined for me, and, yes, this includes Antarctica, the setting for both the 1982 and 2011 versions of The Thing. The penguins can keep the whole continent, as far as I’m concerned. As always, if you have some choice comment to […]
How I Buy Music, 2011 (Featuring John Wesley Harding)
Posted on October 11, 2011 39 Comments
I’ve been a fan of John Wesley Harding (aka author Wesley Stace) since he was nothing but a snide punk covering Madonna and Depeche Mode songs among his own acerbic tunes 20 years ago, so it’s not terribly surprising that I was interesting in getting The Sound of His Own Voice, his latest, when it […]
Ladies and Gentlemen, Your Sun Dogs for Today
Posted on October 11, 2011 18 Comments
Handcrafted for your delight. Yes, ice fairies launched themselves into the sky to make them. You can see their trails crisscrossing below the sun! What? You don’t think those are ice fairy tracks? Well, believe what you want, atheist.
The Big Idea: Kirsten Kaschock
Posted on October 11, 2011 5 Comments
Author Kirsten Kaschock didn’t make things easy for herself in her novel Sleight. In it, she creates an all new art form, and then, having created it, she has to describe it to her readers — who have never seen of heard of this new art form before its appearance in the book’s pages. How […]
Sunset, 10/10/11
Posted on October 10, 2011 10 Comments
So long, sun. It was good to see you. Don’t be a stranger, you hear?
Name This Bunny 2: The Quickening
Posted on October 10, 2011 62 Comments
The Scalzi Family Rabbit is looking nonplussed at being at the house for several days and yet still not having a name. Fear not, unnamed lagomorph! We’re nearly there. Here’s the deal: a few hundred of you suggested names to Athena for this here rabbit. What she’s done is pick a list of finalists, and […]
The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction: Now in Beta
Posted on October 10, 2011 28 Comments
A tweet from the estimable Neil Gaiman informs me that the online version of The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction is now up as “beta text” — i.e., still a work in progress. Work in progress though it may be, it’s still pretty impressive, with 3.2 million words of information on science fiction authors, notables, themes […]
The Return of My Unsolicited Annual Plug for WordPress.com
Posted on October 10, 2011 14 Comments
Today marks the third anniversary of Whatever’s association with WordPress.com, via its VIP hosting service, and the best compliment I can think to give WordPress.com in this regard is that it’s been three years since I’ve had to think about whether my blog is up and running. It is, and WordPress.com just works. For someone […]
The Big Idea: Kate Elliott
Posted on October 10, 2011 24 Comments
Every family has its own activities, to bring them closer together and to enjoy each others’ company. Some like to go hiking. Some play music. Others enjoy a “game night” with Monopoly or Carcassonne. But what about the family of author Kate Elliot? Well. Their family activities are a little more, shall we say, expansive […]
Unfiltered ≠ Crazy
Posted on October 9, 2011 40 Comments
Over at Forbes, blogger Susannah Breslin wishes to suggest that crazy people make better bloggers, and likewise volunteers herself as an example of a crazy person who is one of those better bloggers. Her argument, basically, is that crazy people are willing to be unfiltered, honest and entertaining, which makes them more interesting than sane […]
What’s For Dinner at Chez Scalzi
Posted on October 9, 2011 25 Comments
Two different kinds of bruschetta, one the traditional sort with tomatoes, the second with wild mushrooms. Here, the chef shows off her plating skills. Not too bad. The food was mighty tasty as well. Inasmuch as I can scorch boiling water, Athena’s aptitude with food no doubt comes down from her mother’s side. This works […]
Your Sunday Mission: Name This Bunny
Posted on October 9, 2011 388 Comments
Athena’s having a hard time coming up with a name for the bunny, so I asked her if she’d like to crowd source it to you folks, and she said, yes, thank you, that would be lovely. So: Any ideas on a name for this bunny? Note that “Rorschach” has already been rejected. Athena thanks […]
Whatever Everyone Else is Saying