Monthly Archives: January 2013
Another Act of Whimsy: Choose Cory Doctorow’s Face!
Posted on January 14, 2013 47 Comments
As you know, a bunch of us science fiction and fantasy authors have gotten together to raise funds for Jay Lake and participate in Acts of Whimsy. When the fundraiser passed $35,000 a particular act of whimsy was unlocked from writer, Boing Boinger and Internet raconteur Cory Doctorow. That act: Cory will release a a CC-BY […]
What My First Time Was Like
Posted on January 14, 2013 27 Comments
Tomorrow the first episode of The Human Division is officially released into the world, which counts as the book release to me. It will also be either my seventeenth or twentieth published book, depending on whether one counts The Sagan Diary, The God Engines and Metatropolis to go along with the nine novels and eight […]
If I Can Make It There, Etc
Posted on January 14, 2013 26 Comments
I’ve had the occasional report of a big damn Audible.com ad with Redshirts on it at or near Times Square for a while now, but finally someone has sent a picture of it to me (thank you, Ken!) and here it is, at the corner of 42nd Street and 8th Avenue. Sweeeeeeeeet. I don’t know. […]
I Am NOT Running For SFWA President (Again) (Again) (Again)
Posted on January 14, 2013 1 Comment
I already posted a note in SFWA’s online discussion forums on this subject, but in the spirit of “belts and suspenders” am posting here, too. Most of you who read here know that I currently serve as the president of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA), and that I am currently in […]
In Which I, John Scalzi, Sing a Lost Bob Dylan Song For Jay Lake
Posted on January 13, 2013 79 Comments
This is for the Jay Lake “Acts of Whimsy” fundraiser. Enjoy, inasmuch as such a thing is possible. And remember: As of today, there’s still time to donate.
Sometimes I Don’t Write About Things
Posted on January 13, 2013 48 Comments
I’ve gotten enough emails and Twitter queries asking me if I’m going to write about the suicide of Internet notable Aaron Swartz (and at least one sort of angry email wondering way I haven’t written about it) that I feel it’s worth saying why I haven’t: Because until Friday, when the first reports of the suicide […]
Saturday Cats Are Pensive
Posted on January 12, 2013 18 Comments
I think he’s thinking that he should buy a boat. It seems to be a thing for cats these days.
Jay Lake v. PayPal
Posted on January 12, 2013 49 Comments
Last night, just before close of business, PayPal locked up Jay Lake’s account because of suspicious activity, namely, about $50k rolling into his account in the space of about two days because of two separate fundraisers (one of which you probably know about from here). Fair enough; the company has an interest in making sure […]
Your Friday Reading: Subterranean Magazine
Posted on January 11, 2013 10 Comments
Interrupting my busy work day to let you know that if you are so inclined, Subterranean Press has made the Fall 2012 and Winter 2013 editions of its magazine available to you — for free! — in both mobi and ePub format, and without DRM (because boo! DRM!). In the magazines you’ll find fabulous fiction […]
Various and Sundry, 1/11/13
Posted on January 11, 2013 26 Comments
A few things, mostly relating to me. * First, a look at 2013’s first appearance of the Scalzi River: This is the stream that shows up in my yard when we get huge amounts of rain, or in this case, lots of rain plus snow melt (it’ll be about 60 degrees here today). We installed […]
A Fundraiser for Jay Lake — With Extra Added Whimsy
Posted on January 10, 2013 29 Comments
So, here’s the thing: My pal Jay Lake, who many of you know as a fantastic author and raconteur, has cancer, and things could be going better. One of the things that might be able to help with his treatment is for Jay to have his genome sequenced. How would this help? By examining his […]
Oscar Predictions Post, 2013
Posted on January 10, 2013 56 Comments
Every year when the Academy Award nominations are announced, I reach back into my store of knowledge as a former full time film critic (and current, continuing film enthusiast) and give my immediate thoughts on the nominations for the six major Oscar categories, and which, off the top of my head, I think are likely […]
Joe Man’s War
Posted on January 10, 2013 40 Comments
So, Vendetta, my Norwegian publisher, posted up a really cool-looking poster of its February science fiction releases, of which Old Man’s War (De Gamles Krig) will be one: I’m not gonna lie, the cover art for all of them is pretty damn cool. But I couldn’t help noticing a curious fact about De Gamles Krig. […]
Sunset With Sundog
Posted on January 9, 2013 11 Comments
Taken with the cell phone camera on the way home. Yes, I stopped driving to take the picture. No, there was no one behind me. I live out in the boonies, remember?
Answering Questions About The Human Division, (Probably) Part I
Posted on January 9, 2013 45 Comments
People seem to have a number of questions about The Human Division, so here are some answers to them. Because I do that. Some of this I’ve answered before, but it’s nice to have it in one place, close to release date. Do I need to have read every book in the Old Man’s War […]
Thoughts On Selling Out
Posted on January 8, 2013 175 Comments
Over at io9, Charlie Jane Anders meditates on what it means to “sell out,” inspired by a Twitter conversation between (among others) Paolo Bacigalupi, Tim Pratt and myself. I put in a comment over there, but I have a couple more thoughts about selling out, through the prism of my own experience, so let me […]
The Big Idea: James Smythe
Posted on January 8, 2013 26 Comments
Space is vast, and dark, and deep. How does that make you feel? Because, as you are about to find out, it makes author James Smythe feel a very specific way, a way that he examines, at depth in his new novel The Explorer. JAMES SMYTHE: To my mind, the best moments in SF are […]
The Human Division Read-Along at Tor.com Begins
Posted on January 8, 2013 29 Comments
The official release of The Human Division begins next week, with “The B-Team” being sent to the public — but if you’re one of the folks who signed up for Tor’s special promotion of the series several months ago, you’re getting that first installment today. Congrats and enjoy! Everyone else: Dudes, it’s only a week. […]
Some Days You Wake Up and There’s a New David Bowie Video in the World
Posted on January 8, 2013 24 Comments
It’s over here on his site. And it’s Bowie being suitably Bowie, which is nice. Apparently there will be an entire album to go with it in March. You’re welcome.
Taos Toolbox, Redshirts French Cover, My Anthology Availability
Posted on January 7, 2013 22 Comments
Three things science fictional and fantastical, and lumped into a single post because of it: 1. Walter Jon Williams is once again heading up Taos Toolbox, a “graduate-level” writing workshop for science fiction and fantasy, and it’s application time once more for the program. WJW tells me in a note, “We want to concentrate on giving […]
Whatever Everyone Else is Saying