Monthly Archives: April 2013
Meet the Renfield
Posted on April 30, 2013 37 Comments
My pals over at Industrial Toys have just released a glimpse of one of the enemies you’ll face in Morning Star, the video game I am working on with them. Meet the Renfield. Yes, he looks goofy. He is goofy. He can also totally murder your ass several times. I know from experience, y’all. Come […]
Some Pictures of the Crabapple Tree For You
Posted on April 30, 2013 25 Comments
Because spring, that’s why. More and/or larger pictures are here. And yes, you may use them for computer wallpapers/personal use.
The Big Idea: Wesley Chu
Posted on April 30, 2013 17 Comments
You like odd couples? In The Lives of Tao, author Wesley Chu has got an odd couple for you. A very odd couple. WESLEY CHU: I originally had a little trouble pinpointing the Big Idea for The Lives of Tao. Should I use the big idea I had when I first conceived the story, or […]
Fiddly Administrative Post on the Next Several Weeks
Posted on April 29, 2013 20 Comments
But first, a milestone announcement: This is the 8,000th post on this iteration of Whatever. Go me! Now, then: As most of you know, I have begun my book tour season, with events for the last two weekend, an event this next weekend, and then a full-fledged tour starting the weekend after that (here are […]
The German Cover to The Human Division
Posted on April 29, 2013 44 Comments
Interesting. I do like it, although it’s more about selling the book as science fiction than being 100% accurate to the content of the book (to be fair, there are soldiers in the book). It also keeps with the general German tradition of space ships on my cover, but they aren’t the main focus. They’ve also […]
The Human Division Hardcover in the House
Posted on April 29, 2013 33 Comments
Zeus is obviously not impressed. Hey, cat, you’d be impressed if you knew this was paying for your kibble. Not to mention that chair you’re so comfortably napping on. Respect the novel, damn you cat. Unimpressed cats aside, I have to tell you that I hope we never do go to pure digital output as […]
The Big Idea: Martin Berman-Gorvine
Posted on April 29, 2013 9 Comments
Sidewise Award-winning author (and my college classmate) Martin Berman-Gorvine likes playing with time, space and narrative forms, all of which combine not only in his latest novel, Seven Against Mars, but also in this very Big Idea, in which the heroines of his novel, shall we say, have their opinions on the book, reading and […]
Final Reminder for The Human Division Preorder
Posted on April 28, 2013 6 Comments
If you wanted a signed, personalized edition of The Human Division and you won’t see me on tour, today’s the last day to preorder it from Jay and Mary’s Book Center. Here are the details. Don’t dawdle, folks. Heading home from Chicago in just a bit. C2E2 was a bundle of fun.
Today’s View Out a Hotel Window
Posted on April 27, 2013 41 Comments
As a view, this does not suck. Hope you’re all having a good Saturday. Tell what your plans for the day are.
It’s Friday! Time for Reminders!
Posted on April 26, 2013 39 Comments
And here they are! One! You only have until Sunday to pre-order from Jay and Mary’s Book Center to get signed, personalized copies of The Human Division from me! Here are the details! Two! Remember I will be in Chicago starting today for events at the University of Chicago (today) and C2E2 (tomorrow)! Here are […]
Your Midday Cat Picture
Posted on April 25, 2013 19 Comments
Still working on this movie treatment thing (that’s what I’m doing with my day). Here’s a picture of a cat to get you through the rest of your afternoon.
I Have Stuff To Do Today, So Here’s Steve Martin and Edie Brickell’s New Album
Posted on April 25, 2013 21 Comments
It’s lovely. Especially if you like bluegrass and/or banjo. If you don’t then, uh, too bad, I guess. If you like it, consider buying it. You know, as one does. I’ll be back when my stuff is done. May be a bit.
Rainbow, 4/24/13
Posted on April 24, 2013 21 Comments
I see some cool stuff from my front yard sometimes. Larger versions are here. Feel free to use ’em for computer wallpapers if you like.
My Weekend Schedule at C2E2 and University of Chicago
Posted on April 24, 2013 7 Comments
Hey, if you’re in the Chicagoland area this weekend, you’ll have a chance to see me at C2E2, where I will be signing and doing a panel, and, if you are a University of Chicago student, at the UofC, where I will be doing a chat. Here is my official schedule. Friday at University of […]
The Lowest Difficulty Setting as Teaching Tool
Posted on April 24, 2013 156 Comments
This is interesting: Writer and teacher Samantha Allen assigns my “Straight White Male: The Lowest Difficulty Setting There Is” piece in her Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies 100 class (along with her own, similar article) and then as a teaching exercise runs her students through Halo, with the game set at varying difficulties, to see if a video […]
Me at the Guardian and LA Times
Posted on April 24, 2013 17 Comments
I’m showing up at a couple of news outlets today, so let me share those with you. One, here’s a video interview I did with Carolyn Kellogg of The Los Angeles Times, mostly talking about The Human Division. Please to admire my fine apparel. Two, The Guardian has a piece on the changing world of […]
The Big Idea: Josin McQuein
Posted on April 24, 2013 14 Comments
Today’s metaphor for ideas comes to you from Josin L. McQuein, author of the new YA science fiction book Arclight. And what is that metaphor? Hint: They are small, they are many, and if you are not careful, they are coming for you — or at least at you, in their multitudes. Prepare yourself. JOSIN […]
Big Idea Gender Breakdown
Posted on April 23, 2013 73 Comments
Via Annalee Newitz’s Twitter feed, I see that Strange Horizons has done a gender breakdown of reviews in SF publications, and learns that more sf/f by men is reviewed than sf/f by women. This made me curious as to how my Big Idea feature here at Whatever has been doing, gender-wise, in terms of authors/editors […]
Reminder About Signed Books From Jay & Mary’s Plus a Plea to Those Going to My Tour Events
Posted on April 23, 2013 34 Comments
First: Remember that through April 28 — that’s this upcoming Sunday — you can pre-order The Human Division hardcover from Jay & Mary’s Book Center (my hometown indie bookseller) and I will happily sign and personalize the book for you. All the details are here. Second: If you are coming to see me on my […]
Yardwork, 4/23/13
Posted on April 23, 2013 22 Comments
No, not by me. I have allergies (which reminds me, time to take my Claritin for the day. Okay, there we go). But others are here to do a little work for me. This fellow for example, is doing a bit of reseeding; there are some bald patches in the lawn due to a few […]
Whatever Everyone Else is Saying