Monthly Archives: February 2014

Away From Keyboard Until 3/3

So here’s a picture of a cat to keep you company until then. But yes, as promised, I’m taking a little time off from the Internets for a personal project, and also because it’s a good idea every once in a while to walk away from the online world. Now seems like a good time. […]

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In Today’s “Get Off My Lawn” News

Because I am a cranky old man who will die unloved and alone, I have updated my guidelines page to explain why I won’t help kids with their school assignments. Scroll down to the bottom of that page for the details. But seriously, teachers: Assigning your students to trawl the internet looking for writers to […]

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A Late Winter Portrait

Thanks to higher temperatures and a rainstorm, the snow pack has melted out of yard, but there’s still a fair amount of icy scree, which you may see in the foreground here. Krissy took this picture whilst walking the dog; I thought it was pretty good one. (you can see a larger version here.) She […]

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THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE

Context: Chris Kluwe wrote on Twitter about how the GOP are currently destroying themselves, like the Whigs did back in the day. This is what followed. @ChrisWarcraft You were around for the Whigs? Are you immortal? ARE YOU THE HIGHLANDER? — John Scalzi (@scalzi) February 21, 2014 @scalzi THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE — Cassandra, […]

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Sean Fodera Makes an Apology

You may find it here. I have nothing in particular to add to it other than the general belief that apologies are useful things. I am also happy to learn in the same post that I shall not be sued. Update: Mary Robinette Kowal responds to, and accepts, the apology. Update 2: Sff.net buckled under […]

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Houston: I’ll See You Memorial Day Weekend At Comicpalooza

They’ve announced it, so I will too: I’m a literary guest at Comicpalooza, in Houston, TX, this Memorial Day Weekend. If you’re going, make sure you come and say hello. If you’re not yet going, well, see, obviously you should. More details to come the closer we get to the date. Also, at the moment […]

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Join the Insect Army!

“The problem is that the ‘vocal minority’ of insects who make up the new generation of writers don’t scramble for the shadows when outside lights shines on them—they bare their pincers and go for the jugular. Maybe it is a good thing that SFWA keeps them locked up. The newer members who Scalzi et al. […]

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Reminder: Con or Bust Auctions are Live!

Con or Bust being the program that helps fans of color get to science fiction and fantasy conventions. Every year science fiction and fantasy notables auction off cool stuff, and this year is no exception: Signed books, custom-made goodies, Tuckerizations, critiques and more are all on offer. Check it out (also, here’s a Google Doc […]

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A Note to Sean Fodera

Sean: If you honestly believe you can sue me for libel for linking to this article, you are, in my opinion, deeply ignorant of how libel works in the US. For the avoidance of doubt, I do not believe that anything in that article rises to libel, not in the least because the article links […]

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Why I Didn’t Go To Bennington College

I read the Esquire profile of Peter Dinklage this morning, and it noted that Dinklage is a graduate of Bennington College, class of 1991. Which made me think, huh, I could have been a classmate of Peter Dinklage’s, because I was also class of 1991… and I had also been accepted into Bennington. Indeed, when […]

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A Conversation That Actually Just Happened

Context: I tasked my fifteen-year-old daughter with ordering food from the local pizzeria. Athena: Dad! Me: What? Athena: I tried calling the pizza place but  I got a weird noise. Me: Like what? Athena: “Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.” Me: …. That’s called a “busy signal.” Athena: Okay. What does that mean?  Me: It means someone else […]

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Publishing Notes, 2/13/14

Just a couple for the day: One: Today someone who had pirated editions of my work very nicely came to find out how to compensate for my work, noting that he wanted to pay me directly rather than publishers, who he felt didn’t add much value to the process. I told him I disagreed and […]

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The Big Idea: Pamela Ribon

Every time Pamela Ribon does a Big Idea here, I inevitably note she is one of the funniest humans that I know. I note that because a) she is, b) I think at least some of her humor springs from a place I recognize — that is, being a yearny, awkward teen whose internal world […]

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Sunset, 2/12/14

Because it’s been a while. If you look to the left edge of the picture, you can see a faint sun dog. There was one to the right, too,out of frame, but it was even fainter. One day I’d like to get both sides, and maybe one on top. It would be something to live […]

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