Monthly Archives: May 2014
The Big Idea: Monica Byrne
Posted on May 20, 2014 5 Comments
First, a disclosure: I read a galley of Monica Byrne’s debut novel The Girl in the Road and liked it enough to give it a blurb — as did Neil Gaiman, Helene Wecker and Kim Stanley Robinson. And so in reading this particular Big Idea, I find myself not entirely surprised that a book this […]
Today’s New Books and ARCs, 5/19/14
Posted on May 19, 2014 34 Comments
A pretty nifty collection of new books and ARCs, I have to say. Is there anything in the stack that makes you squee? Let me know in the comments.
Today’s Tech Wonkery
Posted on May 19, 2014 71 Comments
Me, fiddling around with technology today, not just because I’m avoiding work but because I’m thinking about travel — I have a substantial travel schedule this summer, which means I will need to write on the road, and I’m trying to decide the best way to do it — full featured laptop? The Chromebook? A […]
Nebula Award Winners for 2013
Posted on May 18, 2014 89 Comments
And now, for those of you who haven’t read the news anywhere else, the results of the 2013 Nebula Awards Ceremony, which were awarded last night in San Jose. Congratulations to all the winners! Novel Winner: Ancillary Justice, Ann Leckie (Orbit US; Orbit UK) Nominees: We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves, Karen Joy Fowler (Marian Wood) […]
Ten Years Ago: Wedding Advice to Same Sex Couples
Posted on May 17, 2014 23 Comments
I was reminded (by Boing Boing, interestingly enough) that today is the tenth anniversary of me having written my advice to soon-to-be-married gays and lesbians, this being about the time that Massachusetts had allowed same-sex marriage to proceed. The advice works pretty much the same now as it did then, and I’m happy to say […]
In Which the Twitters Play On My Lawn
Posted on May 16, 2014 25 Comments
So, first I posted this. Yes, all right. Maybe the yard is a little ridiculously large. pic.twitter.com/5GnwClJ1kh — John Scalzi (@scalzi) May 16, 2014 In retrospect, I guess I was asking for it. @scalzi i think you kind of are asking for this…. pic.twitter.com/vr0IwCMW65 — kyle cassidy (@kylecassidy) May 16, 2014 https://twitter.com/tomtomorrow/status/467303143391633408 @tomtomorrow @scalzi pic.twitter.com/qD2wX9UkFB […]
Freshman Freakouts
Posted on May 16, 2014 57 Comments
I’m very interested in this piece in the New York Times magazine, talking about the differences in graduation rates between the kids in the upper economic levels (and the ones whose parents went to college) and the ones at lower levels of the socio-economic stratum. Roughly speaking, one of the best indicators of whether you’ll […]
Today’s Song I Kinda Hate
Posted on May 15, 2014 80 Comments
It’s this one: Why do I hate it? Basically because it sounds like someone listened to “Everything is Awesome” from The LEGO Movie, didn’t realize the song was being played for irony in that film (possibly because the film had, you know, LEGO), and strove to recreate the song’s valorization of a mediocre existence here […]
Daisy Practices Her “I Am Very Sad In a Way That Only Food Will Solve” Face
Posted on May 15, 2014 30 Comments
It’s a pretty impressive look. Sometimes it even works! (A reminder to people about to comment on her chunkiness that she is half mastiff. She looks chunky no matter what.)
The Big Idea: Will McIntosh
Posted on May 15, 2014 15 Comments
The Bad Guys: You know ’em, you hate ’em. But there’s also some truth in the saying that everyone is the hero of their own story — and that it’s not always clear cut that in a conflict one side is purely good and the other purely evil. Will McIntosh wrestled with the ideas of […]
A Question for the Evening, 5/14/14
Posted on May 14, 2014 196 Comments
How many current phone numbers can you recite from memory? The question comes from a discussion Krissy and I were having about how few current phone numbers either of us know, because in this day and age, one’s cell phone, with its contact list, takes care of everything for you. This is opposed to, say, […]
On the Subject of Who Can’t Win a Hugo Today
Posted on May 14, 2014 106 Comments
Because THIS IS A SERIOUS MATTER, PEOPLE. Always quietly disappointed that no one ever loudly proclaims that Fritz Leiber could never win a Hugo today. — John Scalzi (@scalzi) May 14, 2014 Why is it always Heinlein? LOTS OF DEAD SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY WRITERS COULD NOT WIN A HUGO TODAY, PEOPLE — John Scalzi […]
For the Avoidance of Doubt
Posted on May 13, 2014
This comment on John C. Wright’s Intercollegiate Review article, purporting to be from me, and reported on here (and since updated and corrected), was not written by me. I wrote a comment replying to it noting such, but for some reason I can’t see it (although others apparently can, so). I did, however, write this comment, […]
“Unlocked” Now at Tor.com
Posted on May 13, 2014 41 Comments
Those of you who were waiting for “Unlocked” to show up on Tor.com and thereby depriving my darling child of shoes and a college education* — your wait is over, because it’s now up for the reading over there.** Enjoy. * Not really. She has several pairs of shoes. Aaaaaand probably she’ll get a college […]
Notes on This Year’s Hugo Voter’s Packet
Posted on May 13, 2014 122 Comments
My Twitter feed in a tizzy this morning because Orbit books, which has three of the Hugo Best Novel nominees this year, has decided not to put the full books into the Hugo Voters Packet, opting instead to put in “extended previews.” The ostensible reasoning for that is here; a joint statement from the authors […]
The Big Idea: Rose Fox and Daniel José Older
Posted on May 13, 2014 32 Comments
When editors Rose Fox and Daniel José Older started out to create their anthology Long Hidden: Speculative Fiction from the Margins of History, they did so with a mission: To offer stories with more than the “usual suspects” of fantasy characters and tropes — to give space to stories and people outside of the expected. Here’s how […]
An Important Announcement
Posted on May 12, 2014 61 Comments
It is: Writing has officially begun (by me, to be clear) on book six of the Old Man’s War series, tentatively scheduled for release sometime (probably) in the first half of 2015 (note: tentatively). I won’t tell you the (again tentative) title yet, but I will reveal that the title has five words in it. […]
Photos From Mother’s Day
Posted on May 12, 2014 11 Comments
Because I have errands to run this morning. Enjoy these until I get back. Hope your Mother’s Day was enjoyable. Onward now into the week.
Happy Mother’s Day
Posted on May 11, 2014 4 Comments
Here’s mother and daughter from roughly seven years ago. Time flies. Hope you’re enjoying your mother’s day.
Whatever Everyone Else is Saying