Monthly Archives: August 2014
Various and Sundry, 8/31/14 + Open Comment Thread
Posted on August 31, 2014 61 Comments
I’m home! For Two days! And so, a couple of things of interest: One, here’s a power wall of science fictional art, here in my office: From the left, that’s a black and white sketch of the French cover of Agent to the Stars by Paul Kidby (I also own the final color art), the […]
Today’s Reason I’m Happy With My Publisher
Posted on August 31, 2014
A full-page ad in today’s New York Times magazine. This is pretty nifty. On my home today. Hope your Sunday is as excellent as mine has been so far.
View From the Hotel Window, 8/30/14: Decatur, GA
Posted on August 30, 2014
The window overlooks an inner courtyard. The people you see in it are probably authors, here for the Decatur Book Festival. It’s very festive! My event is at 4:15 in the Decatur Recreational Center Gym. Come by. It’ll be tons of fun. Tomorrow: Home for Labor Day. Family! Laundry! Sleep! Hooray!
Lock In Through the Lens of Disability
Posted on August 29, 2014
Over at Huffington Post, writer David M. Perry takes a look at Lock In, with special emphasis on how disability matters are handled in the book — because, after all, the protagonist is someone who is “locked in” and uses technology to interact with the world. “To my knowledge, this is the first science fiction […]
View From the Hotel Window, 8/29/14: Chapel Hill
Posted on August 29, 2014
Chapel Hill is just a short jaunt from Raleigh, so I didn’t have to get in an airplane, I just got into a car and was driven. Hooray! Not that I don’t love air travel, mind you. But a nice little trip in a car is good, too. Afternoon: Catching up with friends. This evening. […]
View From the Hotel Window, 8/28/14: Raleigh
Posted on August 28, 2014
Overlooking a mall. There are worse views. Event tonight at 7:30 at Quail Ridge Books, here in Raleigh; if you’re in the Raleigh area I hope to see you there. If you can’t make it, tomorrow I am in Chapel Hill, just down the road, at Flyleaf Books. Come to either. Or both!
The Big Idea: Kameron Hurley
Posted on August 28, 2014 22 Comments
Fresh off winning dual Hugos at this year’s Worldcon, Kameron Hurley is releasing The Mirror Empire, which is quickly garnering some of the best reviews for a fantasy novel this year, in part thanks to its startling and vibrantly original worldbuilding. But as Hurley explains, some of the most intriguing worldbuilding she’s doing here involves […]
View From the Hotel Window, 8/27/14: Austin, TX
Posted on August 27, 2014
I am particularly pleased to have a view that overlooks newspaper offices, being a former newspaper person myself. Also, the Austin American-Statesman has been promoting the heck out of my appearance here, so it is now my new favorite newspaper. Tonight’s event: 7pm at BookPeople. Tomorrow: Raleigh, North Carolina! Quail Ridge Books! 7pm! In both […]
Today’s Thought Expressed on Twitter
Posted on August 27, 2014
Saw a few more posts about the Hugos this year and was going to respond but then my brain went SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP, so I think I'm done. — John Scalzi (@scalzi) August 27, 2014 Yeah. Moving on. I’m not saying you have to. Please, follow your bliss. But I’m already looking […]
View From the Hotel Window, 8/26/14: Houston
Posted on August 26, 2014
Hello, Houston! I made it into town more or less on time, had lunch at Goode Company BBQ, and am now relaxing in my suite with a view of the tennis/basketball court. Life is good. If you are in or near Houston, remember that I am having an event at Brazos Bookstore tonight at 7pm. […]
Lock In: It’s Out!
Posted on August 26, 2014
Today’s the day: Lock In is out! And because it is, now, in one handy post, here is everything you could possibly need to know about this book. The novel is getting some of the best reviews of my career to date, include starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus and Booklist. Io9 calls it one of […]
The Tour Baggage This Time
Posted on August 25, 2014
The Lock In tour lasts for four weeks, but the good news is that Tor arranged the tour so that I come home about once a week for a day or two. Aside from being an awesome thing that will let me save my sanity by allowing me to see my family, and thus not […]
Comments Are Now Officially (Mostly) Closed Through September 21
Posted on August 25, 2014
As promised. If you missed why, here’s why, and for what entries comments will still be open for.
New Books and ARCs, 8/25/14
Posted on August 25, 2014 25 Comments
Just catching up before I head off on the book tour: Here are latest books and ARCs that have come to the Scalzi Compound. What here can you not live without having in your own library? Share in the comments!
The Doubleclicks Cover “Friday I’m In Love” Because I Asked Them To
Posted on August 25, 2014 4 Comments
And it is adorable. Also, they let you know about their upcoming tour, which you should go see them on; the song shows up immediately thereafter. You may recall that I also essayed this song a few months back. The Doubleclicks version is somewhat more musically competent.
On The Matter Of When to Buy Lock In and In What Format
Posted on August 25, 2014 40 Comments
Whenever a new book of mine comes close to a release date, I get emails and social media queries from folks asking me what format they should get the book in and when, in order to give me the most money/exposure/whatever. Which is very sweet. Okay, since you asked, here are some thoughts on the […]
Pre-Tour Procedural Bits
Posted on August 25, 2014 4 Comments
A bit of housekeeping here for folks. First, as most of you know, tomorrow I will be starting a fairly long book tour, one that ends on September 20 (there are a couple of dates past that, but they don’t require me being out on the road on a more or less constant basis). Here’s […]
A Moment Of Recognition
Posted on August 24, 2014 14 Comments
It’s a beautiful, sunny August Sunday, I’m in my kitchen, listening to mellow music, just before heading off to do a bit of shopping for my book tour, at which I will get to see a bunch of friends and fans all over the country. My plans for the evening: Spend it with my wife […]
Some Lock In Reviews for Your Weekend Pleasure
Posted on August 23, 2014 7 Comments
As we go into release week for Lock In, a quick look at some reviews of the book from the last several days, all positive (hooray!): The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: “[T]here must be magic (defined here as a combination of skill, vision and intuition) behind Scalzi’s talent for turning out one compulsively readable book after […]
Henry Rollins Shows His Ass, Gets Told, Owns It
Posted on August 23, 2014 82 Comments
So, in the wake of Robin Williams’ suicide, Henry Rollins wrote a piece in LA Weekly called “Fuck Suicide,” in which he basically engages in a bit of “tough love” victim-blaming. This caused the world to drop on Henry Rollins’ head (here’s a fairly representative sample). Henry Rollins, to his credit, has offered up a reasonably decent apology, and […]
Whatever Everyone Else is Saying