Monthly Archives: December 2014
A Last Look at the Sun, 2014
Posted on December 31, 2014 11 Comments
And there it goes. Farewell, 2014.
My Own 2014
Posted on December 31, 2014 35 Comments
Well, you know. It was all right. Career-related highlights: Lock In came out and hit the NYT and other hardcover bestseller lists, which was nice. It also sold very well in other formats, including audio, where (or so I was informed) it’s become Audible’s number one pre-ordered audiobook ever, no doubt helped by the dual narrations from […]
Pet Pictures 2014 (Plus Bonus Ghlaghghee Update)
Posted on December 30, 2014 39 Comments
Here’s Ghlaghghee resting in a papasan chair in the basement, which has, post congestive heart failure, become her favorite place to hang out. I’m fine with this because it’s only a few steps from the litter box, and given that the medicine we feed to her twice daily is a diuretic, this means that the […]
Today’s Best Twitter Correspondence
Posted on December 29, 2014 27 Comments
Dear @logitech: Your trackpad kept glitching for several days. Nothing seemed to help. However, I finally fixed it. pic.twitter.com/MQNIFosIdP — John Scalzi (@scalzi) December 29, 2014 @scalzi Hi John! Interesting approach. Did you try reaching out to customer support? http://t.co/tYv4YsY9mY — Logitech (@Logitech) December 29, 2014 As annoyed as I was with the trackpad, I […]
Hell Yes, I’m a Feminist
Posted on December 29, 2014 182 Comments
A couple of years ago, I wrote a piece on my personal feminism, in which I noted that while I can be considered a feminist on the fundamental level of “women are entitled to the same rights and privileges as men, with everything that implies in terms of access to education, economic opportunity and personal liberty,” […]
Subscription Model Squabbles
Posted on December 28, 2014 81 Comments
So, authors, you’ll all remember when, in the middle of the Amazon-Hachette spit-fight, I noted that Amazon isn’t your friend, it’s a business entity with its own goals, which may only tangentially align with yours (and the same goes for Hachette)? Surprise! Authors are upset with Amazon. Again. For much of the last year, mainstream […]
The Top Ten Whatever Entries for 2014, Plus 2014 Traffic
Posted on December 28, 2014 19 Comments
So, which entries on Whatever were the most popular in 2014, how was traffic to the site, and how was my general online reach? These all have interesting answers, or at least interesting to me. Let’s delve, shall we. First, here are the top ten most-visited posts on Whatever in 2014, according to the WordPress […]
On Being Accused of Confessing to Awful Things
Posted on December 27, 2014 1 Comment
(Note: Folks who get triggery about discussions of rape should tread carefully here, both in the text and the links.) Got a concerned email this morning from someone who saw online an assertion that I was a “self-confessed rapist.” I knew before reading further this was likely to be Theodore Beale (aka “Vox Day”) continuing […]
My Best Pun, Possibly Ever
Posted on December 26, 2014 23 Comments
Inordinately proud of myself for this one. pic.twitter.com/AHTuvHARmA — John Scalzi (@scalzi) December 26, 2014 Thank you, I will be here through December. Try the veal.
Best Longform Twitterings, 2014
Posted on December 26, 2014 4 Comments
It's times like this when I muse on the wisdom of Paul McCartney, when he sang "Jude Jude Judy Judy Juda Juda WOW WOWWOW." Think about it. — John Scalzi (@scalzi) December 26, 2014 I spent a lot of time on Twitter in 2014, partly because I traveled quite a lot this year, and partly […]
The Sunsets of 2014
Posted on December 25, 2014 17 Comments
Merry Christmas. And as is tradition, one from the other side of the day: your sunrise. I hope you enjoy your day with friends and loved ones, or at least a fun video game.
Whatever Best of 2014
Posted on December 24, 2014 8 Comments
2014: Not exactly a vintage year in my opinion. Nevertheless, a year in which I wrote several things here worth remembering here at the end of this year’s days. This year the memorable pieces were primarily about writing, and sexism and/or discrimination, with the latter being viewed particularly through the odious nonsense of GamerGate. About US […]
Think of This as a Bonus Holiday Tale
Posted on December 23, 2014 8 Comments
Athena, Neil Gaiman and I talk about a duck, Other Fathers, and buttons. Enjoy.
Sixteen
Posted on December 23, 2014 105 Comments
In the old days, when Athena was much younger, the only way she knew it was her birthday was when we would burst into her room first thing in the morning with a cake and candles and sing “Happy Birthday” to her. Eventually she figured out the date, but we still burst into her room […]
Script Notes on The Birth of Jesus
Posted on December 22, 2014 107 Comments
Dear Matt and Luke: We just read through your story treatment of The Birth of Jesus. We love it. Love it. Seriously, “love” is not nearly the right word for what we feel about what will almost certainly become a perennial seasonal classic. I hope the two of you have made space for awards on […]
Solstice Sunset, 12/21/14
Posted on December 21, 2014 43 Comments
A lovely way to go into the longest night of the year.
New Books and ARCs, 12/19/14
Posted on December 19, 2014 23 Comments
This will be the last of these, I expect, of the year, so: What here looks good to you? Share in the comments.
Ghlaghghee Update
Posted on December 19, 2014 49 Comments
I know many of you are curious about how Ghlaghghee is doing, so: She’s still with us and the medicine she’s taking to clear out the fluid in her lungs seems to be doing the job, since she’s not been having any of the troubling horking coughs which were troubling her before. On the other hand […]
Nerds on a Boat
Posted on December 19, 2014 12 Comments
Over at Wired there’s a piece on the JoCo Cruise, the annual pilgrimage of nerds and geeks to the Caribbean, via a cruise ship, whilst they are being entertained by nerd celebrities like Jonathan Coulton (for whom the cruise is named), Paul & Storm, and, this year at least, me (I’m running a writing track […]
Worst Date In 5 Words
Posted on December 18, 2014 64 Comments
It was a Twitter hashtag. I was bored. SUE ME. "My ankle monitor is itchy." #WorstDateIn5Words — John Scalzi (@scalzi) December 19, 2014 "First date with a human!" #WorstDateIn5Words — John Scalzi (@scalzi) December 19, 2014 "Promise I won't snort mustard." #WorstDateIn5Words — John Scalzi (@scalzi) December 19, 2014 "The moon's full tonight? Uh-oh." #WorstDateIn5Words […]
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