Monthly Archives: January 2015
Back from Confusion ’15
Posted on January 18, 2015 11 Comments
I attended the Confusion convention the first time in 2005; Old Man’s War had just come out and I wanted to see what a convention that was not a WorldCon was like. I picked Confusion because it was relatively nearby (3 hours driving, which is nothing to a native Californian) and because it looked interesting. […]
The Big Idea: Red Equinox
Posted on January 16, 2015 17 Comments
Sometimes a terrible event can inspire authors not just to create fiction but to look at their environs a whole new way. Douglas Wynne explains how an attack on his town brought about his latest novel Red Equinox — and a reevalution of his city. DOUGLAS WYNNE: On April 19, 2013 I sat at the […]
First-Pass Oscar Predictions, 2015
Posted on January 15, 2015 67 Comments
In a past life I was a full-time film critic and still keep up with the field. So every year when the Oscar nominations come out, I predict what will win in the six major categories, first fresh out of the gate, then again just before the ceremony, to factor in changing circumstances. The awards […]
The Big Idea: Greer Macallister
Posted on January 14, 2015 5 Comments
In some ways, writing a novel is a bit of magic — you sweep someone away to another time or place using only the power of words. When Greer Macallister was writing The Magicians Lie, about an actual, professional magician, there was another level of magic to consider — as well as some intriguing practicalities. […]
A Cat and His Box
Posted on January 13, 2015 28 Comments
Zeus the cat, shown here being fooled into attacking the underside of a box by the scratching sounds my wife is making, has become quite attached to the self-same box. The box is the one my most recent desktop computer came in; I pulled the computer out of it and the kept the box for a […]
The Big Idea: Marcus Sedgwick
Posted on January 12, 2015 9 Comments
You ask questions, sure. But have you asked The Question? You know, the question that’s so important it requires capital letters. In this Big Idea, Marcus Sedgwick is addressing The Question, and how it relates to his latest novel, The Gates of Heaven. MARCUS SEDGWICK: “What are we doing here?” A pertinent question at times, […]
Disorganized Thoughts on Free Speech, Charlie Hebdo, Religion and Death
Posted on January 11, 2015 193 Comments
Disorganized because every time I try to organize my thoughts on these topics recently they kind of squirm away. So, fine, disorganized it is, then. 1. As noted in one of the tweets shown above, as a newspaper journalist, as well as, you know, writing here, I’ve done my share of enraging people with words, by […]
The “Duh” Factor
Posted on January 10, 2015 24 Comments
Another possible measure of advancing age: I wrote 15,000 words this week, which was good, but at the end of each day my brain felt a bit wrung out, and today, when I’m not writing on the book but did want to write about politics a bit, my brain was still a bit mush. Whoa […]
That Time I Remixed a Depeche Mode Song
Posted on January 9, 2015 3 Comments
More than a dozen years ago (yikes) Depeche Mode did a contest where they invited people to remix their then-latest single “I Feel Love,” for some prize I do not remember because, yeah, like I was going to win. Nevertheless I’m a Depeche Mode fan and I thought it would be fun to take a […]
Holy Cow, I Forgot to Post Today
Posted on January 9, 2015 6 Comments
I’ve been busy! Writing novels! By way of apology, have this excellent Joan Armatrading song. She’s great.
A Question For Discussion This Fair Evening
Posted on January 8, 2015 277 Comments
Which is: I was at the dentist’s yesterday to get a small filling done, and while I was there the dentist, his assistant and I had a discussion about painkillers, and the fact that some people — not a huge number but not an infinitesimally small number either — prefer not to use them when […]
Monty Python and the Holy Livetweet
Posted on January 7, 2015 43 Comments
Or, what I did with my Wednesday evening. Watching something called "Monty Python and the Holy Grail." Anyone heard of it? Is it any good? Looks historical! — John Scalzi (@scalzi) January 8, 2015 I am assured by Twitter that Monty Python and the Holy Grail, which I have never seen before, is 100% historically […]
Meanwhile, at the Scalzi Compound
Posted on January 7, 2015 50 Comments
No school today because of cold (and likely no school tomorrow, since it will be even colder), so what better day for Athena to run about in Unreal Tournament 2004, killing bots? None! None more better, I say! Also, Unreal Tournament 2004: Still the best arena shooter, especially if you don’t actually want to play […]
Author Cat is Authorial
Posted on January 6, 2015 28 Comments
“What? Why yes, I am writing up a little something, just a novel that will forever change the way people — and by people I mean cats — think about the world, the universe, and existence itself. I call the novel Tuna With Thumbs. No, you can’t look at it. It’s not done, and anyway […]
The Big Idea: James Morrow
Posted on January 6, 2015 10 Comments
Welcome to 2015, and the very first Big Idea of the year. And who should we have to kick things off but James Morrow, an author who regularly thinks about the biggest ideas of all: Gods, living and dead, and the implications thereof. Is it any surprise that his latest novel, Galápagos Regained, trains its sights on the question […]
SF/F Authors/Editors/Artists/Fan Creators 2015 Award Awareness Post
Posted on January 5, 2015 123 Comments
For the last few of years, after noting my own award-eligible works, I’ve posted another thread for other folks in the science fiction and fantasy field to make potential award nominators aware of their works and/or personal award eligibility. It turned out to be pretty useful, so I’m doing it again this year. Right now! In this […]
New Computer Update
Posted on January 3, 2015 32 Comments
I bought my new desktop computer recently, mostly because the old one stopped working, but also because I wanted to get a reasonably tricked-out computer to play the latest generation of PC video games. I got one of these, and a 4k monitor with “G-sync,” which helps to prevent tearing of the image on the […]
In Today’s Episode of “John Scalzis Who Are Not Me”
Posted on January 3, 2015 20 Comments
Please meet John Scalzi the professional boxer, having a fight in 1996. He’s in the red and he’s fighting against Kenny Caraballo in blue. Spoiler: Scalzi (14 – 37), a welterweight, loses, although this particular fight doesn’t seem to be part of his official record. Caraballo, his opponent, would have a very short but reasonably […]
The 2015 Awards Consideration Post
Posted on January 2, 2015 8 Comments
Another year, another post to let those of you who vote for Hugos, Nebulas and other science fiction/fantasy awards know what I have have that is eligible for your consideration. This year, here are the goods: Best Novel Lock In, Tor Books, August 2014; Patrick Nielsen Hayden, editor. Best Novella “Unlocked: An Oral History of Haden’s […]
Output, Appearances, Plans, Resolutions, 2015 Edition
Posted on January 1, 2015 39 Comments
Plans! Dreams! Physical manifestions, in text and flesh! For 2015, here’s what I got so far. Output: These are confirmed, i.e., have solid publication plans/dates. If all goes well, sometime very soon, the videogame Midnight Star (which I did the worldbuilding for) will be available worldwide on iOS, with other platforms to follow. Immediately prior to Midnight […]
Whatever Everyone Else is Saying