Monthly Archives: March 2015
Novel Completion Queries, Day Four
Posted on March 19, 2015 245 Comments
Is the novel finished? NO Today’s question: Cheese or beer. You must choose one. When you choose one, you are never allowed to have the other again. Which do you choose? (Note: no “cheese made from beer” or “beer made from cheese” loopholes allowed.) Explain your answer if you wish. Yes, it’s a hard choice. It’s […]
Novel Completion Queries, Day Three
Posted on March 18, 2015 82 Comments
Is the novel finished? NO Today’s question: Assuming the ethical considerations could somehow be squared away, would you want a monkey for a pet? That’s a monkey, not an ape (don’t have apes as pets. It’s a bad idea.) My answer: Having a questionably domesticated animal with opposable thumbs in one’s house seems fraught with […]
Novel Completion Queries, Day Two
Posted on March 17, 2015 50 Comments
Is the novel finished? NO Today’s question: Name a favorite song in a genre that you don’t typically listen to. My answer: “My Friend (So Long)” by DC Talk, in the Contemporary Christian genre: Because it’s a pretty sassy song in which (as I understand it) the band addresses the accusations that they sold out […]
The Big Idea: Brian Upton
Posted on March 17, 2015 17 Comments
It’s fair to say that Brain Upton knows about a bit about video games: He’s the co-founder of games studio Redstorm Entertainment, was the lead designer of several games there, and currently works at Sony. It’s also fair to say that Upton has thought about what game design means more than most people ever will. […]
New Books and ARCs, 3/16/15
Posted on March 16, 2015 38 Comments
Some really nice names and titles in this stack. See something that catches your eye? Let me know in the comments.
Novel Completion Queries, Day One
Posted on March 16, 2015 72 Comments
Is the novel finished? NO Today’s question: Talk about your first serious crush. It can be someone you knew, or a celebrity crush. If someone you knew, do you still know that person? My answer: It was Karin Woo, back in 7th grade. I was obnoxious to her, she would shove me into my locker, […]
Security Certificate Alerts on Whatever — Don’t Panic!
Posted on March 15, 2015 19 Comments
Every once in a while I get an email or other notification from someone about their browser (usually Chrome but occasionally Firefox) warning them that Whatever is insecure and asking them if they really want to continue onto the site. In the interest of quelling concerns and also not having to write this up every […]
Bart Blauser, RIP
Posted on March 15, 2015 23 Comments
I’d like to take a moment here to note the passing of Bart Blauser, who was Krissy’s uncle, earlier this month, and whose life we celebrated yesterday at a memorial service with family and friends. Pretty simply, Bart was a fine example of “salt of the earth”: A good and decent man who loved his family and […]
Best Dad Ever
Posted on March 14, 2015 66 Comments
So this happened tonight: T-shirt, pajama pants and bathrobe. Ladies and gentlemen, I have gone Full Dad. — John Scalzi (@scalzi) March 15, 2015 @scalzi double bonus points if Athena has friends over. — Lynne M Thomas (@lynnemthomas) March 15, 2015 In fact she does! RT @lynnemthomas: @scalzi double bonus points if Athena has friends […]
Happy Pi Day
Posted on March 14, 2015 41 Comments
Consider this our annual holiday card to you. And of course I scheduled this to post at 9:26am.
New Books and ARCs 3/13/15
Posted on March 13, 2015 23 Comments
Been a busy week for new books and ARCs because, well, some weeks are like that. But on the other hand, it’s also been an excellent week, and today’s installment is no exception. See something you’re interested in here? Let me know in the comments!
The Next Month (or so) on Whatever and Social Media
Posted on March 13, 2015 16 Comments
So, I’m in crunch time on The End of All Things (which truth be told is running just a tiny bit late, which annoys me because deadlines are a thing I usually hit) and April is my Month O’ Travel™ this year. This will mean things for Whatever and my presence on social media for […]
The Big Idea: Catherynne Valente
Posted on March 13, 2015 8 Comments
For the fourth book in Catherynne Valente’s wildly acclaimed and bestselling “Fairyland” series, The Boy Who Lost Fairyland, the author has made a slight change in the nature of the protagonist. And just why did she do this, and what does it mean for the world she’s created? We’ve got the answers for you today. […]
New Books and ARCs, 3/12/15
Posted on March 12, 2015 37 Comments
Today’s stack of new books and ARCs has one book that is sadly all-too-appropriate today. Let me know what else in this stack you have an interest in, in the comments.
RIP, Terry Pratchett
Posted on March 12, 2015 91 Comments
It’s being reported that Sir Terry Pratchett has died. Which means that it’s a very sad day for lovers of fantasy and science fiction. Sir Terry (which I will call him here rather than “Pratchett” because, hey, have you been knighted?) had been dealing with Alzheimers for some time now, and his public journey with […]
Note to Businesses Following Me on Twitter
Posted on March 12, 2015 10 Comments
Please, please, please don’t just drop an ad/PR bit for your product into my tweet stream. One, it’s not nice, even if you didn’t intend not to be nice. Two, an ad/PR bit sent cold to my tweet stream will likely get you muted or blocked because you’ve shown me that you consider me a […]
New Books and ARCs, 3/11/15
Posted on March 11, 2015 27 Comments
Some very interesting titles in this particular stack of books and ARCs. See anything that calls to you? Let me know in the comments.
The Big Idea: Genevieve Valentine
Posted on March 11, 2015 8 Comments
So, how does one go from the swirly, chiffoned world of pageant dresses to the corridors of international diplomacy? In Persona, the journey is neither as strange nor as difficult as it might seem. Author Genevieve Valentine is here to explain why. GENEVIEVE VALENTINE: Once a year (or whenever Donald Trump remembers), they hold Miss […]
Husband and Wife
Posted on March 10, 2015 26 Comments
Both pictures taken yesterday. Yup. That’s us.
A Book Sale at the Cost of Your Conscience
Posted on March 9, 2015 191 Comments
First, some context: These two tweets about an article in a Romance Writers of America magazine, in which the writer of the article counsels against taking a stand in social media on “controversial” topics: As a gay person and romance writer an RWA article advising writers to avoid controversial topics like gay marriage on social […]
Whatever Everyone Else is Saying