So, This is Happening

Posted on May 24, 2015    Posted by      241 Comments

You really really really want to click this link. Trust me.

(And yes, this is the Monday news, a little early.)

(And yes, I will write more about it. Probably tomorrow.)

Category: Uncategorized    

241 Comments on “So, This is Happening”

  5. Wow, amazing!

    Do you ever worry about being locked in for what seems like a pretty long period of time? I’d wager that 13 novels is probably, what, half a decade worth of output.

  11. Ah. we see now what you mean about obscure to be cleared up later. Well!! That’s really exciting (and daunting?) And exciting!!

  12. Or, do you mean to say, you really really really want *us* to click that link?

    Goodness, John, quite the exciting development. Congratulations! And thank God for Krissy, to keep you in check.

  13. I’m happy for you, and for me, too: it’s nice to know I can expect 13 new books!

    Is The End of All Things included in that 13-book number?

  14. From the Times:
    “My celebration, personally, has just been standing around,” exclaiming with profane expressions of delight, he said. “And my wife saying, ‘Yes, now go take out the trash.’ ”

    So, on your personal blog: Care to share what the Times cut out? Inquiring minds want to know John Scalzi’s chosen profane expression of delight.

  20. Congratulations! Not bad for a writer who, they keep telling me, never actually sells any books! [ducking]

  21. I’m going crazy. I can’t wait to tell my dad and friends! I really hope this means more OMW novels beyond End of All Things.

  24. Wow, That’s great, Looks like you’re set as long as you keep writing.
    And as a new reader there is the promise of more years ahead… win, win

  30. Yow! Way to go, John. You totally deserve it. And it’s great to see a writer I actually like doing so well. Congratulations!

  34. So what you’re saying is that there’s a reasonable chance that you’ll be able to pay the light bill next month? Good, good.

    You deserve it, though. Congrats.

  35. Kermit signed his ‘Rich and Famous’ contract with Orson Wells. Who would you have in the scene for your depiction of your contract signing?

  40. Well, that’s entertaining. Congrats.

    I hope your FIRST priority is the long promised “Shadow War of the Night Dragons” trilogy…

  41. This makes absolutely no sense- I have been assured by several top minds that not only does Scalzi not actually sell any books (much less tens of thousands per month) but that Tor is bankrupt (both morally and financially) and could not possibly be handing out millions of dollars rather than selling itself off in despair.

    Now we see how deep the SJW conspiracy goes!

    (Also- so… you bought that hot tub in order to fill it with cash, didn’t you, John “McDuck” Scalzi?)

  43. Congratulations! But I really didn’t want to click on that link.

    Though I am glad to hear that your wife was offering a much updated version of ‘remember, you too, are mortal.’

  46. Yes! Have agree with Tor. I discovered you with the Old Man’s War series, and then scrambled about to find ALL of your other work.

    Congratulations. Also not sure what to make of the “camps”, I just know that I absolutely love Science Fiction, and follow the authors that write it well (full of suspense, mystery, intrigue). There are so many authors that I love to read. You are one of them.

  47. John, I cannot think of anyone who deserves this more than you. Your work as been consistently fun while maintaining a high level of intelligence and engagement.

    You go Guy!!

  53. Hokey Smokes, Bullwinkle! That’s awesome! Also, you know what this means? A new book every year for the next decade! Hooray for the rest of us, too!

  56. Hm. Looks like a legitimate web site. And it looks like it’s really the NY Times site…

    So…congrats! (An advance of a quarter million plus per book is pretty damn good…..).

  57. Daaaaaaamn. Also, I love this characterization: Mr. Scalzi’s hyper-caffeinated Internet presence. ;) Congrats.

  58. Gotta love that last line of the article :)

    Go Scalzi! Although of course everyone knows that writers shouldn’t express their social and political views as that will stop them selling anything… ;)

  61. Couldn’t have happened to a nicer SJW.

    Congrats! I look forward to reading all your future work :)

  65. Congratulations John! Of course, you realize this propels you to the top of the author’s deal hierarchy. Wasn’t it called “The drinks are on me”?

  66. Awesome. I’m especially looking forward to seeing the young adult stuff.

  70. First of all, pavellishin, we see what you did there about Scalzi being “locked in” to producing so many books. But do you realize how many of us would love to be locked in that way, knowing that the books we’d want to write anyway are making that much money and will be put out by a publisher like Tor?

    Congrats to Scalzi! You give the rest of us hope.

  72. Congratulations.

    I don’t really understand how this makes sense – I don’t understand your committing to write a book every 10 months, I don’t understand Tor’s committing to buy more than a dozen books in advance, over the course of a decade – but, then, what I know about this deal could be written on a postcard in very large print, and what I know about publishing in general would comfortably fit in the space remaining.

    So: I’ll just be happy for you, and because I’m not really a nice person I’ll enjoy how very angry this must make a certain person associated with unwell juvenile canids.

  78. Congrats. Will this give you the freedom/impetus to write a work a bit more philosophical? I really enjoy your stories and don’t really want you to change your style. But it seems from your blog and degree that there may be more of an if-you-could-see-what-I-have-seen-with-your-eyes story waiting to be told. I imagine it would be fascinating.

  79. I couldn’t be happier if it were me.
    Well, yes I could.
    I’m almost as happy as your agent. That sounds closer to the truth.
    Yay!

  80. Excellent news. *Love* OMW series. “Agent to the stars” brilliant. I still need to get “Lock In” and the latest. Only thing I did not like was Redshirts, – I will give you one bad one – but congrats on the Hugo for it.

    I do wish you and Doctorow would go in together on a YA.

    I am hoping the OMW series now follows Zoe. I married a Marine, and I am *all for* strong female characters. You do them *very well*. (So puppy *very* sad !!!!!!!!!!! and rabid!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

    The puppies are going to see the deal with Tor as *proof* of a conspiracy!!!!!!!!! (woof!!!!!!!!!!!!)

    (He said PUPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! – sorry, I have a bad twitch)

  81. OUTSTANDING! One of my favorite authors now guaranteed to provide me another 13 books! Congratulations!

  84. Awesome news. I really enjoy your books. I look forward to reading these as they come out. Congratulations!

  86. FU(k, yeah! Good on yah, John. Well, as long as you keep producing the high quality work you have been for the last few years. You’re on my “buy in hardcover” list now, but if you star writing crap I’ll put you on the “just rip the drm from the library” list. Still, congrats. You definitely deserve this.

  87. Wow. Just, wow. Not at all bad for a writer who never actually sells any books.

    Very nice indeed, and hearty felicitations on reaching this point so quickly in your career. May it bring you great happiness, and may it bring an equal measure of annoyance to those who wish you ill.

  88. Congratulations Mr Scalzi. You’ve now completed my daughter’s Xmas shopping for me for the next decade!

  90. Awesome! Congratulations! (and selfishly I am quite glad to get a sequel to lock-in because that felt like a world that had an awful lot of stories which I wanted to hear). Really looking forward to seeing what you can do.

  94. http://www.tor.com/2015/05/24/tor-books-announces-a-decade-of-john-scalzi/

    I saw this and thought “Oh, that’s what he was going to talk about on Monday. And hey, today’s Monday!” Then I realised for you, it’s still Sunday night, and thought “hmmm…”

    So I’m chuffed for you, and even more chuffed that the universe appears to have heard my pleas and is making the rest of the world comply with the One True Timezone (i.e. GMT +8, where I’m living) *grin*.

    (For a writer who, if you listen to the Right People[1], doesn’t sell any books, you’re doing particularly well. Clearly this is more evidence of the Evol Librul Plot[2] running Science Fiction publishing).

    [1] As self-described by themselves, of course.
    [2] From which certain self-described Right People are attempting to save the genre.

  95. Hyper-caffeinated? Okay! Take out the trash first, but THEN go supernova, ego-wise!

  97. Hey! Nice deal. Good for you. As your wife has pointed out, you still have to take out the trash.

  98. Dude!!!
    I just heard on FB!! I am so thrilled! Congratulations!
    Yay for 13 books! More Scalzi FTW!!

  99. Robert: Kudos, sir.
    Well earned.
    But, ouch, taxes…

    Well, he could always try skipping out of the country and become a tax exile mooching around Europe or something. But I think John’s got too much integrity and grace to do that.

  101. Awesomeness! Maybe that long-lost (or never found, actually) sequel to The Androids Dream will appear. :D

  107. So well deserved, John. Mega congrats.
    Unfortunately you’re now going to have to buy a platoon of Marines to guard your lawn. But, what the heck, man, ENJOY!!!

  108. Wow! After skipping the boring stuff at the beginning of the page (some pinko midlist hack rewarded for pushing the SJW agenda, probably subsidized by George Soros), I found the link you must have meant. I was _very_ interested to read about the Verge releasing the original contract between Sony and Spotify. I’m very concerned about the economics of the relationships between the music streaming services, the labels, and the artists. I fear that as the revenue flow decreases, the scraps that the labels leave to the artists won’t be enough to support them. So it was really interesting to get some actual numbers. Thanks for pointing out this important story.

    Seriously, congratulations. PNH’s statement about your backlist is spot on. Just last week I bought the first 3 OMW ebooks (after having originally read library copies, no less). At least the flow of Scalzi won’t dry up!

  110. That’s a whole lotta churros.

    And the world’s largest Schadenfreude Pie.

    Congrats! Buy a fancier can to take out the trash with or something.

  113. PhoenicianRomans Well, he could always try skipping out of the country and become a tax exile mooching around Europe or something.
    I hear you can get a pretty good deal in Finland,

  118. So a couple more OMW books, a sequel to Lock In aaaaaand eight Stargate: Universe books to close that storyline out, right?

  119. Congratulations, well done! That will buy many a bag of white chocolate m&ms!

  120. Oh, and that’s the kind of deal where you should have to buy the next round for everyone on the internet! Srsly, Congratulations!! :-)

  122. Has anybody said, “Wow!” yet?

    Oh, ok. How about, “Congrats”?

    Hmm, well…

    Anyone mention how busy 13 books in 10 years is gonna keep you?

    Covered, huh?

    Well, severn figures sure buys a lot of several mentions already, ok, fine.

    *sigh*

    Thumbs ups, man.

  123. Clearly a career in decline! Only a failing enterprise such as Tor would do this!

  124. Way to go! Your name and quote in the NYT! You’ve arrived now!

    Also, that’s a nice income for the next while, and a home for all those books you want to write. Fab.

  127. Most wonderful. Congratulations on being that rarest of things – a full time fiction writer who knows where his next meal is coming from. Write All The Things!!

  132. Fantastic news! I look forward to seeing how you continue to evolve as a writer.

    (The financial security aspect ain’t bad, either.)

  133. WOW!. Congratulations! I read the headline out loud and there was general rejoicing!

  134. Now taking out only “artisanal” trash…

    … Only the finest will do.

    Backlist consumer says congratulations

  136. That’s 1.3 books per year, right? About one book every 9 months and six days or so. Good, I like it when my favorite authors produce a lot of stuff for me.
    Oh, and Yeah! Congrats!

  141. Congratulations to you and your family! That’s a lot of work, and I so look forward to reading it. My wife (comments around here as Happyturtle) introduced me to OMW a while ago and I am hooked.

    The puppy types are so going to implode over this latest chapter in The Great Conspiracy.

    Did you take the trash out?

  142. You know, at first I was like, that’s so much money! And then I was like, spread out over ten years, writing over a book a year, and selling the backlist consistently? That’s well-fucking-deserved.

    Many congratulations! May your luck and hard work continue to intersect in ways that benefit you!

  145. Congratulations! This is wonderful news — such a treat for all of us who love your work! And such marvelous compensation for doing what you love! (Krissy is my hero; it’s terrific that she’s so level-headed.)

  146. Congratulations, you lucky, hardworking dawwg!

    Now your nose shall be against the grindstone, because you will feel compelled to earn every Washington Tor is obliged to pay you if you succeed! Because of course they won’t be bound to pay you if you fail.

    Good luck, John, you deserve it if anyone does.

  149. CONGRATS, JOHN!!! You deserve it. If there was more proof needed to show your awesomeness, well, there it is. Now just remember not to spend all that millions in one go. Lol.

    Also….get to writing!

  151. Wow, that’s a lot, congratulations. How much do the folks that actually sell books get. :)

  152. This was the mysterious thing you referred to on twitter a few days back? Definitely bigger (and better) than a bread box. Well done and congratulations.

  153. Hah! Can’t wait to see what certain people on the Internet will make of this. Probably something stupid like:

    Mr. Scalzi has never had a “No. 1 best seller,”
    — Patrick Nielsen Hayden, executive editor for Tor

  154. I trust somebody is compiling a list of GGer reactions to this happy news?

  158. “One of the most widely-read e-mail lists in publishing is Publisher’s Lunch, in which various book deals are announced with certain euphemisms to describe what sort of money was involved. For example, book deals that get the writer up to $100,000 are known as “a nice deal.” $100K to $250 is “a good deal,” and so on up past the $1 million point, at which you have “a major deal.” And well, yes, if you’re up at that point, it certainly is a major deal, you bastard.”

    http://whatever.scalzi.com/2004/09/08/the-real-world-book-deal-descriptions/

    One can assume that Scalzi is getting the next round.

  159. Fantastic! Very many congratulations. I am looking forward to every one!

  161. Oh, goody! More Scalzi to add to my already groaning book shelves!
    Congratulations, good sir!

  166. Nice. Sweet. Awesome.

    Congratulations, Mr. Hyper-Caffeinated.

    *OUCH OUCH OUCH*

    (Sound of Puppies running heads into walls repeatedly)

  167. Okay, so how many of these 13 books have you actually written? Started?

    Hmm, thought so, another G.R.R.M. who’s probably gonna cark it before he finishes what he owes us… I mean, have you seen what the guy eats!? And The Times says he’s “hypercaffinated”, that doesn’t sound good.

    On a more serious note, congrats and may your pen stay strong for many years to come.

  169. Well, that’s Harvard sorted for Athena :) Way to go! Can’t wait to read all the new stuff!!

  175. Excellent news for both you and your current and future audience. Congrats!

  177. Wow, congrats John! This is great news for you, but I also think it’s great news for Tor and for the genre. It means Those Who Hold the Pursestrings consider both author and audience reliable enough to make some long-term plans.

  179. First: Congratulations, I am happy for you (and us for 1.3 books/year over a decade).

    Second: Perseverance FTW! I am pretty sure you went through some rough times to become the writer you are today. I am glad to see that effort rewarded.

    Third: Please take a look into how you secure your home and family. Such news will inspire some people to think there is a lot to money to get from you :-(.

  180. Congratulations.
    It’s a great thing for me when writers I love get well-rewarded for writing!

  181. Congratulations. The cats are probably making lists of things they want to be properly worshiped. Solid gold drinking fountains to start. Nice that hard, steady work is recognized.

  183. Major congratulations to you on the deal – and ABSOLUTELY HUGE congrats on having such a great agent!!!!

  186. Congratulations; and OOOH more books for me to read. So many books, so little time.

  187. FAAAAAA-ntastic!! That is marvellous! Congratulations :). And please, pretty please, let Shadow War be one of the books … ;).

  188. Mazel Tov! And thank you! Now my husband John Scalzi’s Christmas gifts are guaranteed for the next 10 years! Happy all around! WTG!!

  190. Many congratulations, Mr. Scalzi! I’ve enjoyed your books, and based on your internet presence, think you’re a upstanding guy. Enjoy the success, you’ve earned it.

  192. Wow! Congratulations! That’s a VERY healthy figure! I don’t say obscene because, well, I think you’re being paid what you’re worth and on top of that will make other people lots of money too.

    I imagine having some “in writing” security about the next 10 years is comforting and not something you’ve been used to… I hope it provides some peace of mind.

    Looking forward to the next 10, and my kids may be old enough for the YA ones by the time they come out.

    Congratulations!

  194. Now I understand why my comment on Friday was held for moderation.

    Congratulations! I’m delighted for you, and pleased as punch to know I will have the opportunity to read your new work for years to come.

  195. Awesome! This is great news, and well deserved. Are you taking requests? I’ll have more in the Android’s Dream line, please.

  196. THAT’S AWESOME! Many congrats to you. You’ve earned this and I hope your work brings many more fans to the genre. Mostly so I can be as successful one day ;)

  197. Congratulations! Does this increase the chances of a John Scalzi/Brandon Sanderson collaborative novel and/or book sale war?

  202. Oh, well done! Congrats! And good on Krissy for helping you keep a level head on your shoulders. Handshakes all ’round, assuming you all want them.

  203. Well, holy puppies! George Soros came through with the money, so we will be getting all 10 volumes of the “Shadow War” trilogy after all …

    Should be almost enough for Athena’s college tuition. (That one I’m serious about.)

  206. Live long and prosper!
    But write quickly while you’re doing it – what a busy decade… how will you ever find time to write and promote and go to conferences and all that?

  207. Congratulations! That’s a hell of a way to get dropped, though.

  208. “with world English language rights acquired by Tor”

    Does this mean your next 13 books will have simultaneous worldwide releases?
    As an Australian, this makes me very, very happy.

  213. Bravo and Congratulations! Now git yerself on with taking out the trash… ;-)

    Seriously, happy for you and your family. And for everyone else who’ll have all those cools books to read.

    Onwards!

  215. Congratulations! It’s so nice to see a work ethic pay off!

    I’m happy for you because, well, job security.

    I’m happy for us because books!

    Everybody wins.

  216. Forgot to mention: I’m very happy that there will be more about the LOCK IN universe!

  221. Now I see that you can’t even get dropped by a publisher correctly ;)

    Wow. Well done John, I’m sure it’s really nice to get the financial security to be able to try new things and write what you want. Tor definitely wanted to keep you, I think they see the upside from the optioned TV shows letting them sell the backlist, and to get a deal of that size, another publisher must have been interested.

    I’m really interested in the new space opera series, that could be super fun.

    Just imagine how much the advance would have been if you actually sold books, and didn’t just have pictures of pnh in a hottub full of mayo :)

    Now get writing and entertain us.

  222. Boom, yes!!! Congratulations!!

    A teenie tiny part of Tor’s ROI will come from me, as I buy ALL THE BOOKS.

  223. Wow. Just… yeah. But really, such a serious photo for NY Times. What’s with that?

  224. Wow! Congratulations!! What fantastic news! And that quote about buying up your backlist is so true for me :) I’ve been cruising through your entire catalog via audiobooks for the last six months! Just writing up a blog post about how much I loved FUZZY NATION. <3

  225. Why has the word ‘sell-out’ not been used in this discussion yet? Am I the only dinosaur who remembers when artists who signed big buck deals were accursed of selling out, of turning commercial? Whatever happened, John, to those days of living in a garret (or the functional equivalent thereof, the Lower East Side) surrounded by junkies and alkies, scraping by day to day, eating for breakfast flour paste left over from gluing up handmade posters, going weeks without showering while on tour? Whatever happened to those days, John? Now you’re going to be swanning around with the elite SJW crowd, eating finger foods and being all liberal and everything.

    Oh, wait. You say you’ve already got a nice big house in Ohio? And a charming good-looking intelligent wife and daughter? And you already eat finger foods (assuming churros count)? Damn you Scalzi, you sold out years ago and you didn’t even TELL us. That’s it, I’m never buying another one of your albums. You’ve been going downhill for years already, anyway.

  227. Squee! Lock In sequel! I’m more a Fantasy reader than SF, and Lock In was the first novel of yours I tried, and I loved it! Yay!

    And my husband will be most happy to hear about more OMW novels, though he will be less happy about the further experiments in serialization, since he enjoyed that less than the previous novels. Too bad for him; I’m still bouncing at Lock In sequel.

    Congrats!

  229. Bravo … couldn’t happen to a better author.
    And yay for me … 13 more books to read in the coming decade!

  235. I have nothing to say that hasn’t been said, but I’ll say it anyway: Congratulations! Well deserved! More Books For Me!

  237. Excellent news and congratulations. Your publisher was absolutely right. When I read my first Scalzi book (after being introduced to Whatever), I then went and bought them all and read them, too. So, the future nightstand reading heap is secure. Best wishes in getting these 13 projected books out the door — I am assuming you are doing 1 or 1 1/4 book per year?

  240. Congratulations, fantastic news both for you and for me! Now I just wish you could write your brilliant novels as fast as I can read them. :)

  241. so this is part of that upcoming flood? Or is this stuff previously discussed?

    The Life of the Mind
    Release Date: June 9

    To Stand or Fall: The End of All Things
    Release Date: June 30

    This Hollow Union: The End of All Things
    Release Date: June 16

    Can Long Endure: The End of All Things
    Release Date: June 23

    So you’re writing a book a week, on average?
    Faster, please. I am finishing them in a day …

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Athena Scalzi, contributor – AMS
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