Monthly Archives: December 2015
2015 and Me
Posted on December 31, 2015 28 Comments
Surely the recitation of the facts of 2015 indicate it was a very good year for me. I released my first video game and graphic novel, both of which did pretty well; my novel The End of All Things was released and went into various best seller lists; my previous novel Lock In was a finalist […]
2015 in Scamperbeastery
Posted on December 31, 2015 25 Comments
Needless to say, the real big news of 2015 was the arrival at the Scalzi Compound of Sugar and Spice, aka Thing One and Thing Two, aka the Scamperbeasts. They arrived on the first day of November (which means tomorrow is their second monthaversary here) and have made rather a large splash since then. I […]
What Passes For Snow, December 2015
Posted on December 31, 2015 30 Comments
Here it is: A light dusting in our forward landscaping area. Krissy and I are debating whether or not this qualifies as actual snow, on account that on the actual lawn, driveway and walkways, there’s not a single scrap of snow, i.e., it didn’t stick anywhere, nor will it, as it’s supposed to get over […]
Insulting Things I Called People on Twitter Today: A Collection
Posted on December 30, 2015 49 Comments
Why did I insult people on Twitter today? This is why: Roughly one day left to fulfill your 2015 resolutions! Mine was to insult everyone on my follow list individually! Here I go! — John Scalzi (@scalzi) December 30, 2015 And what did I call people today on Twitter, and in ALL CAPS to boot? […]
The Year in (Non-Kitten) Pets, 2015
Posted on December 30, 2015 18 Comments
This was a somewhat sad year at the Scalzi Compound, pet-wise, as two of our cats, Ghlaghghee and Lopsided Cat, left us — Ghlaghghee in January and http://whatever.scalzi.com/2015/11/07/lopsided-cat-2000-2015/. But then the two kittens we acquired, Sugar and Spice, have been making life interesting again as well. It’s a reminder that pets come and go and […]
The Big Idea: Erin M. Evans
Posted on December 30, 2015 5 Comments
The last Big Idea of the year! And a very interesting one too, as Erin M. Evans goes deep about what it takes to write in already-existing worlds, as she is doing with her novel Ashes of the Tyrant. Think it’s easy to write a tie-in novel? Think again. ERIN M. EVANS: I. “If I […]
I Ruin Everything But Mostly Science Fiction
Posted on December 29, 2015 100 Comments
From Twitter earlier today: Today I saw a rant on Reddit about me ruining science fiction, and I was all, "YES I AM AND I WILL RUIN IT FOR ANOTHER 13 BOOKS AT LEAST" — John Scalzi (@scalzi) December 29, 2015 ALL OF SCIENCE FICTION WILL FALL TO MY RUINATION WHICH CONSISTS APPARENTLY OF HAVING […]
The Big Idea: Lawrence M. Schoen
Posted on December 29, 2015 6 Comments
Here in the last week of December 2015 books are still coming out, and here’s a very interesting one indeed: Barsk, by Lawrence M. Schoen. For the Big Idea behind it, Schoen looks at memory, and what it has to do with you, me, and sentient elephant-like creatures on another planet. LAWRENCE M. SCHOEN: I […]
Very Important News About My 2016 Novel Release (and Other Fiction Plans)
Posted on December 28, 2015 79 Comments
So, here’s the Very Important News about my 2016 novel release: Currently, there isn’t one. Not a new one, anyway. Which isn’t to say I’m not writing a novel in 2016. In fact, I’m writing two(!). Merely that Tor has decided to wait until 2017 to release the next new one. Why the wait? Among […]
Top Ten Whatever Posts for 2015, Plus 2015 Social Media Stats
Posted on December 28, 2015 24 Comments
Every year about this time I do a review of posts and stats, because I’m a nerd like that. Are you ready for the countdown and nerdery? Then here we go! Top Ten Whatever Posts: For 2015, here were the top ten posts on Whatever, by number of visits. The posts with asterisks are the […]
And Now, A Personal Ranking of Beatles Albums
Posted on December 27, 2015 40 Comments
Being albums released during the band’s existence, not compilations, etc. Also, this is the UK not the US chronology, with the exception of Magical Mystery Tour, which I understand was released as a double EP in the UK or whatever. 1. Abbey Road 2. Revolver 3. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band 4. Rubber Soul […]
Sunsets of 2015: A Dusky Retrospective
Posted on December 27, 2015 8 Comments
Enjoy the sunsettenation. And now, as is tradition, one sunrise.
The Best Sportball T-Shirt Ever Made
Posted on December 26, 2015 30 Comments
Which sportsball team do I support? The Ohio Scamperbeasts, of course! Here I am with one of the star players. Very big thanks to Scot Campbell for the design and the implementation — all I did was say out loud that it would be fun to have Ohio Scamperbeasts t-shirts. He did all the rest. […]
Fun on Twitter, 2015
Posted on December 26, 2015 7 Comments
I spend a lot of time on Twitter! And often I say silly and/or substantial things there, that I then post here for posterity, Twitter being quite intentionally an evanescent medium. Here are some of my favorite long-form Twitter postings of the year, arranged more or less chronologically. Monty Python and the Holy Livetweet In […]
My Christmas Gift This Year
Posted on December 25, 2015 43 Comments
As most of you know, at this point in my life I don’t ask for Christmas gifts, largely because if there’s something I want, I go out and buy it. That said, I do appreciate Christmas gifts that are thoughtful and have me as a person in mind. Like the jar pictured above, a gift […]
Merry Kittenmas From the Scamperbeasts
Posted on December 25, 2015 21 Comments
May your day be merry and bright.
This Year’s Selection of Christmas Stories
Posted on December 24, 2015 7 Comments
I have a few! Here are some, for you to pass the time with this Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The Ten Least Successful Christmas Specials of All Time Interview with the Nativity Innkeeper 8 Things You Didn’t Know About Your Favorite Holiday Music Script Notes on the Birth of Jesus Interview with Santa’s Reindeer […]
Whatever Best of 2015
Posted on December 24, 2015 4 Comments
I wouldn’t call 2015 a fantastic year for humanity in general — “not great years for humanity” has been a bit of a depressing trend recently, hasn’t it — but for me it was certainly a pretty good one, and here at Whatever, I wrote a number of pieces I think are worth remembering here […]
By Request: A Spoiler-Filled Discussion Thread for The Force Awakens
Posted on December 23, 2015 152 Comments
Seen The Force Awakens? Want to talk about it without worrying about spoiling it for others? Here’s the thread to do it. Chatter away, my pretties. (WARNING: This comment thread here will have spoilers, because, duh, that’s what this is here for.)
How I Am Able to Forgive the Absolutely Appalling Science in the Most Recent (and Indeed Every) Star Wars Film
Posted on December 23, 2015 80 Comments
As explained by me to my wife as we drove home last night from The Force Awakens: Me: See, the reason the bad science in Star Wars films doesn’t really bother me is because the movies tell you right up front that they’re based on legends, right? “A Long Time Ago In A Galaxy Far […]
Whatever Everyone Else is Saying