Monthly Archives: May 2016
The Big Idea: Manu Saadia
Posted on May 31, 2016 26 Comments
In the future, we will have space travel and transporters and tribbles… but will we have a robust and coherent economic system? And if so, what will it look like and how will it actually function? These are the questions that Manu Saadia has asked, and in his book Trekonomics, attempts to answer. MANU SAADIA: […]
Heading Home From Madison
Posted on May 30, 2016 14 Comments
In which we had a lovely time at Wiscon. I hope your Memorial Day weekend has been a fine one, and that (here in the US), you give a moment to ponder on those whom Memorial Day is meant to honor.
New Books and ARCs 5/27/16
Posted on May 27, 2016 16 Comments
As we here in the US head into the Memorial Day weekend, here is a stack of books and ARCs for your delight and perusal. Anything here speak to you? Tell me in the comments!
View From a Hotel Window, 5/27/16: Madison
Posted on May 27, 2016 9 Comments
There’s a lake here. In other news, hello, Madison (and Wiscon)! I’m enjoying you so far.
The Big Idea: Camille Griep
Posted on May 27, 2016 4 Comments
For today’s Big Idea, Camille Griep goes all the way back to the Trojan War for inspiration with her new novel New Charity Blues — and picks up the story of two characters you might not expect. CAMILLE GRIEP: “The danger on the rocks has surely past,” sang Steely Dan’s Becker and Fagen in “Home […]
New Books and ARCs, 5/26/16
Posted on May 26, 2016 18 Comments
Before I head out to Wiscon, here are today’s new books and ARCs that have come to the Scalzi Compound. What here calls to you? Tell me in the comments!
Wiscon; Extending Semi-Hiatus into June; Other Things
Posted on May 26, 2016 8 Comments
Things! About me! 1. This weekend I’m at Wiscon in Madison, Wisconsin. However, aside from “Sign Out,” the mass signing event the convention holds, I’m not on any programming. Why not? Because I didn’t want to be and didn’t volunteer for any. Sometimes I just hang out! So, if you’re going to Wiscon this weekend […]
The Big Idea: Kat Howard
Posted on May 25, 2016 4 Comments
“What price fame?” You’ve heard the phrase before, no doubt, but with her novel Roses and Rot, author Kat Howard puts a spin on it that you’ve probably not experienced before. Here she is to explain it. KAT HOWARD: My debut novel, Roses and Rot, is an extremely loose retelling of the “Tam Lin” ballad. […]
Cover for The Collapsing Empire, My New Book, Out on March 21, 2017
Posted on May 24, 2016 68 Comments
All the details are over on Tor.com, right now. “But Scaaaaaaalzzzi, clicking through is sooooooooo much woooooooooork!” Oh, fine. Here. Cover artist? Sparth, aka Nicolas Bouvier, whose work will be familiar to you if you, you know, play video games at all. But seriously, go over to that Tor.com link for more details.
Today’s New Books and ARCs, 5/23/16
Posted on May 23, 2016 50 Comments
Some very fine stuff here today. What is calling to you from the stack? Tell me in the comments!
New Books and ARCs, 5/20/16
Posted on May 20, 2016 31 Comments
It’s another all-Baen Books day for new books. Why? Because Baen keeps sending me a ton of books, that’s why! Tell me what here in this pile looks interesting to you. (Disclosure: Black Tide Rising (out 6/7) features a short story co-written by me and Dave Klecha.)
And Now, a Quick Check-In With the Hugos
Posted on May 19, 2016 63 Comments
Question in email: You’ve been pretty quiet about the Hugos this year so far. Now that voting is open on the finalist list, do you have anything to add? Not really? I mean, after the initial bit of freakout, everything seems to have settled down, hasn’t it? The Puppy attempt to troll the Hugos this […]
Last Day of School, 2016
Posted on May 19, 2016 22 Comments
Here is Athena looking toward the future (and, more prosaically, in the direction of our mailbox, but even so). This end of the school year will bring some pretty big changes for Athena. Today is the last day of school, so technically speaking, Athena is now what they call a “rising senior.” But practically speaking, […]
It’s Over, Bernie Sanders Fans. Let it Go.
Posted on May 19, 2016 269 Comments
Bernie Sanders is not going to be president, nor is he going to be the Democratic candidate for President of the United States. To date, he has won fewer electoral contests, pledged delegates and total votes than Hillary Clinton, and in each of these cases the margins aren’t close. While it is technically possible for […]
The Big Idea: Paul Cornell
Posted on May 19, 2016 11 Comments
Sure, Arthur Conan Doyle once killed off Sherlock Holmes, but it took Paul Cornell to do terrible things to his ghost. He does it in Who Killed Sherlock Holmes? and today in his Big Idea, he explains why he thought this might be such a great plan. PAUL CORNELL: The big idea behind Who Killed Sherlock […]
How I Spent My Afternoon
Posted on May 18, 2016 36 Comments
Today I received the 2016 Governor’s Award for Arts in Ohio, in the category of Individual Artist (along with Janice Lessman Moss, who is a fiber artist), and the award came in the form of some very striking prints of flowers, made by Paula Wilmot Kraus, each chosen with specific intent for the particular recipient. […]
Qwerkywriter Keyboard First Impressions
Posted on May 17, 2016 51 Comments
For my birthday my excellent friend Regan procured for me a Qwerkywriter keyboard, which is designed to mimic the look and clicky-clicky feel of an old school typewriter keyboard while still giving you the functionality of a modern computer keyboard. People have asked me to give a report on the thing, and I’ve been using it […]
The Big Idea: Madeline Ashby
Posted on May 17, 2016 4 Comments
Madeline Ashby takes a while to summarize her work, including her latest novel, Company Town. But as you’ll see in this big idea, this isn’t (just) because she’s not great at making a fast pitch. It’s because there’s a whole lot going on in what she writes. MADELINE ASHBY: Veronica Mars versus The Terminator. That’s […]
Pictures from the 2016 Nebula Awards Reception and Ceremony
Posted on May 16, 2016 24 Comments
I attended the 2016 Nebula Weekend and its concurrent awards ceremony, hosted by John Hodgman (shown here with friend) and I took about 800 pictures of the reception and ceremony. The best 9% or so of these pictures is now available for your perusal at this Flickr album of the event. It’s just like being there! […]
Whatever Everyone Else is Saying