Cat Picture! Plus! Award Nomination!
Posted on July 11, 2016 Posted by John Scalzi 33 Comments
First: Look! Here’s Spice! Looking very much like she’s walking away from a movie explosion. She’s not. But the explosion is very much implied.
I’ll note that every time I post a picture of one or the other of the Scamperbeasts here, someone generally says, “Wow, they’re not kittens anymore.” They’ve certainly grown up quite a bit. However, I personally feel that you can call a cat a kitten for their first year of life, which means the Scamperbeasts get to be kittens until around September 6, which is the day they were born, give or take a day or three. So enjoy their technical kittenosity for another two months, folks.
Second: I’ve been informed that Redshirts has been nominated for a Geffen Award this year, which is the major Israeli SF/F award, in the category of translated science fiction. Neat! Other nominees in the category include Neal Stephenson, Ann Leckie, Charlie Stross and Ted Chiang, which is a fine cast of writers to probably lose to. Congratulations to all of them.
(BUT WAIT SCALZI I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU WERE TURNING DOWN AWARD NOMINATIONS THIS YEAR — I am, but Redshirts was originally published in 2012, so, you know. I’m fine with that.
YES BUT WHAT HAPPENS IF THE END OF ALL THINGS IS NOMINATED YEARS FROM NOW FOR A FOREIGN LANGUAGE AWARD — Then I’ll direct that the award, if won, be given to the translator of the book, because they will have earned that award, don’t you think? There, that’s sorted.)
Spice is totally badass.
That’s what we refer to in my house as a “cat faced cat”. She may be a kitten, but she’s perfecting her cat face.
Absolutely a ‘walking away from the explosion’ cattitude!
Stunning cat! Fantastic picture! And congrats :-)
Just curious, but have you met the translators who’ve done your books?
That cat has ATTITUDE! She is beautiful!
We may need a version of that picture with an explosion photoshopped in.
I have a simple view towards kittens, you watch them grow up just like your kids, so why not call them kittens for as long as you feel like doing it. Is Athena still your little girl? Of course she is, just like my 20 year old daughter will ALWAYS be my little baby. I have no problem bestowing the title of kitten on any of my four legged family members, from the 6 week old Bacon, to the 20 year old Barney. It’s just how you treat family, with lots and lots of love.
Thanks for the link to the awards announcement. It would have been really useful if I read Hebrew. :-) Congrats on the nomination and the awesome cat picture!
No, I don’t think she is walking away from an explosion, I think she’s stalking something!
Someone with the skill needs to photoshop that explosion into the background.
Love the look, total cattatude!
Recognizing the work of translators is so important! Thank you for that. I have such a high regard for those who do it well. (Ken Liu! Ken Liu!)
Also: whoa, kitteh! Did she learn that expression from Athena?
Mr. Scalzi, it is SO tacky, this false modesty and luring people in, with an adorable cat post. I see how you sneak that award in there. Tacky!
:) Congrats btw
You know, if this writing thing doesn’t work out, you could probably make a living in pet photography. Just sayin’ :-) Congrats on the nomination!
Spice is a feline cop who doesn’t play by the rules.
Whoat, that’s one determined kitty! I think she’s decided to hunt something. Definitely has that, “Don’t mess with me” look down.
Huh, she could hire onto Pyanfar’s or Hilfy’s crew. :D Ker Spice!
Kaboom!
https://twitter.com/RyanTHumphrey/status/752661204154224640
I exploded a kitten for everyone’s entertainment
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY
I’ve seen the Scamperbeasts’ current age called “kit-teen”, but if they don’t mind being called kittens I certainly won’t tell them no.
I call them Catalina’s at that awkward teen age stage…lol
Darned auto correct… Catlings… And auto correct tried to spell that three different ways before I convinced it to let ‘catlings’ stand. Sigh
Regarding kittens becoming cats- like humans, aging is inevitable, but acting it isn’t. I still call my cats kittens because they still act like kittens- though, it was a lot less destructive when they were 2 lbs and climbing the curtains. 15+ lbs. and doing it? Not so much.
Love the name for your cat. It’s perfect, given the colors. Also loved reading Redshirts and think it definitely deserves an award, no matter how you feel about it.
The Geffen is a popular vote award. So, while people are encouraged to vote only for what they know, everyone who comes to the next I-Con can vote on the entire list.
So, while Snow Crash has a chance, because it’s a classic and people have been waiting for it for years, and the Ancillary books are also well liked, I think Redshirts has a very fair shot at the prize.
If I’m not mistaken, Old Man’s War took home the prize when it was nominated.
And, on another topic in the same topic, will you consider coming as a guest of the convention some time?
As for the “not turning down the award” thing: I think you try to weasel out (is this an English expression? It surely is a German one.) of this issue. You stated clearly: no awards this year, so, if you win, I think you should give the award to the translator.
There you have it, my first disagreement with your opinions. Where will this lead…
She looks like she’s thinking something like “Human, one day day you gonna eat that damn camera!”
The Scamperbeasts are quite photogenic, though :3
Yaaay @RyanTHumphrey that was so Awesome! Thank you John and Ryan for starting my day off with a smile that I can’t wipe off of my face. John, you have the most interesting followers, I enjoy the comments almost as much as the posts on this Blog! You Rock, Dude!
More Scamperbeasts!!!!!!
Ekkart Kleinod:
You’re free to disagree. But I’ve already noted how I’m going to deal with it, so your disagreement doesn’t mean anything.
But you can’t ignore my opinion, can you? I mean, I bought two of your books, so I own you!
Hmm. I haven’t read all your books yet, thus I cannot boycott you at the moment. Maybe I will read all books, then come back to this thread (sometime in the next years) and then I crush you with my mighty boycott. Yes, I think that’s how I’ll do it.
Wait for it, Scalzi, wait for it.
Yeah, it’s clearly an explosion that Spice set. “Yeah. That’s handled.”
The Scamperbeasts look like there was a show-cat Siamese somewhere in the family woodpile. Long and skinny.
Was the interpreter on Redshirts the same person who did the Hebrew translation of Old Man’s War? Because that was a really good interpretation.
The explosion GIF was cool and all…
But I keep imagining a thought bubble above Spice’s head:
“Fuck it, that groundhog didn’t deserve to live anyhow!”