Monthly Archives: February 2017
Chuck, I Am Your Father: Another Bit of Twitter Nonsense Featuring Me and Chuck Wendig
Posted on February 28, 2017 10 Comments
Last week was EMPIRE'S END. This week is THUNDERBIRD. Two new books out — which means, in five years, I've published 20 novels. Um. Huh. — Chuck Wendig (@ChuckWendig) February 28, 2017 SETTLE DOWN CHUCK — John Scalzi (@scalzi) February 28, 2017 MAKE ME, DAD — Chuck Wendig (@ChuckWendig) February 28, 2017 GO TO YOUR […]
The Big Idea: Erika Lewis
Posted on February 28, 2017 1 Comment
Ghosts! How do they play a role in the genesis of Erika Lewis‘ new novel, Game of Shadows? Lewis is about to tell you. You’ll just have to imagine her telling you, in the dark, with a flashlight illuminating her face from under her chin… ERIKA LEWIS: It all started when I was seven. I […]
My Brain is Apparently a Fallow Field Today, So Here, Have a Chvrches Video
Posted on February 27, 2017 12 Comments
It’s animated! I know you like animated stuff.
Today in Portraiture
Posted on February 24, 2017 26 Comments
Today I decided I was going to make an actual effort to get some mileage out of the prime lens (50mm 1.8f) I got with my dSLR. So I did a little portraiture. Here are the results. Result: Acceptable!
New Books and ARCs, 2/24/17
Posted on February 24, 2017 15 Comments
Already the last weekend of February — yikes! Fortunately here is a fine stack of new books and ARCs to help ease us into March. What here would you want to read next? Tell us in the comments!
The Big Idea: Jake Bible
Posted on February 24, 2017 8 Comments
What’s in a name? Sometimes, as Jake Bible relates about his new novel Stone Cold Bastards, there’s quite a lot there indeed. JAKE BIBLE: Stone Cold Bastards. I have no idea the exact date or what influence triggered the name to pop into my head, but I do know I was in bed, it was […]
The New Laptop, February 2017 Edition
Posted on February 23, 2017 25 Comments
A couple of months ago I realized I was going to need a new laptop; the Dell XPS 12 I have, while still working perfectly well while plugged in, will only last for a couple of hours on battery — this is what happens to old laptops. I have a Chromebook Flip, which I actually really […]
The Expanding Tour is Expanding: Santa Fe, NM and Southfield, MI
Posted on February 23, 2017 14 Comments
My tour for The Collapsing Empire is already pretty long, taking place as it does over five weeks — and now it’s about to get longer! Because I’m showing up at two new places: Monday, April 17 Jean Cocteau Cinema Santa Fe, NM and Friday, April 28-Sunday, April 30 Penguicon Southfield, MI The Santa Fe […]
Reminder: There’s No Such Thing as an Automatic Award Nomination
Posted on February 23, 2017 19 Comments
Over at Inverse, writer Ryan Britt is annoyed that two of his favorite science fiction books of the year, Death’s End by Cixin Liu, and Babylon’s Ashes by James S.A. Corey, are not on the Nebula list of nominees for Best Novel. His argument for both basically boils down to they’re both amazing so they […]
On the Matter of Empathy For Horrible People
Posted on February 22, 2017 111 Comments
Yesterday I was having a conversation with a friend regarding the implosion of Milo Yiannopoulos, the remarkable two-day period in which the public bigot and Breitbart editor lost a high-profile speaking engagement, a lucrative book contract, and a job, because one of his positions (regarding sexual contact between adults and young teens) finally crossed a […]
The Big Idea: Meg Elison
Posted on February 21, 2017 11 Comments
Ideals are a great thing, if you can afford them. In The Book of Etta, award-winning writer Meg Elison takes a look at ideals and what they cost, and who can afford to have them in a world where ideals are very dear indeed. MEG ELISON: There comes a time in the life of every […]
Quick Note re: Comments
Posted on February 20, 2017 12 Comments
It is: My spam filter seems to be unusually aggressive recently and more legit comments are finding their way there; I just released a bunch. So if for some reason you’ve been trying to comment and your comment doesn’t appear, don’t panic, I’m (probably) not intentionally moderating you, it’s just a hyperactive spam filter. It’s […]
The Last Temptation of Chuck Wendig: A Twitter Tale, Involving a Liverwurst Burrito
Posted on February 20, 2017 17 Comments
CONTENT WARNING: Features liverwurst, and the end times. Today's burrito involves liverwurst, so I just want you to live with that for a while. — John Scalzi (@scalzi) February 20, 2017 IT'S TIME FOR AN INTERVENTION — Chuck Wendig (@ChuckWendig) February 20, 2017 LOOK CHUCK IF YOU WANT ME TO MAKE ONE FOR YOU ALL […]
Hamilton, and Thoughts on the Uncanny Valley of Musicals
Posted on February 20, 2017 105 Comments
On Saturday night Krissy and I went and saw Hamilton in New York. This was a moment greatly anticipated by a large number of my friends who had seen the show (or at least listened to the soundtrack) had fallen head over heels in love with it, and who wanted to induct me into their […]
Leaving New York
Posted on February 19, 2017 6 Comments
Dear New York: You gave us a delightful weekend, and we loved visiting you, but now I’m afraid we must depart and return to our Ohio environs. Thank you for having us. We’ll be back again, you can be sure. (Also, for all of you who want a Hamilton review from me, I’ll be posting […]
Today’s Visit to the Central Park Zoo, In Tweets
Posted on February 18, 2017 12 Comments
Ominous sequence. pic.twitter.com/Oltc7X2l78 — John Scalzi (@scalzi) February 18, 2017 Weird looking cat. pic.twitter.com/vbeFJRVfwQ — John Scalzi (@scalzi) February 18, 2017 Also a weird looking cat. pic.twitter.com/xxFipMsXKZ — John Scalzi (@scalzi) February 18, 2017 Seriously what's up with the cats in this place. pic.twitter.com/7kK1PWRGCs — John Scalzi (@scalzi) February 18, 2017 I really feel these […]
The Big Idea: Matt Ruff
Posted on February 17, 2017 25 Comments
Books are often turned into television series — but what about stories going to the other direction? As Matt Ruff shows you in this Big Idea for Lovecraft Country, stories intended for one medium sometimes find their full flower in another entirely. MATT RUFF: Lovecraft Country started out as a TV series pitch. The big […]
View From a Hotel Window, 2/16/17: New York
Posted on February 16, 2017 27 Comments
Not here on business — well, that’s not entirely true, I’m doing a little bit of business while I’m here. But I’m mostly here for a Valentine’s weekend with Krissy, where the plan is to camp out in a hotel room, order lots of room service, and maybe see the play that’s going on across […]
New Books and ARCs, 2/15/17
Posted on February 15, 2017 31 Comments
Here’s a super-sized stack of new books and ARCs that arrived over the last couple of days to the Scalzi Compound. I just know there’s something calling to you from the stack. Tell us what it is in the comments!
The Collapsing Empire Review in Booklist + Chapters One and Two (and Soon Three) On Tor.Com
Posted on February 15, 2017 22 Comments
So! Here’s what’s news in the land of The Collapsing Empire: 1. A review of the book is up from Booklist, and it’s pretty great. Here’s the bit I especially like: “Fans of Game of Thrones and Dune will enjoy this bawdy, brutal, and brilliant political adventure”. It also praises my “well-known wit, whimsy, and […]
Whatever Everyone Else is Saying