View From a Hotel Window, 4/4/17: Cleveland!
Posted on April 4, 2017 Posted by John Scalzi 20 Comments
Ah, the classic parking lot view. So relaxing.
We had a bit of excitement today when my connecting flight into Cleveland was delayed until 5pm (from 2:30 pm originally), which means as I write this, it still hasn’t taken off. It leaving then would have meant I would have missed commitments, so I ended up renting a car in Detroit and driving into the Cleveland area. I arrived basically when my connecting flight would have taken off, so technically, I’m ahead of schedule! Go me.
Tonight’s event is at 7pm at the Parma-Snow branch of the Cuyahoga Public Library. If you’re in the Cleveland area, please come to see me.
Tomorrow: Boston! Or more accurate, Brookline, which is close enough. I’ll be at Brookline Booksmith for an evening of wacky hijinks. Please come see me.
Also, hey, did you know this year’s Hugo finalists are out? They are, and generally speaking it’s a very excellent ballot! Mind you, there’s still a couple of attempts by assholes to be assholes to everyone, but, as the kids might say, lol, that shit’s going below “No Award” like it has for the last few years. Meanwhile everything else looks pretty good. Congratulations to all my friends and the other excellently talented folks who have made the ballot this year. I’m proud of you.
I’ve seen Spielberg’s movie of ‘THE WAR OF THE WORLDS’ so I know what’s buried underneath all that asphalt. Martian Tripod War Machines!
Decent parking lot. Room out Back. The transmisson lines add some homeliness. Not bad at all.
I’d vote for Becky, but not bet on her winning.
Car in the middle is parked on the line; Sad!
Now THAT’S a parking lot :P
Do we have to finish the book before the talk? Will there be a quiz?
Re: Hugos. Ohmygoodness, ohmygoodness, someone I personally know like in person is nominated! *Kermit flail*
So excited!
Hugo question:
I’m curious about Hidden Figures being included in the dramatic presentation category. Wouldn’t it count as “science fact” (e.g. History) rather than “science fiction”?
However, I’m not familiar enough with the awards to know what’s usually included.
@Sparrow:
The dramatic presentation categories include “… and related subjects”. The news coverage of Apollo 11 is a previous winner, the movie “Apollo 13” a finalist.
There are few of these, most finalists are SF or fantasy.
From the looks of that parking lot I hope you got an entire floor for the price of a room!
I wondered, after your Austin visit, what your travel plans were. Getting to Houston could be quicker by car if any airport delays happen. But I wasn’t going to volunteer to drive you there, nope, not going to deal with that Houston traffic again. Unless you agreed to read a few more chapters of Head On during the trip. Hop in, Let’s go!
Re: Hugo nominees, it’s always a thrill when something I nominated makes the final ballot. Yay!
Have fun in Cleveland!
So, does Cleveland rock?
Are you out in the boondocks some where? I mean there is so much room the car parking doesn’t have to be built up – just buy another paddock, seal it and paint some lines.
Do you request the parking lot views, or are you just lucky?
@Sparrow: After seeing (and enjoying) Hidden Figures, I did some research online and discovered that it’s pretty heavily fictionalized. I don’t know if that qualifies it as “sci-fi,” but I don’t think it can be classified as non-fiction, either.
Booksmith used to be my local. It’s an amazing store. Have fun! Sorry I can’t make it this time.
Thanks for stopping by last night. Until we meet again!
Thanks for an entertaining evening yesterday. I am so looking forward to reading your new book!
Just looked over the Hugo nominees this year; although I can’t vote, the list is highly acceptable, with quality writing and far fewer shenanigans.
The parking lot is typical suburban Cleveland; once you get out of downtown, there’s a lot more sprawl where cornfields used to be, and sometimes still are.
I haven’t read any of the other Pup picks, but J Mulrooney’s An Equation of Almost Infinite Complexity isn’t shit. It’s good! Though I haven’t made up my mind on the Campbell yet, it’s a good field.
The puppies aren’t entirely bad, some of them have decent taste or are acceptable writers (this applies almost entirely to the Sad side of the equation). Heck, even He Who Shall Not be Named likes some things that are not horrible, probably by mistake but there you go.