Back to Reality
Posted on February 24, 2020 Posted by John Scalzi 9 Comments
Which is to say, back to Ohio.
Admittedly California is just as real as Ohio — I should know, I spent roughly half my life there — but these days when I go there I spend my time in places like what’s in the picture here, and having meetings with people who may or may not want to make a TV series or movie out of something I own, or, at least, option it with the hope of getting someone else to front the money to make it into a TV series or movie.
It’s surreal and, because I don’t have a mortgage payment riding on the outcome, a fair amount of fun. If something comes of it, great. If not, I get the experience of pitching, which I find fascinating on several levels. The only drawback is threading through traffic to get where I need to go on time. Fortunately this time around I made it to all my meetings.
Now I’m here in Ohio for three! Whole! Days! Before I head off to Chicago (again) for C2E2, with panels and signings and interviews and schmoozing. I’m getting quality time with the family and cats. Oh, and also, you know, writing stuff. I have to keep coming up with stuff to pitch in LA, after all.
I lived in L.A. for 5 years in the 70’s and it never did feel like a real place. And the traffic was pretty bad then, I hate to think what it must be like now.
You made me think of a line Tom Hanks said in Joe vs. the Volcano about California. “It looks fake, I like it.”
If you get a chance, go to Pequod’s Pizza in Chicago! :)
Do you go to your meetings alone? Or does your agent or other people go with you?
What about the food! Did you have some good burritos? Next time you’re in LA expand your horizons: https://www.lataco.com/best-19-tacos-la/
John, I do not envy you those business trips. Still, I hope a movie or two comes out of your stories. Which one has the most promise?
I’m reading Agent to the Stars. In the prologue, you call it a practice novel. Maybe you buffed it up a bit in update, but there is nothing “practice” about it. It’s a very well written novel and funny as heck.
Heh. Bought a series you had featured in a previous Big Idea, and noticed the main character had name-checked Old Man’s War; were you aware of that, or was it just an after the fact bonus? :)
California is an odd place though comfortably diverse in demographics. I love road tripping down I-5 in the summer with that dry intense heat.
So, California is a real place, you say? I keep feeling obliged to question that proposition, even though my residence and alleged birthplace are there. It seems at least equally credible that the whole thing is an elaborate and prolonged hoax.