Monthly Archives: August 2022
New Books and ARCs, 8/12/22
Posted on August 12, 2022 8 Comments
For your delight, a very fine stack of New Books and ARCs that have come to the Scalzi Compound. What’s shaking your tree here? Share in the comments! — JS
The Kaiju Preservation Society a Finalist for the Dragon Award
Posted on August 11, 2022 13 Comments
And, well, that’s pretty damn cool. Here’s the whole ballot of finalists, and at the bottom of that I’ll put in a link so you can go vote for whomever you like. 1. Best Science Fiction NovelLeviathan Falls by James S.A. CoreyThe Kaiju Preservation Society by John ScalziGoliath: A Novel by Tochi OnyebuchiYou Sexy Thing by Cat RamboShards of […]
Some Thoughts on AI Art
Posted on August 11, 2022 16 Comments
First, this one is called “Deep in your heart there is a sunlight so hot that it makes you love people. That’s why you love people,” and its inspiration is a little poem my daughter wrote on her sixth birthday. I gave the whole poem to the AI art generator Midjourney as a prompt, and […]
The Big Idea: Robin C. M. Duncan
Posted on August 10, 2022 5 Comments
Writers often use what they experience in their lives in their fiction; for Robin C.M. Duncan, a particular medical issue gave him an insight that informed his novel The Mandroid Murders. What was it and how did it have an impact on the writing? Read on. ROBIN C. M. DUNCAN: I began writing my novel […]
Trying Out A New Recipe: Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
Posted on August 9, 2022 42 Comments
My grandma keeps giving me zucchinis from her garden the size of toddlers, so I’ve been trying out zucchini recipes lately! Recently, I tried Dessert For Two’s Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread. I’ve been following this food blogger for a couple years now, but never tried out anything by her, so I was excited to give […]
The Big Idea: Naseem Jamnia
Posted on August 9, 2022 2 Comments
When the odds are stacked against you, life can feel pretty overwhelming. Author Naseem Jamnia gives us a look into a world with a protagonist who has more than their fair share of hardships. Follow along in their Big Idea for their newest novel, The Bruising of Qilwa. NASEEM JAMNIA: I frequently rant about the […]
Sunset, 8/8/22
Posted on August 8, 2022 10 Comments
We get some good ones out here in the Midwest. Note the prismatic action at the top of the cumulonimbus, by the way. — JS
Final Day In Atlanta
Posted on August 8, 2022 25 Comments
And really, it was only half a day because I spent almost ten hours driving home. But in that first half of the day, I went to the World of Coca-Cola! So this post is more or less only a review over that. Before I get started, I just want to preface by saying I […]
Thoughts on “The Sandman” Series
Posted on August 8, 2022 42 Comments
I’ve now watched all ten episodes of the first season of The Sandman on Netflix, and while I absolutely cannot be unbiased in my opinions about the series in any way, because a) Neil Gaiman is a friend of mine, b) Netflix is the service where I have been extensively involved in a series (Love […]
The Big Idea: Sarah Henning
Posted on August 8, 2022
In author Sarah Henning’s third and final installment of her The Kingdoms of Sand & Sky novels, The King Will Kill You, we’re taken on a journey through what real change looks like, and are shown how it is both quick and slow at the same time. SARAH HENNING: I’m extremely lucky that this is my third […]
Day Three In Atlanta
Posted on August 7, 2022 36 Comments
My third day in Atlanta was Friday, and I was going to write it up on Saturday, but I drove home on Saturday, and now it is Sunday, so here is my slightly late third day! I started the day as all days should start: with brunch. After debating between all the recommendations y’all provided […]
Review: Prey
Posted on August 6, 2022 22 Comments
To begin, it’s pretty damn good, if not the best “Predator” film than certainly the most nuanced, and the one that actually feels like real live humans dealing with a seemingly unstoppable adversary. The characters in this film are not roided-out mercs, cops or a murder’s row of assassins and psychopaths, they’re just people, in […]
Day Two In Atlanta
Posted on August 5, 2022 27 Comments
First off, thank you to everyone that commented on my first day post that recommended me places to check out, welcomed me to the city, or just said they enjoyed the post. I especially appreciate y’all saying that I’m good at this whole travel writing thing, it means a lot to me! So, I was […]
New Books and ARCs, 8/5/22
Posted on August 5, 2022 7 Comments
Here we are in August, with a new stack of books and ARCs that have come to the Scalzi Compound! What here would you like to take into the dog days of summer? Share in the comments! — JS
The Big Idea: Jason Sizemore
Posted on August 5, 2022 2 Comments
Apex Magazine is running a Kickstarter to help fund their new year of publication, and editor Jason Sizemore asked if he could borrow the Big Idea stage here to talk about his publishing company, and the concept of fandoms in the current era. Here he is! JASON SIZEMORE: I have a hot take to share […]
House For Sale in Bradford
Posted on August 5, 2022 37 Comments
Not the one we live in, but one that we own. We bought this house for Krissy’s mother several years ago and in the time since upgraded it rather considerably, including building a garage and a lovely pergola in the back yard. We recently moved Krissy’s mom to a newer, ranch-style house, so this one […]
Day One In Atlanta
Posted on August 4, 2022 20 Comments
Hello, Atlanta, I am in you! For the first time, in fact (unless you count tons of layovers in the airport). After hitting the road at just past 8am yesterday, I ended up arriving a little after 5pm. Immediately, parking was a bitch. The hotel I’m staying at says it has “self-park”, and a public […]
The Big Idea: Sunyi Dean
Posted on August 4, 2022 3 Comments
What is fiction good for, anyway? Sunyi Dean has an idea, and in this Big Idea for The Book Eaters, she delves into it, and how our stories can cause us to change our lives. SUNYI DEAN: Back in August 2012, I was attending a teacher training course and got talking to a fellow trainee. […]
The Big Idea: Izzy Wasserstein
Posted on August 3, 2022 4 Comments
When events are on a precipice, where can we look for the support we need to help pull them back? Izzy Wasserstein has an idea, and in this Big Idea for All the Hometowns You Can’t Stay Away From, she’s ready to share with you what she thinks it might be. IZZY WASSERSTEIN: It all […]
Pixel Buds Pro First Impressions
Posted on August 2, 2022 16 Comments
I’ve been using Google’s Pixel Buds since their first iteration a few years back, and just picked up the newest version, the Pixel Buds Pro (seen above in their “Lemongrass” colorway) because I was curious how this new “premium” version of the buds, complete with active noise cancellation, stacked up to the previous versions I’ve […]
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