Monthly Archives: February 2023
Is It Ethical to Be On Twitter In the Musk Era? A Personal Answer
Posted on February 28, 2023 67 Comments
As most of you know, very recently Scott Adams, the creator of the “Dilbert” comic strip, went full racist – or more accurately, went full racist again, just in a way that was entirely unignorable – and as result had his comic dropped by hundreds of newspapers and then by his syndicate, which cut the […]
The Big Idea: J.A. Tyler
Posted on February 28, 2023 2 Comments
Sometimes, when you start writing a novel, the book is about one thing. As the writing and editing process goes on, however, the book will reveal itself as being about, if not something else entirely, at least, something more. What was that “more” for J.A. Tyler in his novel Only and Ever This? Come find […]
Close To Home: Crafted & Cured
Posted on February 27, 2023 14 Comments
Hello, everyone, and welcome back to my “Close To Home” series, where I feature local eateries that are totally worth checking out! For today’s feature, I’m so excited to be sharing Crafted & Cured with y’all, because they just opened earlier this month right in the heart of downtown Troy. Crafted & Cured specializes in […]
New Books and ARCs, 2/24/23
Posted on February 24, 2023 17 Comments
Have a hankerin’ for some fine new reads? This week’s stack of new books and ARCs has you covered. What here piques your interest? Share in the comments!
OMG is the AI Coming For My Job?!???!??!!!?!?!?
Posted on February 23, 2023 59 Comments
Technically yes, as this New York Times story about people flooding science fiction magazines with AI-generated story submissions makes evident. But realistically, no, because all these generated stories are kinda trash, and anyway, it’s not the AI that’s flooding the submissions pile with crap, it’s people — scamsters looking for a quick shot of money, […]
The Big Idea: Susan McDonough-Wachtman
Posted on February 23, 2023 7 Comments
They say good things come to those who wait. They also, however, say that the waiting is the hardest part. In both cases, Susan McDonough-Wachtman has reason to understand each aphorism, and in this Big Idea for the aptly-named Snail’s Pace, she explains why. SUSAN McDONOUGH-WACHTMAN: I started writing Snail’s Pace in 1984. 1984! I […]
Oh, God, He’s At It Again, or, Hey, Look, I Covered Another Song
Posted on February 22, 2023 9 Comments
If you been saying to yourself “Boy, I wish I could hear John Scalzi mangle an English accent while massacring one of Depeche Mode’s few cheerful songs,” then, boy oh boy, is today your day! Here’s me taking a whack at “But Not Tonight,” off of the band’s Black Celebration album. This was produced mostly […]
Exercise Update
Posted on February 22, 2023 56 Comments
Back in November, my dad and I started working out together at Planet Fitness. My goal at the time was to lose twenty pounds by March. It seemed realistic and achievable to me, given the time frame. Alas, that didn’t end up happening. In fact, I’m pretty sure I’ve even gained weight since then. After […]
Scalzi’s First Pączki
Posted on February 22, 2023 23 Comments
Weirdly, and despite my well-known love of deep-fried dough, I somehow made it through 53 years of life without ever once eating a pączki. I can give any number of explanations for this, none of them good; heck, I lived in Chicago for years, the heartland, if you will, of Polish-American culture, and yet still […]
The Big Idea: Matt Ruff
Posted on February 21, 2023 12 Comments
New York Times bestselling author Matt Ruff is back with his first ever sequel, The Destroyer of Worlds. Follow along in his Big Idea as he tells what led him to write a continuation of Lovecraft Country. MATT RUFF: This novel is a departure for me. Over the course of my career, I’ve written in […]
It’s Monday, Have A Banger Song To Get You Through It
Posted on February 20, 2023 6 Comments
I had never heard of the band Sleep Token until the past year or so, and their music was definitely not the type I usually listened to. However, there was something about their sound that was unique to me and I liked it. Recently, they came out with a new song that is just unbelievably […]
My Long Awaited Taste Test of Mary O’s Irish Soda Bread Scones
Posted on February 18, 2023 8 Comments
If you follow Humans of New York, you may remember about a year and a half ago when HONY did a story over an Irish bar owned by a woman named Mary O’Halloran. After the bar got shut down due to the pandemic, HONY created a special fundraiser where you could pay $30 dollars for […]
Hello, Savannah
Posted on February 16, 2023 10 Comments
I’m here for your book festival! Here are all the details. If you’re in the area, I hope I’ll see you this weekend. In the meantime: Look! A tree! — JS
Charlie and Me, 2/15/23 (Plus a Very Vague Announcement)
Posted on February 15, 2023 24 Comments
On one hand, the fact that today the temperature hit the upper sixties in Ohio in February may be a worrisome indicator of where things are going. On the other hand, it still was a beautiful day to hang out in the yard with the dog. So, you know. Take your silver linings where you […]
The Big Idea: Jane Yolen
Posted on February 15, 2023 5 Comments
This Big Idea, for Jane Yolen’s new book The Scarlet Circus, tangentially involves me! In, I must admit, pretty flattering way. JANE YOLEN: I have loved John Scalzi, his work, and his Big Idea column for many years. I even wrote a bunch of stuff for him along the way. But in the manner of fantasy […]
Close To Home: Swan House Tea Room
Posted on February 14, 2023 27 Comments
Today, I visited somewhere I have been wanting to go for months, and I am so excited to finally be writing a piece over the Swan Room Tea House in Findlay, Ohio! The Swan Room Tea House is located right in the heart of Findlay, just off the main street. It’s a Bracketed Italianate style […]
A Valentine’s Day Song For My Gal: “That Ain’t Bad”
Posted on February 14, 2023 5 Comments
What do you get the woman who has everything, on Valentine’s Day? In my case, you get her a song! More accurately, you go down to your basement music studio and bash out a quick-and-dirty version of the 1990 song “That Ain’t Bad” by the Australian band Ratcat. Why? Because it’s a fun song with […]
The Big Idea: Paz Pardo
Posted on February 14, 2023 2 Comments
Writer Robert Benchley once noted that you can do anything, as long as it’s not the thing you’re supposed to be doing. Paz Pardo knows a little bit about that – in fact, it’s one reason why her colorful new novel The Shamshine Blind is now out in the world. PAZ PARDO: What if emotions […]
I Think I’ve Finally Figured Out Why I Write About Politics Here Rather Less Than I Used To
Posted on February 13, 2023 49 Comments
I mean, besides the reason I’ve already noted several times, which is that there are only so many times you can say “The political right in the United States is unambiguously all-in on bigoted authoritarianism and white supremacy and has no interest in helping any American, just in punishing some of them” before it gets […]
Whatever Everyone Else is Saying