I’m Giving Away a Starter Villain ARC! You Could Win It! Yes, YOU!!
Posted on May 19, 2023 Posted by John Scalzi 2,134 Comments

They just arrived! And this one, modelled here with Spice, is the one I’m giving away!
Here’s all you have to do: I asked Krissy to think of a number between 0 and 1000, and her friend Karen heard the number as she said it. Guess the number in the comment thread here.
That’s it!
And now, rules:
1. Only one guess per person. Additional guesses, whether in the same comment or in subsequent comments, will be disqualified. Also, comments for this thread are only for numerical guesses; every other sort of comment will be removed. Only guesses in the comment thread for this post will be considered.
2. When you leave your comment, put an email in the comment form that I will be able to contact you at (in the part of the form that says “email,” not in the body of the comment itself, unless you want everyone to see your email address). If you don’t leave a viable email, I won’t be able to contact you to get a shipping address.
3. If more than one person correctly guesses the number, I will ask Alexa or Google Assistant to randomly pick a number in the field of how many people correctly guessed, and then go chronologically among the guessers until I hit that number. That person will win the ARC.
4. If no one correctly guesses the number, then I will pick the next closest number up from the correct number as the winner. If there are multiple people who have guessed that number, I’ll proceed per point three above.
5. This is open to anyone worldwide; yes, I’ll pay shipping for whatever country you’re in (note: If you’re in Russia at the moment I can’t guarantee arrival; I’m guessing shipping to there is weird and may not even be possible).
6. If you like I will sign and/or personalize the ARC.
7. Contest is open for the 48 hours after I publish this post, after which time the comment thread will automatically close. If you miss that window, sorry!
8. I’ll announce the winner after I’ve contacted them via email about their shipping address. So, probably early next week.
There you have it, good luck!
— JS
479
Woohoo!
I’m feeling good about 641.
499
968
629
712
732
701
691
987!
695
784
The number is 37, I just know it
776
I gonna bet on 105.
three hundred and sixty three
22
536
863
777
993
412
373 is my guess
579
347
363
172
525
317
23
456
123
100
71 is my guess.
569
627
437
758
729
4
674
751
246!
684
437
I’ll guess 357.
(Have a great day).
672
278
467
612
866
Can we get Spice to sign it?
610
42
Fun! I’d like seven hundred and thirteen, please.
Lucky number 13!!
612
764
762
36
42
783!
377
130
I guess 12 as that is the number of paws at the house where the book would live.
Thanks for the giveaway.
362
693
666
It is the answer!
42
876
299
768
673.
763
688
378
I’ll guess…500
42
811
545
668, the neighbor of the beast
637
255
723
125
334
77
733
221
789
371
129
543
949
How fun!
234
42
97
927
217
721
111
345
310
42…
666 obviously. 😈
812
8
392
264
7 :)
333
318
I would like to guess 111.
897
853
793
664
455
42!
333
108
758
352
874
666
785
539
789
273
549
237
450
576
615
483
125
42
357
555
666
602
966
Please, please, please be my number!! (Okay if it’s not my number I’ll buy an audio version, actually I’ll buy it regardless but what fun to get an ARC!!)
697
42!
667
99
292
161
77
12
698
498
42.
I mean…c’mon, what else?
12
242
264
683
42
527
276
734
271
756
143
761
343
No particular reason, just a number I like
612
999
789
683
923
721
527
937 I can feel it.
475
729
956
43
256! Come on, 256!
327
831
339
396
482
501
342
829
126
437
619
420
621
7
375
808 as in the Roland TR-808
886
503
47
454
It’s clearly eleventy billion and four.
Or 2.
17
139
420?
I’m going for 237 🤞
501
941
I’m gonna guess 666 as she was inspired by hearing about your latest burrito
997
Not sure if my original comment went through, but my guess is 327.
643
14
927
349
371
Thanks for the fun giveaway!
356
444
667
240
314
541
43
847
782
137
347
333
619
Do I get bonus points for having my own super villain ploys?
I have two.
Not telling you here, too many prying eyes.
462
776
836
945
147
42
268
232
356
178
699
735
615
333
444
672
631
43
733
348
312
714
369
671
98
256
273
913
111 :)
four hundred ninety seven
750
42 of course 😊
314
488! Cheers to the winner!
83
250
956
732
491
861
496 is perfect for this.
342
435
382
199
213
I am going to guess 732. Worth a shot.
704
123
OMG, international entries as well??
YES!
439 !
832
149
432
623
517
682
721
478
782
13
442
769
747
696
785
555
357
753
875, the computer tells me.
915 is the lucky number, right? 😉
it’s 732!
583
375
627
937
939
783 is my guess
327
187
343
9
847
824
422
541
731
921
462
999
847
827
Wait, worldwide? Awesome!
The dice say 670. The dice have spoken.
735
793
227
623
387
519
241
333
323
638
72
243
338
42
17
667
888
897
289
27 obviously
537
Can’t go wrong with 42
999
797
24
862
42 😸
835
555
Like the fake tv telephone numbers of yore
731
602
610
305 please
827
723
26
428
Going with #1
377
687
222
217
247
873
437
271
187 🤞🏻
485
87
554
728
127
Thanks! Love the title.
997
Really looking forward to this book!
312
999
974
18
42
547
656
317
963
313
497
938
222
287
613
746
Shipping to Russia from the USA is not possible right now, though Russia to the USA works fine. USA/Ukraine works both ways, albeit slowly.
(I’m not in Russia or Ukraine at the moment. I just have recent experience with this.)
256
42
888
872
673
317
Hmm. I’m logged into WordPress.com, but Scalzi.com doesn’t seem to believe that my account exists. Weird; that’s a new one.
I’m going to guess 354.
628
212
55
353
327
42
918
42
747
97
824 -how exciting! Thanks for the chance!
7
842
625 is the winning number
13
My lucky number.
4
251
723
1000!
432
419
My guess is 42
623
177?
965
638
501
767
473
804
381.
732
763
998
18
891
316
888
1
712
741 :)
Hoping that is the lucky number!
666
846
42
687
404
856
634
378
325
227
344
367
552
719
352
804
649
Mmmm… Pi (3.1.159xxxxx).
Scalzi likes pi…
710
13
673
My number didn’t show in my previous comment. 744.
427
337
758
Pi!
314
I’m guessing 773, thanks for the chance to win a John Scalzi ARC!
741, obviously. The only possible choice!
444
277
399
347
713
2
347
I usually read ebooks but what about a visit with Spice? 668.
781
404
563.
I think.
348
847, please <3
37
2, definitely two.
376
457
673
183
418
573
504
987
822
123
642
567
723
520
72
793.4
17
137
245
451
42
763
774 is my guess. I have no idea why. And if I do win, yes please sign! I’ll add it toy collection.
pgwiley@optonline.net
333
321
333
783
625
913
27
999
285
313
478
774
821
664
42
476
329
768
311
734
335
710
617
497
658
374
497
329
180
(in the excited announcer voice at darts)
One Hundred and EeeeiGHTY!
785
787
188
313
696
582
596
253
697
325
438
723
963
3705
44
469
42
824
596
Would love it signed 🥰
345
373
314
3.
Its always 3…
450
724
727
666
463
916
248
766
114
Good luck to everyone.
327
Poppa needs a new pair of … 434
394
379
500
247
984
999
063
42
379
424
972
623
512
No.66
3.14159
42
24
Thanks!
437
954
379
17
237
222
542
76
079
238
389
83!
960
17
No. 66
412
4
184
312
386
493
53
721
736
232
411
214
907
42
55
27!
Because it’s always been my lucky number.
143
223
368
52
639
904
534
47
42
50
480
122
372
408
19
271.
I pick 442
39
512
318
22
223
53!
I’ll try 138, for no particular reason at all. :-)
799.
Lucky? No. No.
660, Karen!!!
770
388
444
337
624
214
72
249
647
72
628
475
867
0823
184
17
37
75
532
700.
322
72
578
389
394
27
Good luck!
261
426
822
333
1984
27
444
666
719
442
492
38
672
How ’bout 666?
712
651
427
377
721
42
42
237
671
rolls d1000
947
743
387
367
65
793
25
421 ?
977
572
412.
357
997
135
57
149
929
786
349!
616
367
56
463
352
743
372
928
519
675
717
gregandjennytobias@gmail.com
Please sign it to “my favorite kaiju Greg” if I happen to win please. Thanks
467
672
23
739
2
736
636
337
725!
214
967
294
12
77
667
295
13
642
391 please!
279
643
102!
799
517
dannykimbler@gmail.com
330
667! The neighbor of the number of the beast! 🤣
942
962
628
642
364
377!!
23
441
47
532
3
103
365
912
2342
768
42
666
I hope someone who can’t afford books wins. What doors will be opened for them.
PS: Thank you for using a serif font in your blog. It makes it easier to read with my vision problems.
667
962
(I preordered a signed copy but this would be cool)
737
749
693
867
912
508!
997
689
232
214
872
I guess 718.
414
519
42
42
327
Fingers crossed….husband is a big fan and the chosen # is our anniversary.
296
52
777
417
837
17
232
294
298
818
547
59
587
764
657
384
272
937
333
347
I love ARCs.
278
754
682
337
10
574
3179
799
738
144
591
42
777
274
337
841
783
782
609
412 has always been my number
164
Please ignore other guess fumble fingered and made a number that doesn’t qualify
72, please.
Ted
nomadichuntergatherer@gmail.com
17
525
324
Fingers crossed!
Let’s see…888.
544
393
743
697 !
95
347
321
74
7
798
46
310
879
297
319
783
645
922
575
315
491
447
297
776
114
42
128
69
347
320 for the number of pages in Old Man’s War.
848
1231
246
I’m guessing …
The 300
… because it’s what Herodotus would have wanted. Looking forward to STARTER VILLAIN!
Also, if you ever need a beta reader, drop me a line.
)
814
Big money!
417
672
973
722
765
326
412
100
814
42!
Please let it be 42!
791
787
I’m guessing 342!
175.
487 please
448
23
129
783
27
42
384
9
942
513
714
587
I’m feeling lucky with 456.
How about 337
13
It is hard to tell if someone has already guessed, but I’ll put a guess at 690. Fingers crossed!
472
256
42
727
723
586
737
508
529
481
333
55
31
620
452
898
542