It's a rainy day here in Paris and it's time for me to go home. I have a whole day in airports and planes before I get there. But then I get to be with my family, so it will be worth it. I woke up this morning, caught my breath and then checked the… | Continue reading
Well, this is somewhat unexpected: Head On was an opening round nominee for the 2018 Goodreads Choice Awards in the category of Science Fiction, but The Consuming Fire was not, mostly, I expect, because it just came out and hadn't garnered enough reviews, etc to make it on the in … | Continue reading
The hotel I'm in is cozy and on a quiet street here in Paris, and the internet connection is, like, 50 times faster than what I have at home, which fills me with rage, but never mind that now. The view is, I suspect, typically Parisian. Tomorrow: Come see me and Robert Jackson Be … | Continue reading
When I came home for a single day this week, I got together all the books that came to the Scalzi Compound whilst I was tour and put them together for a Super Sized double stack of new books and ARCs. Surely there is something here (more than one thing, I suspect) that you would… | Continue reading
My view is of the front of the convention center where the Utopiales festival is happening. It's like a ten-second commute from my hotel to the event space, which I appreciate. I am currently on about one hour of sleep for the last 30. I'm a little loopy. Also, my AC adapter here … | Continue reading
Where I will be busy with French things! So don't expect too much here between now and when I get back, which will be, uhhhh, the 7th or 8th or something like that. In the meantime, and if in fact I don't post again before I get (which seems mildly unlikely, but even so) --… | Continue reading
First, next May Tor will release new versions of Agent to the Stars, The Android's Dream and Fuzzy Nation, with new cover art and new introductions (by me, yours truly). This refresh will, among other things, bring them more visually in line with each other and the other standalo … | Continue reading
Tomorrow I get on a plane to go to France, where I am both appearing at a festival in Nantes and doing a signing in Paris. Why not come to see me at either or both? Here's where I will be: October 31 - November 5: I will be at the Utopiales Festival in Nantes,… | Continue reading
It's nice to be home, even if for just one day. (Well, 36 hours or so. Still.) | Continue reading
It's late because I got in late. In fact, it's registering as going up on the 28th, but I'm in Central time and have 20 minutes left on the clock, so there. Tomorrow: Texas Book Festival, 11am -- me and Victoria Schwab! Talking about stuff! Come see us! And that's it for the tour … | Continue reading
Perhaps one of the great "view of a parking lot whilst on tour" photos: I mean, look at that! That immense parking structure! All in one place! Tonight: Nothing! My plan is to camp out in my hotel room. Maybe go to sleep early. I am exciting! Tomorrow: I'm at the West Virginia Bo … | Continue reading
Science Fiction writers love science, but we don't always get the science we already know 100% correct. Fortunately, Dan Koboldt is on the case, with his book Putting the Science in Fiction. DAN KOBOLDT: A few years ago, I wrote an article for Apex Magazine called "Eye-based Pate … | Continue reading
Finally! A proper parking lot! They've been hard to come by this tour. Tonight: Cine Athens at 6pm, sponsored by Avid Bookstore, which is awesome. Come by and say hello, and maybe stay for the event, and maybe buy a book! Or two! Or six! Tomorrow: Travel day! I got nothin'. But S … | Continue reading
Magic is powerful and can change the world -- but in Beth Cato's new novel Roar of Sky, magic also has consequences, especially for those who wield it. BETH CATO: In my books, I write about women who are strong in realistic ways. In my first series, The Clockwork Dagger, Octavia … | Continue reading
Got the news last night, just before I was about to go do an event, so now I'm catching up here on the site: Hey! The Consuming Fire is a bestselling book! Specifically, it's #15 on the New York Times Combined Print & Ebook Fiction List (and the only SF/F entry on this particular … | Continue reading
Ahhhh, a parking structure. Perfect. Tonight: Quail Ridge books in Raleigh! 7pm! Be there or live forever in regret! Well, probably not forever. I'll probably be back, eventually. But for a good three or four hours for sure! Tomorrow: I'll be in Athens, Georgia, at the Cine Room … | Continue reading
I'm overlooking a backyard today, which is, uh, a little weird. Tonight: Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill! 7:15! Be there or be somewhere I am not! But serious, be there. I don't want to be alone, especially on a book tour. Tomorrow: 7pm at Quail Ridge books in Raleigh! So if you mis … | Continue reading
The tour is a little bit past the halfway point (my last event in the US is Sunday), and here are some quick thoughts on how it's going so far: 1. So far, so good! There's been a nice turnout at each stop, and people seem to be enjoying the set-up of rolling a die… | Continue reading
I love this town. But most of you already knew that. Tonight: I am at the American Writers Museum at 6:30pm. They just tweeted about me playing the ukulele, so I guess I have to do that now (that is, as long as someone's brought one to the event). Tomorrow: North Carolina! I am i … | Continue reading
Parking lot? Check. Rocky Mountain foothills? Check. Football stadium? Apparently! Fort Collins it is. Tonight: The event is at St. Luke's Episcopal Church at 7pm, and hosted by Old Firehouse Books.We're going to have a grand time, so please, come on by and bring everyone you kno … | Continue reading
Well, it's not the most inspiring view, but the room is lovely and the hotel is delightfully hipsterish. Today: I'm at Weller Book Works! At 2pm! It's a matinee showing! Please come see me do my thing. Tomorrow: It's Ft. Collins, Colorado, and I will be at St. Luke's Episcopal Ch … | Continue reading
And look! A parking lot! That's a first on this tour. Tonight: Borderlands Books! Tonight! At six! Which is an hour earlier than the usual evening event. Plan now! Tomorrow: Salt Lake City and an afternoon event at Weller Book Works! 2pm! Be there! | Continue reading
My phone died on me the other day, which was no good, but it game the excuse I needed to get a Pixel 3, which I wanted anyway. So while the phone death was inconvenient, happening as it did on the first day of my book tour, I was also note entirely displeased. This is… | Continue reading
Dig that crazy sculpture down at the bottom right. I got in to my hotel SUPER early and they had exactly one room to give to me. Fortunately, one room was all I needed. Tonight: Los Angeles! Downtown! The Last Bookstore! 7pm! Be there and bring everyone you know. It's easily reac … | Continue reading
In today's Big Idea, we learn of the tomb of a surprising person in a surprising location, and how K. Bird Lincoln used it to think about the world and characters she created in her new novel, Black Pearl Dreaming. K. BIRD LINCOLN: I grew up Lutheran in a mostly white church in C … | Continue reading
It feels very Portland-y to me. Also, this is the first photo from the TempPhone™, the phone I'm using for a couple of days until I can get my grubby little hands on a Pixel 3. The TempPhone is basically the cheapest phone they had at the Verizon store, which two generations back … | Continue reading
Just a couple of brief things: 1. My phone's hotspot was acting odd last night so I reset my phone to see if it would fix it. Not only didn't it fix it, but the phone completely refused to turn back on. Various emergency procedures were enacted (including cursing, begging and bar … | Continue reading
Call Steven Erikson a radical, a rebel or just someone who watches too much TV, but the fact is: Right now, a particular trope of fiction has him fed up. And he's doing something about it, as he explains in this Big Idea for his latest, Rejoice, A Knife the Heart. STEVEN ERIKSON: … | Continue reading
Running a little late because I got into room late! But very pretty. No parking lot, sorry. Tonight: I'm at the University Bookstore at 7pm! If you hurry you can still make it! Tomorrow: Portland, Oregon and I'm at the Clackamas Barnes & Noble! Come see me please! Bring everyone … | Continue reading
As you can see from this photo. Krissy had gotten in close to pet him, and he just plain snuggled into her arms and started to nap. It's adorable! Why is Smudge tired and a little bit stoned? Because today he took a trip to the vet and was relieved of a couple of small… | Continue reading
This upcoming book tour for The Consuming Fire (here's the link to the schedule) will be the tenth(!) book tour I've done, and over the course of time I've developed a strategy for my events: I read from an upcoming work, I read something short and funny, and then I read a piece … | Continue reading
Want a copy of The Consuming Fire signed to you? You have numerous options, all good. Here they are: 1. Come see me on tour! Which starts tomorrow in Seattle and winds through a significant portion of the United States. Aside from being able to get your book signed, you'll also g … | Continue reading
The thing about trilogies is that they always have that "middle chapter" -- the one that has to do its own thing while serving the arc it's in the middle of. Writing one is always a challenge, and Ryk E. Spoor is here today to tell you how he's managed it with Demons of the… | Continue reading
Woolly bear caterpillars, that is, which are apparently supposed to tell you by their pelt whether it's supposed to be a warm or cold winter. This one suggests it will be a mildish winter, which I am perfectly fine with. However, there's no actual scientific grounding, so, you kn … | Continue reading
As we head into an increasingly autumn-like weekend here at the Scalzi Compound, here's a slightly-larger-than-usual stack of new books and ARCs for you to peruse and contemplate. And if there's anything here that rings your bell, tell us about it in the comments! | Continue reading
It pleases me immensely that today I took Athena to the local board of elections office so that she could vote in her very first election ever. She was a couple of months too young to vote in 2016, so this was the first time she could do it. We both voted early because on… | Continue reading
A decade ago this very week (on 10/10/08, in fact), Whatever moved from being self-hosted to being hosted on WordPress, and on its very fine VIP service. Lots of things have happened in the world and in my personal life since that switchover, but you know what hasn't happened? Wh … | Continue reading
Football, cooking smells and names -- how do they all come together to be inspirations for an epic fantasy novel? Jennifer Estep knows how, and today she's here to tell you how they combined for Kill the Queen. JENNIFER ESTEP: I tried to write epic fantasy for years—years! In fac … | Continue reading
Which is, puzzlingly, not the name of some 70s prog rock album. Right now is the time for the annual Pumpkin Show in my town, during which people fill the streets, eat fair food, and ride the rides set up in the small town park. This is one of them. It looks very sad without… | Continue reading
I've been traveling today, to Michigan to sign a whole bunch of books, but saw these flowers and thought that they would be nice to share with all y'all. A little bit of color in your day, as it were. Hope you enjoy them. | Continue reading
Hey! We're one week out from The Consuming Fire officially being released and me starting my book tour! Let's talk about these things! 1. First, congratulations to Shatle, who for the Consuming Fire contest yesterday correctly guessed (and was the only one to correctly guess) tha … | Continue reading
Why do writers write books? One reason is to figure out who our characters are, and who they need to become to be fully realized. Amy S. Foster explains the journey one of her characters makes, across a trilogy of books that ends with The Rift Coda. AMY S. FOSTER: Almost three ye … | Continue reading
I got my author copies of The Consuming Fire! So now I'm going to give one away! Specifically, the one behind Smudge there. Also, I will sign it and personalize it to the winner or whomever they choose. You want it? Here's what you have to do: I'm thinking of a city, in North Ame … | Continue reading
Think time travel is disorienting for the characters who use it? Think about the poor author who has to plot it! D.B. Jackson knows, and explains all the nitty-gritty details about it in this Big idea for Time's Children. D.B. JACKSON: Anyone who has written a time travel novel k … | Continue reading
Yes, the world is a flaming dumpster, but forget that for a tenth of a second and enjoy this picture of a talented acrobat performing on silks at a renaissance festival. It's nice to appreciate someone who is good at their work, and sharing that work with a crowd. What thing(s) d … | Continue reading
Today in The Big Idea, Julie E. Czerneda tackles the subjects of time, memory, intelligence, friendship.. and slime. They all have a role in her novel, Search Image. JULIE E. CZERNEDA: Twenty years ago, when my host, John Scalzi, started this amazing blog of his, my second novel … | Continue reading
The view is on a grid. I'm here in town for a trade show, so unfortunately will not be doing public events, sorry. But I'm always happy to be in Minneapolis. It's a lovely city, if twenty degree cooler than where I just left. How is your Thursday? | Continue reading
Living on an island means a different way of thinking about life -- and death. J. Lincoln Fenn explains why, and how it made a difference for her latest novel, The Nightmarchers. J. LINCOLN FENN: I was driving the long, flat road from Kihei to Kahului, sugarcane fields and the di … | Continue reading