For the Big Idea for The Book That Held Her Heart, author Mark Lawrence went back to one of the oldest and most evocative questions that human ask themselves and others, and tried to find the answer… or, if not the answer, at least, an answer. MARK LAWRENCE: The big idea that sup … | Continue reading
I did get a lot done, including proofreading The Shattering Peace, in which I found (and fixed!) a major continuity error. I have earned my exhaustion! How was your day? — JS | Continue reading
Security and confidence don’t come cheap, especially in a world where both are in short supply. In his novel The Price of Everything, author Jon McGoran delves into a future where the wealthiest look for both — and those in their employ potentially pay the price. JON McGORAN: Eve … | Continue reading
Oh yeah. It’s all coming together. — JS | Continue reading
After two solid weeks of being on the road, I have quite happily returned home, and while I was away, Krissy took it upon herself to start some home improvements, which included cleaning up (and cleaning out) my office and making some changes to it as she did so. Longtime observe … | Continue reading
Strap in for today’s Big Idea, because we’re getting the band back together! At least, author Randee Dawn has brought us a fantastical band from Ireland. And with them comes some groupies, some gigs, and of course, some fae. Read on to see if The Only Song Worth Singing is tourin … | Continue reading
Hey there. Things are pretty bad right now. It’s scary out there, and the horrors certainly do seem to persist, don’t they? It’s really easy (and completely valid) to start to spiral in these unprecedented times. I have had an intense spiraling issue for years now, and in case yo … | Continue reading
Well, here I am in the nation’s capitol — and what a week for that — where I am doing panels and signings all weekend long. After two weeks on the road, I am frankly excited to be able to be in one place for more than one day at a time, and it’s a […] | Continue reading
A family member goes missing and a young woman decides to do something about it — but then there’s the matter of god-like royalty who have their own interest in events. It’s a lot! But as author Jade Presley explains in this Big Idea for The Never List, it all comes together, for … | Continue reading
A coming-of-age story is not unusual. But who says that story has to concern only a certain expected age? In this Big Idea for A Dagger of Lightning, author Meredith R. Lyons stretches some definitions, in no small part due to her own life experience. MEREDITH R. LYONS: New Year’ … | Continue reading
Do not be fooled by this hotel window post, for it is I, the Junior Scalzi. I have come to you today with my own hotel view, from Chicago. Behold! As much as I love Chicago and I love The Langham, being so close to the Trump Tower is unfortunate. But, yes, I am in Chicago! Feel [ … | Continue reading
Folks who are hoping to see me tonight in Brookline: I’m still on the ground at DFW and won’t be making it tonight. I’m sorry but I can’t control the weather. BUT! We are rescheduling very soon, probably for Monday. Brookline Booksmith will have more info when everything is confi … | Continue reading
Author and historian Ada Palmer was asked a seemingly simple question and, of course, not only was the answer to the question more complicated than it seemed, but the question itself was more than a little suspect. Palmer is here to explain why in this Big Idea for Inventing the … | Continue reading
This is a view from a hotel window, but not an official View From a Hotel Window post, because it’s morning and I’m leaving this hotel soon. Nevertheless, I had a lovely time in Dallas and I wanted to commemorate it. Tonight I’m in the Boston area, doing an event for Brookline Bo … | Continue reading
If you could abandon this world and live in your most perfect world, would you? What about the people that are stuck in your perfect world? Author Mary G. Thompson explores this concept in the Big Idea for her new novel, One Level Down. Dive in to see what it’s like to be stuck i … | Continue reading
There’s a band I really like that I think more people should know about, and it’s called Valiant Hearts. It’s just two guys, Igor Serokvasha for the instrumentals and Tom Byrne for the vocals. These two guys have made some of my favorite songs of all time, all of which are off th … | Continue reading
The parking lot is nothing to write home about, but Austin generally is lovely and I’m glad to be here. Although I did just troll the Austinites on Bluesky: Spoiler: I did not eat at Chipotle. I ate at a food truck down the road where I got a carnitas/kimchi fusion bowl. It was d … | Continue reading
A little over a year ago, I heard of a bakery in Dayton called Val’s Bakery. All of the local foodie Instagram accounts I follow were raving about how good it was, and I was eager to try it. I finally did this past Sunday, and I can confirm, their ravings were completely warrante … | Continue reading
When trying to reignite your passion for writing, having a sexy fallen angel be a star in your show is a good way to do it. At least, that’s what author Kait Ballenger discovered in the process of writing her newest novel, Original Sinner. Read on to see just how devilishly charm … | Continue reading
I buy a lot of expensive shit. Most of the time, I think it’s worth it, or at least worth it enough that I don’t have to come on the Internet and complain about how not worth it it is. Unfortunately, two weeks ago I bought something that is worth complaining about, and I’m here [ … | Continue reading
Not just one parking lot here. But several. Truly, the motherlode of all “view from a hotel window” photos, parking lot-wise. Tonight! 7 pm! The Clark Family Branch of the St. Louis library! Please come, I woke up at an ungodly hour to be here. Tomorrow! I’m in Saratoga Springs! … | Continue reading
On the other side of tragedy comes inspiration. Such is the case for author Nicholas Binge, who decided to construct his feelings into something tangible. Come along in the Big Idea for his new novel, Dissolution, and see how the core of this novel unfolded for him. NICHOLAS BING … | Continue reading
There we go. I know when you think of my “view from a hotel window” you are thinking of quality parking lot photos, and this one does not disappoint. Not only does it have a parking lot, it also has a very fine back of a grocery store. This photo has everything! Tonight! At 6pm! … | Continue reading
The only thing worse than beasts are man-made monsters. Author Roanne Lau explores the idea of how monstrous humans can truly be in the Big Idea for her newest novel, The Serpent Called Mercy. Follow along as she tells us a bit about the inspiration behind the novel, and she rewo … | Continue reading
For most of these pictures I’m looking down, usually at a parking lot, but today I’m looking up toward the sky. Hello, Louisville, I am in you, and will be at your public library tonight at 7pm. Please come visit me, I drove all the way here to see you. Tomorrow: Knoxville! You h … | Continue reading
First things first: When the Moon Hits Your Eye is now out in North America (Thursday in the UK) and available at your local bookseller and/or favorite online bookstore and/or wherever it is you buy books, with the audiobook version, narrated by Wil Wheaton, available on Audible. … | Continue reading
If there’s two things I love, it’s vampires and cocktails. So when I saw that a performance of Bram Stoker’s Dracula was coming to town, and that it would be accompanied by four themed cocktails, I knew I wanted to attend. I got my mom and I tickets, which were around sixty bucks … | Continue reading
Mary Robinette Kowal and I did a joint appearance today at the Columbus Public Library, she to promote her terrific new book The Martian Contingency and me to get a jump on the release of When the Moon Hits Your Eye this Tuesday. As you can see, it was reasonably well attended; w … | Continue reading
What is that? It’s a well-known science fiction award in Germany, roughly equivalent to a Nebula or Hugo for German-language work and translations. Kaiju (known in Germany as Die Gesellschaft zur Erhaltung der Kaijū-Monster), is a finalist in the “Foreign Novel” category, which c … | Continue reading
Last night, while shopping at Kroger, I came across these oranges: If there’s two words you could use to get me to buy a fruit, it’s sugar and gem. Intrigued, I picked them up and read the side of the container, which says that these oranges were grown in optimal weather conditio … | Continue reading
It’s been cloudy all day and I didn’t suspect I would actually get a shot of the first sunset of Spring, but then, at the last moment, there was a break in the clouds, conveniently at the horizon. And here we are. Welcome to Spring, northern hemisphere! — JS | Continue reading
There is something about me that I have always known, but especially in recent years have found to be even more true than before. First, I am materialistic. Second, I am an extremely sentimental person. These two things are certainly correlated. I have the issue of holding object … | Continue reading
Sometimes, as Lif Strand learned in the writing of Stolen Sisters, writing “The End” is actually the beginning. The beginning of what? Stand explains it all in this Big Idea. LIF STRAND: Stolen Sisters, the second book in my Mangas County Mysteries series, was one tough haul. My … | Continue reading
A couple of weeks back I chatted with the folks at SFF Addicts about writing humor in science fiction, and the conversation on the topic went on for more than an hour, in no small part because once you wind me up on a subject, I just don’t stop talking. Nevertheless, over the cou … | Continue reading
I got on my laptop to get down to some serious work today, and opened Chrome. Upon opening Chrome I saw a very intriguing Google Doodle, and to see what it was for, I clicked on it. I was pleasantly surprised when it turned out to be a game. After playing said game, I am […] | Continue reading
On Friday, I went to see Mickey 17 in theaters. Unlike most movies I’ve seen in theaters recently, I actually saw a ton of marketing for Mickey 17. This was one movie I wasn’t going into completely blind, which I generally try to do. If you have yet to see one of its trailers, Mi … | Continue reading
A few weeks ago I inaugurated my work desk at the church, but there were still a couple of things missing, namely a full-sized keyboard and monitor. The MacBook is nice and all, but I notice getting a crick in my neck after a while. The monitor and keyboard (and mouse) are nothin … | Continue reading
Tomorrow is the Ides of March, and here at the Scalzi Compound we have a whole stack of new books and ARCs to peruse. Which of these books would you like to take a stab at? Share in the comments! — JS | Continue reading
Hey, everyone! I’m back today with another AppyHour Box. I wasn’t sure if I was going to make these a regular thing, but it seemed like you guys enjoyed the first one I did, so I figured we’d keep it goin’ until y’all tell me you’re sick of them. And thank you to everyone who […] | Continue reading
A few years ago, we bought a church building. Since then, every time I mention it online and/or on social media, someone always responds, “wait, you bought a church, what” and then asks some standard questions. At this point it makes good sense to offer up a Church FAQ to answer … | Continue reading
I started playing Fortnite in November of 2023. I had never played before, and really had no interest in it, as I was sure I didn’t like the whole “battle royale online” type of games. But, my friends convinced me to try it out, and I figured why not since it’s a free game. No [… … | Continue reading
Over on Bluesky, where I spend quite a lot of time these days, because it’s an instance of social media not owned by a billionaire and/or ruled by algorithms intended to push vaguely-to-explicitly fascist thoughts and memes into my face every time I look at it, there’s a continge … | Continue reading
When I was in high school and college, I was totally straight edge. I didn’t drink, and I didn’t smoke. Not because the D.A.R.E. people got to me, or because of Jesus, but because I thought it was stupid. Why would I ever knowingly consume poison? And on top of that, why would I … | Continue reading
Because I thought you might like to see them, and I just remembered, a few minutes before midnight, that I hadn’t posted anything today: Paul and Storm looking very enthusiastic, and Jim Boggia looking slightly dubious; Mega Ran, belting out; Daphne Always, laughing; Aimee Mann, … | Continue reading
And what a delight it was this year. More pictures and thoughts coming later in the week. But first, sleep after 13 hours of travel. — JS | Continue reading
Every year on the JoCo Cruise I host and DJ a “nerd prom,” in which all the JoCo Cruisers can dance their brains out for three hours straight. This year’s seemed especially successful — the dance floor was packed the entire evening. I love to dance (I started DJing so I would alw … | Continue reading
Still on the sea. Still enjoying the respite from the world. Tonight I host my “Nerd Prom” dance party. Three hours of hopping about! And then ibuprofen. I’ve managed to largely avoid news while I’m here but bits and drabs sneak past me, enough to know that my plan to avoid the n … | Continue reading
Oh, hello there. It is day three here upon the sea and while I don’t know how things are out there in the world — nor do I wish to know! The sea has claimed me! — here on the boat all is well. We wander the Caribbean, if not aimlessly then at least without […] | Continue reading