jscalzi

[jscalzi]

Happy Birthday Krissy

She’s the best person I know and I love her the most, but I think you all know that. I’m happy she’s in my life and I get to be in hers. And it’s her birthday! May she have many more, and may I be here to see them. — JS

[jscalzi]

Today In "I Literally F*cking Wrote This"

You know who thought up a subscription-based defense model in his book Starter Villain? FUCKING ME THAT’S WHO. That smug fascist owes me a percentage. I won’t get it, of course and if I did get it I would donate that shit to all the “woke” things he hates so fast it would make his brain swim. Incidentally, national defense as an outsourced subscription is a horrible fucking idea, even when it’s…

[jscalzi]

The Official John Scalzi Social Media FAQ

Many moons ago I wrote a primer here for how I used social media, but time has passed and how I use social media has also changed a bit. So I decided it might be useful to have a new and updated Social Media FAQ, detailing who I am, how I use social media, how I manage both my presence in those spaces, and how people get to access me there, or not. This FAQ is meant to be useful but not…

[jscalzi]

And Now, Two(!) Limited Editions of "Moon" From the UK

Limited editions are having a moment, along with book club editions and such, and above you’ll see two examples of this, for When the Moon Hits Your Eye. The one on the left has a slightly chromatically altered cover, and the one on the right has an alternate cover entirely, but what’s really cool about both are the painted edges. See, look: Seriously, how cool is that. I’m digging these…

[jscalzi]

The First Mowing of the Year

The grass has gotten green enough, and the weather (barely) warm enough that Krissy decided the yard needed a mowing, the first of the year. And well, here it is. So neat and tidy! Krissy will now be mowing more or less every week through late October or early November depending. I would do it as well but I have cut grass allergies and also she doesn’t like the way I do it, so all told it’s…

[jscalzi]

The Big Idea: Mark Lawrence

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 supports the architecture of The Library Trilogy is really a question. It’s perhaps not a particularly original puzzle…

[jscalzi]

I Have Absolutely Run Out of Steam Today and Here Is Spice Approximating How I Feel Just About Now

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

[jscalzi]

The Big Idea: Jon McGoran

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: Every writer has their own process—some start their stories with a character, others a theme or a setting. My stories…

[jscalzi]

Love Death + Robots Vol 4: May 15!

Oh yeah. It’s all coming together. — JS

[jscalzi]

Home Again, Home Again + Another Reason Krissy is Awesome

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 observers of the office will notice that the rug is new (the old one was more than a decade old and wearing out where my chair…

[jscalzi]

Hello From Awesome Con

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 lovely time to be in this part of the US. There are cherry blossoms and such. So: Hello! If you’re in DC, come on by. If you’re not, have as excellent…

[jscalzi]

The Big Idea: Jade Presley

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 the readers and for her as a writer. JADE PRESLEY: The big idea for The Never List came to me while wrapping up my…

[jscalzi]

The Big Idea: Meredith R. Lyons

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’s Day 2021 found me nursing my first major injury of my forties—and the first injurythat I realized might be with me…

[jscalzi]

Brookline Travel Issues

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 confirmed. — JS

[jscalzi]

The Big Idea: Ada Palmer

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 Renaissance. ADA PALMER: Inventing the Renaissance began that grew into a book, trying to answer the terrible…

[jscalzi]

Wednesday Check-in

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 Booksmith, at 6pm. You can still get tickets! Come see me, please. — JS

[jscalzi]

View From a Hotel Window, 3/31/25: Austin

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: Now that I'm here in Austin, I'm finally going to get myself some authentic Tex-Mex!— John Scalzi (@scalzi.com) 2025-03-31T18:21:14.768Z Spoiler: I did not eat at Chipotle. I ate at a food truck down the road where I got a carnitas/kimchi…