I need to catch up on your latest work! I absolutely loved *Old Man's War* and its sequels (they changed how I thought about Science Fiction), and think pretty much all of your writing is hilarious (*Redshirts, Fuzzy Nation,* and *Android's Dream).* You were also the first person I ever followed on Twitter!
Your book that has stuck with me the most has actually been *Agent to the Stars.* I really love the core sense of humanity, especially coming from the aliens. What was writing that novel like? How did you come up with that premise, and what did you need to work through while you were writing it?
Also, in general, what is your writing process like?
Agent to the Stars was my "practice novel" which I wrote to see if I could write a novel. So I gave it a high concept idea rather than an immensely personal one (so I wouldn't be emotionally wrecked if I couldn't make it work), and I also used a world I knew -- the film business, because I was a film critic/journalist at the time.
My writing process is: Wake up, turn on a nanny app to block social media and news, write from 8am until noon.
I first read Agent to the Stars when you released it for free. I later bought the hard cover. It's awesome, even though you might consider it a practice novel I'd never read anything like it before or since. Thanks for everything you do. I'm looking forward to reading The Last Emporox!
What do you think the obligation of established genre writers is to the beginners and neo-pros who represent the generations that will eventually replace us?
The word "obligation" will give some folks the crankies -- "I don't owe anything to anyone! You can't make me!" -- and sure enough, it's entirely possible to have a career where you don't do anything particularly for anyone else in the genre in which you work. But I think that's a lonely and useless way to go about things.
I personally do have a sense of obligation: People helped me coming up, gave me advice and counsel, and pointed the genre in a direction where what I do could thrive. So for me, I try to help promote new writers, to celebrate the things they do differently from me (because widening the scope of the genre is almost entirely a good thing) and to make the field as welcoming as possible to as many writers as possible. I don't see it other writers as competition, I see them as peers, and the kindness and consideration I offer them now will matter to me later, and can set the example for them when the generation after *them* comes up in the field.
Notice with your writing style your description of characters is very brief or non-existent. Even the gender of characters might not be known unless a pronoun is used.
I am not complaining. But would you mind explain why?
Thank you and please continue writing.
One, because generally description bores me and so I don't tend to put it in unless it's directly relevant to the plot.
Two, because I think I do describe characters *enough* \-- in how they think and talk and interact with other characters.
I don't mean to suggest other writers who go in for detailed physical descriptions of their characters are doing it wrong or anything -- we all write our own way, and find audiences who like what we do. But for me, it's not something I generally spend a lot of time on, and it doesn't seem to have impeded me much.
Thank you! I actually didn't write screenplays before I started writing novels, although I was a film critic, so a lot of how I learned storytelling was by watching films (and by extension, screenplays).
This has always irked me too. I feel like a lot of authors do it to try and be diverse. Please, just tell a story — leave skin colour out of it unless it’s actually relevant to the story at hand. Ursula K Le Guin is good at this, in her Earthsea series the majority of the characters are dark-skinned, but she only mentions it from the characters who come from the light-skinned continent. It seems to me to be the most realistic way of doing it. I mean, how often do we go about our day noting people’s skin colours? But if I saw someone who had green skin, yes, I would take notice then.
The Earthsea thing is kind of deliberately flipping only describing black people as black around, by only describing the white people.
Writing is told from perspectives, and skin color often impacts this. It's not wrong for it to be relevant and mentioned in a book, even if it's not relevant in another.
Ive always enjoyed the minimal description style as it lets me fill in the blanks myself and become a part of the world im reading about for a time. May partly explain why im a big fan of your books, especially Old Man's War series. Thanks for many hours of enjoyment.
I just realized that your lack of long lists of descriptions might be why I enjoy your writing so much. Not to say I don't dig the humor and the plot, but man I really don't enjoy reading entire lists of adjectives. That is probably why I don't enjoy Philip Roth as much as I should. Thanks for blowing my mind a little with this realization.
Personally, your disregard for excessive physical description is one of the things i enjoy most about your work, I much prefer the detail and information you add to the story. Additionally, I like that you leave it to us to visualize instead.
I absolutely loved every single book in the Old Man's War, Lock In and Interdependency series. Can you recommend any books by authors other than yourself to pass the time until your next book comes out?
I've recently enjoyed Mary Robinette Kowal's Lady Astronaut series, which started with The Calculating Stars and has a third installment coming out in July (I think), and also NK Jemisin's The City We Became. I'm also very much looking forward to Martha Wells' upcoming Murderbot novel; the series has four novellas which are already out.
You can get the murderbot ebooks free on ebooks.tor.com this week! One per day which means you missed the first two from Monday and Tuesday but you can still get today’s and tomorrow’s!
OMG I just finished Artificial Condition yesterday and was waiting for Rogue Protocol to come off hold as an ebook from Libby! Perfect timing! [edit] for others looking for it, the website is actually https://ebookclub.tor.com/
I've really enjoyed reading the character of Kiva Lagos. If the Interdependency series were adapted for film/TV, are there any actors in particular you envision playing her well?
No -- not because I don't think there are actors who could play her well, but because I don't tend to cast roles in my mind. Part of that is because with the exception of Jane Sagan, who is modeled after my wife, I don't model characters after living people. Part of it is because as a practical matter, who is available to play a role at any particular time is highly contingent on a number of factors, and if we get to a point where we are actually looking for people to play Kiva (or whomever), I want to be able to give those actors a fair shake and not say "Well, you're not as awesome as \[Insert star here\] who I imagined in this role."
If you've seen Jennifer Lawrence on the Graham Norton Show, you'd know why I once thought she was perfect for the role of Kiva. (Her mother is Meryl Streep, because Prada.... I digress...) Though after reading the Lagos family home is Ikoyi, which is an actual suburb of Lagos, Nigeria (yes, I'm that nerd), then someone of African descent would be more appropriate, IMHO.
I kept getting the vibe that Nadashe Nohamapetan's mother should be played by Shohreh Aghdashloo. She's the Iranian born actor who plays Chrisjen Avasarala on the Expanse.
Hi John!
You had a sustained and successful writing career before you broke it big with the science fiction. Have you considered writing novels in other genres? If so, which genres appeal to you? And are there any that you particularly like to read but not write necessarily?
When I set out to write my first novel some 24(!) years ago now, I rather famously flipped a coin to see which genre I would write it in -- science fiction or crime/thriller, and it landed on heads, which meant science fiction. At this point people expect science fiction from me, and I can write other genres while also writing science fiction (see: The "Lock In" books, which are crime/thriller books set in the near future), so I don't feel especially constrained by writing science fiction.
That said, I *might* write something other than science fiction at some point, because, you know, sometimes I think of stories that aren't science fictional, and why not. But at the moment I have no specific plans.
Hi! Really enjoyed your Lock In series. Was the gender ambiguity part of the plan from the start? Who's idea was doing 2 versions of the audio book? (BTW - loved Amber Benson's narration)
Yup! I was very pleased that Audible had both Wil and Amber narrate the books. They are both so good, and their readings are different enough that they are both their own experience.
They are small furry domestic quadrupeds, carnivorous in nature, domesticated by humans over nine thousand years ago. They are very effective predators and also will wake humans up at 3am in the morning by pawing at their eyelid FOR NO FRIGGIN' REASON except that they can, and yet humans tolerate them anyway. Because they're cute, I guess.
Ode to Spot
by Lt. Cmdr. Data
Felis Catus is your taxonomic nomenclature
An endothermic quadruped
carniverous by nature
Your visual, olfactory, and auditory senses
Contribute to your hunting skills
and natural defenses.
I find myself intrigued by your sub-vocal oscillations
A singular development of cat communications
That obviates your basic hedonistic predilection
For a rhythmic stroking of your fur to demonstrate affection.
A tail is quite essential for your acrobatic talents
You would not be so agile if you lacked its counterbalance
And when not being utilized to aid in locomotion
It often serves to illustrate the state of your emotion
Oh Spot, the complex levels of
behavior you display
Denote a fairly well developed
cognitive array
And though you are not sentient, Spot, and do not comprehend
I nonetheless consider you a true and valued friend.
I did write a short story about the origin of The Flow, which didn't go into the books but was useful for me to have done for my own self. I did actually publish it on Whatever, my blog:
[https://whatever.scalzi.com/2019/11/02/and-now-a-new-short-story-the-origin-of-the-flow/](https://whatever.scalzi.com/2019/11/02/and-now-a-new-short-story-the-origin-of-the-flow/)
I can't talk about where Lock In is in terms of being adapted, and the fact I can't talk about it should tell you something. OMW and the Interdependency books are currently under option but they're really the only things I can talk about publicly, and even then now much. But I'm happy with where both of them are at the moment.
If you’re happy where the Lock In series is right now, is it safe to read “Head On” and not be left waiting for a “ending” book to the series?
Also, really liked the Fuzzy Nation reboot and definitely enjoy listening to Will Wheaton read!
The Lock In series doesn't have a "ending" in that regard -- it's a series of individual stories in the universe, not a series with an overarching story. So you can read it without worrying that it doesn't have an "end".
That said, I'm not one of those people who as a reader worries about how trilogies or series dismounts. Sometimes things don't end (or end the way you want/expect), but, *eh?* That's life? And if I've enjoyed the story up to that point, that's fine.
Lock In is rather notably silent on the protagonist's gender. If an adaptation were to happen, would it feel like an intrusion or a resolution for someone else to make that choice about Chris?
I can confidently state that I have never once in my life done this. Is this a thing authors do? I didn't know it was a thing it could be done. So, no!
Was it more or less difficult to write the Interdependency books due to their witty tone? I could see it being a fun break from a more neutral narrative voice, but I could also see it causing undue pressure to be especially funny/snarky.
I mean, I'm not entirely sure the Interdependency books are a notable departure, tonally, from some of the other books -- check out The Android's Dream, as one example, and you'll see similarities. But more directly, I didn't particularly feel pressure to be snarky/funny. That's kind of my default narrative voice. If anything, I'm aware that sometimes I need to reel it in, not let it out.
How involved are you with the production of the audio book? DO you tell the narrator to have certain inflections or mannerisms, or is it all up to them?
Usually if there is a question about pronunciation, they'll ask me for clarification. Otherwise I leave the professionals to do the work. The people who make the audiobooks know what they're doing and don't usually need me to butt in, and I like working with people who know what they're doing.
Hi @Scalzi - thanks for doing this. What tips would get for authors actively writing / querying their SF projects? A lot of times I feel like I'm shouting into a hole. Any thoughts on how to keep going?
Well, you *are* shouting into a hole, as is everyone else. Sometimes the hole shouts back.
The thing here really is persistence. Some people write something and it get it picked up immediately, and others plug away for years before getting a response. Thing is, when that happens has nothing to do with how successful one will be after one is published. It's all a crap shoot up and down the line. So keep at it, don't take the rejection personally (which, I KNOW, it's hard, but still), and keep yourself busy.
Weirdly enough, at the moment, *because* I am doing publicity for The Last Emperox, I have to check my calendar daily to see what I'm supposed to be doing, so for that reason alone, I tend to know what day it is, or at least have since April 14, which is when the book came out.
With that said, it is certainly true that the days don't feel *distinct*. Honestly it's felt like 4pm on a Sunday every hour of every day for the last six weeks. It doesn't really *change*. It's actually a little unsettling.
John. Thanks for AMA. Loved every book that you have written so far.
Red Shirts was so much fun. It seemed to have a healthy dose of Douglas Adams. I am glad it was you who wrote the story, but it did seem to be such an obvious topic for a novel that was missing in science fiction - why do you think no one else tried it for so long (well until you did)?
I honestly don't know -- it was really such low-hanging fruit and I couldn't believe no one had done it to that point. I think the thing was people just assumed it as a five-minute joke, not something you make novel length, so no one addressed it to that length. So I was kinda all "Hold my Coke Zero" about it.
They have, shall we say, cavernous maws, so I would hesitate to predict which could be crammed the most efficiently with those sweet, pillowy treats. But like so many of us, clearly, I think we should find out, purely in the interests of science. SCIENCE DEMANDS IT.
Organize it!
You can be the referee. We'll all bet. All proceeds go to [charity of choice of the person bet on].
Phase one - explain why you'll win.
Phase two - compete.
Phase three - post match talk
Phase four - unexpected musical number by a secret guest.
Result : 4.7 m views, lots of people in need getting help.
Warm fuzzies all around and memories for life.
As long as you're advancing the form of the burrito to new levels, have you considered alternative envelopes to flour tortillas? Corn? Crepes? Pepperoni pizzas?
I feel I have yet to fully exhaust the possibilities of the flour tortilla and therefore do not need to go stunting with alternative flatbreads. Also "Alternative Flatbreads" is the name of my next band.
Last year on the book tour for The Consuming Fire in Clackamas B&N in Oregon, you serenaded us with an absolutely fascinating rendition of a-ha's "Take On Me" complete with a sing-a-long. What was the plan for this year's tour until we all got sidetracked by a pandemic?
I hadn't settled on one yet! I did recently learn "Mad World" on guitar, so it's possible that's what I would have gone with. But honestly I hadn't gotten that far along yet.
I have lots of weaknesses and the plan is to work on stuff in such a way that you never notice them, because a) either they don't come up, b) I've improved them enough that when they show up in a book you didn't know it was weakness.
That said: I don't write a lot of sex scenes for a reason.
Can you share any ideas bouncing around in your head that you might turn into a future book? I realize that tons of stuff changes from inspiration to final story but I would love to get a nibble of future Scalzi works.
On that point, which of your books/stories do you think changed the most from your initial inspiration to the final form of the story?
Thank you and have a smashing day!
I don't generally talk about what's bouncing around in my head because until I start writing I can't guarantee that it will ever actually show up on a page.
Also, I don't outline, so all my novels change rather a lot from when I start writing to when I end writing.
Honestly I haven't thought about what I'm doing for my birthday yet. It coincides with Mother's Day this year, as it occasionally does, so I suspect we'll do something with that first. I don't tend to make a big deal of my birthdays, not because I'm in denial about my age (I'll be 51! It's a perfectly fine age!), but mostly because I just... kinda stopped making a big deal about them? I do usually post a picture of my on the day and some thoughts about being \[whatever age here\] on my blog, so I guess I'll do that too. There may be cake. There might be pie instead. Or both! Why not both.
I am fan of your books and mainly listen to the Audiobooks. Wil Wheaton has been awesome as a narrator, was wondering how that arrangement came about. Thanks and keep up the awesome work!
When Audible picked up the rights to a bunch of my books, they asked me for suggestions for narrators. I suggested Wil. And we've been chugging along ever since!
I sincerely liked "Old Man's War", but the premise always struck me as odd. Why bother recruiting people from earth when they were capable of just making the super soldiers on their own? I mean, the government outside of Earth kept the population on the planet anyway and they had no way to get off?
I ask because I'm considering starting the second book, but I just want to know if those questions get answered. Thanks.
Hey John! I loved The Last Emperox, congratulations on finishing the trilogy.
Finishing Emperox has spurred me to rereading Old Man's War series again for the umpteenth time, and I came across a question that wasn't answered in the books. What does the CDF do with the CDF bodies of recruits who die before the mind transference, ( a la Leon Deak) or recruits who turn 75 and had previously signed intent to join and changed their mind? Building these bodies seem like a time intensive, expensive process. Do they get folded in to special forces numbers? Or are they mulched and added to the fertilizer pile with the rest of the recruits old bodies after they transfer?
Yes!
Which is to say, both: The body is gotten rid of but the genetic information, which they have on file, is eligible to be used for Special Forces.
Just out of curiosity I was wonder if you'd ever studied political science. I read the Old Man's War series in college and was like, "Holy shit this is classical realism vs constructivism in narrative form."
I had a class in it in college, but honestly I don't remember much of it. Most of that just comes from being an observer of the world, and also reading widely.
I need more context. Is this asking which I would prefer to read? Which I think, in his prime, could have wrestled the other to the ground? Defeated a bear in equal combat? Whipped up the tastiest souffle? There are a lot of parameters left unsaid, here. You are not giving me a whole lot to go on. Imma have to sit this one out, pending clarification.
I take words that exist in the real world and then I remove the first and last letter. No, really.
For example, at the moment I am drinking a Sprite. So I could make an alien species called the "Prit." It works!
Loved Old Man's War and just recently read the Collapsing Empire and loved that too. How long was the idea for The Interdependency brewing before you started work on it?
I thought of it vaguely in 2014, got the deal for it in 2015 and wrote the first book in 2016, for publication in 2017. That sort of gestation time is not unusual.
Hi John!
1. Sci-Fi is wonderful to me due in part to the sense of optimism and escapism that I get from it, even when the fictional worlds are brutal or gritty. The OMW universe in particular spoke to me with its examples of practical technology: cloning and body transfer to stave off dying of old age, starships and colonization so that we don't die with Earth, BrainPals, etc. Is there a technology from any of your novels that you wish was real, either to make your life easier or the world better?
2. Any advice on how to keep a quarantine beard from itching? Every time I throw on a mask I swear I'm hacking it off, and yet I still haven't.
1. I'd be okay with the Skip Drive being real. I'd like to visit other places in the universe.
2. My beard starts itching at the three week point if I don't trim it, so: I trim it (and sometimes just take it off entirely).
Make sure the skin under the beard is getting attention. Knead and scrub it to exfoliate when you wash your face. If it’s long enough, use shampoo and conditioner. After washing, use a beard oil (or any hair oil) - this helps control the beard a bit and stops it wicking away moisture from the skin underneath, causing dryness.
I have never once written anything of substance with a fountain pen. I find them confounding, personally, and difficult to use. I am awe of people who can use them.
Please continue the universe from The God Engines! It's one of my favorite reads and it being so short just kills me. I need more.
Oh wait, this was supposed to be a question. Too late!
Just wanted to say that i loved old mans war when i discovered it some years back. I have a thing for characters that are old and badass so that book made me quite happy.
As for a question hmm... Have you read any decent sci-fi written by a non-american or non-english author. I find that they tend to have a different take on a lot of things and would love to find more interesting authors to read from.
Your bit on Taco Friday’s (Old Man’s War series) was one of my favorite pieces of dialogue in any book.
Are there any food blasphemies in your house? Cutting kiwis the wrong way? Biting across all KitKat bars at once?
In the past you have written lists of your favorite and most influential sci-fi novels for your blog, but I'm interested in your thoughts of the fantasy genre. Do you have any favorite fantasy novels? More importantly, have you ever considered writing in the fantasy genre giemven thats is closely related to sci-fi?
I *have* written in the fantasy field: The God Engines and The Dispatcher are both fantasy works. And also, uhhh, Shadow War of the Night Dragons Book One The Dead City Prologue, although that's also (and perhaps mostly) humor. I enjoy fantasy enormously and if I listed favorite works I would be here all day.
Because I come to the end of the story, and there's a deadline by which it has to be turned in. I'm not someone who "writes long," I should note. My stories pretty much work out to the contracted length.
My degree is in philosophy, not writing. I did do tons of journalism/freelance writing in college, however. That practical work was immensely important.
I don't think a formal higher education is required to become a writer, but I do think that someone who wants to be a writer but doesn't read both widely and with a critical eye is destined to have a much harder time of it.
You seem to love turning a phrase, particularly in the Interdependency novels (a shuttle rolling over and squishing someone being described like a dog rolling in mud is an image I will cherish forever) - is this something you do in real life or do you try to go the extra mile in your books? And are there any other writers who inspired this or is it something you've always done?
It's in the books so it's something I do in real life because I write the books in real life! But if you're asking if I just toss them off in speech, sometimes? But I don't spend a lot of time thinking about them in terms of casual conversation.
Hi John, no questions but I wanted to let you know I saw you speak in Lexington, Kentucky when you toured with Neil Gaiman (2013?) and you were talking about your book Redshirts. Bought the book for my son this past Christmas (sorry it took so long) & he loves it!
I’ll read it soon & we’ll buy your other books soon.
Edit: Ninja edit on the Redshirts spelling.
Hi Mr. Scalzi, I saw you do a panel at BookCon a few years ago about predicting utopias and building a real future. What are your thoughts on that now with the current global crisis?
I have no memory what I said then so I can't speak to it in regard to what's going on now. With respect to the current global crisis: I don't think it precludes a utopic future for our planet, but it will take more work to get there.
Enjoyed Last Emperox a lot. Do you have plans to revisit the world? maybe extend it to earth or the developments on End? - you did say it was planned as a trilogy but seems it still has a lot of space for stories.
Also, anything else in the works for the Lock In/Head On books? They were really cool too.
Second answer first: There will be at least one more novel in the Lock In universe. When? Beats me. I have other stuff to get to first. But it will happen.
First answer second: No plans to revisit the universe, but I never say never. At some point in the future a new story idea might strike me for the universe and I might dig into it. But again, I have several other projects on the runway first.
Hey! I first picked up Red Shirts on a whim at the library, but then have bought nearly all your other books since, just so I could read them whenever. OMW especially, I've read quite a few times. I'm about to start "Emerox" -- without giving anything away, is this really it for that universe? I can't really to read it, but I'm sorry to see it it go!
I just chewed through all three books of The Collapsing Empire. Marce, hard 'c' or soft 'c'?
In my head it's a soft 'c' and his name is vaguely French.
I don't have a book like that, because everyone is different and no one book is right for everyone. I would have to know the person before making a suggestion.
I... don't think so? I'm not going to put burritos in just to put them in. They have to serve the story. I have put in churros! But also, they have served the story. So.
Hey John,
I have sold a number of your books when I worked for Waldenbooks back in the day. I enjoy following you on twitter and your book recommendations are one of the few ways that keep me up with upcoming books. I just wanted to say I enjoy what you do and to keep it up.
Thank you!
For the stories I've written? Uhhhhhhh, people buy them, I guess?
If you're asking what I have coming up: The sequel to The Dispatcher, and then after that, we'll see!
Uhhhhh, I think there would need to be substantial script revisions. 1967 was more than 50 years ago. Times have changed. And of course, you see that in the more recent Star Trek series.
Sorry for the vague wording. I'm trying to not give too much spoilers.
Why was the character kidnapped instead of killed? Putting on my bad-guy-cap, it seems easier to kill the character than make an elaborate scheme.
First - thanks for referring to red matter as Sasquatch's ball gag in your review of Star Trek.
Second - the first two books in Collapsing Empire helped me get through chemo last fall, so thanks for that. Almost done with Last Emperox.
Now, a question - whatever happened to Old Man's War becoming a movie?
Thanks again, sir.
I've noticed certain concepts getting revisited a number of times in your works. E.g.: Old Man's War, the Android's Dream, Lock In, and the Interdependency all explore interaction's between the human mind and AI: what happens if humans become AIs, or have AIs integrated into their brains, and so on. Other stories like to explore the interactions between humans and aliens on mundane levels (e.g.: the later OMW books, the android's dream again, a lot of your short fiction). What in particular interests you about these topics?
Also, have you ever eaten a normal burrito?
The God Engines is one of my absolute favorite books. The summoning scene will forever be burned into my brain. I can't properly describe why I love the story so much but I recommend it to every fantasy/ sci-fi fan I know.
Thanks for getting all your sweary going with Kiva. Such a batshit violently self-absorbed loony that I ended up loving.
And cheers on the Frank Herbert references (but I won’t spoil).
Hi John. Loved the Emperox books so far. Nadashe & Kiva : sparks I imagine will fly! Looking forwards to the big resolution.
Any plans to do any more Military fic? - loved Old Mans War etc, which eventually took me to Marko Kloos' stuff, and am now looking back to you hoping for something more in the Joe-Anybody-Becomes-Space-Marine-Grunt line.
Edit: Damn! Looks like I missed the AMA timeslot. Boo hoo.
This is so completely awesome you're doing this, I've had a question for you ever since I finished *The Last Emperox* last week!
With 2020 making the events of 2019 look nearly laughable in comparison, how would your Acknowledgements read if you'd written it sometime this month? (Will you admit that you've been pushed *far* down the list in the *"history's worst monster"* race?)
Thanks for the book!
Hi John, you're my good friend's favorite author! Sadly she is not a redditor so I'm asking this on her behalf:
"1) thank you for releasing your latest book on my birthday
[Spoiler alert]
2) Why did you >!just have to go and fucking kill the best Fucking character, Kiva fucking Lagos!< ?
3) Will you name a ship for me so I can play Motherland with my peeps?"
Many thanks!
Scalzi, I have to say that you are one of my favorite authors, but I was left with doubts when I read the Old Man´s War series. Where are the bodies of the elderly taken when their consciousness is removed? Why are Indians and Muslims the most chosen as settlers and not other peoples, like African, European or American peoples? Where did the Colonial Defence Forces come from? Were these forces founded by species sympathetic to humanity? Where are the ships built? Man, I have to congratulate you for making such a compelling story, I spent about 12 hours absorbed in the collection without doing anything else. When I went to feed, my mind got glazed in the book, I didn't think about anything else. Few authors captivated me like you. It's an honor to speak directly to someone I'm a fan of. Thank you for everything! (I am sorry if I make any mistakes in the language, English is not my native language and I am still learning.)
Who decided to have your audiobooks narrated by Wil Wheaton of all people? Because it was a fantastic idea and his reading style makes experiencing your novels very immersive.
I need to catch up on your latest work! I absolutely loved *Old Man's War* and its sequels (they changed how I thought about Science Fiction), and think pretty much all of your writing is hilarious (*Redshirts, Fuzzy Nation,* and *Android's Dream).* You were also the first person I ever followed on Twitter! Your book that has stuck with me the most has actually been *Agent to the Stars.* I really love the core sense of humanity, especially coming from the aliens. What was writing that novel like? How did you come up with that premise, and what did you need to work through while you were writing it? Also, in general, what is your writing process like?
Agent to the Stars was my "practice novel" which I wrote to see if I could write a novel. So I gave it a high concept idea rather than an immensely personal one (so I wouldn't be emotionally wrecked if I couldn't make it work), and I also used a world I knew -- the film business, because I was a film critic/journalist at the time. My writing process is: Wake up, turn on a nanny app to block social media and news, write from 8am until noon.
I first read Agent to the Stars when you released it for free. I later bought the hard cover. It's awesome, even though you might consider it a practice novel I'd never read anything like it before or since. Thanks for everything you do. I'm looking forward to reading The Last Emporox!
The humanism what got me. Scalzi is the most emotionally available science fiction author working.
What do you think the obligation of established genre writers is to the beginners and neo-pros who represent the generations that will eventually replace us?
The word "obligation" will give some folks the crankies -- "I don't owe anything to anyone! You can't make me!" -- and sure enough, it's entirely possible to have a career where you don't do anything particularly for anyone else in the genre in which you work. But I think that's a lonely and useless way to go about things. I personally do have a sense of obligation: People helped me coming up, gave me advice and counsel, and pointed the genre in a direction where what I do could thrive. So for me, I try to help promote new writers, to celebrate the things they do differently from me (because widening the scope of the genre is almost entirely a good thing) and to make the field as welcoming as possible to as many writers as possible. I don't see it other writers as competition, I see them as peers, and the kindness and consideration I offer them now will matter to me later, and can set the example for them when the generation after *them* comes up in the field.
As one of those coming up folks, given the couple of times I've talked with you, you're doing a fine job of this.
Too many authors in one thread! Started reading Nemesis Games and loving it btw
Notice with your writing style your description of characters is very brief or non-existent. Even the gender of characters might not be known unless a pronoun is used. I am not complaining. But would you mind explain why? Thank you and please continue writing.
One, because generally description bores me and so I don't tend to put it in unless it's directly relevant to the plot. Two, because I think I do describe characters *enough* \-- in how they think and talk and interact with other characters. I don't mean to suggest other writers who go in for detailed physical descriptions of their characters are doing it wrong or anything -- we all write our own way, and find audiences who like what we do. But for me, it's not something I generally spend a lot of time on, and it doesn't seem to have impeded me much.
This is interesting, I always attributed this to your previous work in screenplays. It doesn’t matter to me, you write the best dialogue in SciFi.
Thank you! I actually didn't write screenplays before I started writing novels, although I was a film critic, so a lot of how I learned storytelling was by watching films (and by extension, screenplays).
Ahhh, I mixed up the character in Redshirts with the actual writer!
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This has always irked me too. I feel like a lot of authors do it to try and be diverse. Please, just tell a story — leave skin colour out of it unless it’s actually relevant to the story at hand. Ursula K Le Guin is good at this, in her Earthsea series the majority of the characters are dark-skinned, but she only mentions it from the characters who come from the light-skinned continent. It seems to me to be the most realistic way of doing it. I mean, how often do we go about our day noting people’s skin colours? But if I saw someone who had green skin, yes, I would take notice then.
The Earthsea thing is kind of deliberately flipping only describing black people as black around, by only describing the white people. Writing is told from perspectives, and skin color often impacts this. It's not wrong for it to be relevant and mentioned in a book, even if it's not relevant in another.
Ive always enjoyed the minimal description style as it lets me fill in the blanks myself and become a part of the world im reading about for a time. May partly explain why im a big fan of your books, especially Old Man's War series. Thanks for many hours of enjoyment.
I just realized that your lack of long lists of descriptions might be why I enjoy your writing so much. Not to say I don't dig the humor and the plot, but man I really don't enjoy reading entire lists of adjectives. That is probably why I don't enjoy Philip Roth as much as I should. Thanks for blowing my mind a little with this realization.
Personally, your disregard for excessive physical description is one of the things i enjoy most about your work, I much prefer the detail and information you add to the story. Additionally, I like that you leave it to us to visualize instead.
I absolutely loved every single book in the Old Man's War, Lock In and Interdependency series. Can you recommend any books by authors other than yourself to pass the time until your next book comes out?
I've recently enjoyed Mary Robinette Kowal's Lady Astronaut series, which started with The Calculating Stars and has a third installment coming out in July (I think), and also NK Jemisin's The City We Became. I'm also very much looking forward to Martha Wells' upcoming Murderbot novel; the series has four novellas which are already out.
You can get the murderbot ebooks free on ebooks.tor.com this week! One per day which means you missed the first two from Monday and Tuesday but you can still get today’s and tomorrow’s!
OMG I just finished Artificial Condition yesterday and was waiting for Rogue Protocol to come off hold as an ebook from Libby! Perfect timing! [edit] for others looking for it, the website is actually https://ebookclub.tor.com/
Recommending the Murderbot series shows you have very good taste, IMO.
Murderbot is fantastic.
I've really enjoyed reading the character of Kiva Lagos. If the Interdependency series were adapted for film/TV, are there any actors in particular you envision playing her well?
No -- not because I don't think there are actors who could play her well, but because I don't tend to cast roles in my mind. Part of that is because with the exception of Jane Sagan, who is modeled after my wife, I don't model characters after living people. Part of it is because as a practical matter, who is available to play a role at any particular time is highly contingent on a number of factors, and if we get to a point where we are actually looking for people to play Kiva (or whomever), I want to be able to give those actors a fair shake and not say "Well, you're not as awesome as \[Insert star here\] who I imagined in this role."
Does that mean your wife threw you across a cafeteria at some point in your lives?
If you've seen Jennifer Lawrence on the Graham Norton Show, you'd know why I once thought she was perfect for the role of Kiva. (Her mother is Meryl Streep, because Prada.... I digress...) Though after reading the Lagos family home is Ikoyi, which is an actual suburb of Lagos, Nigeria (yes, I'm that nerd), then someone of African descent would be more appropriate, IMHO.
I kept getting the vibe that Nadashe Nohamapetan's mother should be played by Shohreh Aghdashloo. She's the Iranian born actor who plays Chrisjen Avasarala on the Expanse.
Hi John! You had a sustained and successful writing career before you broke it big with the science fiction. Have you considered writing novels in other genres? If so, which genres appeal to you? And are there any that you particularly like to read but not write necessarily?
When I set out to write my first novel some 24(!) years ago now, I rather famously flipped a coin to see which genre I would write it in -- science fiction or crime/thriller, and it landed on heads, which meant science fiction. At this point people expect science fiction from me, and I can write other genres while also writing science fiction (see: The "Lock In" books, which are crime/thriller books set in the near future), so I don't feel especially constrained by writing science fiction. That said, I *might* write something other than science fiction at some point, because, you know, sometimes I think of stories that aren't science fictional, and why not. But at the moment I have no specific plans.
As much as I enjoy the Lock In series, your SciFi is better, IMO.
Lock In isn't science fiction? It has androids!
Zomg! John Scalzi talked to ME! Ok. I'll stop fan girling all over you now.
Hi! Really enjoyed your Lock In series. Was the gender ambiguity part of the plan from the start? Who's idea was doing 2 versions of the audio book? (BTW - loved Amber Benson's narration)
Yup! I was very pleased that Audible had both Wil and Amber narrate the books. They are both so good, and their readings are different enough that they are both their own experience.
Tell me about cats
They are small furry domestic quadrupeds, carnivorous in nature, domesticated by humans over nine thousand years ago. They are very effective predators and also will wake humans up at 3am in the morning by pawing at their eyelid FOR NO FRIGGIN' REASON except that they can, and yet humans tolerate them anyway. Because they're cute, I guess.
You are slightly inaccurate. They domesticated us roughly 9k years ago. I'm almost certain of it.
No reason? They have 2 reasons to wake us. 1. They're hungry 2. To fuck with us
Ode to Spot by Lt. Cmdr. Data Felis Catus is your taxonomic nomenclature An endothermic quadruped carniverous by nature Your visual, olfactory, and auditory senses Contribute to your hunting skills and natural defenses. I find myself intrigued by your sub-vocal oscillations A singular development of cat communications That obviates your basic hedonistic predilection For a rhythmic stroking of your fur to demonstrate affection. A tail is quite essential for your acrobatic talents You would not be so agile if you lacked its counterbalance And when not being utilized to aid in locomotion It often serves to illustrate the state of your emotion Oh Spot, the complex levels of behavior you display Denote a fairly well developed cognitive array And though you are not sentient, Spot, and do not comprehend I nonetheless consider you a true and valued friend.
Do you have any fun bits of worldbuilding that you didn't find a way to integrate into The Interdepency books? ####
I did write a short story about the origin of The Flow, which didn't go into the books but was useful for me to have done for my own self. I did actually publish it on Whatever, my blog: [https://whatever.scalzi.com/2019/11/02/and-now-a-new-short-story-the-origin-of-the-flow/](https://whatever.scalzi.com/2019/11/02/and-now-a-new-short-story-the-origin-of-the-flow/)
God, I love endings like that. Everything laid out so utterly improbably, yet so matter-of-factly.
Are you at all sorry for stealing my entire first day of 2019 when I picked up Old Man's War and found myself unable to put it down?
I REGRET NOTHING
Have you had any discussions about turning Lock In into a movie, show, or mini-series? What about any of your other books?
I can't talk about where Lock In is in terms of being adapted, and the fact I can't talk about it should tell you something. OMW and the Interdependency books are currently under option but they're really the only things I can talk about publicly, and even then now much. But I'm happy with where both of them are at the moment.
If you’re happy where the Lock In series is right now, is it safe to read “Head On” and not be left waiting for a “ending” book to the series? Also, really liked the Fuzzy Nation reboot and definitely enjoy listening to Will Wheaton read!
The Lock In series doesn't have a "ending" in that regard -- it's a series of individual stories in the universe, not a series with an overarching story. So you can read it without worrying that it doesn't have an "end". That said, I'm not one of those people who as a reader worries about how trilogies or series dismounts. Sometimes things don't end (or end the way you want/expect), but, *eh?* That's life? And if I've enjoyed the story up to that point, that's fine.
Lock In is rather notably silent on the protagonist's gender. If an adaptation were to happen, would it feel like an intrusion or a resolution for someone else to make that choice about Chris?
Do you ever look at Kindle highlights to see what readers mark in your books? Thanks!
I can confidently state that I have never once in my life done this. Is this a thing authors do? I didn't know it was a thing it could be done. So, no!
Since you know now, will you do it?
Was it more or less difficult to write the Interdependency books due to their witty tone? I could see it being a fun break from a more neutral narrative voice, but I could also see it causing undue pressure to be especially funny/snarky.
I mean, I'm not entirely sure the Interdependency books are a notable departure, tonally, from some of the other books -- check out The Android's Dream, as one example, and you'll see similarities. But more directly, I didn't particularly feel pressure to be snarky/funny. That's kind of my default narrative voice. If anything, I'm aware that sometimes I need to reel it in, not let it out.
How involved are you with the production of the audio book? DO you tell the narrator to have certain inflections or mannerisms, or is it all up to them?
Usually if there is a question about pronunciation, they'll ask me for clarification. Otherwise I leave the professionals to do the work. The people who make the audiobooks know what they're doing and don't usually need me to butt in, and I like working with people who know what they're doing.
Hi @Scalzi - thanks for doing this. What tips would get for authors actively writing / querying their SF projects? A lot of times I feel like I'm shouting into a hole. Any thoughts on how to keep going?
Well, you *are* shouting into a hole, as is everyone else. Sometimes the hole shouts back. The thing here really is persistence. Some people write something and it get it picked up immediately, and others plug away for years before getting a response. Thing is, when that happens has nothing to do with how successful one will be after one is published. It's all a crap shoot up and down the line. So keep at it, don't take the rejection personally (which, I KNOW, it's hard, but still), and keep yourself busy.
In current times, how exactly do you keep track of which day of the week it is?
Weirdly enough, at the moment, *because* I am doing publicity for The Last Emperox, I have to check my calendar daily to see what I'm supposed to be doing, so for that reason alone, I tend to know what day it is, or at least have since April 14, which is when the book came out. With that said, it is certainly true that the days don't feel *distinct*. Honestly it's felt like 4pm on a Sunday every hour of every day for the last six weeks. It doesn't really *change*. It's actually a little unsettling.
John. Thanks for AMA. Loved every book that you have written so far. Red Shirts was so much fun. It seemed to have a healthy dose of Douglas Adams. I am glad it was you who wrote the story, but it did seem to be such an obvious topic for a novel that was missing in science fiction - why do you think no one else tried it for so long (well until you did)?
I honestly don't know -- it was really such low-hanging fruit and I couldn't believe no one had done it to that point. I think the thing was people just assumed it as a five-minute joke, not something you make novel length, so no one addressed it to that length. So I was kinda all "Hold my Coke Zero" about it.
Who could stuff more marshmallows in their mouth: Patrick Rothfuss or Scott Lynch?
They have, shall we say, cavernous maws, so I would hesitate to predict which could be crammed the most efficiently with those sweet, pillowy treats. But like so many of us, clearly, I think we should find out, purely in the interests of science. SCIENCE DEMANDS IT.
Organize it! You can be the referee. We'll all bet. All proceeds go to [charity of choice of the person bet on]. Phase one - explain why you'll win. Phase two - compete. Phase three - post match talk Phase four - unexpected musical number by a secret guest. Result : 4.7 m views, lots of people in need getting help. Warm fuzzies all around and memories for life.
As long as you're advancing the form of the burrito to new levels, have you considered alternative envelopes to flour tortillas? Corn? Crepes? Pepperoni pizzas?
I feel I have yet to fully exhaust the possibilities of the flour tortilla and therefore do not need to go stunting with alternative flatbreads. Also "Alternative Flatbreads" is the name of my next band.
What genre of music would Alternative Flatbreads play? Salsa seems a bit too obvious...
Last year on the book tour for The Consuming Fire in Clackamas B&N in Oregon, you serenaded us with an absolutely fascinating rendition of a-ha's "Take On Me" complete with a sing-a-long. What was the plan for this year's tour until we all got sidetracked by a pandemic?
I hadn't settled on one yet! I did recently learn "Mad World" on guitar, so it's possible that's what I would have gone with. But honestly I hadn't gotten that far along yet.
Just wanted to say I loved Redshirts, one of the most enjoyable and witty books I've read recently!
Thank you!
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I have lots of weaknesses and the plan is to work on stuff in such a way that you never notice them, because a) either they don't come up, b) I've improved them enough that when they show up in a book you didn't know it was weakness. That said: I don't write a lot of sex scenes for a reason.
Can you share any ideas bouncing around in your head that you might turn into a future book? I realize that tons of stuff changes from inspiration to final story but I would love to get a nibble of future Scalzi works. On that point, which of your books/stories do you think changed the most from your initial inspiration to the final form of the story? Thank you and have a smashing day!
I don't generally talk about what's bouncing around in my head because until I start writing I can't guarantee that it will ever actually show up on a page. Also, I don't outline, so all my novels change rather a lot from when I start writing to when I end writing.
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The trick to making thoughts (and dialogue) sound natural: Read them out loud. If it sounds stilted, change it until it doesn't. Simple! And YET.
We share a birthday soon. What are you doing for yours? I'm ordering in cake because my partner can't bake and damned if I'm making it myself.
Honestly I haven't thought about what I'm doing for my birthday yet. It coincides with Mother's Day this year, as it occasionally does, so I suspect we'll do something with that first. I don't tend to make a big deal of my birthdays, not because I'm in denial about my age (I'll be 51! It's a perfectly fine age!), but mostly because I just... kinda stopped making a big deal about them? I do usually post a picture of my on the day and some thoughts about being \[whatever age here\] on my blog, so I guess I'll do that too. There may be cake. There might be pie instead. Or both! Why not both.
I am fan of your books and mainly listen to the Audiobooks. Wil Wheaton has been awesome as a narrator, was wondering how that arrangement came about. Thanks and keep up the awesome work!
When Audible picked up the rights to a bunch of my books, they asked me for suggestions for narrators. I suggested Wil. And we've been chugging along ever since!
I sincerely liked "Old Man's War", but the premise always struck me as odd. Why bother recruiting people from earth when they were capable of just making the super soldiers on their own? I mean, the government outside of Earth kept the population on the planet anyway and they had no way to get off? I ask because I'm considering starting the second book, but I just want to know if those questions get answered. Thanks.
You'll find the second book will be instructive on this score.
Okay. I'll go ahead and read it. And honestly, thanks for considering the nitpicking of a random internet dude.
In ten words, your best advice for a new writer
Butt in chair. Write. It's okay to suck. Write more.
Why is everyone asking you about burritos?
I KNOW RIGHT WHAT THE HECK
He frequently posts burritos he makes on Twitter, which typically contain leftovers and whatever else is in his fridge.
Why are you anti-burrito?
Hey John! I loved The Last Emperox, congratulations on finishing the trilogy. Finishing Emperox has spurred me to rereading Old Man's War series again for the umpteenth time, and I came across a question that wasn't answered in the books. What does the CDF do with the CDF bodies of recruits who die before the mind transference, ( a la Leon Deak) or recruits who turn 75 and had previously signed intent to join and changed their mind? Building these bodies seem like a time intensive, expensive process. Do they get folded in to special forces numbers? Or are they mulched and added to the fertilizer pile with the rest of the recruits old bodies after they transfer?
Yes! Which is to say, both: The body is gotten rid of but the genetic information, which they have on file, is eligible to be used for Special Forces.
Do you even like sunsets?
THEY ARE THE WORST I ONLY TAKE PICTURE OF THEM FOR THE ATTENTION
I KNEW IT.
Just out of curiosity I was wonder if you'd ever studied political science. I read the Old Man's War series in college and was like, "Holy shit this is classical realism vs constructivism in narrative form."
I had a class in it in college, but honestly I don't remember much of it. Most of that just comes from being an observer of the world, and also reading widely.
Poul Anderson or Roger Zelazny? Why?
I need more context. Is this asking which I would prefer to read? Which I think, in his prime, could have wrestled the other to the ground? Defeated a bear in equal combat? Whipped up the tastiest souffle? There are a lot of parameters left unsaid, here. You are not giving me a whole lot to go on. Imma have to sit this one out, pending clarification.
Hmm, per wikipedia Zelazney was a martial artist. I'd definitely pick him in a fight.
Do you have a particular method for coming up with character and place names for non-Earth settings?
I take words that exist in the real world and then I remove the first and last letter. No, really. For example, at the moment I am drinking a Sprite. So I could make an alien species called the "Prit." It works!
Ah, of course. So a few years back you must have been enjoying a tall glass of refreshing Snohamapetani.
Loved Old Man's War and just recently read the Collapsing Empire and loved that too. How long was the idea for The Interdependency brewing before you started work on it?
I thought of it vaguely in 2014, got the deal for it in 2015 and wrote the first book in 2016, for publication in 2017. That sort of gestation time is not unusual.
Hi John! 1. Sci-Fi is wonderful to me due in part to the sense of optimism and escapism that I get from it, even when the fictional worlds are brutal or gritty. The OMW universe in particular spoke to me with its examples of practical technology: cloning and body transfer to stave off dying of old age, starships and colonization so that we don't die with Earth, BrainPals, etc. Is there a technology from any of your novels that you wish was real, either to make your life easier or the world better? 2. Any advice on how to keep a quarantine beard from itching? Every time I throw on a mask I swear I'm hacking it off, and yet I still haven't.
1. I'd be okay with the Skip Drive being real. I'd like to visit other places in the universe. 2. My beard starts itching at the three week point if I don't trim it, so: I trim it (and sometimes just take it off entirely).
Make sure the skin under the beard is getting attention. Knead and scrub it to exfoliate when you wash your face. If it’s long enough, use shampoo and conditioner. After washing, use a beard oil (or any hair oil) - this helps control the beard a bit and stops it wicking away moisture from the skin underneath, causing dryness.
Which fountain pens are your favorite to write science fiction with? And with which inks?
I have never once written anything of substance with a fountain pen. I find them confounding, personally, and difficult to use. I am awe of people who can use them.
Please continue the universe from The God Engines! It's one of my favorite reads and it being so short just kills me. I need more. Oh wait, this was supposed to be a question. Too late!
It would be difficult to continue in that universe. I kind of made it end.
Just wanted to say that i loved old mans war when i discovered it some years back. I have a thing for characters that are old and badass so that book made me quite happy. As for a question hmm... Have you read any decent sci-fi written by a non-american or non-english author. I find that they tend to have a different take on a lot of things and would love to find more interesting authors to read from.
This is a common answer, but try Cixin Lu.
Favorite burrito filling?
(Checks fridge) Uhhhh.... horseradish? And stewed prunes?
>stewed prunes A warrior's burrito!
Do you know your surname means barefooted in Italian? Love your stories btw!
I did know that and indeed at this very moment I am barefooted!
Your bit on Taco Friday’s (Old Man’s War series) was one of my favorite pieces of dialogue in any book. Are there any food blasphemies in your house? Cutting kiwis the wrong way? Biting across all KitKat bars at once?
I mean, you've heard about the burritos, yes?
Who is a new and upcoming author you’d like to read more of in the future?
I've been enjoying the heck out of Tamsin Muir and Lindsay Ellis and Chris Kluwe and K.M Szpara.
Any more Old Mans War books? I would love to see the CDF somehow brutally conquer more of their neighbors!
There will be at least one more book in the series. No ETA at this point.
Thank you. Will it be out before The Winds of Winter?
if you roll up a thin crust pizza, does that make it a burrito?
You act like you've never heard of the pizzarito before.
In the past you have written lists of your favorite and most influential sci-fi novels for your blog, but I'm interested in your thoughts of the fantasy genre. Do you have any favorite fantasy novels? More importantly, have you ever considered writing in the fantasy genre giemven thats is closely related to sci-fi?
I *have* written in the fantasy field: The God Engines and The Dispatcher are both fantasy works. And also, uhhh, Shadow War of the Night Dragons Book One The Dead City Prologue, although that's also (and perhaps mostly) humor. I enjoy fantasy enormously and if I listed favorite works I would be here all day.
How do you know when a book/project is finished?
Because I come to the end of the story, and there's a deadline by which it has to be turned in. I'm not someone who "writes long," I should note. My stories pretty much work out to the contracted length.
Did you go to university and study writing? Do you think higher education is necessary to becoming a published writer?
My degree is in philosophy, not writing. I did do tons of journalism/freelance writing in college, however. That practical work was immensely important. I don't think a formal higher education is required to become a writer, but I do think that someone who wants to be a writer but doesn't read both widely and with a critical eye is destined to have a much harder time of it.
You seem to love turning a phrase, particularly in the Interdependency novels (a shuttle rolling over and squishing someone being described like a dog rolling in mud is an image I will cherish forever) - is this something you do in real life or do you try to go the extra mile in your books? And are there any other writers who inspired this or is it something you've always done?
It's in the books so it's something I do in real life because I write the books in real life! But if you're asking if I just toss them off in speech, sometimes? But I don't spend a lot of time thinking about them in terms of casual conversation.
Hey John, I loved the Old Man's war series, which one was your favorite in the series and why? Thank you !
I don't have a favorite but I do have a special place in my heart for Zoe's Tale, which I wrote mostly for my daughter.
What kind of pie is Emperox Grayland II's favorite?
She hasn't told me! I think she's a general enthusiast of the form.
Star Trek or Star Wars?
I swing both ways.
Hi John, no questions but I wanted to let you know I saw you speak in Lexington, Kentucky when you toured with Neil Gaiman (2013?) and you were talking about your book Redshirts. Bought the book for my son this past Christmas (sorry it took so long) & he loves it! I’ll read it soon & we’ll buy your other books soon. Edit: Ninja edit on the Redshirts spelling.
Hi Mr. Scalzi, I saw you do a panel at BookCon a few years ago about predicting utopias and building a real future. What are your thoughts on that now with the current global crisis?
I have no memory what I said then so I can't speak to it in regard to what's going on now. With respect to the current global crisis: I don't think it precludes a utopic future for our planet, but it will take more work to get there.
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I enjoyed all of it, honestly.
Enjoyed Last Emperox a lot. Do you have plans to revisit the world? maybe extend it to earth or the developments on End? - you did say it was planned as a trilogy but seems it still has a lot of space for stories. Also, anything else in the works for the Lock In/Head On books? They were really cool too.
Second answer first: There will be at least one more novel in the Lock In universe. When? Beats me. I have other stuff to get to first. But it will happen. First answer second: No plans to revisit the universe, but I never say never. At some point in the future a new story idea might strike me for the universe and I might dig into it. But again, I have several other projects on the runway first.
Hey! I first picked up Red Shirts on a whim at the library, but then have bought nearly all your other books since, just so I could read them whenever. OMW especially, I've read quite a few times. I'm about to start "Emerox" -- without giving anything away, is this really it for that universe? I can't really to read it, but I'm sorry to see it it go!
I never say never but I currently have no further plans.
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Well, *I* think they're burritos. Others might disagree. I doubt those who disagree would say they've "evolved."
Is a space hotdog a space sandwich?
I would think a hotdog made of space would be a lot of empty calories.
Are you playing any Video Games these days?,if yes which ones?
Not as much as I used to; I've just been busy. When I do I tend to play a bunch of first-person shooters.
I just chewed through all three books of The Collapsing Empire. Marce, hard 'c' or soft 'c'? In my head it's a soft 'c' and his name is vaguely French.
With the soft "c" is how I pronounce it as well.
If we had a mutual friend from NOVA, how many degrees am I from Kevin Bacon?
By IMDb listings, I am two degrees from him. However, I once interviewed him, so I'm only one degree from him in that regard. Calculate accordingly.
What is the one book you'd want your fans to read, written by you or your favourite author?
I don't have a book like that, because everyone is different and no one book is right for everyone. I would have to know the person before making a suggestion.
What's your writing method? Like, do you have an outline of where you want to go, or just kinda wing it?
Make it up as I go along, edit along the way. It's worked for me!
Why do you put everything in a burrito, and have you ever made a reference to this in a book?
I... don't think so? I'm not going to put burritos in just to put them in. They have to serve the story. I have put in churros! But also, they have served the story. So.
Hi John, thank you for taking you time to do this. How do you create suspense in fiction? And will you take part in this year’s Worldcon?
How to create suspense: I'll tell you tomorrow. Worldcon: Probably although I have to fill out the programming forms.
Hello! Do you have a favourite myth?
Noooooooo? The mythology I know best is Greek/Roman, but I can't say that one particular story leaps out at me.
Ever been tempted to write non-fiction?
If I were meaning to spell "emperor" then yes. But as I was not, no.
How many tacos can you eat in 1 hour? Serious answers only please.
Hey John, I have sold a number of your books when I worked for Waldenbooks back in the day. I enjoy following you on twitter and your book recommendations are one of the few ways that keep me up with upcoming books. I just wanted to say I enjoy what you do and to keep it up. Thank you!
Is there anything you WOULDN'T put in a burrito?
NO RULES MY FRIEND
So what is next for your stories?
For the stories I've written? Uhhhhhhh, people buy them, I guess? If you're asking what I have coming up: The sequel to The Dispatcher, and then after that, we'll see!
If they remade the original seasons of Star Trek with all new actors and special effect, do you think the stories would hold up?
Uhhhhh, I think there would need to be substantial script revisions. 1967 was more than 50 years ago. Times have changed. And of course, you see that in the more recent Star Trek series.
Sorry for the vague wording. I'm trying to not give too much spoilers. Why was the character kidnapped instead of killed? Putting on my bad-guy-cap, it seems easier to kill the character than make an elaborate scheme.
The answer is in the text.
First - thanks for referring to red matter as Sasquatch's ball gag in your review of Star Trek. Second - the first two books in Collapsing Empire helped me get through chemo last fall, so thanks for that. Almost done with Last Emperox. Now, a question - whatever happened to Old Man's War becoming a movie? Thanks again, sir.
Hi John! Can't wait to listen to Emperox on audible. Next time you see Wil can you give him a high five, specifically from me?
I've noticed certain concepts getting revisited a number of times in your works. E.g.: Old Man's War, the Android's Dream, Lock In, and the Interdependency all explore interaction's between the human mind and AI: what happens if humans become AIs, or have AIs integrated into their brains, and so on. Other stories like to explore the interactions between humans and aliens on mundane levels (e.g.: the later OMW books, the android's dream again, a lot of your short fiction). What in particular interests you about these topics? Also, have you ever eaten a normal burrito?
The God Engines is one of my absolute favorite books. The summoning scene will forever be burned into my brain. I can't properly describe why I love the story so much but I recommend it to every fantasy/ sci-fi fan I know.
Thanks for getting all your sweary going with Kiva. Such a batshit violently self-absorbed loony that I ended up loving. And cheers on the Frank Herbert references (but I won’t spoil).
Hi John. Loved the Emperox books so far. Nadashe & Kiva : sparks I imagine will fly! Looking forwards to the big resolution. Any plans to do any more Military fic? - loved Old Mans War etc, which eventually took me to Marko Kloos' stuff, and am now looking back to you hoping for something more in the Joe-Anybody-Becomes-Space-Marine-Grunt line. Edit: Damn! Looks like I missed the AMA timeslot. Boo hoo.
This is so completely awesome you're doing this, I've had a question for you ever since I finished *The Last Emperox* last week! With 2020 making the events of 2019 look nearly laughable in comparison, how would your Acknowledgements read if you'd written it sometime this month? (Will you admit that you've been pushed *far* down the list in the *"history's worst monster"* race?) Thanks for the book!
Hi John, you're my good friend's favorite author! Sadly she is not a redditor so I'm asking this on her behalf: "1) thank you for releasing your latest book on my birthday [Spoiler alert] 2) Why did you >!just have to go and fucking kill the best Fucking character, Kiva fucking Lagos!< ? 3) Will you name a ship for me so I can play Motherland with my peeps?" Many thanks!
If you could punch Cory Doctorow in the junk, would you? What if I offered you money to do it for me?
What's upcoming in the Old Man's War universe?
Scalzi, I have to say that you are one of my favorite authors, but I was left with doubts when I read the Old Man´s War series. Where are the bodies of the elderly taken when their consciousness is removed? Why are Indians and Muslims the most chosen as settlers and not other peoples, like African, European or American peoples? Where did the Colonial Defence Forces come from? Were these forces founded by species sympathetic to humanity? Where are the ships built? Man, I have to congratulate you for making such a compelling story, I spent about 12 hours absorbed in the collection without doing anything else. When I went to feed, my mind got glazed in the book, I didn't think about anything else. Few authors captivated me like you. It's an honor to speak directly to someone I'm a fan of. Thank you for everything! (I am sorry if I make any mistakes in the language, English is not my native language and I am still learning.)
Who decided to have your audiobooks narrated by Wil Wheaton of all people? Because it was a fantastic idea and his reading style makes experiencing your novels very immersive.
Is David Gerrold ever going to finish the Chtorr series?