A quick faq for people coming over from Scalzi:
“Who is this Scott Westerfeld?”
An sf and YA writer. Read about his books by clicking on those tiny covers over to your right.
“How does he know Scalzi?”
Justine and I heard him read at the Toronto Worldcon, the farting scene from The Android’s Dream. It was smack-down funny, and we’ve been con-buddies ever since. He is my favorite kind of WASA (Westerfeld Asperger Spectral Analysis) science fiction personality: the smart, high-functioning butthead.
“What you got for adults to read?”
Glad you asked. Click right here.
Now hammer me with your sweet, sweet counter hits.
Also, a quick note to those friends who have asked if I will now waste ALL my time blogging instead of writing several novels a year. Rest assured of one thing. I have many, many other ways to waste my time:
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Er, is that a piece of my hair across that photo? Smooth, Scott.
Hi Scott. As the father of a 5 year old computer nut, I predict YA SF will soon be making inroads in our house. I’ll be sure to have him check out your books when he gets to that point. Who knows, maybe your blog will still be here and he’ll leave feedback. And then find this comment of mine and be embarrassed by his totally uncool dad (hi Alec!).
Building a ziggurat out of one’s comp copies? Terrifying. Also, you need an altar at the top. You know, to sacrifice mice.
Great come-on you’ve written for Peeps. You’ve sparked my interest, which is no small feat since I have yet to read a single vampire novel.
And, man oh man, do your books have cover art to drool for!
Look forward to reading your blog. I have to say, the mentions by Scalzi in his “Whatever” encouraged me to check out books by you and Justine and I have purchased several. I love good YA fiction. I work with teenagers and it is great to pass on comtemporary stuff… and they are fun reads, too!
Thanks!
Thought I would visit.
If Scalzi said to visit..I visit.
Great site and now, thanks to your friend, I will buy your books!
Mary Louise
Thanks for your praises. Glad to have Scalzi-ites abounding.
Yes, I have had incredible good luck with covers. But it’s all about the designers, Rodrigo Corral in the case of Uglies, which lends itself wonderfully to ziggurat-like structures. And when spine-out, it generates a weird endless lip/nose thing.
“You know, to sacrifice mice.”
Mocking the ziggurat is a sacrificable offence, Scalzi.
I’m short, but even *I* wouldn’t fit on that altar. I’ll send a mouse in my stead.
Hi!
Scalzi sent me! So blame him.
Also, and admittedly on a tangent, does not the name ‘Justine Larbalestier’ just ooze sensual class? I mean, that’s a name.
On the sacrifice question, better mice than rats, I say.
Hey, only reason I’m visiting is Scalzi said if I did you would give me an ice cream…….oh yeah…….and a pony, but I REALLY want the ice cream!
Give the pony to my daughter…………..Will have to check you out simply because I LOVE to read!!!! 🙂
John says, you will give me ice cream and a pony!!!! And he NEVER lies! please pack ice cream in dry ice for shipping, will tell my hubby to stop mowing the lawn, so as to feed pony!
thanks!!!
~ Julie~ http://journals.aol.com/joolsinwa/randommusingsofmymind
Yet another Scalzi-ite here. Hee! You so funny. YA has always been my favorite type of book and more “adults” should seek out good quality ones. My Reading List is seriously full for 2005 (I KNOW it’s only May, that’s how many books that are on my active To Read list!) – but I may just have so squeeze you in somewheres….
Cooool, more funny smart writer’s blogs. Looking forward to reading what you’ve got to say! And then once you’ve got us all under YOUR power, you can command us over to ANOTHER funny smart writer’s blog, and thusly continue the neverending and terrifying cycle…
Great Scott! That was Interesting….I will return. I
am yet another follower of Blogfather Scalzi. In regards to the pony and ice cream..keep your ponies, I have enough poo to clean up already, (darn dogs)but I do Like cherry vanilla. *big grin* Happy Friday the 13th!
All right, all of you! You’ll get your ponies and ice cream!
But with a delicious little twist . . .
(See next post.)
“(Um, space ships don’t bank when they turn, Mr. Lucas.)”
True, they don’t need to bank to turn – in fact banking does nothing for the spacecraft in terms of changing direction.
But that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t bank into a turn. If I were piloting a highly maneuverable, speedy spacecraft, I would probably bank my turns so the g-forces would feel right.
I’d say a bigger nit to pick would be the sound effects during space scenes (explosions, engines, weapons, etc.).
“If I were piloting a highly maneuverable, speedy spacecraft, I would probably bank my turns so the g-forces would feel right.”
Wouldn’t you just point your craft in the direction you were accelerating, so that you would always be pressed in the same direction: backwards into the cushy cushions of your gelseat? But not an even swooping aircraft-like bank.
Hmm.
I see your point. But you would still have the lateral forces to deal with from the turn itself. The question is would you prefer to spin, or would you rather roll and tilt to the new direction?
I think the answer would depend on the orientation of your ship to its surroundings.
Of course, the movies have spaceships bank for the same reason they add sound effects in space – it’s what the audience expects…
Howdy! I bookmarked your blog & put it right next to the WHATEVER in my Art folder. I look forward to looking you up from time to time.
Scott, believe it or not, there is an upside to being liked from Scalziland. To wit: I read your site, liked the cut of your jib, happened to be going to a bookstore today, and am now the proud owner of Midnighters 1.
Truly, I think the best work in sci-fi and fantasy these days is in the YA arena. I look forward to diving into yours.
-j.
I actually think some of the best work period is in YA. The level of craft is really high in YA right now, and not particularly high in commercial or even literary fiction. From writing both, I’ll definitely say that the editors in YA spend a lot more time with you. Not sure why, but it works.
Word to the third as they say in another forum I frequent. I’ve been a fan of Tamora Pierce since Alanna: The First Adventure. YA is amazing because I think it has such a difficult and important job to do: hold a kid’s attention for more than 5 seconds, stimulate the imagination, and encourage the synapses to fire away in pursuit of understanding. Most of the greatest books I’ve ever read were YA.
(I’m attempting to collect specific hardcover printings of The Lioness Quartet. My copy of Alanna: The First Adventure is the one I read in my school library at age 8 or 9 and it was nearly impossible to find.)
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I was, in fact, walking around the YA section of Big Chain Bookstore last night, wishing I had the time and money to take home and read about half of it. Methinks I will add you to my specific mental want list. I tend toward the Diane Duane / Patricia Wrede end of the range of books I buy there, with Meg Cabot at the other end and L’Engle firmly in the middle. I should get some more sf in there to keep things honest.