First, let's get this out of the way: holy shit, y'all, Seanan McGuire is on the ballot FIVE TIMES. That's a record. And it doesn't include the "Chicks Dig..." anthologies, in which she has essays. I've burbled about her work before, but here's the thing: she's gotten so much … [Read more...] about Thoughts on the Hugo Ballot
Books
I feel busy, oh so busy…
I've been whingeing about deadlines on Twitter, so I thought I'd take a moment and catch you up on what I'm doing. First up, I'm turning in a chapter every Thursday on the second edition of the book. That goes until mid-April. Because all my fiction projects turn into … [Read more...] about I feel busy, oh so busy…
Beginning WordPress 3, second edition: now known as WordPress for Web Developers
I have signed with Apress to write a second edition of Beginning WordPress 3, scheduled for publication this summer. It's getting a new title, tentatively WordPress for Web Developers. Why? A lot of the feedback on the first edition went like this: "Hey, this is a great book, … [Read more...] about Beginning WordPress 3, second edition: now known as WordPress for Web Developers
Q: Beginning WordPress 3 was written for 3.0. Does that mean it’s outdated?
A: Nope! The book is not very outdated at all, which is why we haven't done a new edition. I got lucky, and both 3.1 and 3.2 were relatively minor releases. I've just updated the Updates and Errata page for the book to include a quick rundown of what's changed since 3.0. If you … [Read more...] about Q: Beginning WordPress 3 was written for 3.0. Does that mean it’s outdated?
Young Miles, XKCD-style
"We booksellers of Harvard Book Store think that the original cover for Young Miles (an otherwise fine production) is unspeakably ugly and may deter you from purchasing this Hugo-award winning book which would otherwise provide you with hours of entertainment. With that in mind, … [Read more...] about Young Miles, XKCD-style
Ladies: the New York Times thinks you hate fantasy.
The NY Times has an amazingly patronizing review of Game of Thrones: In a sense the series, which will span 10 episodes, ought to come with a warning like, “If you can’t count cards, please return to reruns of ‘Sex and the City.’ ” Well, gosh, Ms. Bellafante, I'm sorry all … [Read more...] about Ladies: the New York Times thinks you hate fantasy.
Blackwashing
Sometimes I forget to discuss things here after I've mentioned them on Twitter. Sorry about that. Here's a good one: you might want to check out Ben Aaronovitch's books, Midnight Riot (or Rivers of London if you're in the UK) and Moon Over Soho. They're excellent. The premise is … [Read more...] about Blackwashing
Going digital
Since I bought my iPad a year ago, I've been steadily filling it with ebooks, especially when I find $0-5 sales. (Thank you, Webscriptions and Weightless Books.) For a while, I still preferred paper copies, especially for single-use books, because I could then swap them on … [Read more...] about Going digital
Observations
I've spent part of my writing group meeting this morning reading my friends bits from this article in The Guardian, in which writers answer some basic questions about the writing life. So why write? Hilary Mantel: It's always worried me, is writing a way of life or is it a way … [Read more...] about Observations
Plagiarism on WordPress Arena
I just discovered that WordPress Arena has plagiarized my article on the hidden feeds in WordPress. My table was published here in 2009, appeared in the Hidden Gems presentation I did for OpenCamp Dallas last summer, and was published in Chapter 4 of Beginning WordPress 3 last … [Read more...] about Plagiarism on WordPress Arena
