After some digging
Dec. 13th, 2025 07:12 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
james_davis_nicollI am not aware of any big name authors who got their start with a work published by Baen Books after 2006. If there are recent analogs of Bujold or Weber, I do not know of them.
So, over at /r/Englishlearning there is a weekly "What is this thing" post
Dec. 14th, 2025 01:33 pmconulyThe goal is to herd all the "What do you call this?" posts into the comments there. It never ever works. However, they do occasionally get comments like "Here are the answers to the questions you asked rhetorically as an example" and "Why do you keep posting this and asking the same questions" and "There is no such thing as a pork burger".
Yes, Virginia, there is a pork burger. This is why I have a picture of pork burger patties on my phone, so I can post it every time somebody says that those don't exist, or that they "really" mean a breakfast sandwich or a pulled pork sandwich or a ham sandwich or a BLT.
I always want to ask these people who, I guess, don't get out much why they're so sure that anything they haven't personally heard of before must not exist. It's a big old world, but apparently, not so much for them.
(I suppose I can be forgiven for being a bit snippy this time around, I mean, given everything.)
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( Read more... )
Yes, Virginia, there is a pork burger. This is why I have a picture of pork burger patties on my phone, so I can post it every time somebody says that those don't exist, or that they "really" mean a breakfast sandwich or a pulled pork sandwich or a ham sandwich or a BLT.
I always want to ask these people who, I guess, don't get out much why they're so sure that anything they haven't personally heard of before must not exist. It's a big old world, but apparently, not so much for them.
(I suppose I can be forgiven for being a bit snippy this time around, I mean, given everything.)
( Read more... )
Huh
Dec. 13th, 2025 09:39 amjames_davis_nicollSo, I asked on Bluesky:
I got three names: Chuck Gannon, Jason Cordova and Mike Kupari. Gannon actually debuted at Baen in 1994 but only two (I think) short pieces, after which there was a long delay until his novels began appearing. I don't know the other two but SF is huge and it's perfectly possible for me to overlook BNAs. Still, granting all three, with LC that makes four... and in 2028, Toni Weisskopf will have been running Baen for as long as Jim Baen did.
This could, of course, be the natural consequence of the Del Monte approach.
[added later]
Aside from Larry Correia, are there any big name Baen authors who debuted at Baen, after Jim Baen's death?
(So, Tim Powers wouldn't count because he debuted not at Baen and also long before JB died)
I got three names: Chuck Gannon, Jason Cordova and Mike Kupari. Gannon actually debuted at Baen in 1994 but only two (I think) short pieces, after which there was a long delay until his novels began appearing. I don't know the other two but SF is huge and it's perfectly possible for me to overlook BNAs. Still, granting all three, with LC that makes four... and in 2028, Toni Weisskopf will have been running Baen for as long as Jim Baen did.
This could, of course, be the natural consequence of the Del Monte approach.
[added later]
Whole new level of fucked
Dec. 13th, 2025 04:09 amfayanoraI just woke up from my upsetting dream in the real upsetting part was that it was a false awakening. First layer was an upsetting dream about Lily. I mean, it was pleasant until I started noticing weird stuff made me realize it was a dream and I tried waking up. I thought I did wake up because in the dream when I was waking up I became aware of the CPAP and I took it off and I got up and I don't remember what happened after that apart from there being more dreams but then I just woke up for real and realized that I had gone through a false awakening.
And don't you start,kengr.
Except now I do actually remember more. Other things in the dream after the false awakening: couldn't find my phone, there was a guy who was made of wood, only he had one leg and the other leg was a prosthetic, except the guy who was made of wood started out as a guy played by Sylvester Stallone who needed a super macho song to fight to. Oh, and I sucked Will Smith's cock.
And don't you start,
kengr.Except now I do actually remember more. Other things in the dream after the false awakening: couldn't find my phone, there was a guy who was made of wood, only he had one leg and the other leg was a prosthetic, except the guy who was made of wood started out as a guy played by Sylvester Stallone who needed a super macho song to fight to. Oh, and I sucked Will Smith's cock.
Catmas carols!
Dec. 13th, 2025 03:11 amfreyjawThis is an exhaustive list of carols.
Wreck the Halls
Silent Mice
We Wish You A Meowy Christmas
I Saw Mommy Hiss at Santa Claus
O Holy Mice
O Come, All Ye Fishful
Up on the Mousetop
Jingle Balls
Fluffy, the Snowman
The First Meow
Joy to the Curled
Carol of the Meows
Fleas Navidad
Have Yourself a Furry Little Christmas
On the Twelfth Day of Christmas my Human gave to me
Happy Howl-idays!
May Your Christmas Be Furry and Bright
Feliz Navi-cat
Silent Bite
Santa Claws is Comin’ to Town
Deck the Paws!
Oh Christmas Treat! Oh Christmas Treat!
I Saw Four Mice Come Sneaking In
What Kibble is This?
It Came Upon a Midnight Snack
Cat Rest Ye Merry
Hark the Herald Kitties Mew
Wreck the Halls
Silent Mice
We Wish You A Meowy Christmas
I Saw Mommy Hiss at Santa Claus
O Holy Mice
O Come, All Ye Fishful
Up on the Mousetop
Jingle Balls
Fluffy, the Snowman
The First Meow
Joy to the Curled
Carol of the Meows
Fleas Navidad
Have Yourself a Furry Little Christmas
On the Twelfth Day of Christmas my Human gave to me
Happy Howl-idays!
May Your Christmas Be Furry and Bright
Feliz Navi-cat
Silent Bite
Santa Claws is Comin’ to Town
Deck the Paws!
Oh Christmas Treat! Oh Christmas Treat!
I Saw Four Mice Come Sneaking In
What Kibble is This?
It Came Upon a Midnight Snack
Cat Rest Ye Merry
Hark the Herald Kitties Mew
Well, my pay didn't come in
Dec. 13th, 2025 02:36 amconulyAnd one email and voicemail later, my pay didn't come in and nobody has responded yet. (I did wake up pretty late, but seriously.)
I'll call again in the morning, I don't care if it is a weekend, but....
*headdesk*
I don't know what I'll do for groceries if this isn't resolved by Monday, but I'll wait until Monday to worry about it.
I'll call again in the morning, I don't care if it is a weekend, but....
*headdesk*
I don't know what I'll do for groceries if this isn't resolved by Monday, but I'll wait until Monday to worry about it.
Merry Christmas for Poilievre!
Dec. 12th, 2025 01:26 pmjames_davis_nicollI got much better at spelling his name once I realized it contains "lie".
Embattled CPC leader's Christmas card list gets one name shorter.
Embattled CPC leader's Christmas card list gets one name shorter.
Looking Back at the Work of John Varley, 1947-2025
Dec. 12th, 2025 12:12 pmjames_davis_nicoll
Where to start reading — or rereading — Varley's many series and stories.
Looking Back at the Work of John Varley, 1947-2025
The Wayfinder by Adam Johnson
Dec. 12th, 2025 09:03 amjames_davis_nicoll
The visitors might be Bird Island's salvation or simply the next step in its doom.
The Wayfinder by Adam Johnson
QC Rerun Time 2025 #5
Dec. 11th, 2025 11:17 pm![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png){kind=small}
questionable_content_feed
Aw, I kinda like the art in this one! It took literally over a decade for me to get to the point where looking at my own drawings didn't make me want to gag, so it's super wild to see these older comics and think "actually my art had some good points back then too." I used to tell people "if you don't like the comic's art, give it a couple weeks and it'll look different." That isn't really the case anymore- my style has solidified pretty well the last several years. There are still changes, but they're more subtle most of the time and I suspect 90% of my readers don't even notice them. Every now and then I still get a wild hair and go "agh I hate how I draw my comic!!!" and change things up, and while it usually doesn't produce permanent, radical change, it often forces me to learn how to do something different, or better than I used to. I'll never be a Great Artist but I at least enjoy drawing now, and as long as it's fun and conveying the actions I'm trying to convey, that's really all I could ask for.
Ka-Nams'ooms'tef
Dec. 11th, 2025 02:29 pmfayanoraThe most recent conlang I was working on that didn't have a name? I've decided it will be the language of one of the Gremlin cultures. It has that vibe to it, and I needed a Gremlin language anyway. I am naming it Ka-Nams'ooms'tef, which means "The people's words."
As a better reminder of it, here's some examples:
While English uses SVO word order (Subject Verb Object, like in "Sam ate apples.") this language, which has no name so far, uses OVS: Object Verb Subject. So "Sam ate apples" becomes "Apples ate Sam." I have done this before, too.
“I hurt them intentionally.”
(them, plural) (physically hurt intentionally) (I)
“ik ood'too ak.”
“I move forward.”
(move forward) (I)
“tee'at ak.”
“I move toward you.”
(you) (move intentionally toward) (I)
“ek tee'iz ak.”
“My name is Qipog. What is your name?”
(Qipog) (name) (me). What name you?”
“Qipog shastef ka'nak. ook shastef ek?”
“I hurt them intentionally, in the name of Sklarg-Mork.”
Sklarg-Mork (in/by/with), (them, plural) (physically hurt intentionally) (I).
“Sklarg-Mork faz, ik ood'too ak.”
"Die, foul monster! Cease to be! I harm you! You will threaten this family no more! By (the power of) Sklarg-Mork!"
(monster) (foul), (be destroyed)! (Exist no more!) (You) (I intentionally harm)! (This family) (no more) (threaten) (by you)! Sklarg-Mork (by the power of)!"
"Zoodraḥk mumbarag, zood'fed! Ñakteebad! Ek tee'took nak! Lum'numik hel zoodow ek! Sklarg-Mork fazak!"
As a better reminder of it, here's some examples:
While English uses SVO word order (Subject Verb Object, like in "Sam ate apples.") this language, which has no name so far, uses OVS: Object Verb Subject. So "Sam ate apples" becomes "Apples ate Sam." I have done this before, too.
“I hurt them intentionally.”
(them, plural) (physically hurt intentionally) (I)
“ik ood'too ak.”
“I move forward.”
(move forward) (I)
“tee'at ak.”
“I move toward you.”
(you) (move intentionally toward) (I)
“ek tee'iz ak.”
“My name is Qipog. What is your name?”
(Qipog) (name) (me). What name you?”
“Qipog shastef ka'nak. ook shastef ek?”
“I hurt them intentionally, in the name of Sklarg-Mork.”
Sklarg-Mork (in/by/with), (them, plural) (physically hurt intentionally) (I).
“Sklarg-Mork faz, ik ood'too ak.”
"Die, foul monster! Cease to be! I harm you! You will threaten this family no more! By (the power of) Sklarg-Mork!"
(monster) (foul), (be destroyed)! (Exist no more!) (You) (I intentionally harm)! (This family) (no more) (threaten) (by you)! Sklarg-Mork (by the power of)!"
"Zoodraḥk mumbarag, zood'fed! Ñakteebad! Ek tee'took nak! Lum'numik hel zoodow ek! Sklarg-Mork fazak!"
Thankful Thursday
Dec. 11th, 2025 08:27 pmmdlbearToday I am thankful for...
- My family (which includes the cats).
- Warm blankets.
- Comfort food (also includes coffee, tea, and hot buttered rum).
- Not having to cook dinner very often. (I can cook, and even cook decently well, but G does most of the cooking in the family, and I'm very grateful for it.)
- Some discord servers, including our private family one.
A personal record...
Dec. 11th, 2025 10:30 amseawasp... I don't think I've ever been working on FIVE books at the same time ever before. Currently in-process are:
Light of Reason: The next Jason Wood novel/collection, this one starts with "Bait and Switch" and so far includes "Burnout" and, in process, "Feet on the Ground", with one bridge section. Not sure if there'll be one or two more pieces in this one or if those will be for the third and probably last purely Jason collection.
Adventurer's Academy: The story of a group of would-be Adventurers at the often-mentioned Academy during the same time period as my other fantasy series on Zarathan, featuring Lalira Revyne and Spinesnarl Mudswimmer from my short story "The Adventurer and the Toad".
The Impractical Quest: The tale of Enochlis Book-Bound, a bilarel (ogre) who wants to be a wizard despite the limitations of his people. Enochlis is seen also in the second book of the Spirit Warriors trilogy.
Articles of Faith: Fifth book in the Arenaverse series, picking up shortly after Shadows of Hyperion left off.
Unity of Vengeance: Xavier Ross actually gets to go after the people who killed his brother.
Summer of Love (Zhu Wong, volume 1) by Lisa Mason
Dec. 11th, 2025 08:28 amjames_davis_nicoll
A 2567 blueblood travels back to the Summer of Love to save one very special 16-year-old.
Summer of Love (Zhu Wong, volume 1) by Lisa Mason