Zoe's Tale: Yes, It's True

[scalzi]

Yesterday Irene Gallo, the art director at Tor, posted an image of the cover of a book with my name on it called Zoe's Tale, so I guess the cat's out of the bag: Yes, I'm writing a fourth book in the Old Man's War universe, called -- as advertised -- Zoe's Tale, the subject of which -- as implied -- is Zoe, the daughter of John Perry and Jane Sagan. It's currently scheduled (I believe) for May 2008, so long as I finish it; I'm behind because, among other things, it's hard to write like a girl. No, I'm not being facetious; it is hard. I dont want Zoe to sound exactly like me in drag, you know?

Anyway, all the heady details about the book -- plus what else I have on my plate -- await you in a mini-interview I gave to SFScope. You can come back here if you have any questions, but be aware that the answer to some questions is "I'm not telling."

[captain button]

Sweet! I'll buy it.

Is it set before, during, or after the events of The Last Colony?

Edit: And will the werewolf things from TLC be involved?

[dr-phil-physics]

Hmm... Airship? In which case I like. Spaceship? How come the smoke is rising up? (grin)

Dr. Phil

[Kate Baker]

Woooot!!!

I knew you'd cave! :)

Okay, I didnt' know you'd cave, I kinda hoped.

[inklesspen]

Hmm... Airship? In which case I like. Spaceship? How come the smoke is rising up? (grin)

Dr. Phil

Trick of the angle. If you think of the viewpoint as being on top of a cliff, and the spaceship as lying in the valley below, (bad metaphor, I know, but ASCII graphics aren't really up to 3d) you get a viewpoint where the smoke could be diffusing outwards, and yet we see the cover as it is.

[Jim Wright]

it's hard to write like a girl.

What's the problem? Pretend you're writing a MySpace entry, you can be a teenage girl. Of course, your daily email invitations from repressed Republican Congressmen may increase dramatically, but as long as we get the book, it's all good.

Snarky comments aside, you rock John, thanks for this one. I thought Zoe would make a great character in her own book since about the first chapter of The Last Colony.

[captain button]

it's hard to write like a girl.

What's the problem? Pretend you're writing a MySpace entry, you can be a teenage girl. Of course, your daily email invitations from repressed Republican Congressmen may increase dramatically, but as long as we get the book, it's all good.

"The Internet, where the men are men, the women are men, and the 14 year old girls are FBI agents."
- heard in a chatroom someplace.

[DPoem]

Actually, as for writing like a girl, you could just use the cop out that the story takes place in a rather androgynous future. For what it's worth, however, I think you did an outstanding job on "The Sagan Diary," and you really shouldn't fuss and worry too much.

</pep-talk>

[pmwolohan]

Sorry for letting the cat out of the bag, I was just curious about this never before mentioned book.

-Patrick

[Janiece]

Bwhahahaha!

"O-pen, O-pen, O-pen!"

[scalzi]

pmwolohan:

You didn't let the cat out of the bag, Irene Gallo did.

Captain Button:

"I'm not telling."

Dr Phil:

Who says the smoke is rising up? Perhaps the ship is falling.

Kate Baker:

I wouldn't call it caving. I'd call it not wanting to hack out something just for the sake of money. But I think this is a good story, and trust me, with all the work I'm putting into it, however it turns out, "hack" won't be one of the words I'll associate with it.

[KTempest]

Actually, as for writing like a girl, you could just use the cop out that the story takes place in a rather androgynous future.

If you do that, I'll never speak to you again.

[scalzi]

Actually, as for writing like a girl, you could just use the cop out that the story takes place in a rather androgynous future.

If you do that, I'll never speak to you again.

We've pretty much established that there are men and women in this particular universe, so I won't be using that particular cop out.

Also, Zoe does not have vivid red hair or flashing violet and/or emerald eyes.

[Hentosz]

You didn't say "young" girl. Will this be your YA debut, or is the time frame much moved on from TLC?

[scalzi]

You didn't say "young" girl. Will this be your YA debut, or is the time frame much moved on from TLC?

"I'm not telling."

[Anne C.]

What's the problem? Pretend you're writing a MySpace entry, you can be a teenage girl.

If you do that, I'll never talk to you again.

Also, Zoe does not have vivid red hair or flashing violet and/or emerald eyes.

Thank god.

Honestly though, if anyone can pull it off, Scalzi can. Look at Sagan's Diary.

[Kate Baker]

Aww, now I feel bad!

I wasn't insinuating that you'd cave for money! I was hoping you'd break your own blockade on the universe. It's that silly little quirk of mine of wanting more of a good thing. ;)

[John H]

Who says the smoke is rising up? Perhaps the ship is falling.

That would suggest that the smoke particles are encountering some kind of resistance that prevent them from falling at the same rate as the ship -- perhaps the kind of resistance you might get from air?

[Joe]

Also, Zoe does not have vivid red hair or flashing violet and/or emerald eyes.

Well, I was going to read it.

[scalzi]

No, no. The ship is falling under power.

Damn it, do I have to explain everything?!???!??!

(stomps off)

[Domini]

No, no. The ship is falling under power.

Damn it, do I have to explain everything?!???!??!

(stomps off)

I think it's that time of the month for Zoe.

[Chang]

Hot diggity friggity!!!

Looking forward to it and saving me cash!

[SteveBuchheit]

No, no. The ship is falling under power.

Is that like a stragetic advance to the rear isn't a retreat?

[Tania]

Dammit Steve*, he's a writer not an engineer or cover artist!

With that out of the way - hurrah, more ways to spend my paycheck. Will there also be a Subterranean Press edition of this story?

*Steve, my avatar pic was selected just for you. In it, I'm dressed up as a cat for Halloween, apparently a closet furry.

[Joe]

No, no. The ship is falling under power.

Is that like a stragetic advance to the rear isn't a retreat?

Nah, just trying to cash in on that Battlestar Galactica episode where they drop Galactica into atmosophere before jumping out. Mmm hmm!

[Kelsey]

I guess it's too late to rename it ZOE'S TAIL. That would throw a twist in things.

Happy to hear the news John and now I have a reason to look forward to 2008.

[Angelle]

I dont want Zoe to sound exactly like me in drag, you know?

Well there's an image I didn't need!

Although I did see your doppleganger at the Farmer's Market this weekend, at least if you were a buff gay man. So maybe he's an AU Scalzi!

Seriously though, I'm digging on this. Can't wait.

[Chang]

Dear Skin Sooo Soft Scalzi,

I thought you'd already written The High Castle? Didn't we get a tidbit of that a while ago?

[Ray]

AWESOME!
Ray runs outside to the corner of Favoritenstrasse and Weldengasse and yells (in English) "RIGHT ON! SCALZI CUT LOSE WITH SOME NEW BOOK INFO!"

[SteveBuchheit]

Tania, thanks, I'm, um, honored. But I think a part of this whole "MT4 is wonky" ruse is that John wanted to have that whole "Furry Stalker" thing die off.

Chang, he did say he was working on two books during the haitus.

But, yeah, not satified with soaking up much of this year's book budget, John is hell-bent on soaking up my next year's budget as well.

[hugh57]

Dear Skin Sooo Soft Scalzi,

Chang, that's just creepy.

I thought you'd already written The High Castle? Didn't we get a tidbit of that a while ago?

John, I remember a hint you gave when I talked to you at the autograph table at Penguincon that if you were going to write in the OMW universe again, it would probably be about Zoe, and not John and Jane. Didn't expect it to happen this soon, though; I thought you were going to publish The High Castle first. My guess is you thought so, too, but Tor had other ideas.

BTW, how's the new edition of The Rough Guide to the Universe coming along?

[Shawn Powers]

Is that like a stragetic advance to the rear isn't a retreat?

Now it's sounding like a Ringworld book... The ship being led by the Hindmost and such.

[scalzi]

Chang:

The High Castle is not finished. I paused it to do the Zoe book.

Hugh57:

Actually, it was my idea to put the Zoe book on the front burner, not Tor's. Since I had the idea in my head anyway, it made sense to have it out to pair up with the mass market paperback release of The Last Colony. Of course, they didn't mind when I suggested it.

And the Rough Guide book is coming along fine, thanks.

[hugh57]

Actually, it was my idea to put the Zoe book on the front burner, not Tor's. Since I had the idea in my head anyway, it made sense to have it out to pair up with the mass market paperback release of The Last Colony. Of course, they didn't mind when I suggested it.

In other words, Tor has you trained to think like a publisher. ;-)

[scalzi]

In other words, Tor has you trained to think like a publisher. ;-)

Well, you know. I thought like that before I came to Tor.

[Christian]

Smoke rising out of the spaceship?

Gee, the first thing I noticed was the kick ass satellite TV dish they have on that that spaceship. They probably get 13,000+ channels on that baby! I mean, who can't live without the "Korean Prayer Channel"? Or the "Knitting Channel"?

[Tully]

Oh goody! I can haz fresh Scalzi!

[Scorpio]

At least you have Athena as an expert consultant. Just have her go over it.

:)

[hugh57]

At least you have Athena as an expert consultant. Just have her go over it.

:)

After all, she has more writing awards than you. </snark>

[supercoolusername]

Please tell me that The High Castle involves Nazis somehow. Even better given the universe it's in: "space nazis!"