Locus Magazine

I’ve been cutting back on conventions this year so I can focus on revisions and my pretty new baby.

I’d even decided to skip Wiscon this year, even though it’s in Madison, which means it’s practically in my backyard.

But then I found out my friend Nnedi was going to be Guest of Honor there this year. (Remember Nnedi? I interviewed her for Worldbuilders last year, and talked about her book a couple months ago.) Anyway, getting asked to be GOH at Wiscon is a pretty big deal, and I don’t see Nnedi nearly as much as I’d like, so I decided to go.

Then the people at Locus dropped me an e-mail, asking if I wanted to do an interview. I said, “Sure.” Because Locus is a pretty big deal in the Sci-Fi Fantasy publishing world. And I like doing interviews, especially when they’re in person. I spend enough time typing.

So I meet up with the lovely folks from Locus. The interview is fun. They ask good questions. We hang out. Then they say, “Do you mind if we take some pictures?”

And I’m like, “Sure, if you’re into that sort of thing.”

Then a couple weeks ago, this shows up in the mail:

My first thought? “If I’d known they were going to put me on the cover, I would have gotten a haircut….”

My second thought was, “I’m on the cover of Locus.”

My third thought was, “Shit. This is kind of a big deal. I hope I don’t sound like an idiot…”

Then I open up the magazine and burst out laughing. Here’s what I see:

Why don’t we zoom in on that a little?

Yeah. There you go. You can click that to embiggen it if you want, but you might want to be careful, lest the intensity of my sheer awesome reduce you to a quivering wreck.

For those of you who are curious. My t-shirt says: “My Marxist feminist dialectic brings all the boys to the yard.” It’s a very specialized sort of joke, and there really isn’t any point in me explaining it if you don’t get it. Suffice to say that Wiscon is a feminist Sci-Fi/Fantasy convention. It’s the only place I can wear the shirt where people think it’s funny.

Anyway, after I had a good laugh at this picture I was much more relaxed. I get very nervous when people take me too seriously.

I read the interview and was very pleased that I didn’t come off sounding like an idiot. It was a lot more wide-ranging than a lot of the interviews I do, and we talked about some stuff I don’t normally talk about.

If you want a taste of it, there’s a few excerpts over on Locus’ website.

Still revising. One week ’til deadline.

pat

This entry was posted in Achievement Unlocked!, being awesome, cool things, InterviewsBy Pat64 Responses

64 Comments

  1. Kyndig
    Posted August 23, 2010 at 11:26 AM | Permalink

    I just ordered the issue. Pleasure acquired.

  2. chasingdragons
    Posted August 23, 2010 at 11:33 AM | Permalink

    Hail the letter “R”!! This is just great.

    Good luck on your last week. There are some folks pullin’ for you!

    Jennifer Newcomb

    • Posted August 23, 2010 at 11:43 AM | Permalink

      You’d think that big flaming “R” would burn the beard right off me, but it wasn’t so bad at all…

      • Skoivan
        Posted August 23, 2010 at 1:31 PM | Permalink

        It looks pretty dangerous, but I’m sure they have all kinds of safety precautions and whatnot. I’m just glad that you and the beard are okay. :)

      • Fattimus
        Posted August 23, 2010 at 6:30 PM | Permalink

        I figured it was your beard’s amazing powers that were controlling the flames.

  3. priscellie
    Posted August 23, 2010 at 11:39 AM | Permalink

    Where do I go to submit that image for Photograph Of The Year?

  4. Club Neon
    Posted August 23, 2010 at 11:42 AM | Permalink

    I’ve seen that shirt before. But like most things from that site it made me think, “heh, that’s funny, but who would wear it and when?” Now I have my answers.

    • Posted August 23, 2010 at 11:44 AM | Permalink

      Yeah. I have a lot of shirts like that. It’s hard to wear my “Wang” PA shirt to the grocery store…

      • jdcb
        Posted August 23, 2010 at 1:12 PM | Permalink

        My brother just got into playing a certain game, and his neighbor actually has a shirt that says “I’ve got wood for sheep”. His wife forbids him to wear it except during games…

        • darekj
          Posted August 23, 2010 at 7:59 PM | Permalink

          All hail Settlers! Now if only I had some bricks…

        • Skye
          Posted August 24, 2010 at 4:34 AM | Permalink

          Wait. They make a shirt for that?! I thought I was the only one who couldn’t stop giggling whenever I offered wood for someone’s sheep…

  5. Dianadomino
    Posted August 23, 2010 at 11:43 AM | Permalink

    This issue of Patrick Rothfuss’s blog is br0ught to you by the letter “R” and the number AWESOME!!! :)

    Diana

  6. borvise
    Posted August 23, 2010 at 11:50 AM | Permalink

    That is sheer fantastitude.

    A pirate joke: what letter would be emblazoned above Pirate Rothfuss’s head in the event that he yelled at the heavens for his battle-cry?

    • skinner
      Posted August 23, 2010 at 12:06 PM | Permalink

      AAAAARRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!

  7. skinner
    Posted August 23, 2010 at 11:54 AM | Permalink

    That cover is the first I’ve noticed that you have gray streaks in your beard. Either you’re getting old or you’re changing for Pat the Gray to Pat the White. Please explain.

    • Mickey
      Posted August 28, 2010 at 5:21 AM | Permalink

      All the great wizards are doing it…

  8. skinner
    Posted August 23, 2010 at 12:10 PM | Permalink

    Sorry for the double post, but I was confused by your “one week ’til deadling” comment, so I went back to your blog about when WMF is coming out. I totally forgot you said you would have it done by September! I had 2 reactions to this.

    1) goosebumps everywhere
    2) I was really happy for you that you are almost done

    Good luck and thank you for all your hard work. I can’t wait to get my greedy little hands on the thing.

    • Posted August 23, 2010 at 12:16 PM | Permalink

      It’s not done yet by any stretch of the imagination. But this is a big step. I’m excited too…

  9. chelsea not clinton
    Posted August 23, 2010 at 12:36 PM | Permalink

    That is so awesome! I wish we sold Locus at my work. :( Any idea where I can get one or am I just going to have to order it offline?
    Break a leg with the revisions. I imagine it being a lot like term papers or a dissertation.

    • Little My
      Posted August 23, 2010 at 5:02 PM | Permalink

      I went to the Locus website, this page, and clicked “Add to Cart.” You may need to have PayPal, though, to get it. About ten bucks including shipping, in the US or Canada.

  10. kenderdoken
    Posted August 23, 2010 at 12:44 PM | Permalink

    I saw that t-shirt a long time back and fell in love with it. I never bought it, but I’ved used that line to describe my political views ever since. Liberalism plus humor is an ideal combination!

  11. Morag
    Posted August 23, 2010 at 12:47 PM | Permalink

    Pat, your shirt made me squeal with glee and frighten the neighbours. I must have one immediately. Where on earth did you get it?

  12. jdcb
    Posted August 23, 2010 at 1:09 PM | Permalink

    I will be seeking out a copy of that magazine. Their readership may increase by one due to this.

    I’m glad to hear only a week left on revisions, is this the final round?

    Jesse

  13. Pete
    Posted August 23, 2010 at 1:29 PM | Permalink

    If I’m not mistaken, flaming letters that are produced through the power of one’s beard cannot singe said beard… it’s science.

  14. Posted August 23, 2010 at 1:33 PM | Permalink

    I really love the way you do your interviews.
    It’s sooo easy to read your answers no matter how long they are.
    and they are funny, too. Many interviews are boring, yours are such a pleasure to read. Go, pat!

    Do you actually put a lot of thought into your t-shirt-choice when going to a public event or an interview when you know pictures are going to be made?
    Or do you just put on …whatever? :D

    (omg what an awful sentence, please excuse me and my bad english.. i’m german.)
    greetings from overseas :) sonja

  15. drgnlvr
    Posted August 23, 2010 at 1:47 PM | Permalink

    I’m just shocked that you, a WRITER – and a damned good one, used the not-word “snuck” in your interview… I thought you had a degree in English? Shame on you! You better not teach that to Oot.

    In other news, I MUST know where you get your t-shirts!

    • Widow Of Sirius
      Posted August 23, 2010 at 3:06 PM | Permalink

      Most people who have studied such things agree – once a word is used enough, even if it wasn’t a word before, it becomes a word.

      Plus, “snuck” just plain sounds better than “sneaked.” :)

      • kungfusinger
        Posted August 24, 2010 at 3:18 PM | Permalink

        Might I add there are several other “non-words” that Pat uses that nobody seems to have a problem with?

        Case in point:
        “embiggen”
        “enshorten”
        “bugfuckeringly”

        Quod Erat Demonstrandum

        • Little My
          Posted August 24, 2010 at 7:53 PM | Permalink

          “Quod erat demonstrandum, baby.”
          “Ohhhhh! You speak French!”

          – Thomas Dolby

  16. Cheroto
    Posted August 23, 2010 at 2:34 PM | Permalink

    I suppose you’re not gonna sleep much these next days….

  17. Kelly
    Posted August 23, 2010 at 2:42 PM | Permalink

    Sweet, I have that shirt. It is hard to find occasion to wear it, though, especially since I currently live in Tea Party Central. But I will definitely have to wear it if I can make it to any of your signings ever!

    • Kelly
      Posted August 23, 2010 at 2:46 PM | Permalink

      P.S. – I am pretty sure you are my evil male twin, overall.

    • Widow Of Sirius
      Posted August 23, 2010 at 3:13 PM | Permalink

      That looks fantastic :) Now I really want that magazine, just like everyone else, apparently.
      I’ve always been rather impressed by your collection of t-shirts. Someday you should do a photo shoot of all your awesome ones and post them here, just so we can all be super jealous.

    • Widow Of Sirius
      Posted August 23, 2010 at 3:14 PM | Permalink

      Oops. Didn’t mean to reply to you with that.
      But I do feel sorry for you, living in Tea Party Central. I send you e-hugs and hope that they don’t try to convince you that Obama was born in the darkest depths of Mordor.

  18. dankinney
    Posted August 23, 2010 at 3:57 PM | Permalink

    That picture of you has to be one of the tshirt design options!

    • jdcb
      Posted August 23, 2010 at 6:29 PM | Permalink

      seconded for sure, I would buy one. You need to contact them and see if you can use it…

  19. dispatchrabbi
    Posted August 23, 2010 at 4:28 PM | Permalink

    While I’m waiting for the WMF with patient but baited breath, I really want to see the urban fantasy series you described come to life. Any thoughts on when you might do that? (Do we have to wait all the way until the Kingkiller Chronicle is over?)

  20. Naberius
    Posted August 23, 2010 at 5:15 PM | Permalink

    I was the one who posted on Facebook to you about this cover — and had gone running around the library showing my co-workers. That pic with the flaming R is too good…… and the interview’s not bad, either

  21. Posted August 23, 2010 at 6:11 PM | Permalink

    One of my favorite shirts reads “2 + 2 = 5 (for extremely large values of 2)” Almost no one outside of a mathematics degree program laughs at it — which is sad because it’s a nice shirt and never did nothing to them. So I’ve decided to go more mainstream with the one that reads “There are only 10 kinds of people in the world: those who understand binary and those who don’t.”

    Also, this just in: large, floating letters made entirely of fire are win.

    • LaMiss
      Posted August 23, 2010 at 8:22 PM | Permalink

      Haha, I think it’s funny, Hojiman. And I even got them the first time I read them. I think I can be a little proud of myself, can’t I? A little at least… ; )

  22. Schwartz the Younger
    Posted August 23, 2010 at 10:47 PM | Permalink
  23. Posted August 24, 2010 at 1:54 AM | Permalink

    “If I’d known they were going to put me on the cover, I would have gotten a haircut….”

    Yeah, I call your bluff on that one. ;-)

    • LiquidWeird
      Posted August 24, 2010 at 12:21 PM | Permalink

      Uh oh! It looks like it was Talk Like A Pirate Day!

      • Posted August 24, 2010 at 3:14 PM | Permalink

        Nah, that isn’t for another 4 weeks or so. I think this was poker-speak.

      • Schwartz the Younger
        Posted August 25, 2010 at 4:19 PM | Permalink

        Yeah Liquid…your calendar’s a little off.

        Talk Like a Pirate Day is September 19.

        Don’t ye be furgetten that ye bilge rat…arggg

  24. Molly
    Posted August 24, 2010 at 2:28 PM | Permalink

    I got my Locus last week, and was thrilled to see that you were on the cover. It IS a big deal as Locus is pretty much the most awesome magazine ever.

    This was a great interview. I laughed and cried, and then said to myself, ‘god, what a pussy I am when an author interview makes me cry’. Still, it was a good one.

  25. Rob
    Posted August 24, 2010 at 2:36 PM | Permalink

    I’d like to second the comment that the urban fantasy idea you mentioned would be excellent. I’d read it. At least, I could rely on you to do it right. I still haven’t picked up the Twilight series, nor do I have plans to. Parodies in just about any form make my world go ’round, superhero ones especially.

  26. sarai7
    Posted August 24, 2010 at 4:40 PM | Permalink

    My brother went to San Diego with his girlfriend and all he brought back for me was this magazine… AWESOME!!!! Good luck with your last week of revisions Pat!

  27. farleykj
    Posted August 24, 2010 at 6:53 PM | Permalink

    Once the little fella gets to an age where he’s reading those “alphabet books”, you’ve got to slip a copy of that picture onto the “R” page.

  28. Pravda
    Posted August 25, 2010 at 9:31 AM | Permalink

    Rather epic!

    I am beyond excited for this stage of your revisions to be completed! Many gods will be receiving sacrifices this fortnight on your behalf! Wood and sheep may be among them…

    • Seth
      Posted August 25, 2010 at 2:15 PM | Permalink

      Where’s the Mud?

      • Pravda
        Posted August 27, 2010 at 10:30 AM | Permalink

        …being used to build the altars, of course!

  29. Rob
    Posted August 25, 2010 at 11:07 AM | Permalink

    Does the back of the T-shirt you wore for the interview say, “I’d tell you, but I’d have to charge…”?

  30. Seth
    Posted August 25, 2010 at 2:14 PM | Permalink

    Sweet, set as my new desktop background. :D

    • Skye
      Posted August 26, 2010 at 1:29 PM | Permalink

      Oooo, Seth, good idea.

  31. MouetteSheridan
    Posted August 27, 2010 at 2:35 AM | Permalink

    “…but this socially maladaptive freak of nature has to go to college somewhere.”

    Pat. I love you. That is all.

  32. redcrest
    Posted August 28, 2010 at 10:54 AM | Permalink

    Aww, what a great cover pic, Pat! Your smile is so kind–captures you perfectly! And I love the shirt… definitely the right thing for Wiscon. ^^ Am going to B&N to buy this issue today!!!

    P.S. Good luck on your final week of revisions! Won’t it feel great to finally be done with it? :D

  33. RiGiD
    Posted August 29, 2010 at 6:06 PM | Permalink

    I can’t wait for Book 2! I read your book 3 times off of my iPod Touch. I bought an official copy. No worries! =] Congrats on your interview. I read every single question and I agree wholly on your responses.

  34. Posted August 30, 2010 at 8:55 AM | Permalink

    So they didn’t even say anything about what the pictures were for? Wow, you’d think they’d let you know it was for the cover.

Post a Reply to Pat Cancel reply

Your email is never published nor shared. Required fields are marked *

You may use these HTML tags and attributes <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  • RSS info

  • Visit Worldbuilders!

  • Our Store

  • Previous Posts

  • Archives



  • Bookmark this Blog!

    (IE and Firefox users only - Safari users, click Command-D)