Link Salad

I’m busy getting caught up on some a backlog of work so I can focus exclusively on writing after that, so today we have link salad.

First, here’s an interview I did for the Denver Post a while back.

This interview ended up being a bit different. It was a phone interview. (That’s not the different part.) And when the journalist called, she asked if her daughter could listen in, because she was a big fan of the books.

I said it was no problem, and when I found out that she was 18 and about to leave for college, I asked if she wanted some advice. Because I have a weakness for giving advice, and if there’s one thing I know, it’s college.

She said yes, so I gave her some advice.

What’s interesting is that they included the advice to the daughter in the interview. After re-reading it, I’m happy to say it was pretty good advice. It wasn’t just a product of over-caffeination.

Second, I wanted to point folks at Wednesday’s comic over at Real Life.

Why am I pointing you at that comic? Because right now I’m brewing a batch of mead, and I have done exactly what he’s talking about. Except without the smartphone. Because I’m apparently the last person on earth without a smartphone.

Thirdly and lastly, a quick story. Or rather, a series of stories that make a sort of story gestalt.

Though I don’t gamble much, it’s always fascinated me. Back in high school, I used what little calculus I knew to create a roulette betting system that I was pretty sure would make me rich.

Luckily, at that point in my life I didn’t have access to a car or a line of credit. What’s more, when I wrote a computer program to model my betting strategy, it kept losing money. So I gave it up as a bad idea and kept playing D&D instead.

Fast forward to last year, when Worldcon was held in Reno. A reader contacted me and asked if I’d like some help finding a room in Reno. Jade worked in the hospitality business, and hooked me up with some accommodations.

He also sent me this map:

(Click to Embiggen)

If you click on it, you can see that it has helpful tips on it, such as, “Do not go here or you will die.”

I got a kick out of it, and posted it up on Google+ for other people to see.

A couple days later when I was doing a signing in Reno, someone came up to me and said, “I went to that place that the map said I shouldn’t.”

I nodded. This didn’t surprise me. I had the same impulse when I saw it. The main reason I hadn’t already gone myself is that I was too busy with the convention.

“Did you die?” I asked.

“No,” he said. “But someone stole my car.”

At that point I decided to take Jade’s advice a little more seriously. And, as you can see, I’m still alive. So I count that as a success.

I found out a couple months back that Jade had actually started up a blog where he talks about casinos and gambling. It’s not only funny, but informative, as he has a insider’s knowledge of casinos and casino towns.

You can check it out HERE.

That’s all for now,

pat

P.S. We’re still shipping out Worldbuilders prizes. So keep an eye on your mailboxes.

This entry was posted in Interviews, Link salad, Tales from the Con. By Pat41 Responses

41 Comments

  1. chaelek
    Posted March 16, 2012 at 12:28 AM | Permalink

    You used calculus to figure out a roulette betting method? If I didn’t hate math so much that’d be so cool!

    • Shadow
      Posted March 16, 2012 at 1:14 PM | Permalink

      Too bad it’s unlikely to work since the way Roulette works is that the more bets you place the more likely you are to lose so the only way to win at playing Roulette is to not play at all.

      • BlithelyDoubting
        Posted March 17, 2012 at 9:26 AM | Permalink

        I could be wrong, but I don’t think any spin of the Roulette wheel has anything to do with any other spin. Therefor the odds would always stay the same.

        • Posted March 17, 2012 at 3:42 PM | Permalink

          Yeah. That was my mistaken assumtion. That’s why it didn’t work. The math was sound, my understanding of probability wasn’t…

  2. toastedfroglegs
    Posted March 16, 2012 at 12:41 AM | Permalink

    i also do not have a smartphone. i think the smartest thing about my phone is the fact that it has a flashlight at the bottom so i can see where im going in the dark. i just cant get behind such newfangled contraptions as smartphones. lets face it, i like it in the dark ages.

    • Imlekk
      Posted March 16, 2012 at 3:27 AM | Permalink

      Let’s make like The Todd and do a Dark Ages-Five!

      Mine’s like yours, except the smartest thing about is that I can use it as a boomerang if someone attacks me, and still expect it to work afterwards!

  3. AncySauce
    Posted March 16, 2012 at 12:51 AM | Permalink

    Sadly, when I clicked on the map, it did not embiggen sufficiently for me to read it. I suppose you covered the most interesting part on the map, anyway!

    • jaimo
      Posted March 16, 2012 at 12:52 AM | Permalink

      I was about to post the same thing. More embiggening please.

  4. wolfeyez77
    Posted March 16, 2012 at 1:07 AM | Permalink

    Agree on the embiggening. I live somewhat near Reno, could come in handy.

    And dude, you make mead?? Very cool. I’ve been wanting to get into that for some time. Think you could point me towards a good place to start or learning about it?

    Thanks for the books, humor & mead info!

    • Posted March 16, 2012 at 1:47 AM | Permalink

      Just put some honey and yeast in a big Jar. That’s what I do.

      My thought is that if the Vikings could do it back in 500 AD, I probably didn’t need to do a lot of research on it first.

      • Posted March 16, 2012 at 10:06 AM | Permalink

        Methinks you’ll be wanting some yeast nutrients in there too. From what I can recall from a conversation with an actual “Meadmaster”, honey lacks the correct vitamins etc. for the little yeasties to thrive. I’ve been homebrewing for years, but don’t have the patience to make mead.

      • brendilon
        Posted March 20, 2012 at 10:51 AM | Permalink

        Pat, have you had a chance to try the metheglin I made and sent you based on your description in NotW? I’d love to hear any feedback you might have on it to make it more like what you envisioned in the book. It did pretty well when I submitted it to the Mazer Cup for judging.

        Krissco is correct, and I’d be happy to help anyone out with mead making advice that might want it. Without going into it at length, honey does lack the nutrients needed for a really good, speedy ferment. You can do straight honey, water and yeast (it’s called a “show” mead) but it takes significantly longer to ferment. A year or more would not be unusual.

  5. thechessqueen
    Posted March 16, 2012 at 1:52 AM | Permalink

    I just got a book in the mail! Yay! Thank you Pat and Worldbuilders! I got Summer Summer Morning Night by Ray Bradbury. Devouring it already.

    You made my spring break (not that I really get one since I am a graduate student). :)

  6. Blarghedy
    Posted March 16, 2012 at 1:54 AM | Permalink

    “I’m busy getting caught up on some a backlog of work so I can focus exclusively on writing after that
    Excitement? Indeed. Seems like some dressing for that link salad. Am I stretching this metaphor too much? Probably. I dun care. I’m glad to see you’re able to write more (well I know you’ve gotten some done, but I also know you’ve had to relax and stuff).

    • Blarghedy
      Posted March 16, 2012 at 2:07 AM | Permalink

      Now that I’ve read that interview I have a couple questions. The first is a bit of a steak question: What did you mean by the books are a satire of fantasy? I’m not really getting that. Also, you’ve mentioned that RPG you’re making before. Are you going to release that to the public?

      • Posted March 16, 2012 at 2:32 AM | Permalink

        It would be more fair to say that I’m satirizing certain elements of the fantasy genre….

        • Blarghedy
          Posted March 16, 2012 at 2:39 AM | Permalink

          Yeah, I guess I just don’t really see how. Maybe I just take the whole series too seriously (’cause, well, I’m on like my tenth read of NotW).

          • Curvinho
            Posted March 16, 2012 at 5:35 AM | Permalink

            You can simply observe that fantasy, usually have stories of someone or a group of people that save the world and are nothing like humans.
            They have no problems with money, women, personality issues and thinks like that.
            You can, inside the kingkiller chronicle itself see an example of that. The know story people tell of Kvothe are fantasy, and the story he’s telling is an contestation of the first one.

          • Posted March 16, 2012 at 11:09 AM | Permalink

            Chapter 46. Especially the end.

        • pjmintz
          Posted March 16, 2012 at 8:50 AM | Permalink

          …Satirizing… Bast… Satyrizing… There’s a horrible pun to be made there, but I’m feeling lazy.

          • Blarghedy
            Posted March 19, 2012 at 1:29 AM | Permalink

            I approve, sir.

        • Blarghedy
          Posted March 19, 2012 at 1:30 AM | Permalink

          Apparently we can only have so many nested replies, so I’ll reply to this one…
          I definitely see it in chapter 46, so thanks for clearing that up for me.

  7. Posted March 16, 2012 at 2:46 AM | Permalink

    I love the map. :D sucks to be the person who lost their car. THE ADVICE YOU GAVE THAT KID WAS GOLD!! :D

    • Krisbb
      Posted May 16, 2012 at 10:54 PM | Permalink

      Denver Post reporter here. Took me this long to get a password, then find said password. Anyway, thanks for reading the interview. I am going to pick up “that kid” from her first year in college and I have to say she really did follow Pat’s advice: “You can’t just disappear.” As for the rest, there are some things a mom just doesn’t need to know.

  8. sirgavin7
    Posted March 16, 2012 at 3:57 AM | Permalink

    I might try ending the screenplay after Trebon and narrorate-summarize the last 50 pgs in a few minutes.

    • Blarghedy
      Posted March 16, 2012 at 4:05 AM | Permalink

      But you lose him calling the wind for the first time. That’s kind of a big deal.

      • sirgavin7
        Posted March 16, 2012 at 5:51 AM | Permalink

        I forgot that for a moment. You could re-arrange the scenes and put it just before Trebon. Maybe he slaps his attackers with wind instead of blinding them with salt. Or he calls it in the actual fight with the draccus.

  9. Jam
    Posted March 16, 2012 at 5:28 AM | Permalink

    I think the reason the roulette scheme didn’t work out might of because you used calculus… I’m just sure more might be achieved if you try out your combinatorics instead

  10. Curvinho
    Posted March 16, 2012 at 5:29 AM | Permalink

    First of all…
    Hello Pat, I’m a huge fan (Kind obvious but better say it). I think your storytelling is the best I’ve read so far in my life.
    Loved the world you created and have add a few people to your fan list, although it’s not that hard to enjoy your books.
    I just got here to say that, and ask if you are coming to Brazil someday for a convention or something of the sort.

    Sorry for the stupid comment and thank you for everything :D

  11. D.G.
    Posted March 16, 2012 at 6:05 AM | Permalink

    I guess I didn’t get the satire thing because NotW was the first fantasy book I’ve read!

    Oh and I don’t have a smartphone either so you’re not alone, Pat. :)

  12. DrFood
    Posted March 16, 2012 at 6:34 AM | Permalink

    I liked seeing this, after the interview:

    THIS ARTICLE IS THE:
    10th most-clicked article of the hour
    10th most-clicked article of the day
    8th most-clicked article among readers outside Colorado of the day
    8th most-clicked article among readers outside Colorado of the hour
    98th most-clicked article among Denver readers

    Oh, and that was pretty good advice. I managed to escape that sort of experience myself, but I had some particularly terrific parents, and that helps. (My dad gave me permission to share a house with three men my junior year! As it turned out, we ended up with two men and two women, but still. . . )

  13. slsmitty25
    Posted March 16, 2012 at 7:44 AM | Permalink

    You are not alone in not having a smart phone! I’m afraid that if I do purchase one it will end up being smarter than me!

  14. stillbourne
    Posted March 16, 2012 at 8:26 AM | Permalink

    I read the interview from the Denver Post near the end you were talking about a possible screen play and there was a comment about endings. Personally, I have always thought the fight with the draccus was the climax of “The Name of the Wind” but I supposed I could be mistaken. I’m not very good with things like that.

    • Erzberger
      Posted March 16, 2012 at 10:47 AM | Permalink

      I also thought it might serve as a movie finale. But then I thought it´s just too loose. There´s no build up to that point and in a traditional movie it might seem weird.

      But in terms of movies I wouldn´t try to compare it to Harry Potter anyway. It would work better in the wya Lord Of The Rings was done (even if the movies are flawed in my opinion).
      Better yet, it should be an HBO series. You could easily find nice scenes with which to end each episode and there´s just too much good stuff in the book that would be thrown out for time in a movie.

      If Whedon is done with The Avengers (I´m stoked for that!), he should start pre production on the Kingkiller Chronicles series, if you ask me.

  15. IvoryDoom
    Posted March 16, 2012 at 11:53 AM | Permalink

    HA HA, that comic really reminded me of my boyfriend and me. He’s always doing things like that (we’ve actually DONE that)…if only the chick had one eyebrow up, that’d be me LOL.

    We made some moonshine once also which was really strong but pretty fun. (Just beware of blindness on that one….) We also made some jailhouse “prune-o” if you’ve ever heard it….it was mostly disgusting, but what can I say…it was the first expirement of the series….

    Anyway, I like that college advice you gave out. I never went to college (except the college of reality will burn you every chance you give it), but it seemed like good advice for just life in general, its rough when you finally get out on your own but also sorta fun. I remember the first thing I did when I moved out was shave my hair into a mohawk. Yah….that rocked. Then I got an accounting job and now I’m just a schmuck with nice pants….

  16. rcole
    Posted March 16, 2012 at 1:08 PM | Permalink

    I’m greatly intrigued by a NoTW RPG.
    I think I would level my Physicker, maybe multiclass into Sypathist.
    Or a good ol’ fashioned Tinker.

  17. farleykj
    Posted March 16, 2012 at 5:01 PM | Permalink

    I was kind of proud of a twitter thingy I came up with “If you ask someone what they think of Sparks Nevada, and they say ‘never been there’, you know they’re not cool”. Meaning, you’ve not had the immense joy of hearing The Thrilling Adventure Hour. One of their main characters is a dude named as such, who is sheriff on Mars. Look it up, and you’re welcome. Hee hee.
    Did I mention that another of the characters is called Cactoid Jim, and is played by the inimitable Nathan Fillion? Yes, that one. Now, go, go and have many laughs.

  18. moonrise
    Posted March 19, 2012 at 6:15 PM | Permalink

    Thank you for the college advice! I will take it with me next year

  19. Trumanj
    Posted March 20, 2012 at 10:04 PM | Permalink

    I can die happy. My car and I were mentioned by Rothfuss!!!!

    Now to figure out how to get mentioned in “The Doors of Stone”

  20. mirandablas7
    Posted March 28, 2012 at 11:11 PM | Permalink

    Ha!!
    Participating in the above mentioned interview: cool!
    Mentioned by Mr. Rothfuss in anonymous blog form: great!
    The advice given to me by Mr. Rothfuss: best!

    I feel awesome.

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