13 Is A Lucky Number For Scalzi — So Is $3.4M

John Scalzi has signed a $3.4 million deal with Tor Books that covers his next 13 books the New York Times reports.

Some of the books will extend the popular “Old Man’s War” series, building on an existing audience, and one will be a sequel to “Lock In.” Mr. Scalzi said he hoped books like “Lock In” could draw more readers toward science fiction, since many, he said, are still “gun-shy” about the genre.

Patrick Nielsen Hayden, the executive editor for Tor, said the decision was an easy one. While Mr. Scalzi has never had a “No. 1 best seller,” he said, “he backlists like crazy.”

“One of the reactions of people reading a John Scalzi novel is that people go out and buy all the other Scalzi novels,” Mr. Hayden said.

Though busy celebrating, Scalzi did not neglect to send this cryptic tweet for no particular reason at all —

27 thoughts on “13 Is A Lucky Number For Scalzi — So Is $3.4M

  1. So that speculation I read last month by some Puppy, about how John Scalzi was probably desperate for a deal with Baen because his books were selling so badly that Tor probably wouldn’t re-sign him? You’re saying that Puppy spin was all just fabricated rubbish? Oh, what a stunning shocker.

  2. I guess this was the big news on Monday thing that Scalzi was hinting at. Congrats John! Now write moar books!

  3. The forthcoming howls will be entertaining. How does it play as a victory condition for Mr. Beale?

  4. Living well IS the best revenge. I am delighted by this news for John. I admit that its all the sweeter because certain quarters are going to be unhappy by the news. Or is this another case of “We don’t care”? (although I suspect that you really do)

  5. Scalzi does not sell books – he just writes them.

    A puppy wrong? Remember – a broken clock is right twice a day. Unless the clock is digital – it can be wrong all of the time.

    Besides, Tor signing him for 13 books is *obviously* a conspiracy!!!! See!! See!! Puppy right!!! (gnaw on bone!! chase bright shiny!! poop on carpet!!!) !!!!!

    Personally, I like everything of his I have read (well, except Redshirts, but I will give him one bad one). YMMV

  6. Bandit: A contract for coven’s worth of books. Nothing strange about that…

  7. This just goes to prove that Scalzi’s sales are tanking and he’s a failing author; why else would Tor have to spend so much money to prop him up?

    (I jest, but somewhere, somebody is making that argument in all seriousness.)

  8. The numbers at the top of deals are rarely what matter…it is the numbers in the fine print.

    With that said, I wish Scalzi luck in meeting whatever requirements he agreed to.

  9. Until he turns that number into twitter followers or unique hits it doesn’t matter because that’s what counts, right?

    Good for him! Glad to see a publisher show such confidence in an author. Between that and the TV options for certain works (I don’t know how much he’d need to be involved for that) and book signings and travel I don’t envy him the work involved but I’ll certainly enjoy the output of it.

  10. Wait, so the various pseudonymous Puppies around here who said that Scalzi had been dropped by Tor and the Lock-In flopped were wrong?

  11. Until he turns that number into twitter followers or unique hits 5 star Amazon reviews it doesn’t matter because that’s what counts, right?

    FTFY

  12. Nick Mamatas: And when you can’t believe what pseudonymous Puppies say about Scalzi it just shakes people’s faith in the infallibility of everything posted on the internet.

  13. Mike Glyer : And when you can’t believe what pseudonymous Puppies say about Scalzi it just shakes people’s faith in the infallibility of everything posted on the internet.

    Wait – those reports about hundreds of lusty divorcees in my area just waiting for me to hook up with them on the Internet, they’re still accurate, right?

  14. Yes. Unless he’s got those 5 star reviews he can’t be doing well.

    I look forward to xdpaul explaining how this means he’s toast.

  15. Mike Glyer: Just practicing my !!!!!!!!!! because I embrace our puppy overlords and they like them (or so I am told).

    And a coven of books – you have pointed out the puppies are right about a conspiracy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! omg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Now if they would only stop pooping on the rug. sorry, that should end with !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Very happy about Scalzi getting the gig. I want more Zoe stories.

    oops .. hide .. here comes a puppy overlord. Hi puppy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  16. How many hours will it be before VD posts about the misguided conspiracy behind this news, despite him being totally not obsessed with Scalzi?

    Odds are high that there will also be some willy-waving about blog hits, as if it was still 2005 and multi-channel social media engagement hadn’t been invented.

  17. Well, that’s Scalzi and the Nielsen Haydens chased out of fandom and Theodore Beale well on his way to owning Tor, then.

  18. I can’t wait for Teddy Beale to explain that the Puppies’ winning a contract for Scalzi is a win for underrepresented white men with honest book covers and so…

    VICTORY!!!!

    Because, you see, actually it’s about ethics in book contractism.

  19. I guess no one here can do math or you would have noticed how far John Scalzi has fallen from the pinnacle of his career. Back when he released Old Man’s War, he could sell a hundred thousand books. Today he’s celebrating a paltry thirteen. In case you Mensa scholars haven’t noticed, thirteen is a far smaller number than one hundred thousand.

  20. That’s great news for John Scalzi. Congratulations to him, and I hope he and Tor do well.

  21. John Z. Upjohn, USM (aspired) : I guess no one here can do math or you would have noticed how far John Scalzi has fallen from the pinnacle of his career. Back when he released Old Man’s War, he could sell a hundred thousand books. Today he’s celebrating a paltry thirteen. In case you Mensa scholars haven’t noticed, thirteen is a far smaller number than one hundred thousand.

    Not only that, he’s taking 10 years to write them when a typical sf author like Isaac Asimov can put out six books a year.

  22. rob_matic on May 25, 2015 at 12:31 am said:
    Odds are high that there will also be some willy-waving about blog hits, as if it was still 2005 and multi-channel social media engagement hadn’t been invented.

    Called it.

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