Ask Me Anything! I Could Use The Distraction.

(NOTE: Based on time elapsed since the posting of this entry, the BS-o-meter calculates this is 10.854% likely to be something that Ferrett now regrets.)

On the days when I can’t think of anything to write but nevertheless would like to hear from people, I play a game: You ask me any question, I’ll answer it.

As usual, all serious questions are on the table, which is to say, questions you actually want to know the answer to: the answer to questions like “How much wood would a woodchuck chuck?” is “You’re not nearly as clever as you think you and shouldn’t post in this thread,” which generally makes people sadder than they’d like to be.

But anything else: up for grabs.  Had a weird question about my love life? Go ahead. Wanted to get my opinion on an important donut-related trend? Shootenate. Need a piece of advice? Put it in my pocket, I’ll give it my best shot.

I’ve got some essays burbling about, but not the strength to write them, so help me amuse myself whilst I recuperate.  Your questions will help.

22 Comments

  1. Kate
    Nov 14, 2016

    How do you deal with feeling lost?

    • TheFerrett
      Nov 14, 2016

      I generally wander until I’m found.

      Or, in the case of, say, the election, I figure out what small things I can do and make steps to do them.

  2. Tracy
    Nov 14, 2016

    When you light people on fire do you prefer they be shaven or hairy? Which one is more fun to experience lighting? Which one is more fun to feel?

    • TheFerrett
      Nov 14, 2016

      I’m not opposed to either, but the hairy ones fuck up my wands a bit. Generally, I play with females (because few guys like to be lit on fire by guys), and they’re not hairy. But if you’re nauseated by the smell of burning hair, I wouldn’t get into this hobby. 🙂

  3. Michael Cahoon
    Nov 14, 2016

    Is Kit from the Flex trilogy a Donutmancer? If not, why isn’t he?

    And why hasn’t anyone at work ever suspected him of being one? :-\ Considering be works at an insurance company for acts of ‘mancy…

    Also, are his donut personality readings actual magic or not?

    • TheFerrett
      Nov 14, 2016

      They have suspected him. They joke about it in the office. That’s specifically mentioned.

      As for the rest, well, you decide.

  4. Ryan
    Nov 14, 2016

    Given the countless hours of pseudo-reality tv shows in which professional plumbers/Ghost Hunters hunt ghosts, why is it that they have never really caught one, do you think?

    • Ryan
      Nov 14, 2016

      I realize I may not have followed instructions very well, upon a re-read. But once donutmancy was on the table… what the hell.

    • TheFerrett
      Nov 14, 2016

      Because they don’t exist. Not in that way, anyway.

  5. Mark Dijkstra
    Nov 14, 2016

    Was wondering about you opinion of Fallout 4. You mentioned you wanted to get a PS4 specifically to play it, but I don’t remember a post about it.

    • TheFerrett
      Nov 14, 2016

      I’m currently level 68, working my way through the last of the DLC, so…

      It’s all right. 🙂

  6. Santeri Vidal
    Nov 14, 2016

    Are there any worthwhile books left in the universe after your and Liu Cixin’s trilogies ended? I love your books, they’re brilliant!

    And hey, are you coming to Helsinki for Worldcon75? I am volunteering at arranging the con, and if you do, I promise to find you the best donuts in town!

    • TheFerrett
      Nov 14, 2016

      Try Ramez Naam’s Nexus series. It’s SO GOOD. (And thank you.)

      I am coming to Worldcon, finances hoping! And I would love to try the best Helsinkish (?) donuts.

      • Santeri Vidal
        Nov 24, 2016

        Thanks for the reply and sorry for the delay in mine -was kind of expecting a new blog post with selected questions and your answers. I don’t know why. 🙂

        I haven’t heard of nexus and will definitely check it out. Thanks for the tip!

        And here’s one in return: there is/was a deal by delta/klm from Minneapolis to Helsinki for 450$. Not quite sure where you live though. Drop me a line if you need to connect with the person who bought that deal. And if that doesn’t pan out, check out Iceland air, where you can do a free (Iceland isn’t cheap, but no extra charge) stop-over on the way.

  7. Lydia
    Nov 14, 2016

    How many of your partners read this blog?

    Do you double-check with them before blogging about your relationships with them, or are they all generally okay with you blogging without asking them first?

    Have you ever blogged something about polyamory that you later came to regret publishing?

    • TheFerrett
      Nov 14, 2016

      All of them read it on at least an irregular basis. I have a long habit of not blogging about “active” relationship issues, which is to say if the argument is not dead, dry, and buried, I don’t bring it up here. I may bring it up months later as an abstract, but it’s too easy just to call down a mob on an issue because my audience (as every audience does) likes to take sides.

      I have regretted it, and usually when I thought something was dead, dry, and buried, but it turned out to be twitching a little.

  8. Gee
    Nov 15, 2016

    I’ve finished my manuscript and am at the point of querying but my super-fun #anxiety is making it really difficult to get out of the gate. Any suggestions?

    • TheFerrett
      Nov 15, 2016

      Let someone else reject you. I can’t promise it’ll be good. But send it to at least thirty people before you give up hope. I went through forty. I’m not unusual.

  9. Fy
    Nov 15, 2016

    What would you pay to be the lady with the otters in this video: http://www.tastefullyoffensive.com/2015/09/lucky-woman-goes-swimming-with-baby.html ?

    • TheFerrett
      Nov 16, 2016

      Well, I TRIED to pay them when I visited California this fall, but they were booked up well into 2017.

      BASTARDS.

  10. TRACY CHALKER
    Nov 16, 2016

    Why did you decide to cut off Paul’s foot in FLEX?

    • TheFerrett
      Nov 16, 2016

      I honestly can’t remember at this point. I know it had something to do with wanting him scarred by a former run-in with magic, and my Uncle Tommy limped, so I probably went with that. Plus, I wanted someone physically frail as the hero, and so a handicap felt right for it.

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