On Friday night at Gen Con, I took home less than 1% of a silver ENnie for the small part I played in Hobby Games: The 100 Best. Still, I’m proud that people recognized what a great book it is, as well as what a great job my friend Jim Lowder did in pulling it together. Congratulations to all my …
N. Robin Crosby RIP
A couple of different people let me know that N. Robin Crosby, creator of Hârn, died on July 23. The note from his former publishing partner Tom Dagliesh appears below. I never knew Robin, but I appreciated his work. Hârn was one of the first attempts at creating a non-traditional fantasy world for gaming, and it won many fans over …
Wizards Refocuses
In the last week or two, Wizards has made it clear that they wish to refocus their efforts on just Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering. First, they cut a number of novels, including their entire Discoveries line. Then they announced that Gleemax will end in September. Now, they’ve put out a press release that states it clearly, at …
Of Dice and Pen
* If you poke around this site, you might find that you can still download “Prometheus Unwound” for free. However, this is your best chance to see it in print since it first appeared in The Book of All Flesh from Eden Studios.
For me, it’s cool to be in a book alongside so many other cool writers. It’s especially poignant that one of the stories is Gary Gygax’s last tale of Gord the Rogue.
Storytellers Tale
My latest essay is up at Storytellers Unplugged. When you click over to read it, be sure to check out the website’s snazzy and modern new look too. This time around, I comment a bit more about the cancelation of my next novel from Wizards of the Coast. Now that it’s a few days later, I can honestly say I’m …
Vote for HG100 for the ENnies
Hobby Games: The 100 Best is up for an ENnie Award for Best Regalia (a “product used to complement role playing game play”). My pal Jim Lowder edited this book of 100 essays written by many of the best designers about the many of the best games, and my friends at Green Ronin published it. I have a single essay …
Wizards Novel Canceled
Erin Evans, one of my editors from Wizards of the Coast, called the other day. I immediately took this to be a bad sign. Editors are generally happy to work with you entirely by e-mail until something goes wrong. They they call you to break the bad news personally (which, honestly, is a brave and classy act). So when I …
Story Writing for Video Games Classes
This Thursday and the next (July 10 and 17), I’m teaching a pair of classes about “Story Writing for Video Games” at the Loves Park, IL, branch of the North Suburban District Library. Each is for ages 12—18, and it’s free, free, free! If you or a teenager you know might be interested in hearing me blather on about writing …
The Toy and Game Inventors Expo
Last year, I went to the Chicago Toy and Game Fair (ChiTAG) for the first time, and I had a great time. I wandered around the exhibit floor, took part in the inventors’ forum, and helped out with the Ask an Expert event. This year, Mary Couzin (the woman behind the whole event) of Discover Games had decided to spotlight …
Michael Turner Dies
Michael Turner, one of the best comic-book artists of my generation, died last night after a long battle with cancer. He was 37.