7.26.2006

Every night ...
...feels like a surrender.

I’m entirely sleep-dependent. When I get a good 7 hours I feel like a rockstar, and when I don’t I’m crabby and slamming coffee all day. (Well, actually I drink a lot of coffee regardless. And crabby is relative. Ask any of my very patient relations.)

Still, it’s frustrating to have to sleep. How much did I get done today? What did I fail to get done? How much more could I have accomplished?

When midnight rolls around I feel like I’m just coming up to speed. Electing to sleep is like losing a fight. Maybe that’s what Peter meant when he said, “Straight on 'till morning.”

7.22.2006

Live From New York...
I had the great privilege of spending the evening with author/director team Jeff and Marisa LaSala. Wonderful people, who are both talented and kind. The LaSala family will be in attendance at GenCon, so this was a chance for us to catch up on the past year, talk trash about the competition, and otherwise enjoy the company of our peers, which can be tough when you are a writer.

Jeff also offered to scan my latest batch of maps, which is perfect timing given that the deadline is Monday and me with no scanner. They even sat around the kitchen table at midnight and tolerated Harley going on about how cool the waterfall/steam encounter was. That’s patience for you.

Even though we haven’t seen each other in a year, it felt like no time had passed. Quality people and I look forward to enjoying their company again in a few short weeks.

And even more fun, it IS Saturday night. Or was.

Ask A Ninja
"If you kill all the wolves you're going to have a crap load of bunnies. And by bunnies, I mean stupid people."


I've seen that six times and it still reduces me to giggles. Yes, giggles.

One A.M. and I am off to write! Hope you all are well. Ed, finish that book yet? We were thinking about you tonight.

7.18.2006

Brains!
Goodman Games
Write a campaign setting and then not find the time to talk about it? This can only be a sign of the dreaded Zombie Harley, a stumbling, drooling, deadline driven beast that gets up way too early and goes to bed WAY too late.

The boxed set has been announced. It was written, edited and drawn by a kick butt team of pirate ninjas. Two books, 2 modules, 4 maps. Check it out at your own risk – the palpable coolness is addictive and has absolutely nothing to do with me. Which is to say, the sum is far greater than the parts.

ENnies!
The voting booth is open now for a limited time. Drop in and vote for the products you like, but don’t forget that I’ll be recording IPs and expecting you to show for the NoPro Road Show Dance Party.

Brains. I could use some.

7.12.2006

Brief note for 1 in the morning.
Gamers can be a vocal bunch when they get around to criticizing products. I’ve always tried to stay above the fray. If someone likes an adventure I’ve written, great; if not, no sweat.

The flip side of this is that every now and then a good review comes in. And very occasionally, over-the-top discussion threads begin praising the virtues of a certain work.

As tempting as it may be to indulge, these can be just as dangerous as the bad reviews.

Pride before the fall. Never believe your own ad copy. Keep your head down and keep writing as if you've never been published.

Good pole stars to chart by.

7.10.2006

Insert “Award Category Text Area” Here



MNTS was right. Grimbones, a.k.a. Harley Stroh, is on a training mission in the wilds of New York perfecting his ninjitsu skills and learning how to write budgets that balance (the other kind are really easy). I’m getting caught up on 2 weeks of back email and trying to beat a July deadline, so forgive me if I don’t post as often as I should.

And as MNTS noted, I really should be celebrating the announcement of DCC World. But to do that justice will take more time than I have tonight, so I have to settle for just one topic:

I made the cut for the GenCon ENnie awards.

A little weird, a little fun, and a little boggling. I don’t know quite what to make of it yet. Maybe it will be the universe's consolation prize for not getting the Vampire novel.

Anyhow. ENnies:

Every year a panel of judges pick their favorite RPG products from the submissions sent in by every game publisher on the planet. This year the panel included Richard J. Miller, Chris Gath, Joe G. Kushner, Jeff Ranger and David Temporado. Good people all around.

Iron Crypt of the Heretics, a Dungeon Crawl Classic, made it into the category of “Best d20 Adventure." The winners are determined by votes cast by the internet savvy public. I don’t have a rat’s chance of winning, but even making the cut is an honor.

Even more fun than the thought of winning/losing is the awards ceremony. Hosted from 8 to midnight, Friday night of the GenCon weekend, it’s the chance for gamers to dress up in semi-formal wear and shake their groove thangs. Any venue that needs to advertise “cash bar” has got to be trouble.

And you’re all invited as my entourage.

That way, even when I lose I’ll know I’ve got the best dancers in the house. Between BWS, the 5 Wits, Jaleigh and Technobi, that category is on lockdown. We’re a freakin' marauding crew of dance pirates.

I love my life.

Anyhow. I’ve got a deadline to meet, so I have to cut this post short. Voting begins on July 17. I’ll let you know when the ballots are up.