Word is that Gen Con has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. This comes on the heels of the news that Lucasfilm recently filed suit against the company over bills related to the latest Star Wars Celebration, which Gen Con put on last year. This is not good news. I love Gen Con, and I love the people who run it. …
Mutants Loose in Hollywood
I got back from Hollywood last night after one of the smoothest trips I’ve ever had. The good people at Paradox Entertainment (particularly Fred Malmberg and Jay Zetterberg) flew me out for a preview screening of the upcoming Mutant Chronicles movie and supplemented that with a couple of excellent nights out. As I’ve mentioned here before, I’m writing the novelization …
Key Largo and Paul Randles
My pal Mike Selinker just had his latest game published: Key Largo. Mike’s a wonderful and imaginative designer and has created a number of excellent games, but this one is something special because of his co-designers: Bruno Faidutti and Paul Randles. Bruno is one of the great European board game designers, but Paul’s the one that makes this project something …
Career Freelancing Podcast
The great guys at Pulp Gamer recently posted a podcast of the “Career Freelancing” seminar I gave at last year’s GAMA Trade Show. If you want to know what it’s like to make a living as a freelance game designer/novelist/whatever-else-I’m-doing-this-week, be sure to give it a listen.
Bye Snow
I’m off to Hollywood for a couple of days on a very-short-notice trip. I’m looking forward to trading my parka for a polo for a while. You all behave yourselves while I’m– Ah, who’m I kidding?
A Practical Guide to Monsters
A copy of A Practical Guide to Monsters showed up on my doorstep the other day. It’s a fun book for kids, essentially a Monster Manual without any D&D stats, with witty writing and wonderful artwork. It’s a handsome and durable hardcover book that kids should love. Nina Hess, my kind and insightful editor for my Knights of the Silver …
Michigan Bluegrass
One of my former college roommates, Dr. Mike Harmeling, plays banjo in a bluegrass band called Horton Creek. One of our mutual friends sent me the band’s latest CD a few months back, and it’s great stuff. I’m not huge into bluegrass, but it sounds fun all the way through. It also brings me right back to the days of …
Snow Day Redux
We’re snowed in here again at Casa Forbeck today. The snow stopped last night, but the road teams didn’t seem to think they could get the roads clear in time for school, so Ann and the kids got a second impromptu day off in a row.
Gen Con Again for Sure
I’ve just confirmed that once again I’ll be an Industry Insider Guest of Honor at this year’s Gen Con. At the moment, this is the only convention on my schedule for the year. Unfortunately, Wizard World Chicago is the exact same weekend as Origins this year, forcing a choice between the two. Also, I’m still up in the air about …
Manwolf and Linda on the Air
Steve Sullivan, one of the illustrious Alliterates, launches a brand-new radio show tonight, along with author Linda Godfrey: “Uncanny Radio.” It concentrates on things strange and macabre, and it features an original theme song by another Alliterate, Tim Brown. If you live near Burlington, WI, you can pick Manwolf (Steve) and Linda (Linda) up directly at 89.1 FM. For the …