ChiTAG Report

I had a great time at the 5th annual Chicago Toy and Game Fair
this past weekend. I got up early and drove down to Schaumburg so I could sit in on the two morning panels for the Inventors Forum. Mary Couzin, who runs the whole shebang, met me at the front desk and got me set up. Although we’d never met before, she was as friendly and wonderful as could be. I felt at home right away.

Tim Walsh (creator of Tri-Bond, among other games) moderated both of the inventor panels and did a wonderful job. One of the best parts, though, happened in a back corner of the room. Nicholas, a designer who I met during a past seminar, and his son got inspired by the talk and started designing a new game right in the hall. During the break, they set it up in the back corner and had at it, there on the floor!

Courtesy of Mary, I had lunch with Tim and the rest of the panelists and the other experts from the “Ask an Expert” event, including Mike Hirtle (VP of R&D for Hasbro), Howard Fleischer, Jeffry Breslow of Big Monster Toys, Peggy Brown, and Kim Vandenbroucke.

Afterward, I ran off to the “Ask an Expert” event and did my part. They put us up in a series of tiny offices just off the main convention floor and sent people back to chat with us for 15 minutes at a time. I spoke to a number of incredible people, including a mother with an excellent behavior modification system/game that can take up to six months to “play,” plus folks from Really Neat Stuff and the Party Hard Corps.

As it wrapped up, I ran into Dan Rowen from Playroom Entertainment and caught up for a bit. Then I met with Darren Orange and Darrik Cupps from Reactor 88 Studios. We wandered about the hall for a while and then headed out for a quick bite. After that, I got back in the car and headed home in time to catch the end of Ratatouille with Ann and the kids.

I had a great time at the show, and Mary treated me like a king. The energy among the inventors matched anything I’ve seen. If I can, I’ll be back next year for sure.

Thanks!

Here’s to a happy Thanksgiving day to you all, whether you’re Americans, Canadians (who celebrated last month), or from entirely somewhere else. Here’s hoping we all have much to be thankful for, as well as the wisdom to recognize those blessings.

TSR Memories for Sale

Kevin Hendryx, a TSR employee back in the early ’80s, is selling his collection of TSR stuff on eBay. It’s a wild gathering of items ranging from business cards and character sheets to rare zines and even letters of resignation. The biggest find is the set of print negatives for the original, banned version of the D&D module B3 Palace of the Silver Princess, which is going for over $1,500. The auction ends tonight, so move fast if RPG history interests you.

Blood Bowl Comics!

The fine folks at Boom! Studios have authorized me to announce that I’ll be writing a five-issue Blood Bowl miniseries for them this winter, based upon the four novels I’ve written for the Black Library. The first issue is projected to hit stores in March. Look for the first solicitation, along with a preview of the a cover, in the issue of Previews that hits stores in late December.

Ow. I’ve been holding that one in for a long time. It feels great to finally be able to talk about it.

I’ve been itching to get back into comics, and I honestly can’t wait to see this one on shelves. I’ve had a wonderful time working with my editor Joe Abraham and our Games Workshop liaison Nelson so far, and I’m thrilled to be associated with the talented crew at Boom!

ChiTAG Saturday!

This Saturday, I’ll be at the Chicago Toy and Game Fair. Oddly enough, it’s to be held at the Renaissance Hotel in Schaumburg rather than Chicago, where it originated a few years ago, but you’re all smart people who can figure your way around that.

I’ll be taking part in the inventor’s forum on Saturday morning, just watching from the floor and soaking up the fun. In the afternoon, from 1-3 PM, I’ll be one of the experts in the “Ask an Expert” event. If you’re around, sign up for a 15-minute session with me, and I’ll answer your questions as best I can. Assuming you have a ticket to get into the show, talking with me is free, although they suggest you register for a time slot in advance.

If you’re in the area, I hope to see you there!

Bella Times

My pal Peter Adkison appears in the business section of today’s New York Times. The article covers Peter’s new company, Hidden City Games, and its hit CCG, Bella Sara (which my daughter Helen adores). Peter and his crew recently raised $15 million in venture capital to push Bella Sara.

The article ends unsure about the chances of Bella Sara‘s success. All I know is I’d put every penny on Peter and the rest of his team.

Words for Food

My sister Jody pointed out to me a new site called FreeRice.com. It’s a neverending vocabulary quiz, with sponsors that put up money to buy rice for the United Nations World Food Program. As a professional writer, I’m always happy to expand my vocabulary, especially for a good cause. Plus, it helps hone my Scrabulous skills, so it’s research time well spent, right?

Writers’ Strike

Given what I do for a living, it’s probably no surprise that I fully support the writers’ strike the WGA called for last week. John Rogers gives a good round-up of the reasons behind it, linking to other excellent analysis, and Christian Johnson provides quality commentary over at Cinerati. Be sure to check out UnitedHollywood.com if you’re interested in a steady stream of updates.

I’m not a member of the WGA, as I don’t work in fields they cover. They’ve made a few tentative steps toward bringing computer game writers into the fold, but none of that’s come to fruition yet. (I’m not sure it’s possible to unionize computer game writers, mind you, given the lack of any solid union in the rest of the industry, but that’s another long conversation.) Still, I count many WGA members as friends, and we’re all writers at the core, siblings in spirit if not union membership or blood. Best of luck to them, no matter how long it takes.

Nephew Wins!

My pal John Nephew of Atlas Games fame won his race for one of the two open seats on the city council of Maplewood, Minnesota, last night. Congratulations, John! It’s always great to see someone step up and try to make a difference.