This week, I signed on with my first agent: Christi Cardenas of the Lazear Agency. Christi’s going to help me out with an original series that I’ve been pitching around. I can’t say more about it at the moment, but I’m ecstatic to partner up with her on this project.

The Lazear Agency is a small group with offices in Wisconsin and New York, which fits me fine. It also happens to represent Margaret Weis, Al Franken, and Jane Goodall, among several other notable authors. Many thanks to Margaret, who recommended I contact Christi in the first place.

The ever-excellent Escapist concentrates on Microsoft in a series of articles this week. Best of all, they interview my friend Jordan Weisman for two of them. The first is about how Jordan sold FASA Interactive to Microsoft and how that worked out. The second paints Jordan’s career with broader strokes, from FASA through to 42 Entertainment. Both are great reads.

Speaking of which, I received a free copy of Cathy’s Book (by Jordan and fellow 42 Entertainment writer Sean Stewart) in the mail the other day, from a marketing company hired to push the book through blogs and other online venues. I haven’t had a chance to dig into it yet, but I’m looking forward to it. (Ironically, I’d ordered the book for myself–and paid for it–when the offer for the free copy came through. Sadly, the extra is already spoken for.) If you’ve had a chance to check it out, let me know what you think!

Back when I worked for Human Head Studios, the company paid for all of the employees to be members of the International Game Developers Association. When I left in 2004, I let my membership lapse, but I recently rejoined again. I just updated my member profile, most of which I lifted generously from my own site, of course.

My pal Robin Laws is collecting Gen Con stories for a book on the con of all cons, to be published by Atlas Games. I’d be sick with jealousy, but this is Robin. Not only is he a friend, but I know he’ll do at least as good a job as I could have hoped to. This way, I can sit back and indulge in the book when it debuts next summer, just in time for the 40th Gen Con.

Robin has already interviewed all sorts of professionals for the book. I chipped in more than a few anecdotes myself–some of which may not be suitable for public consumption. Right now, though, he’s looking for Gen Con accounts from non-professional attendees (fans).

If you have a great memory of Gen Con you think should be shared with the world, here’s your chance. If you have the right story, you’ll not only get to chat with Robin (always a treat to be savored) but get to see him immortalize your tale in print. And then I’ll be able to enjoy it too.

Yesterday, I drove up to Madison for the first big meeting of the new local chapter of the IGDA (International Game Developers Association). (That’s computer games, for those keeping score at home.) Alex Seropian (founder of Bungie Software and Wideload Games) gave a great speech about the new business model he and his partners are using for Wideload, which seems strikingly close to how small tabletop game developers have had to work for years. (In a nutshell: Outsource everything you can.)

I also got to catch up with some old friends. This including a good-sized posse from Human Head, including Tim Gerritsen, Chris Rhinehart, Jeff DeWitt, Rowan Attala, and Mike Craddick. Rowan and Jeff recently formed their own studio, Big Rooster, from which I expect great things soon.

All in all, I had a great time, and I got to meet all sorts of new people too. I’ve not done a whole lot with computer games in the past–especially compared to my labors in the tabletop industry–but I suspect that may change in the near future.