The Gamers Film Kickstarter Rolls On

As I mentioned last month, my pals over at Zombie Orpheus and Dead Gentlemen launched a Kickstarter for The Gamers: Hands of Fate, the third in their hilarious series of The Gamers movies. As a part of that, we’re integrating Hands of Fate and my upcoming Dangerous Games trilogy of novels together. There’s this character – Leo, who appeared in the second film – that wanders in and out of the movie at certain points. For fun, he’s going to wander into my books and then back onscreen.

I had a chance to chat with Matt Vancil and Ben Dobyns at Gen Con last week, and I suggested a couple of interstitial scenes for Leo to help frame the crossover. They managed to get them filmed the next day on a tight schedule, which impressed me to no end.

So, the Kickstarter drive is going along well. They’ve already raised more than $230,000! This still puts them a bit shy of their ambitious $320,000 goal, but they still have 12 days left in their campaign. With a big push coming up next weekend at both PAX and Dragon*Con, I have little doubt they’ll make it. Do yourself a favor and head on over to the Kickstarter page to get in on the fun before time runs out.

Reaper Minis Backers Could Get Hard Times

Yesterday, I wrote for Wired’s Geek Dad blog about how insane Reaper’s Bones Kickstarter has become. They started out asking for $30,000 for new molds for their line of plastic figures. As I write this, they’ve shattered that goal and hit $2,878,000.

Part of the reason for this is that they keep tossing in fantastic benefits for their backers when they hit a new stretch goal. The best deal comes at the $100 (Vampire) level. At the moment, that totals up to 229 figures and a free PDF of the Swords & Wizardry PDF, which you can use the miniatures with.

Late last night, as a way to help out the folks at Reaper Miniatures, I decided to make them an offer. If their backers can hit $3 million, I’ll give them each a free copy of Hard Times in Dragon City, the first in my Shotguns & Sorcery trilogy.

Mind you, this is not the autographed version my higher-level backers already received, and even my lower level backers should have a good head-start of a week or three on the Reaper fans. Still, it’s a good, fun novel that fits in as well as just about any fiction with Reaper’s mix of fantasy and modern figures. It’s a bit of a stretch, but hopefully the backers will enjoy it either way.

Why’d I do it? Because Reaper helped me get a start as a novelist, a story I told many times at Gen Con last weekend. Back when I wanted to break into writing tie-in novels for games, none of the editors would talk with me about it because I had yet to write an entire novel on anything. That’s despite the fact I’d written millions of words in gaming rulebooks, including lots of fiction.

It made sense because writing a novel is a whole different kind of work. Giving me a contract to write one would have been like asking a sprinter to go ahead and join the marathon about to start. It’s hard to believe it could work well without proof.

Still, Ed Pugh at Reaper took a chance on me. He hired me to write The Big Dance, a short novel based on Reaper’s C.A.V. game of giant, fighting mechs. I had a ball with it, and Ed overnighted me my check the moment the file for the book appeared in his email inbox. He’s exactly that classy.

I was then able to show that book to folks at Wizards of the Coast and Games Workshop, and they instantly started chatting with me about contracts. That directly led me to where I am now, writing my own things and having a ball at it.

So thanks Ed and Reaper! And best of luck with that Kickstarter, although you clearly don’t need it. And for the rest of you, if you like miniatures at all, head on over and grab them while they’re hot!

My WorldCon Schedule

I’m going to be attending the World Science Fiction Convention this year for the first time. That’s mostly because it’s a traveling show and the host convention this year is Chicon 7, which puts the show in Chicago, within spitting distance of my home. Being able to run down there, crash at Ken Hite’s place, and meet so many fans and friends – including a slew of Angry Robot authors, editors, and staff – proved too tempting to resist.

Unlike at Gen Con, at which I’m woven into the convention’s fabric by means of time and affection, I’m a complete noob at WorldCon. Despite that, I’ve managed to wiggle my way onto a pair of panels, at which it’ll be easiest to find me.

Thursday, August 30, 6 PM:  “To Indie or Not to Indie.” This is something I know a bit about, and I’m eager to hear what the other panelists have to say, especially since I don’t know any of them. Columbus CD : Gold East

Saturday, September 1, 10:30 AM: “Media Tie-in Novels: Art or Commerce?” This one’s exciting in that it’s going to be video linked with a simultaneous panel at Dragon*Con. My fellow panelists in Chicago are my friends Tom Dowd and Richard Lee Byers, plus Joe Haldeman, who’s been one of my writing heroes ever since he spoke to a Science Fiction class I took at the University of Michigan. The Atlanta team consists of my pal Mike Stackpole and a couple guys named Peter David and David Gerrold. That’s some serious SF firepower there.

Sharp-eyed attendees might notice I’m listed as being on the “Marvel Comics: Superheroes from the ’60s” panel on Friday night as well. Unfortunately, I have a conflict with the time slot and have had to excuse myself from it, so don’t look for me there.

I suspect I’ll also be at the Hugo Awards on Sunday night, wearing my Geek Dad press badge. Unless, of course, my compatriots find a better way to lead me astray.

Otherwise, you can find me wandering around the convention, catching up with friends, and taking a much easier time of it than I did at Gen Con. If you want to reach me there, ping me on Twitter (@mforbeck), and if you spot me wandering about, be sure to say hi.

Diana Jones and Ennies Awards

I had a wonderful time at Gen Con last week, catching up with old friends and making new ones. I’m still recovering from all the fun, but I wanted to give a shout-out to some of the awards given out last week.

Last Wednesday, I hosted the Diana Jones Awards, as I’ve done for the past 11 years, and it was fantastic fun. Because our old venue (Jillian’s) closed, we had to find a new super-secret location, and that gave me a bit of worry, both because I didn’t know the new place at all and because I fretted about people being able to find it.

All that said, it went wonderfully. The place was packed, and everyone seemed to have a great time. I even rode a mechanical bull for the first time in my life and set the time record for the night at 41 long seconds. If you hunt for it on YouTube, you can bear witness to me clinging to it in a way that would have caused a real bull tremendous pain.

My secret? Tip the bull operator well.

The award went to the creators of the book Nordic Larp – by Jaakko Stenros and Markus Montola, published by Fëa Livia – which chronicles the vibrant live-action roleplaying scene in the Nordic countries. It’s an inspiring book, and its win cements the fact that the Diana Jones Award committee is filled with an eclectic bunch of professionals interested in calling out excellence wherever they find it.

Emily Care Boss stood up and read a prepared acceptance speech from the authors, which I loved because it’s always better to actually hand the award to someone, even in proxy. Best of all, she offered to make sure the trophy got into their hands.

I want to thank all the sponsors of the party, but especially Lone Wolf – makers of the excellent Army Builder and Hero Lab, as well as the upcoming Realm Works. I was an idiot and left them off the list of sponsors at the party, and they were truly kind and understanding about it.

Later in the week, I joined Ben McFarland at the cocktail reception for the ENnies Awards. Ben bid on me as his Dream Date, with all proceeds going toward the awards. I often chat and drink with him throughout the show, so his bid is a real show of support for the awards, and I thank him for that.

I had to leave before the awards started so I could make it to the Reactor 88 Studios afterparty, but I found out later that the Marvel Heroic Roleplaying, on which I worked as part of the concept team, grabbed three awards. It picked up silvers for Best Game and Best Product, plus a gold for Best Rules. The lion’s share of the kudos for that goes to Cam Banks, who did most of the heavy lifting on the development and especially with wrangling all the creatives on the project.

Congratulations to all the other ENnies winners, and to Nordic Larp. They’re all fantastic representatives of excellence in games.

The Monster Academy Kickstarter Is On!

Today, at noon Eastern Time, I launched the fourth of my 12 for ’12 Kickstarters. This one’s for a trilogy of novels called Monster Academy,  a series of books set in the epic fantasy equivalent of a juvenile detention hall for young monsters. This drive runs to September 16, but get your pledges in early, if only for the sake of my nerves. Remember, no one gets charged until the drive is over, and only then if the drive succeeds.

You can find out all about the Monster Academy drive over at Kickstarter. For a quick preview, I try to sum it all up for you in the video below. Don’t be shy about telling your friends and neighbors in whatever medium you prefer: Twitter, Google+, Facebook, face-to-face, or even a kindly worded persuasive essay mailed to them in a scented envelope. Thanks for all your support in whatever way you give it!

Monster Academy Launches Tomorrow

I’ve been working like mad on the details for my final 12 for ’12 Kickstarter, which should be set to launch tomorrow morning if all goes well. It’s called Monster Academy, and it’s a trilogy of fantasy novels set in what amounts to a juvenile detention facility for monsters. I just posted a page explaining all about it.

If all goes well, I’m going to launch the Kickstarter tomorrow morning. In the meantime, you can check out a private preview of the Kickstarter page.

Don’t be shy about spreading the word, and wish me luck. Thanks!

Brave New World Books Out Now!

Playing a bit of catch-up, I released both Brave New World: Revelation and Brave New World: Resolution for sale to the public on my website last night, and they’re now available through DriveThruFiction, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble as well. I considered putting a bit of space between them to build up anticipation for the final book, but with Gen Con hurtling at me this week, I decided not to wait.

This completes the Matt Forbeck’s Brave New World trilogy and the first of my 12 for ’12 trilogies. I’m going to have them available as print-on-demand books soon, but they’re still wending their way through the printer’s approval system. In any case, you can grab the ebooks today!

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My Gen Con 2012 Schedule

Gen Con – the best four days in gaming – starts next week, and I can’t wait. I’m an Industry Insider Guest of Honor once again (for the tenth time running, I think). I’m going to be zipping around all over the place, and I’m always happy to chat with fans, gamers, and readers of all stripes. Here’s where you can find me if you’re looking for me.

Wednesday

I arrive on Wednesday, and I host the Diana Jones Award ceremony and party that evening, starting at 9 PM. If you’re a gaming industry professional, you’re more than welcome to join us. Drop me a line, and I’ll get you the details.

Thursday

11 AM. Games and Novels: Dennis Detwiller, Susan Morris, James Wyatt, and I chat about how novels and games work together and how they don’t. ICC Room 211.

12 PM. Well Said: Donald J. Bingle, Maurice Broaddus, George Strayton, and I discuss how to use sharp dialog in fiction. ICC Room 244. 

3 PM. Advanced Plotting Workshop: John Helfers, Robin Laws, and I work out how to break down your plots and make them sing. ICC Room 245. 

6 PM. Kickstarting Your Game: Dennis Detwiller, TS Luikart, Elizabeth Shoemaker, Gareth-Michael Skarka, and I talk about how to run a Kickstarter drive. ICC Room 210. 

Friday

11 AM. 12 for ’12: Writing a Dozen Novels in a Year: I fly solo on this one, for reasons you might suspect. ICC Room 210. 

2 PM. Freelancing in the Games Industry: Steve Kenson, Ryan Macklin, Gareth-Michael Skarka, Christina Stiles, and I explain how to work as a freelancer in the gaming industry. ICC Room 210. 

5 PM. InSpectres Test Screening: Join the Reactor 88 Studios crew for a test screening of their film based on the InSpectres RPG by Jared Sorensen. I co-wrote the screenplay for this and appear as a zombie too. Westin : Capitol I. 

6:30 PM. ENnies Cocktail Reception: I’ll be hanging out with my Dream Date winner Ben McFarland. Unfortunately, I won’t be at the ceremony itself because it runs straight through my next event. Union Station Grand Hall. 

9 PM. Reactor 88 Afterparty: This has become a great new tradition over the past few years. DJ M4C3L0 spins tunes until midnight, when Matt Raven takes over. It’s at a new location this year, Tiki Bob’s, across the street from the old place. It’s open to one and all (21 and up, dress code). Tiki Bob’s.

Saturday

12 PM. Going It Alone: Richard Lee Byers and I talk about how to self-publish your novels. ICC Room 244.

1 PM. Passing the Torch: Dave Gross, John Helfers, Brandon Sanderson, and I talk about taking over existing properties and writing in another author’s voice. ICC Room 244.

2 PM. Author’s Avenue Signing: If you want to find me expressly to sign things, here’s your chance. I’ll be hanging out with John Helfers, and we’ll likely be lonely, so come on by. Bring drinks!

4 PM. Reading: Erik Scott de Bie and I tag-team on readings in this slot. I’ll probably read from one of my 12 for ’12 books – out loud, even! Hell, maybe I’ll bring one of my Magic: The Gathering comics and read it with different voices for all the characters. Who knows? I’m sure to be punchy by then. ICC Room 244.

Sunday

Sunday’s just for me and my family. If you see me wandering around, though, don’t hesitate to say hi.

Update! The fine folks at Stone Skin Press have set up a signing of The New Hero 2 at the Pelgrane Press booth, at 11 AM on Sunday. I’m planning to be there for at least a bit at the start, providing my kids are up for it.

The First Shotguns & Sorcery Story

Back in 2010, my pal Robin Laws asked if I’d be interested in contributing a short story to an anthology he’d concocted called The New Hero. The theme of the book was based around Robin’s literary theory of the iconic hero. In many stories, the hero is supposed to go through some kind of change, a character arc, as it’s often called. We know, though, that many heroes – especially in series fiction – don’t change much if at all. Instead, as Robin theorized, they change the world about them by being true to themselves.

Think of heroes like Sherlock Holmes, Batman, James Bond, and so on. They aren’t affected by their environments nearly as much as they affect them. Robin charged me and the other authors to come up with heroes like this for our own stories and, hopefully, to use them in later stories too.

For mine, I turned to this Shotguns & Sorcery setting I’d had in mind for a long while, and I created a hero to fit it, a hardboiled ex-adventurer by the name of Max Gibson. I enjoyed writing about his adventure so much I wrote another one for the Carnage & Consequences anthology edited by Marc Tassin, and I later made it the subject of one of the trilogies for my 12 for ’12 challenge.

But it all started with that story, and it’s going to be published later this year through Stone Skin Press. They’re running a Kickstarter for their debut set of anthologies right now, including The New Hero 2, in which that first Shotguns & Sorcery story, “Friends Like These,” will appear. At the moment, it only has 36 hours to go, so head on over and check it out fast.

Stone Skin Press featured Max and his friend Moira on its website today, including a short snippet from that tale. Head over there for a quick taste of it. Check after the cut here for the actual start of the tale.

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The Turndog Interview

Over at Turndog Millionaire, Matthew Turner interviewed me via Skype about writing and using Kickstarter to fund self-publishing. We had a great conversation, so if those kinds of things interest you, head on over and give it a watch. Because the software Matthew used to record it meant I couldn’t see him during the conversation, I didn’t look straight at the camera too often, so if I seem a bit more distracted than usual, that would be why.