Wired recently asked a bunch of writers to try to beat Hemingway at his own game: Come up with a good story only six words long. (His was: “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”) In the sprit of Halloween, here’s one from me: “Brains!” “Brains!” “Brains!” BLAM! BLAM! Click.
A Shared-World Education
A while back, Jeremy Jones wrote to ask me a few questions about shared-world writing. I thought you might enjoy the results of our conversation, which transpired over a slew of e-mails.
New Dark Conspiracy Fiction
No, I’m not talking about the upcoming elections. Dark Conspiracy is a roleplaying game my fellow Alliterate and long-time pal Lester Smith created for GDW way back in 1991. It’s set in a dark and cynical future in which megacorps and monsters conspire to suck the life (literally and metaphorically) from humanity. A new company called the Gamers’ Conglomerate landed …
The Amazon Got Me… Thinking
I just signed up for Amazon.com‘s AmazonConnect, a service that gives authors some space on the Amazon site in which to plug themselves and their wares. This means I now have a page there, plus a plog (a promotional weblog). I also received a kind letter from Tyler Hill, the AmazonConnect project manager, telling me how happy it made him …
Back to Origins
I haven’t been to Origins (the second-largest adventure games convention in the USA, after Gen Con) for a while. Two years ago, I had a deadline for a Blood Bowl novel that I couldn’t get around. Last year, I had to choose between Origins and Comic-Con International. I hadn’t been to Comic-Con for a number of years, so San Diego …
The Haunted Castle Out for Halloween
Just in time for Halloween, Firefly Games publishes the first full roleplaying game product I’ve written in a long time: The Haunted Castle. This is the first adventure expansion for Faery’s Tale, the new RPG for the young and young at heart. Best of all, the PDF is only $2.95, so if you’re interested in what I think faery heroes …
Hard Day for Gaming Pros
Yesterday, two prominent gaming professionals had rough days. First, Julia Martin (former editor for GDW and TSR and editor and webmistress for Wizards of the Coast) had a stroke. It appears to have been a minor one, and she’s already on the mend. I can barely imagine how terrifying it must have been for her and her husband. After all, …
MySpace or Yours?
I’ve succumbed to the socially transmitted internet virus known as MySpace. I’m not exactly sure what I’ll end up doing with the page I have there, as I plan to spend most of my efforts on Forbeck.com, as usual, but the site is up and running. If you’d like to add me as your friend, please do. Thanks!
Back from the Library
I had a great time at the Roscoe branch of the North Suburban Library yesterday. About 10 kids showed up, of many different ages. They, some of their parents, and Nicole Johnson, the librarian who set the event up, made for a great, fun audience, and we all had a fun time. We’re going to do it all over again …
Library Talks Next Week
Next Monday and Wednesday, I’ll give talks at two of the branches of the North Suburban Library District for their Teens Read Week. I’ll be at the Roscoe, IL, branch (at 5562 Clayton Circle) on Monday, October 16, from 6:30—7:30 PM, and at the same time at the Loves Park, IL, branch (at 6340 North 2nd Street) on Wednesday, October …