Monica Valentinelli's Blog: booksofm.com, page 20

Making Art as a Way of Dealing With Bad News

It has been quite the week, and I cannot imagine what it’s been like for those of you who have been active online. Even the little bit of news, both personal and political, has been depressing as hell. That, topped off with multiple viruses and other day-to-day crap, can get to be too much very quickly. In fact, it can downright stall your ability to write, revise, edit, sketch, etc. It might even feel selfish to make art on spec (e.g. without a contract); or, you might have convinced yourself there’s too many terrible things going on in the world, so why does your story matter? Why bother?

Often, we downplay how much we give of ourselves to our art. Our joys, our sorrows, fears, pain are often wrapped up into one painting, game, story, comic, etc. Sometimes, we might even create a piece of art to help someone feel that much needed sense of relief. Other times, we might make something because the act of creation is not something anyone can take away from us. You, and only you, made that piece of art or collaborated with other people on it. That’s amazing, and that’s very, very important–especially right now. We may not be able to save the world, but we can tap into people’s emotions and move them through our art. I used to think that was just entertainment, and I was wrong. It’s more than that. It’s our point of connection, our way of showing the truth in a more palatable (or brutal) fashion, our reminder that we’re all human.

Unfortunately, it’s hard to think about the importance of making art when the bad news doesn’t stop. It’s not the one thing, of course, it’s the death by a thousand cuts. When it’s personal, it’s one passive-aggressive comment after the other about what you’re not doing, what you should’ve been doing, what you need to do, what you’re not. When it’s not, your faith in your government and your country is shaken. You hear the dogs of war barking–and aren’t sure if they’re real or imagined. You feel helpless. Fear, fear, fear, anxiety, fear. And it adds up. Oh, does it ever!

At some point, you’re probably going to shut down. Then, in that darkest of spaces, you do the one thing you’ve convinced yourself needs to happen: you wait for more bad news. Now, you might even be looking for it, because your boundaries have eroded. Bad news is now something you expect, and it’s something you’re unwittingly using as a survival mechanism. That bad news is familiar, it’s how you cope, it’s all you know. Your worldview might even shift in the process. Suddenly, things that were once enjoyable aren’t anymore. Small things are meaningless, and making art is an afterthought. The bad news, that’s what is really important–right?

I’ve mentioned this before, but it bears repeating: life continues. Even at the worst of times, someone bakes bread or plants flowers or pets the cat or flies a kite with their kids. Think about all the shit I’ve been through; I’ve been bullied, doxed, harassed, threatened, etc. multiple times over and I am still standing. I am still here. And, I am still making art. A little slower than usual this week? Yep, unfortunately I’m coming off of a cold this week and Ny-Quil does strange things to my creativity. But, regardless, I am still at it even if progress is slow. Sometimes, the best I can do is take it one step at a time.

It wasn’t always this way, and the stars-only-know I’m not perfect. Like you, I do the best I can. Yes, there have been a few times where I have gotten so sucked in, because everywhere I turned people were either talking about politics, protesting, or negatively affected by the fractional “us vs. them” everywhere. It felt as if I had no escape, and it was hard for me–and many other creators like myself–to focus. I saw yellow journalism happen right in front of my face. I felt powerless to stop people from getting hurt, and all I could do was get out there and vote. Then, when it was all over… I felt like I was hungover, and I was angry for many reasons. I had been consumed. We had all been eaten up by what was happening, and despite our best efforts many people were definitely not being heard.

There was another reason why I was angry, though. I was mad at myself. At the end of the day, when you make art for a living or a hobby you lose a lot when you aren’t creating. Not only do you lose time, you also lose your purpose for being. I am not a doctor or a lawyer or a politician. I’m an artist. And that means, that in order for me to do my job to the best of my ability, I have to keep making art regardless of the thousand and one reasons out there that make me feel as if I don’t matter. That, dear reader, is my definition of persistence.

The title of today’s post was “Making art as a way of dealing with bad news.” So, here’s the deal: I have some bad news for you today. I do. I’m worried that you’re going to be overwhelmed by all the bad news that’s surrounding you and you won’t make art. It’s true. It is easier to stop making art than to keep at it, but don’t give in. Take the harder path, because that one? That’s usually a sign you’re headed in the right direction. Fight. Know that you are not alone. If you can’t make art for yourself, do it for your future self. Or, make art for someone you haven’t met yet. You never know how powerful and transformative your art can be unless you keep going. One brush, one word, one sketch might not seem like much, but that’s all I’m asking for right now. It’s the only way to fight back the darkness, and to firmly and loudly proclaim that you are still here despite the odds.

Please, I know it’s hard right now. Don’t give up hope. “It can’t rain all the time.”

Mood: Weird. Hot and sneezy. Summer already?

Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: Coffee has health benefits. Right?

Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: Light walking

In My Ears: Stupid fan

Game Last Played: Final Fantasy X-2. Found the bloody chocobo dungeon and the bloody underwhelming chocobo. Huzzah!

Book Last Read: Kim Stanley Robinson’s Aurora

Movie/TV Show Last Viewed: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Latest Artistic Project: Make Art Not War 2017 Challenge and Rules

Latest Releases: In Volo’s Wake for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, Unknown Armies Books 1-3, and Kobold Guide to Gamemastering .

Current State of Projects: Read my latest project update. New project update coming in May.

Friendly Friday: Unstealthiest Ninja, Bear Cats, and Studio DoOoMcat

It’s no secret I’m a big fan of making sure money flows to the artist. Often, I get super frustrated when it comes to T-shirts, because there’s a lot of designs being taken from DeviantArt or uploaded from an artist’s website — even at big box stores. For this reason, I often try to buy shirts when I know the source of the art; it does get even more complicated when adding in rights to actor’s likenesses and properties, too. Mind you, I’m trying not to hit you with the Hammer o’ Preachin’, but as someone who advocates for artists whenever possible I feel like I have to practice what I cheer for.

Enter Shirts on Woot.com, and its pro-artist attitude. They feature the artists who submit work to them, and you can learn more about them. That, dear reader, is how I discovered the super cute collection of Unstealthiest Ninja T-shirts illustrated by husband-and-wife team Studio DoOomcat. I love this aesthetic, and there are tons of great T-shirts by Studio DoOomcat that go beyond the clumsy ninjas. I dig the Unraveller of Worlds and the cuddly octopus RAWR!.

While on the site, I discovered that one of the artists, Alison Acton, also has a cute webcomic called Bear Nuts, too. She takes commissions, which are super cheap, and this studio has a ton of options if you’re interested in their aesthetic. I know I will be; I just have to figure out what I want!

For more about Studio DoOomcat, check out the Bear Cats Webcomic site and poke around some. In addition to the webcomic, both artists have done a lot of work elsewhere. There’s a lot to explore and read!

Mood: Scrambling now that I’m not sick anymore!

Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: NOT MANAGED

Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: Ummmm… Does typing count?

In My Ears: Dragon Age: Inquisition soundtrack

Game Last Played: Final Fantasy X-2. You have any idea how frustrating it is to find that bloody chocobo dungeon?

Book Last Read: Kim Stanley Robinson’s Aurora

Movie/TV Show Last Viewed: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Latest Artistic Project: Make Art Not War 2017 Challenge and Rules

Latest Releases: In Volo’s Wake for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, Unknown Armies Books 1-3, and Kobold Guide to Gamemastering .

Current State of Projects: Read my latest project update. New project update coming in May.

Tomorrow’s Precious Lambs, A Zombie Short Story Excerpt

“Tomorrow’s Precious Lambs” is an interesting zombie story for me, because it represented a lot of “first’s”. It was the focus of my first reading, it generated requests for a sequel, I wrote a gospel song while writing it, and it was also my first reprint in Extreme Zombies, too!

Published by Apex Book Company, you can find “Tomorrow’s Precious Lambs” in The Zombie Feed, Vol. 1, which is the original collection filled with stories by Lucien Soulban, Maggie Slater, Simon McCaffrey and more! Extreme Zombies is also available through Prime Books and features really awesome writers like George R.R. Martin, Nancy A. Collins, and Joe R. Lansdale. Both collections are available on Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, and wherever books are sold.

Here’s a bite of the story! Enjoy the braaaaaaaiiiiiiiinnnnnnnssssssss…

Tomorrow’s Precious Lambs Excerpt

Midnight. The hour when flesh walks and good, little children are stashed away like stolen diamonds. The hour when the feast begins: skin-ripping hair-raising bone-cracking crunch, crunch, crunches. The hour when my thunder stick comes out, zap, zap zapping all the way ’til dawn.

Go on down. Down to the ri-ver. Go on down and wash a-way.

One-thirty. Dog tired. Got a call from headquarters. Had to exterminate a nest out by a gas station. Was worried I was going to run out of ammo. Pause. Rewind. That’s right. I didn’t need to re-load. Long battery life. Couldn’t use the stick like I wanted. There were too many of ’em and not enough of me. So I introduced them to my best friend and mortal enemy–C4. Crickle-crackle snap, snap, snap. Orange flames licked the corpses, ate their rotting flesh right down to the bone. Smelled like my momma’s church picnic. Hungry. Nothing to eat. Found an energy shot. Slammed two of them. Made my belly hurt even more.

Come to the ri-ver. Wash, wash, wash your sins and pray.

Fell asleep at the wheel. Phone woke me up. Three a.m. Witching hour. Sergeant’s on the line saying something about domestic abuse. Tell her it could wait ’til daylight. Man beats a woman down, that’s bad. Man eats a woman’s brain? That’s the guy I’m coming for.

“Officer Mike….” Sergeant’s got that disapproving tone in her voice, like she’s my mother. My momma was a preacher, but she died in a fire, along with the rest of the parish. Don’t know much about Sarge or how she survived. Then I remember. She sticks to the rules, because it’s all she’s got. It’s like her feelings dried up and they were replaced with a pile of useless laws. Like my appendix. Don’t know what I need it for, but it’s still there.

Maybe the law is all I got, too. “Yes, sir?”

“We got a biter.” Fuck. “She’s twelve.” Double fuck. I’ve been on this job too long, but not long enough. Three years. Shitty pay. Crappy benefits. Divorced. No kids. That was before the dead rose up out of their graves. Some folk thought it was the Rapture, welcomed the dearly departed back into church with open arms. Then the dead took over, gnawing on people like they were Thanksgiving leftovers. Told myself this had nothing to do with God or Jesus or the devil. This reeked of greed, something man-made, and it was up to me to find out who’s responsible.

“I’ll be there.”

MANW Check-In Week 19: Fun Work Isn’t Necessarily Free

We’re now a little over four months into my Make Art Not War 2017 Challenge, and I’d like to start talking about aspects of the craft assuming that you are continuing to make art either for personal or professional reasons. Today’s post ties into JOY, which is this month’s theme, and talks about some psychological aspects of making art and getting paid for our efforts.

Why tackle this? Well, there are deep, deep psychological associations between art and commercialism. Besides the myth that you must be mentally ill, impoverished, or suffering to make art, there are also ideas attached to making money. An author who has a best-selling novel is a “sell-out”, for example, because their book is too commercial. That often leads to a comment about what should and shouldn’t make money based on its quality or the nature of the artist, too. Good books that don’t sell are then a tragedy — especially if the author is a nice person! Good books that do sell if the author is an asshole is often believed to be forgivable to an extent Sound familiar? This isn’t new. It’s tied to our beliefs about money and who “deserves” it.

Many, many people who are smarter than I am have often discussed the psychology of being wealthy and poor. If someone is wealthy clearly they deserve that blessing and, if they made art to become successful, then they “did it all themselves”, fueling the myth that anyone can make it without help. And, there are deeply-rooted beliefs in the idea that a wealthy person must clearly be better in some way, shape, or form than someone who’s poor. If you are poor, then you can simply work harder or make better decisions to no longer suffer — which is so asinine and not at all the reality of being broke.

Making Art Is Work

I’m sure you have your own ideas about art and commercialism; I don’t think I’ve met an artist who hasn’t. The aspect of this topic I want to focus on, however, is the idea that making art isn’t work–because it’s so much fun! On a simplistic level, the notion that work cannot be enjoyable for it to be work is tied to a line of thinking that goes something like this: since capitalism is bad, the pursuit of money is evil. Ergo, if I enjoy myself in my work and expect to get paid, then I might become evil, too.

The idea that money has a good or bad alignment is extremely toxic to artists, because it is neither. It is a tool that many of us need to survive and thrive. The system of capitalism is also neither good nor bad, too. Simply, people use a tool (money) within a framework (capitalism) to further their goals. These goals can be very self-centered, and we have seen what happens with respect to corruption and the like, but a desire to be paid for the work you do shouldn’t be an outrageous concept. Nor, should it generate responses that you’re “greedy” for wanting to be compensated.

Okay, this leads to the question of whether or not making art is work. Is it? Here’s (one of) many definitions about work courtesy of Merriam-Webster:

Work is an “activity in which one exerts strength or faculties to do or perform something”.

Based on this, and multiple takes on the definition of work, making art is definitely considered work. What these definitions don’t include, is the financial component and emotional aspects. You do not have to be paid for your efforts to be considered work; your state of mind and your feelings do not change its definition, either. Whether you’re happy or not, work is simply work.

Commercialism Adds Complexity

Hopefully by now you’ve realized that making art is work. With me so far? Here’s the not-so-fun part. The financial component is infinitely harder, because once you attach a monetary value to something you create you’re dealing with perceived value, cost of materials, distribution, etc. It is extremely complex to figure out not only what to make, but how often to produce, when to sell it, what places are good to do business with, etc. This level of complexity, dear reader, is why I believe many artists undervalue their work and often give a lot away. It takes time to learn business, and often it’s so intimidating that many artists don’t. Instead, they treat their art as a hobby until it “takes off” and they’re forced to think more deeply about it.

There are a million roads in between “I’m New” and “I’m a Best-Selling Artist”. Visibility, popularity, reception, and number of copies sold aren’t predictable and business planning is the exact opposite of that. There are some factors you can control, like production, and that’s what I focus on. I also think this idea of being embarrassed to ask for money has something to do with the joy we feel when making art. If it doesn’t feel like work, for example, then we feel guilty asking for money or other forms of payment. We might even feel small, because we aren’t a Very Famous ArtistTM, and talk ourselves down claiming our art isn’t worth anything because art produced by a VFA will be better.

Value Yourself

Valuing yourself and your art can be difficult to do, especially since the weight of “other people’s opinions” can drag you down, but it is an important first step in a longer process. I find that the first step to being taken seriously as an artist, is to take yourself seriously. Your time, creativity, and talent are valuable, and I feel being new only affects you so much. What is new, anyway? You may be new to selling your work, or certain forms of it, but you’ve probably been making art for a while.

I am hugely sympathetic if you’re feeling down or know you’re too hard on yourself. After you agree that yes, your art is work and yes, you would like some form of payment you can then learn more about the business aspects to make better, informed decisions. That process is hugely transformative, and I personally feel you shouldn’t have to wait to sell your first piece of art to ask questions. And yes, in case you’re wondering? You’re totally worth it! After all, if you undermine and undervalue your work — then why should someone pay for all that great work you’re doing?

Mood: Recovery. (I have a chest cold.)

Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: Managed

Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: Living room to kitchen. Make tea. Rinse and repeat a thousand times.

In My Ears: Lucy soundtrack

Game Last Played: Final Fantasy X-2

Book Last Read: Kim Stanley Robinson’s Aurora

Movie/TV Show Last Viewed: ONCE: Upon a Time

Latest Artistic Project: Make Art Not War 2017 Challenge and Rules

Latest Releases: In Volo’s Wake for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, Unknown Armies Books 1-3, and Kobold Guide to Gamemastering .

Current State of Projects: Read my latest project update. New project update coming in May.

[New Release] Cabal RPG

You have an agenda.

Together, you control a powerful organisation; it might be a company, a conspiracy, cult or corporation. You control vast resources over a global powerbase. You employ teams of specialists with very particular skill-sets to protect your secrets.

Your agenda might be anything, world domination, the defence of the planet, vast wealth or just unlimited rice pudding.

What you are willing to do to achieve those ends, well, that’s up to you…

Cabal is a stand alone RPG, designed by Andrew Peregrine, where the players control a single character together,and set out to advance its goals and power. Funded by Kickstarter, the Cabal RPG is now available on DriveThruRPG.com. This collaborative project includes art and factions by several designers, including myself. Hope you enjoy the conspiracy!

Redwing’s Gambit Sale, Novella Excerpt, and Design Essays

Today, I am pleased to announce that Redwing’s Gambit, which takes place in the fun, romping Bulldogs! universe, is on sale through Saturday, May 13th at DriveThruFiction.com. Written in 2012, this novella is an earlier look at my storytelling — perfect if you’re waiting for my upcoming stories to come out! When Redwing’s Gambit first debuted, I wrote notes on the story’s and setting’s design, and am re-sharing those here in addition to one of my favorite scenes.

If you’re interested, here’s a link to Redwing’s Gambit on DriveThruFiction.com. The story is formatted in ePub and PDF; you receive both when you order the file. Additionally, I pulled some links to design essays I wrote about the novella for you, too!

Constructing Redwing’s Gambit: Research and Background Part 1 of 5 – The first question I asked myself was not about what story I wanted to write, but how I wanted to present the tale in such a way that felt more like Fate than d20. In my mind, the Fate rules really emphasizes and focuses on relationships or the ties that connect and bind the characters to one another.


Constructing Redwing’s Gambit: Characters and Treatment – Part 2 of 5 – The treatment evolved from the original concept for a number of reasons. At the time, I thought the story required one perspective, but that didn’t turn out to be the case. One mystery in a closed environment was “okay,” but it wasn’t enough for the readers to get a feel of what makes Bulldogs! a cool science fiction setting. Initially, my thinking was that an observant character could really dig into and tell a tale, highlighting the different aspects of the alien races and the worlds. Boy, was that ever wrong! While that technique sounds good, it didn’t work when I started writing it because I bored myself going on and on and on…


Constructing Redwing’s Gambit: Structure and Plot – Part 3 of 5 – After I had an approved story and treatment, I went to work writing the first and second draft. My inclination was not to offer one perspective, but to offer several. A mystery just did not work from an observer’s point-of-view because I had a lot of characters and they’re all not physically located in the same place on the ship. The logistics of having Dan sneak around like a ninja were not only boring — but creepy and Clueish. So, I added in other perspectives straight off the bat. I knew multiple viewpoints (there are three) was outside of how I normally write, but I felt it was necessary for a good story.


Constructing Redwing’s Gambit: Revisions and Cut Text – Part 4 of 5 – I have about 7 to 10,000 words of cut text that I removed from Redwing’s Gambit during the revisions process. Once I erased Dan Daget’s character, I restructured the flow of the different perspectives and ensured that they read correctly. The biggest reason for the revisions, however, was to reduce any extraneous worldbuilding or plot hooks to keep the pace strong. With this being a novella, that meant minimizing certain aspects and also changing the strength of the relationship between Violet and the security chief to one of hidden, but mutual, feelings for one another. This first bit was altered because the spying robots was less important than Xax or Edna’s kidnapping.


Constructing Redwing’s Gambit: Easter Eggs – Part 5 of 5 – The goal of this story was to help you get to know the characters and based on the reviews so far? That’s what you got out of it, too. Here are a few “easter eggs” to show you how some elements in

Friendly Friday: Transformers and Dan Khanna

There’s something about Transformers that I find uniquely satisfying. Is it the big giant robots beating the crap out of each other? Maaaaayyyyyybe. Is it the hilarious way that Megatron would shut down Starscream‘s whining with a single glare? Or the fact that there were ultra-rare female Transformers who showed up in the movie but were thought to be extinct? Okay, maybe not so much. (Side note: I want that story. Did Megatron kill them all?) Starscream was definitely true to his name. But Soundwave, hoo… He was the shizzit. I mean, seriously, you have a boom box Transformer with a chest that can open and close to release other Transformers. That is legendary, right there.

Thanks to a re-issue of the original, I did manage to get my hands on this bad boy.

Fast forward to New York Comic Con many years later… I wasn’t able to attend, but for our anniversary my SO brought home several retro Transformers prints beautifully illustrated by Dan Khanna. As it turns out Dan has worked on Transformers for some time, and is a frequent guest at comic book conventions who can often be found in artist alley. Dan is one of the artists that I refer to as “hoofing it”, because he’s always on the road with a sketchbook in hand and another booth to set up. I honestly don’t know how he manages to live in NYC, travel as much as he does, and draw so beautifully. So awesome! Thanks to his busy travel schedule, I did manage to catch up with Dan the following year at C2E2 and enjoyed a “geek out” moment.

According to the Transformers Wiki (Life goals!), Dan started out as a fan artist before he was hired to work on the official line. This, right here, is a testament to what I keep preaching: fans become pros all the damn time. There’s no such thing as “just a fan”, and I’m very happy that Dan’s talent continues to be recognized and appreciated.

Known primarily for his work with Transformers, Dan has also worked as a colorist/illustrator on comics for IDW and Titan UK; he has also designed packaging for Hasbro toys as well. In fact, you could say that Dan is…more than meets the eye. (Insert groan here.) I’m hoping someone will tap his creativity for the sequel to Pacific Rim. Can you imagine Dan illustrating big, giant Jaegers beating the crap out of each other for a second time? Yes, yes I can.

For more about Dan and his work, you can visit www.dantheartguy.com or Dan the Art Guy on Deviant Art page.

Mood: I forgot what day it is.

Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: Eh… I admit NOTHING!

Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: Holy spring cleaning, Batman!

In My Ears: The soft, soothing bubbles of our fish tank.

Game Last Played: Final Fantasy X-2

Book Last Read: Kim Stanley Robinson’s Aurora

Movie/TV Show Last Viewed: ONCE: Upon a Time

Latest Artistic Project: Make Art Not War 2017 Challenge and Rules

Latest Releases: In Volo’s Wake for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, Dark Ears Companion , and Kobold Guide to Gamemastering .

Current State of Projects: Read my latest project update. New project update coming in May.

Mark Your Calendar for WisCon

I am pleased to announce that my next convention will be WisCon at the end of May. The guests of honor are Amal El-Mohtar and Kelly Sue DeConnick. I am participating and moderating several panels, and I am anxious to hear what this year’s stellar speakers have to say. Hope to see you at the show!

Tropes In SF Novels, Comics, and Video Games

Sat, 1:00–2:15 pm Location: Conference 1

Kate M Lansky (M), Jake Casella, Monica Valentinelli

SF is a genre that crosses media — novels, poetry, comics, video games, movies, and TV. How do SF stories differ from medium to medium? What tropes does each medium use and why? What kinds of stories are in vogue in each medium? Are there SF tropes that are better used in novels? In games? And why?

Portraying Resistance: Fiction Media and News Media

Sun, 10:00–11:15 am Location: Assembly

Monica Valentinelli (M), Nino Cipri, Ian K. Hagemann

How are resistance movements portrayed in speculative fiction? While some forms of fiction glamorize resistance movements (Star Wars comes to mind) there is a wide gap between this and how news media portrays, for example, the Ferguson movement. Are the only safe resistances fictional (or historical) ones? How do we get from “riots” to “heroic uprisings”? Fictional resistances are also able to gloss over the problematic details of committee meetings, arguments between members, lack of funds, trying to feed crowds, unequal division of labor, and trying to come to consensus. Are there fictional resistances that deal with these details and with sexism, racism, homophobia? Can we learn from fiction how to portray real resistance movements as heroic?

Why Is “Casual” a Dirty Word in Gaming?

Sun, 1:00–2:15 pm Location: University C

Monica Valentinelli (M), Katherine Cross, Ann Lemay, Katherine Olson (Kayjayoh), Beth Plutchak, Katie Sapede

Video gaming is set to become a 99.6 billion dollar industry and is cemented into the mainstream. Why are “casual gamers” still a hated group? Why do we need to separate them from “hard-core gamers”? Let’s explore why some in the gaming community hold on tightly to excluding “casual gamers.”

Worldbuilding Through Profanity

Sun, 4:00–5:15 pm Location: Caucus

Monica Valentinelli (M), Dylan Edwards, Benjamin Rosenbaum

Swearing is something that comes naturally to people. Swearing is also highly cultural. ‘Damn!’ only works if a culture has the concept of damnation. Short versus long invocations, it all goes together. How do you construct a swearing culture for a new people? How does it vary by social class? Let’s find out.

Registration is capped, so if you’re interested in attending be sure to visit the WisCon website.

[New Release] Geist: The Sin-Eater’s Foreboding Lands for Dark Eras

Today, I am pleased to announce that the Dark Eras Companion, the second massive volume filled with alternate history settings for the Chronicles of Darkness, is now available. In Dark Eras, I wrote “Doubting Souls” for Hunter: The Vigil. For the companion, I was one of the writers who contributed to “Foreboding Lands”. Set in the world of Geist: The Sin-Eaters, the chapter takes place in and around Roanoke Island approximately a hundred years earlier.

“Foreboding Lands” was a fan-requested era that was funded during the original Kickstarter for Geist: The Sin-Eaters. Instead of fixating on the Lost Colony of Roanoke, we did end up taking a different and broader direction tapping into the history of the period and the core aspect of Geist: ghosts. I found that this chapter was more demanding to write for than the previous one for several reasons, and hope that my nuanced and complex presentation of the subject is something you’ll dig.

If you’re interested in “Foreboding Lands”, you can pick up a copy of the Dark Eras Companion filled with multiple, haunted settings at DriveThruRPG.com.

MANW Check-In Week 18: Call for Beta Readers and Cover for Make Art Not War Book!

Hello! How are you doing today? Since my last couple of posts have been pretty deep, focusing on a month-end recap, announcement of a new theme, and last week’s check-in, I thought I’d switch gears and let you know I am putting together an eBook for my Make Art Not War 2017 Challenge. I would love to get a couple of beta readers prior to release, so if you’re interested let me know via my contact page or in the comments below.

I wanted to give you a sneak preview of the cover today!

The cover art was designed by Meredith Gerber. The book will include material previously offered on this blog, plus several brand new creative prompts. Hope you dig!

Mood: Overloaded. Soooooooo much to do!

Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: Eh. A modest amount.

Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: I sat on my butt, and I was not happy about it. I did go for a quick walk, but we’ve had nothing but rain.

In My Ears: BBC version of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

Game Last Played: Final Fantasy X-2

Book Last Read: Kim Stanley Robinson’s Aurora

Movie/TV Show Last Viewed: ONCE: Upon a Time

Latest Artistic Project: Make Art Not War 2017 Challenge and Rules

Latest Releases: In Volo’s Wake for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, Unknown Armies Books 1-3, and Kobold Guide to Gamemastering .

Current State of Projects: Read my latest project update. New project update coming in May.