David Michael Williams's Blog: One Million Words (or less), page 2

Getting the lay of the land

I might be putting the cartography before the horse.

Five months ago, I had an idea for a fantasy setting in which the entire planet has been rendered lifeless and inhabitable except for a small region. This largely urban setting, ironically called The Last City of Mirth, has kept its hooks in me for nearly half a year. I’ve already filled 75 pages (26,000+ words) with brainstorming notes.

And by brainstorming, I mean mostly worldbuilding.

Very early in this potential project, I decided my fantasy world would not have a single elf, dwarf, or even human. Instead, I’ve challenged myself to create eleven unique sapient species to populate the world of Dûr—or at least what remains of it.

Crafting cultures from scratch, detailing everything from physiology and philosophy to education and economy, is a time-consuming exercise. I’ve averaged two species per month and recently reached the halfway point; six down, five to go!

But instead of diving into the fungal, fay-like Mykati, I have temporarily stepped away from biology to embrace a new subject: geography.

Some old-school sketches

Back when I was building Altaerra, my first fantasy world and the setting for The Renegade Chronicles and Magic’s Daughter, I procrastinated when it came to creating a world map.

On second thought, I’m pretty sure I started with a horrible representation of the world that I quickly realized didn’t suit my vision and just as quickly tossed aside. I tried a continent next. Some of those broad strokes were helpful; however, the emerging stories (and backstories) rendered it obsolete in short order.

Focusing in even further, I decided to concentrate on the main setting of my emerging narrative and the book that would eventually become Rebels and Fools. Thus was born this fledgling map of a single island province.

Readers familiar with this region will note a few “inaccuracies,” starting with the spelling of island. “Capricorn” eventually became “Capricon”—and that’s just the tip of the (wizard’s) mountain!

So many locations disappeared after this initial draft, such as Temple of Pymn, Phylins, and Port of Mink. Apparently, Boen Temple was eliminated almost immediately, as evidenced by the enormous, penciled X over its icon. Oddly, Token was also crossed out but survived future drafts. Other destinations, including Aron and Steppt, moved around a bit.

Behold, the second draft:

At this phase, the shape of the land mass itself became standardized; I created a template that I could trace for consistency going forward. The number of locations on the map was also streamlined considerably since the size of the landmass didn’t justify so many settlements.

Yet I needed a different version of the map for The Renegade Chronicles, if for no other reason that Rydah is not in ruins at the beginning!

This map was my must-have reference when plotting the comings and goings of characters throughout the trilogy. Typos aside, it served me well, and it’s what I handed off to the cover designer, who digitized it and cleaned it up.

The final version is what you’ll find in the front of each novel in the series:

What’s interesting to me is the tug-of-war that happens between the story and the map. I couldn’t have gotten through the first draft of Book 1 without a visual representation of the setting. But the words I committed to page also impacted the map, requiring ongoing edits.

I suspect that dynamic is natural, if not unavoidable. Fortunately, technology has made tweaking maps even easier in the intervening years.

Doing digital

None of my subsequent novels necessitated maps. The Soul Sleep Cycle has fantasy flavoring but belongs in the dreampunk genre, and even though Magic’s Daughter is sword-and-sorcery fantasy, most of the story takes place at Castle Nelesti.

An argument might have been made to include a travel map for The Lost Tale of Sir Larpsalot, but I wouldn’t experience the need for cartography until I tackled my first tabletop roleplaying game (TTRP). The Curse of Er’Mah’Gerd required battle maps, local maps, and a regional map.

Here’s the interior of The Winking Cyclops inn from the game’s opening act:

To produce the various maps for The Curse of Er’Mah’Gerd, I familiarized myself with a web app called Inkarnate, which I have also used to craft battle maps for D&D adventures I’ve run for my family—including a couple of one-shots I wrote for Goodman Games.

An avalanche? Ethereal fog? Check and check!

I can’t say, definitively, that The Last City of Mirth will become a TTRPG. Or even a novel for that matter. But as long as I am worldbuilding, I know I’ll need a map before long—hence, this detour from my study of the Mykati mushroom folk.

Let it be known that I didn’t immediately select the digital option for my small regional map. So vividly did I picture some of the geographical features recorded in my 75 pages of worldbuilding notes that I almost convinced myself I had already sketched some rough arrangement of these landmarks.

But like so much of this, it was only in my imagination.

As I considered grabbing one of my decades-old sketchbooks and a mechanical pencil (always a mechanical pencil, 0.5 mm), I paused. In a matter of seconds, I weighed the pros and cons of analog versus digital. For the same reason I prefer to type rather than write longhand, I decided to open my laptop and get to work: deleting and duplicating is far more efficient than manually erasing and repeating.

After nearly four hours—admittedly longer than a smudged hardcopy would have taken but with considerably more polish—I produced the following:

The empty village of Prospect didn’t exist prior to this exercise, and I’m not in love with the name. Otherwise, I’m pleased with my efforts. If nothing else, it forced me to name the body of water to the west of Mirth: the Sunswallow Sea.

Now I find myself wondering if the plain between Prospect and Mirth has a name and whether any of the isles near the coast hide additional survivors. Most of all, I’m eager to open a new file and start some urban planning by mapping out the three districts of Mirth.

However, that will have to wait for another day because after the Mykati, a handful of other sapient species await discovery, including nomadic monks with mind-over-matter proclivities, scaled mammalian knowledge seekers, plant-based sprites, and what I can only describe as land squids.

Then I’ll reward myself with a new map—unless some of the characters start talking and distract me in the meantime!

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Don’t miss actual play of The Curse of Er’Mah’Gerd

Buckle up your bracers: my fun-forward tabletop roleplaying game will soon make its streaming debut!

Whether you’re a fan of The Lost Tale of Sir Larpsalot with no plans to play the spinoff adventure yourself or you’re a gamemaster (GM) seeking a preview, you’ll have the chance to watch The Curse of Er’Mah’Gerd in real time on Twitch in less than a fortnight.

Act 1 of the game will air at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 22, with subsequent sessions to be scheduled thereafter. I’m honored that Twenty Sides to Every Story has elected to host the game on its popular TTRPG channel: www.twitch.tv/twentysidestoeverystory.

You can also catch a casual interview with yours truly on “Talking Twenty” in advance of the actual play—10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 16, at the link above.

The videos will eventually get uploaded to Twenty Sides’ YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@TwentySidestoEveryStory.

Twenty Sides to Every Story

At its core, Twenty Sides to Every Story is a Twitch channel and Discord community featuring actual plays of Dungeons & Dragons and other tabletop games. For those outside the fandom, the name is derived from the 20-sided dice that are so integral to D&D as well as many other TTRPGs.

And I can say from first-hand experience that the GMs and players featured in Twenty Sides’ various campaigns certainly create memorable stories. I’ve personally participated in a number of community games as well as a few full-fledged campaigns—as described in this blog post about my character-creation compulsion.

Moreover, I’ve become close with several members of this dynamic community, such as Alex Kurowski, the channel’s creator. Alex is also a prolific contributor to TTRPG publications, including Goodman Games’ forthcoming Dungeon Denizens and Grimtooth’s Old-School Traps, making him a brother-in-arms for game writing. I’ve had the pleasure of playtesting some of his puzzle-rich encounters, too.

Which is all to say that I expect my time on “Talking Twenty” to feel more like chatting with an old friend than promoting a product. Funny fact: Alex lives a half hour away, and yet we’ve never met face to face!

I suppose that encounter will have to wait for another day…

The talented Alex Kurowski,
creator of Twenty Sides to Every Story,
in his natural habitat.

Start your own adventure

Of course, if you’d rather avoid spoilers and run your own campaign, you can order The Curse of Er’Mah’Gerd as a hardcover book or digital edition at DriveThruRPG.com.

The game can be completed in as few as three sessions, or you can prolong the magic if you include the optional encounters. Check out this Q&A for more details.

And if you plan to stream your game sessions, please let me know. I’d love to see which path your players take, how they overcome the obstacles set before them, and (best of all) how they portray the haphazard heroes of Good Company!

The post Don’t miss actual play of The Curse of Er’Mah’Gerd appeared first on David Michael Williams.

The pros and cons (pun intended)

Or: How I spent my summer vacation

A funny thing happens when you cross the line between consumer and creator.

When I told a friend I was attending Gen Con—the largest and longest-running gaming convention in North America—he asked whether I was going for work or pleasure.

A fair question. After all, I have a tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) on the market, and Gen Con also devotes a section of the vendor hall to fantasy authors. Plus the event offers a variety of seminars and workshops for creatives, some of which I’ve attended in the past.

But this year, my answer was firmly “just for fun,” not only because I went with my family, but also because the cost of entry would have been quite high and expected return on investment, inversely low.

Simply put, I would have been the smallest of fish in a leviathan-filled ocean.

Just for fun

We attend Gen Con for the games first and foremost, and on that front the con never disappoints. Thanks to learn-to-play events, demos, and late nights at the hotel, there are plenty of opportunities to try new/new-to-us board games, card games, and TTRPGs. And while we didn’t get our hands on the coveted Lorcana card battler during its pre-release promotion, we had plenty of fun with these alternatives:

AstraBattle for GreyportThe Binding of Isaac: Four SoulsDice ThroneSpicy DiceTales from the Red Dragon Inn

I also picked up a couple TTRPGs: The Darkest Dream by Gooey Cube, which I hope to run myself, and Dungeons of Drakkenheim, which I hope someone will run for me (hint hint, John!). One of the highlights of the trip, for me, was meeting the creators and original livestream players of the Drakkenheim campaigns.

Beyond games, we enjoyed the Great Gooey Gameshow, Dungeons & Bingo, and the Super Nerd Magic Show. In years past, we also participated in the cosplay contest, but since that eats up a big portion of Saturday, we decided to simply dress up—you guessed it—just for fun, posing for photos as requested. (Costumes were courtesy of my amazingly talented wife Stephanie, AKA Incogneato Designs.)

We explored 100% of the phantasmagoria-filled vendor hall, accumulating plenty of loot along the way. A hidden gem at Gen Con has always been meeting and playing with people who share a passion for play, not the least of which are my fantastic family.

Truth be told, we crammed a lot of diversion into four days. Who knew fun could be so exhausting?

Working the con

More than 70,000 civilians attended Gen Con this year. I don’t know how many professionals made the pilgrimage, but the ones I met were certainly working hard. I’d wager that just about every one of them started out as a fan—a consumer—before their love of games compelled them to become creators.

The transition from games as a hobby to a labor of love to a true profession is fraught with perils. Game makers run the gauntlet of playtesting, slay the monsters of manufacturing and marketing, and delve through labyrinthine distribution channels. That’s the price one must pay to contribute to the medium in a meaningful way.

Here be the realm where work and play collide.

I wasn’t being quite truthful earlier when I implied my trip to Gen Con was solely for fun. You can’t spell “networking” without “work,” and I made it a point to seek out Fifth Edition Editor Chris Doyle at Goodman Games booth for some face time. I’ve had the honor of writing and editing for this major publisher of TTRPGs for the past couple years. Sadly, a dehydration headache preempted my appearance at the company’s social event.

I also introduced myself to Gooey Cube founder “Alphinius Goo” and met representatives from the Lacrosse, Wisconsin publisher responsible for the Universal Horizons TTRPG. You can bet your last copper that I’ll be reaching out to these outfits to offer my freelancing services. Several brochures for organizations made up of indie game makers were snagged.

Of course, I also paid special attention to how booths were set up and how events were run since I’ll be dipping my toe into a proverbial pond that is much smaller and more local early next year.

Winter is coming

Cognitively, I understand that an entire season must come and go before my first gaming-con commitment. Yet it feels like Midwinter Gaming Convention in Pewaukee, Wisconsin is right around the corner because I have so much to prepare.

I’ve racked up plenty of XP attending conferences devoted to books, but I’ll be treading new territory come January. Granted, Midwinter Gaming Convention is quite a bit smaller than Gen Con, and the con is especially suited for indie game makers. Yet the prospect still fills me with some anxiety.

Not only will I be upgrading my usual booth setup to cater to the gamer audience, but I’ll actually be running a few sessions of The Curse of Er’Mah’Gerd. Yes, I’ve served as gamemaster (GM) before. No, I’ve never GM’d for strangers.

Creating new pullup banners and stickers are just the tip of the iceberg. Plenty more logistics must be plotted out so that I and my players have what we need to enjoy the game’s opening act. The con organizers have been incredibly helpful, so at least I’m making ongoing “nerve checks” with advantage.

There’s no denying I have a lot of work ahead of me. A labor of love is still labor. But even if I won’t be attending Midwinter Gaming Convention “just for fun,” I suspect I’ll have a lot of fun anyway.

That’s one of the pros of cons: when you’re surrounded with people who share your passion, you can’t help but have a good time.

The post The pros and cons (pun intended) appeared first on David Michael Williams.

My character-creation compulsion

Illustration by Cliff Kurowski

As far as addictions go, it’s not a horrible one to have.

In fact, fashioning fully formed personas can be a healthy habit if you’re a fiction author who needs a plethora of people to populate page after page of plots. Anyone who has read my novels knows I don’t shy away from large casts of characters. The Renegade Chronicles alone features dozens of protagonists, antagonists, and other individuals—culminating in maybe one hundred names sprinkled throughout the series if you count historical figures and “off stage” operators.

Even The Soul Sleep Cycle, which boasts a significantly smaller number of players, demonstrates my character-creation compulsion, since many of the heroes and villains play dual parts: their real-world identities and their dreamscape alter-egos.

Little surprise, then, that my love of character creation has crept into one of my favorite hobbies, tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs).

While I’ve been “Dungeons & Dragons adjacent” for most of my life, I finally started playing the world’s most popular TTRPG back in 2018. It started with a single campaign starring one player character (PC)—and in short order spiraled into a rotating stable of heroes for various opt-in adventures, one-shots, and playtesting experiences. Not long ago, I found myself playing three different campaigns at once, each with its own PC for me to personify.

And all of that is outside of the six PCs, 10 nonplayer characters (NPCs) with unique stat blocks, and a smattering of supporting NPCs I created for The Curse of Er’Mah’Gerd…

My approach to creating PCs is similar to that of fleshing out characters for my novels (which I’ve covered in such posts as “How to make a person” and “A fantasy author’s approach to D&D”). But unlike the heroes who star in my books, the PCs I craft for various and sundry D&D sessions are seldom seen beyond the gaming table. Sure, the gamemaster (GM) and other players get to know them, but other than a handful of my PCs who have appeared in livestreamed campaigns, many of these creations have been doomed to relative obscurity.

Until now.

Here are five of my favorite D&D characters. I’d love to hear about some of yours in the comments. (We can quit making new ones whenever we want to…right?!)

OzricAlignment: neutral goodRace: gnomeClass: barbarian (Path of the Zealot)Background: folk heroCampaign(s):Lost Mine of PhandelverVarious one-shotsAlso appeared as an NPC in two of my homebrewed one-shots: “Who is Jasper Cobbletrue?” and “The Order of Ozric”Inspiration:

Instead of min-maxing to produce a powerful warrior for my first D&D experience, I decided to explore an unlikely combination of race and class—taking one of the smallest playable creatures and pairing it with abilities typically associated with big, musclebound brutes. Ozric might suffer from “little dog syndrome,” but he was never a joke for me. There’s a really good reason why he distrusts the taller races and has cast off the trappings of civilization. His rage is justified.

Character development:

Ozric’s intolerance for bullies of any build took him to some dark places. For a while, he hung the heads of his enemies from his belt. He also drank a lot. It wasn’t until he was able to return to his homeland and free his fellow gnomes from their human oppressors that he found a purpose greater than revenge: working with his kinsmen to supplement the city-state’s brains with some good old-fashioned brawn to prevent future invasions.

Favorite in-game moment:

After learning a missing party member had been taken by dragon cultists, Ozric tried to fight past his own teammates to ascend the tower, eventually putting himself in great peril to rescue the halfling. After getting clawed by two wyrmlings—and looking into the eyes of an adult green dragon—I fully expected Ozric to die. In fact, it was the closest I’ve come to losing a D&D character to date. Fortunately, fate had other plans for my little berserker.

Illustration by Gwendolyn Williams

HunchAlignment: chaotic neutralRace: gnollClass: monk (Way of the Drunken Master)Background: outlanderCampaign(s):Expedition to the Barrier Peaks (opt-in session)Seven Days of Set (Dark Tower) playtestingInspiration:

While Hunch has a robust backstory about fleeing his bloodthirsty kin to be trained by monks who (much to their chagrin) have vowed to never turn away someone in need, his personality is basically that of my golden retriever Marv with a little bit of Ed from Lion King mixed in. He’s dopey and deadly but really just wants some friends.

Character development:

None—Hunch remains a good-natured and naïve warrior who wants to do what’s right and hopefully make some friends along the way. Maybe if I played him more, he would evolve beyond that…but not necessarily.

Favorite in-game moment:

During my very first community game with Twenty Sides to Every Story, an installment of Expedition to the Barrier Peaks, my gnoll monk glommed onto a certain cleric. Hunch followed “Willy” around like a puppy dog for the entire session—until William fell prey to an intellect devourer, and Hunch had to help put down the usurped body of his fallen friend. Lasting friendships are so hard to find!

Illustration by PotatoLion

IchabodAlignment: lawful goodRace: plasmoidClass: bard (College of Eloquence)Background: sageCampaign(s):Spelljammer: Light of XaryxisInspiration:

I honestly couldn’t tell you why I decided to create a gentlemanly ooze who fancied himself an ambassador for all plasmoids, but it was a “new” playable race that interested both my sister and me, and we had decided to play siblings for the Spelljammer campaign. (She went with a pink-hued monk with a smiley-face mask named Placebo.) In the same, self-sabotaging spirit that prompted me to make a gnome barbarian, I decided to make a PC that specialized in speechcraft and absolutely sucked in combat—a risky gamble considering how many battles we faced in wildspace!

Character development:

Prior to leaving his home world, Ichabod was an idealist and a pacifist. As the adventure went on—and after seemingly endless betrayals—his skin (membrane?) thickened quite a bit, and he learned to embrace stern words and even violence as the situation demanded. Yet in the end, he proved to be a worthy diplomat, capable of coming up with pragmatic tactics when necessary. He was always a man of his word—only now his words packed a bit more of a punch!

Favorite in-game moment:

In the final battle, Ichabod risked his life to attempt a dangerous maneuver that could have cost him not only his life, but the lives of everyone on his doomed planet. Without spoiling too much from the climax of Light of Xyraxis, I can say that the last person to betray the party paid a huge price, thanks to a surprise finger of death spell—and the clever command that followed.

You can watch the entire campaign at Twenty Sides to Every Story.

Illustration by Stephanie Williams

NoelAlignment: chaotic goodRace: halfling midge!Class: sorcererBackground: far travelerCampaign(s):Curse of StrahdInspiration:

Noel is the only character of mine to make the leap from my traditional works of fiction to the interactive storytelling medium of TTRPGs. Why? Because he’s one of my favorites! He also has a knack for jumping from world to world, including Altaerra (The Renegade Chronicles and “Reputation” from Ghost Mode & Other Strange Stories) and The Lost Tale of Sir Larpsalot, where the diminutive spellcaster is known by a different name. Initially, I questioned whether dropping the cheerful midge into the dark Ravenloft setting would somehow ruin the game, but the DM enthusiastically encouraged the idea. Many wild magic surges ensued!

Character development:

A lifelong adventurer, Noel has come to rely on his gut. Sometimes jumping to conclusions gets him into trouble. Other times, his intuition leads him to the right answer, albeit not always through a straightforward line of reasoning. In many of his other quests, Noel played a supporting role. Not in Bavovia. While not a true “party leader,” Noel fancied himself a mentor to some of the younger heroes and had no trouble voicing his opinion of what the troupe should do next—even if that meant running headlong into horrors. (But let the record show that he didn’t touch anything in Castle Ravenloft.)

Favorite in-game moment:

Noel is a battle mage through and through. His entire roster of spells focus on dealing massive damage. Yet the sorcerer was not beyond thinking outside the box in combat situations—especially when the party was on the verge of being overwhelmed by werewolves. Enter Pouncer, King of the Werepanthers…who was, in reality, a black panther conjured from the gray bag of tricks, balancing on his hind legs and voiced by an invisible Noel. The wacky intimidation tactic worked thanks to a DM who rewards creativity and an amazing dice roll!

Illustration by Cliff Kurowski

CassAlignment: neutralRace: humanClass: rogue (thief)Background: charlatanCampaign(s):Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon QueenInspiration:

After playing as Noel in Curse of Strahd, my sister joked that I should play as Klye (from The Renegade Chronicles) in my next campaign. I decided against it—and then unconsciously built a character very much like that Renegade Leader. Up until Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen, I typically played characters who were genuinely good, cared little about loot, and had little compunction against putting themselves in harms way to help their allies. Cass is almost the opposite of that, and I’m grateful to the other players for letting me explore a more selfish, devious PC.

Character development:

Cass doesn’t wish to be a hero. They want only to survive the war that has engulfed the continent and maybe get rich along the way. However, the self-isolated thief has started to learn the value of companions—and not merely as allies after steel is drawn. The evolution has been gradual. Cass continues to deceive as a matter of course, though maybe someday they will admit to being a burglar, not a treasure-hunting scholar. Maybe.

Favorite in-game moment:

There have been so many laugh-out-loud moments throughout this campaign thanks to the other players’ roleplaying prowess. Since Cass is standoffish at best, many of those memorable interactions don’t necessarily involve my character. However, one of my favorite running gags is how unconditionally trusting the ranger in the party is, giving Cass the benefit of the doubt even when every player knows Cass is lying.

You can watch the ongoing campaign at Twenty Sides to Every Story.

Honorable mentions

If you’re thinking that creating five PCs in roughly five years isn’t exactly a problem, rest assured, my addiction has wrought a few more:

Josslyn Songweaverchaotic neutraldragonbornbard (College of Glamour)charlatan’Zedeklawful goodtieflingmonk (Way of Shadow)hermitViscount Raymund Vraakischaotic neutralhumanwarlock (Otherworldly Patron: Celestial)sagePickneutralwarforgedrogue (thief)criminal/spyLord Sterlinglawful goodwarforgedbarbarian (Path of the Zealot) and paladin (Oath of Redemption)soldierHobart the Hunterchaotic neutralhumanranger (hunter)criminal/spySheh’ulklawful goodhalf-orcfighterfolk heroVeydachaotic neutraldark elfdruid (Circle of the Land: Forest)outlander

And believe me, I have ideas for many, many more.

Sometimes I reflect, sadly, that none of these characters will ever meet one another, since players typically step into the role of a single PC per game. Then again, when magic is involved, anything is possible.

Besides, I’m a fantasy writer as well as a gamer. Who’s to say some otherworldly force called the Author won’t pull together a few of these wayward adventurers for a short story? More likely, a handful of them will crop up as NPCs in future homebrew adventures.

In the meantime, there’s nothing stopping me from imagining a variety of bizarre encounters involving my favorite alter-egos—in between inventing a bunch of new ones.

The post My character-creation compulsion appeared first on David Michael Williams.

The werecat is out of the bag

I might be between big projects, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t amazing literary achievements to celebrate!

Take, for example, the release of my good friend Mark J. Engels’ coming-of-age urban fantasy novel Werecats Emergent.

I’ve known Mark, a fellow Wisconsin author and purveyor of the paranormal, for more than a decade and have had the honor to be one of the beta readers for his fledgling Forest Exiles Saga. Last month’s paperback and ebook release was a milestone: now the rest of the world can meet Pawly, Ritzi, and the rest of his extraordinary cast of characters.

Because Mark has been a constant source of support during my own “author journey,” serving as a beta reader, partner in brainstorming, cheerleader, and shoulder to cry on, as needed—and because I’m a big fan of his fiction, of course—I’m dedicating this blog post to the worthy cause of spreading the word about his new book.

Let’s start by sinking our teeth into the back-cover blurb:

Afflicted, exploited, and deadly…

Teenaged Pawly discovers her secret werecat heritage after unexpectedly morphing one Halloween night. Desperate to find an outlet for her and her twin brother’s growing bloodlust before they go feral, Pawly’s blended human-werecat family begs a Chicago-area drug cartel for help.

Her uncle Ritzi, meanwhile, scrambles to develop an alternate way the twins might satisfy their lethal urges. Resuming his deported father’s scientific research, Ritzi draws notice from an elder werecat representing a rogue state keen on the twins’ potential. When a cartel enforcer is found savagely mauled following the twins’ first job, Ritzi insists Pawly and her brother enlist in the rogue state’s service to ensure their safety.

But their father, a Navy sailor critically wounded in recent combat, would rather die than risk being separated from his children again—which Pawly soon realizes is no idle threat.

Quick Q&A

Mark was good enough to take some time in between promoting Book 1 and producing Book 2 to answer a few of my questions:

If you had to describe your story in a single sentence, what would it be?

“A family saga series opener featuring the modern-day remnant of an ancient clan of werecats, torn apart as militaries on three continents vie to exploit their deadly talents.”

What inspired you to write this book?

“This is one of the books I had in my heart to write, the sort of book I wanted to read and couldn’t find. Inspired by my beloved anime, manga, and anthropomorphic fandoms. And by favored parts of my Michigander upbringing, including ice hockey, traditional Korean martial arts, and ‘boatnerding.’

“I write (as I believe many other authors do) both out of the abundance of my heart and out of the deep, aching longings within it. Parts of my book depict the life I’ve lived; other parts, the life I wish I had. I leave it to my readers to discern which parts are which, if they’re so inclined.”

What was your favorite scene to write (avoiding spoilers)?

“There are several, actually, but what they have in common is taking place in one of two settings. First, the Katczynski family cabin is a portmanteau of my own family’s Michigan Northwoods lodge and a neighboring cottage fashioned from a retired lighthouse. Second, the tugboat owned and operated by Pawly’s great-uncle Bobby is based on a vessel I worked aboard during my college internship many moons ago with the US Army Corps of Engineers at the Soo Locks—the best job I’ve ever had.”

What was the most challenging part of releasing this book?

“Uhm, all of it? I knew that it would be up to me to figure out how to get my book in front of the eyeballs most likely to go ‘oooh!’ upon seeing the cover, then clicking the ‘buy’ button after reading the book description and reviews. Amazon categories, keywords, cover image, typography, book blurbs, sending out advance reader copies, soliciting editorial reviews: figuring out just how to do all these things and how to do them well so as to attract the very sort of reader I wanted to attract and entice them to buy the book required enormous investments of time and mental energy.

“I am grateful to Reedsy and Kindlepreneur for their helpful blogs, including articles breaking down how to do all the above and more. Grateful all the more to Kindlepreneur for their Publisher Rocket tool—Rocket helped me streamline many of my research tasks and build my confidence in implementing them.”

When can we expect to get our claws on the sequel?

“Soon, very soon! My goal is to get both the next book, Werecats Convergent, and series finale Werecats Resurgent published yet this year. So grateful to you and to all the others being eager to read them. And the best way others can keep current as to release dates, live appearances, and other goings-on is to join my author mailing list (sign up using the “Subscribe” link at the top of my author web site and filling out the short form).”

My mini review

Because reviews remain one of the best marketing instruments in an author’s toolbox, I made sure to add mine to those on Amazon and Goodreads.

The Start of Something Special

Innovation is a virtue. I believe that to be true not only for what I write, but also what I read. And I can confidently say you’ve never read a book quite like Werecats Emergent.

Genre mashups, such as this, allow authors to cherry-pick ingredients from well-established recipes, combine them in unexpected ways, and serve up exceptional creations with a flavor all their own. Werecats Emergent combines the wonder of urban fantasy and furry fiction with the intrigue of military fiction and family drama. The result is a complex yet fast-paced story that delivers on both cerebral and visceral levels.

Werecats Emergent overflows with action, intrigue, and above all passion. It takes the best of what its inspirations have to offer, defies genre conventions, and goes all in on telling you a story you didn’t know you needed to read. Every character—from precocious Pawly to pragmatic Ritzi to an extensive supporting cast—feels real, exhibiting nuance and conflicting motivations that reduce terms like “hero” and “villain” to a matter of perspective.

While I’m eager to continue this adventure in the forthcoming sequel, I have plenty of excuses to reread this first installment of the Forest Exiles Saga in the meantime!

Whether you’re looking forward to some exciting summer reading or keeping an eye out for gifts for the bibliophiles in your life, consider worthy newcomer Werecats Emergent. Those who want a sneak peek can read an excerpt on Amazon.com.

And don’t worry…curiosity only kills the cat.

Buy Werecats Emergent from amazon.com. Visit mark-engels.com and subscribe.

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Pure fluff

Are you ready for a shameless puff piece?

With the launch of The Curse of Er’Mah’Gerd in my rearview mirror and the game’s promotions well underway, I’ve spent the past month looking down the road at what might come next.

Outlining a possible sequel to Magic’s Daughter, coming up with characters for a loser superhero comedy tentatively titled The D-Team, letting my mind wander down even weirder avenues—in the spirit of my Year of Less, I’ve taken a casual approach to planning my next big project.

Therefore, in lieu of a grand announcement proclaiming my next novel/game/whatever, I’m penning a playful post spotlighting a source of my inspiration: my golden retriever, Marvel!

Pets of Projects Past

I haven’t featured many domesticated animals in my fiction. The Renegade Chronicles didn’t provide many opportunities. Giving a certain pirate king a pet parrot would’ve been too on the beak. The closest I came was Opal’s equine companion, Nisson.

Leah from The Soul Sleep Cycle owned a cat named Emira, and Selena crossed paths with a mouser in Magic’s Daughter—an encounter that proved far less lucky for the black cat than the aspiring spellcaster.

It wasn’t until The Lost Tale of Sir Larpsalot that I decided to model a character directly after my current pet. Asher’s energetic dog doesn’t play a substantial part in the story, though an argument could be made that Jabber serves as something of a plot device. Mostly, I included a golden retriever because it made me happy.

The Golden Galoot

My dog Marv is a big, goofy lug. He barrels down the stairs, mindless of whatever—or whoever—happens to be in his way. While reasonably intelligent, he is governed more by his heart than his head. He fancies himself a deadly guard dog, and the family likes to joke that everyone who enters our home is a burglar until proven otherwise.

Of the many nicknames I’ve given Marv over the years, “the Golden Galoot” always makes me chuckle because he’d make a horrible superhero (in spite of the fact that his given name is an homage to Marvel Comics). Forget kryptonite; just turn on a vacuum cleaner, and the Golden Galoot is sure to flee the scene with his tail tucked between his legs.

Which might just make Marv’s apocryphal alter-ego a prime candidate for the aforementioned D-Team novel.

A Game of Bones

A couple of months ago, I had the idea for a tabletop roleplaying game where people play as dogs (and possibly other pets) navigating a world of magical beings whose opposable thumbs allow them to manipulate reality beyond all reason. Because from a dog’s perspective, we humans are miracle workers.

I shared this silly idea with some D&D friends of mine, and we (ahem) rolled with it, coming up with a few possible game mechanics:

Instead of earning experience points (XP), the dogs seek attention points (AP) in the form of scritches and treats.Different breeds have different abilities, but all dogs must have a Good alignment (because they’re all good dogs, yes, they are!).For example, a golden retriever’s dump stat is Agility, but its wagging tail deals double damage to inanimate objects.At least one objective would be a literal fetch quest.The Big Bad is a sadistic monster known only as the VEE EE TEE.

Whether my next project goes to the dogs remains to be seen. But even if Marv doesn’t make a canine cameo in a future book or game, I posit that man’s best friend is worthy of at least one blog post.

I dare you to look at that dopey grin and tell me I’m wrong!

The post Pure fluff appeared first on David Michael Williams.

Fun features with Tom Foolery

In honor of April Fool’s Day, I’m devoting this post to frivolity and fun.

Last month saw the launch of my first full-length tabletop roleplaying game, The Curse of Er’Mah’Gerd. As the title strongly suggests, this fantasy adventure doesn’t take itself too seriously, and no character embodies the game’s cheeky, lighthearted spirit like the player character Tom Foolery.

A missionary of a mischievous goddess, this prankster dwarf comes equipped with skills that make him not only a threat to Good Company’s enemies, but also a nuisance to his own teammates at times. Yes, Tom Foolery loves a good laugh. (Hopefully, you do too!)

The Curse of Er’Mah’Gerd is packed with a plethora of playful puns, so for 4/1, here’s the 4-1-1 on Tom Foolery’s favorites:

The best medicine

Those who have read The Lost Tale of Sir Larpsalot, my YA fantasy novel and inspiration for the new TTRPG, know that Tom Foolery is classified as a clerogue—half rogue and half cleric. He serves Quinlehar, the chaotic neutral goddess of change, freedom, and pranks.

Since Quinlehar is sometimes called the Divine Fool, it is only appropriate that her name is an anagram of the word “harlequin.” According to myth, Quinlehar delights in confounding mortals and is often depicted as a nimble jester clad in black-and-white fabric of every pattern imaginable. Her presence is heralded by the jingling of unseen bells or a disembodied chuckle.

Tom Foolery champions Quinlehar’s capricious attributes with such spells as can-trip, a minor conjuration that causes an enemy (or ally) to fall prone, and whoopee concussion, which sends a thunderous sound resembling flatulence out in every direction to deafen—and maybe disgust—his targets.

Proper props

Silly spells aside, The Curse of Er’Mah’Gerd contains magical and mundane items that anyone can use to illicit a laugh or two. Open your bottomless bag and be sure to stock up before hitting the road:

Ghoul’s Gold — Bewitched to look like a legitimate golden coin, this heavy wooden token is, in fact, worthless.Stank Water — A vial of this clear, smelly liquid has vile consequences to the bodily functions of anyone who drinks it.Jar of Bees — A creative mind can think of myriad uses for this classic combination; however, rumor suggests it could have a strategic purpose against a particularly powerful foe in the game.What sin, a name?

The satirical realm of Mezzo-Earth is home to many people with unapologetically quippy appellations, not the least of which is Tom Foolery himself!

Brace yourself for some real groaners as you meet some of the game’s lesser-known nonplayer characters:

The proprietress of a frontier town’s only tavern, Mary Maker knows when to flash a pretty smile, lend an understanding ear, or conk a rowdy customer over the head with her hidden club.Rick Ghastly was surely saddled with his surname because of his gaunt stature. Sadly, the stablemaster owns only one horse himself, an elderly mare well past her prime. But he’s never gonna give her up!The dwarven Emperor Stalagmight rules with an industrial-iron fist. Some think his son, Prince Stalagtyke, has promise as a statesman, though he is still too rough around the edges to speak on behalf of the Civilized South.If the Disorient delegate Noh-Wei fails in their duty to secure the Forbidden Frontier for the Masked Ones, an equally oblique substitute emissary waits in the wings: Noh-Hao.Victors’ secret

Gamemasters who run The Curse of Er’Mah’Gerd can choose up to 13 optional encounters to sprinkle throughout the adventure. While their players won’t likely learn of these inside jokes, GMs are privy to instances of wordplay planted in the encounters’ names, including a few that pay homage to other adventures:

Riddles with a Drunk is an ignominious (and inebriated) tribute to Bilbo and Gollum’s subterranean tête-à-tête in The Hobbit.You won’t find any gunslinging cowboys in The Lone Granger, but you will find a cow—of a kind.A Song of Ice & Lava has far less political posturing than George R. R. Martin’s magnum opus, but the scenario could prove just as deadly to participants.

Whether Tom Foolery and the other heroes of Good Company succeed in their quirky quest is never certain. But players can be sure they’ll share lots of laughs along the way!

Get in on the joke

The Curse of Er’Mah’Gerd is available as a hardcover book and digital download at DriveThruRPG.com.

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Join Good Company in their first 5E game

The Curse of Er’Mah’Gerd available as digital download and hardcover

Fans of Elvish Presley, Tom Foolery, and the other heroes from The Lost Tale of Sir Larpsalot can now take a stab at being their favorite characters — emphasis on “stab.”

The Curse of Er’Mah’Gerd, a self-contained tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) for up to six players, was designed for both newcomers and those familiar with Fifth Edition Dungeons & Dragons. Players will confront a variety of challenges in the form of combat, diplomacy, and puzzle solving.

Part homage and part parody, the game’s setting of Mezzo-Earth is rife with re-engineered cliches, meta commentary, and plenty of eye-rolling puns.

The Curse of Er’Mah’Gerd includes six pre-generated player characters, more than a dozen maps, 16 original creatures, 22 unique items, and 30 new spells. Multiple playthroughs are encouraged, allowing players to try different characters, choose new allies, battle unique foes, and experience unexplored encounters.

You can buy The Curse of Er’Mah’Gerd as a hardcover book or digital download at DriveThruRPG.com.

As for what the game is about, behold the back-cover blurb!

Buy the GameNo Good Deed Goes Unpunished

When Good Company ventured into the Funk a year ago to retrieve the fabled Staff of Er’Mah’Gerd, the heroes hoped to bring peace to a land long fraught with peril.

But even as the ancient curse seems to fade, three factions fight for control over the region. The feral elves of the Untamed North suffer no trespassers in the former no man’s land, while the industrious dwarves of the Civilized South seek to expand their borders. Meanwhile, the masked humans of the Disorient keep their movements—and motivations—a mystery for now.

With a threefold war brewing, Sir Larpsalot, Elvish Presley, and the rest of Good Company must return to the Forbidden Frontier to mediate what might prove to be the shortest peace talks in history.

The Proof is in the Pages The Power of Knowledge

Creating The Curse of Er’Mah’Gerd took 21 months, from concept to publication. For those seeking more details or glimpse into the process, here are the highlights from my humble quest:

7/13/21: Let the games begin!10/5/21: A first glimpse at The Curse of Er’Mah’Gerd11/2/21: NPC sneak peek: River Eagle2/1/22: Storytelling comes full circle3/8/22: A new look at some old friends4/18/22: Cover reveal: The Curse of Er’Mah’Gerd5/10/22: Now it’s a party!6/7/22: Editing is for the birds7/12/22: Take a tour of the Forbidden Frontier9/13/22: Free creatures & spells for 5E10/12/22: The Curse of Er’Mah’Gerd Q&A11/22/22: We’re off the rails!

The post Join Good Company in their first 5E game appeared first on David Michael Williams.

Available now: The Specter Chronicles

This year, a sky of silver-lined clouds precedes March winds and April showers.

I had hoped to officially announce the publication of my first tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) this month. However, pioneering a new print-on-demand service with its copious idiosyncrasies has firmly pushed The Curse of Er’Mah’Gerd into position for a March release.

Yet I am happy to report that intrepid designer Mary Christopherson and I have successfully navigated the new-for-us process, and a proof copy should arrive for review in a week or two. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the TTRPG will appear in the online store shortly thereafter—though DriveThruRPG warns that even the approval process can take a couple weeks!

(Eager parties can sneak a peek at the book’s interior here.)

But, as I mentioned earlier, February isn’t all doom and gloom for my writing because a certain video game containing my creative touches launched last week. I am delighted to report that Forge 215’s The Specter Chronicles: Episode 1 is now available for the public to play!

My contributions

Over the years, I’ve made no secret of my ambitions to contribute to the video-game medium. Last year, I checked this item off my bucket list by creating unique characters, encounters, and quests for The Specter Chronicles, a cyberpunk RPG that combines a text-based adventure with turn-based tactical combat.

To complete my assignments, I had to learn how to use Twine, an open-source game engine software tool for building nonlinear narratives. The format resembles a flowchart governed by if/then logic, which requires an author to write a single beginning, many middles, and multiple endings—essentially, drafting various versions of each “chapter.”

These exercises stretched my imagination in new ways and forced me to anticipate what players would want to do in any given scenario while providing appropriate consequences for those actions. For a fan of “what if” brainstorming, outlining disparate outcomes for a single starting point was a great deal of fun. Whereas TTRPGs provide general guidelines for gamemasters to run their adventures, video games require strict rules for the technology to function flawlessly.

Which meant I could leverage both my left-brained leanings and right-brained proclivities for this project.

The quests I’m most proud of are as follows:

Specter’s Salvation — After a fair amount of sleuthing, Specter comes face to face with the Zealot, a nemesis who has more in common with Specter than he cares to admit.Grandmaster — Specter’s strategic mind is put to the test by a cunning android who transforms an abandoned arena into a perilous chess match.The Shrine of Yesteryear — A confused codger needs Specter’s help to relocate his relics from old Earth, all of which come with a confused (and comedic) explanation.Honeypot — Specter must find creative ways to fight his way out of a skyscraper teeming with soldiers of the Cartesian Order, only to face a killer clergywoman waiting outside.Love and War — The figurative femme fatale in this posh rendezvous has a few secrets in store for Specter, all of them deadly.

Of course, creating characters always takes the cake for me. Here are a few of my favorite Sector 16 residents, which players will encounter in The Specter Chronicles—for good or for ill!

(Character illustrations by @sherbetday)

Oleksandr

Oleksandr blinks a few times before gathering the courage to look up at Specter. “I…I provide a…a…service!”

Fritz

“Drug…such a crude little word to represent a manufactured miracle you can hold in the palm of your hand.”

Zero

“I may look like a cripple but I’m something else entirely when I’m in my element!”

Zeb

“Man and machine…both succumb to the same cycle of creation and destruction, with the new feeding on the old.”

Sadie

As Specter approaches her table, Sadie arches her back and entwines her fingers behind her head. She licks her black-stained lips and says, “Have a seat, Specter.”

Father Jubal

Father Jubal performs a low bow. “I am, as always, at your service, Specter.”

Play for free (for now)

If you’re interested in leaving the safety of the Warden’s enlightened embrace and prowl the dystopian streets of Sector 16, you can download the game from Steam for free for a limited time.

In between death-defying missions, I’ll be putting the final touches on my launch strategy for The Curse of Er’Mah’Gerd next month. Because this spring in particular, when it rains, it pours!

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My year of less

Although it defies every fiber of my being, I’m entering the new year with fewer plans than ever.

On one hand, it’s invigorating; on the other, terrifying.

When I was a fledgling fiction writer, I saw a clear and admittedly linear path ahead: write nothing but sword-and-sorcery fantasy novels for a traditional publishing company. To make a long story short (pun intended), reality intervened.

Eventually, I took my literary destiny in my own hands by creating an indie publishing company and becoming a so-called authorpreneur. At the same time, I stepped away from my first love—the world of Altaerra with its Knights and Renegades—and expanded my horizons narratively, exploring other genres as well as new story formats.

2018 was my first official Year of Yes, and I didn’t look back. Even as I sought out additional opportunities to put my words out into the world, I’ve kept my productivity levels up, releasing book after book.

In 2021, I crossed an accomplishment off my bucket list when I produced a weekly webcomic. Last year saw the realization of a second lifelong goal: I contributed my talents to a video game. I’ve also been writing and editing tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs) for a prominent publisher of the medium.

So why have I been feeling so frustrated?!

I’ve always considered myself ambitious when it comes to my fiction. But even as I’ve adjusted my rigid approach to writing and fostered an appreciation for variety, I’ve never stopped chasing the same big objective: my dream of making a living solely from my fiction.

Or maybe it’s been hunting me.

Every one of my steps forward has been overshadowed by a finish line that never seems any closer. The celebration of a book release is inevitably sullied by less-than-stellar sales. The catharsis of new creative works is compromised by the accompanying hours and hours spent strategizing, marketing, experimenting, and experiencing disappointment when the outcomes don’t meet my high expectations.

Meanwhile, other authors have accomplished what I’ve been aiming at for decades. Why can’t I replicate their results?

The answer to that question came to me while I was reading a (poorly written) book about how to make money by churning out at least four mid-sized novels in the same genre and ideally the same series, annually. Above all, the book advised, always give the reader exactly what they want and stay on their radar with copious marketing communications. Do not deviate.

Linear, consistent, all-encompassing—ironically, this approach probably would have suited my younger self quite well. But I can’t think of anything less satisfying today.

So where does that leave me?

Reflections and resolutions

While plodding through this self-help book for the millions of people who want to make a living at writing, I experienced an epiphany: if this is what it takes for an author to thrive commercially, it’s not worth it.

Admitting this was a critical blow to my ego. I’m competitive by nature. Worse, “author” is a key component of my identity. If I couldn’t adopt the proven formula for successful authorhood, what does that mean for me as a human being? Was the past decade spent building a platform and producing fiction as an indie author and, later, an indie publisher a big waste of time?

And just what the hell am I supposed to do now?

Step 1: take a deep breath. Step 2: reevaluate. Step 3: resist every instinct to overcommit myself to a wide variety of projects in 2023 in hopes of a lightning strike.

Working harder isn’t the answer. I’ve learned that time and time again. On more than one occasion—and on my website’s homepage, in fact—I’ve dubbed myself a progress junky, and it’s true I get a kind of high by releasing my creations into the world. I daresay most artists do. But temporary boosts to self-esteem aren’t sustainable—not when the moments in between are rife with so much self-doubt and dissatisfaction with my current situation as it compares to my idealization of what it means to be a thriving author.

Creative writing will likely always be a compulsion for me, but it doesn’t have to be a harmful addiction. My wife and I like to tell our screen-savvy son that life isn’t what happens in between video games. The same goes for my fiction-writing career. When every spare thought and moment is devoted to an admittedly selfish pursuit, suffering is inevitable.

For the sake of my sanity and my relationships with real-life loved ones, I must cease my relentless—and reckless—pursuit of a dream-turning-nightmare.

Frankly, I just want writing and its related efforts to be fun again.

Fun first

Don’t get me wrong. I’ve had a lot of fun these past few years. The actual creating will always nurture my soul. Career, hobby, something in between—wherever I land and whichever phase of life I find myself, I expect there’ll be a story on my fingertips.

Yet many of the decisions I’ve been making are more strategic than stimulating. When I’m doing what I think I need to do to make the most of what I’ve written or to open the door to future writing, it means I’m not writing. So much of 2022 was spent completing related tasks, not composing new stories. Yes, I need to edit what I write. Yes, publishing is part of the process. But casting my nets wide has meant fewer minutes devoted to my true passion.

So even though I currently have twenty ideas I could commit to—not to mention potential freelance opportunities competing for my attention—I am entering 2023 with a single personal goal: write a novel.

One book. Maybe two drafts. Perhaps I’ll publish it, too, but if I don’t, it’s not the end of the world.

I suspect my next novel will be Magic’s Disciples, the much-thought-about-but-little-done-about sequel to 2020’s Magic’s Daughter. This trajectory appeals to me for several reasons. For one thing, it will allow me to finish a story I tried telling in 2006. For another, it brings me back to the fantasy world that propelled me down my current path.

Back when writing was just for fun.

Silver linings and sunny skies

I’ll also take this opportunity to remind myself that none of my past endeavors were for nothing. I love each and every story I’ve penned and published. And I’m awfully proud of the professional pioneering I’ve done through One Million Words and other outfits.

Much of the hard work I did in 2022 will see the light of day in 2023:

Remember that TTRPG I’ve been yapping about for a year and a half—a playful, spoofy adventure called The Curse of Er’Mah’Gerd ? The layout phase has taken longer than anticipated, but I’m thrilled to report that Good Company’s next quest is looking great. We’re a month or so away from launch! The Specter Chronicles: Episode 1 – The False Prophet , the aforementioned video game, is in beta! I’m excited to play it and look forward to announcing its official release in a couple of months.My short story “Darlings” is bound for a dreampunk anthology (the spiritual successor of Mirrormaze ), which was originally slated for December 2022. The publication date may have changed, but that only means I’ll be looking forward to its debut a little while longer.Late last year I wrote an adventure for Goodman Games’ Fifth Edition Fantasy line. It doesn’t have a scheduled publication date yet. Worst case scenario, it won’t see the light of day until early 2024. That’s a full year to bask in anticipation!Never say never

Even as I close a number of competing mental doors, I will not shut myself off to metaphorical secret passages. My prior Years of Yes taught me that venturing outside my comfort zone can be incredibly rewarding. 2023 will be more about managing expectations than eschewing possibilities.

For example, I’ve already agreed to contribute to an upcoming Goodman Games book. Additionally, I’ll be assisting a fellow author with self-publishing his first three novels over the course of the next year and a half. Helping a friend—that’s not something I could’ve squeezed into my usual cramped, self-centric calendar.

The phantom of future success has haunted me for far too long. I look forward to returning to a healthier, more focused, and more fun approach to my fiction.

More deep breaths. Less stress.

Enough is, in fact, enough.

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