RM: If D-squared were as cool as Christie Golden ...

[Nick]

If D-squared were as cool as Christie Golden he'd be a max level player on a T'Rain RP Server. Christie Golden was on a Blizzard Publishing and Writers Panel at blizzcon where she said she'd leveled up a toon on a RP server. Just finished reading a part in Reamde where D-Squared didn't even know how to pick up gold in T'Rain. I've read three or four of Golden's books and she's a great writer. My favorite by her so far is Lord of the Clans which she said she was given only six weeks to write.

BlizzCon 2011 - Blizzard Publishing: So What's The Story? Panel (Full)
http://youtu.be/buN_ni3GImI?t=54m42s

I wonder how much of Neal Stephenson research was just looking at how Blizzard does business.

[Michael]

Golden has long been my favorite Blizzard novelist. Lord of the Clans was pretty much my gateway drug into Warcraft, and the reason why I love orcs and the Horde to this day.

[Nick]

I've enjoyed the wow books by Richard A. Knaak too but I think Golden is a better writer of characters. Also I really don't like Knaack's pencil thin mustache. It just creeps me out.