Imagine a cold day in November. The angels weep in the heavens. The skies are grey. Now transpose such a day into a Friday, this Friday. Melancholy, thy name is Memphis. Though I spend a better part of each day in the gentle glow of a monitor, my mood shifts based upon the weather, and, to be perfectly honest, my health and temper are sometimes impacted by the cold. My back aches from the cold, and I get growly. As a rational being (most of the time), I recuse myself from human contact at this points, because I don’t need [...]

It’s been a long time coming, and you’ve been patient. We’re ready to reward you. Grab your whip, fedora, rocket pack, magic wand, or robot friend, and prepare to do battle! This massive manual of two-fisted fury will be available for pre-order next week.

They say an artist is always as good as his brush, a carpenter only as good as his tools, and a writer, a designer, well, chaps like these get little attention. In fact, we’re supposed to be content with a notebook, a pen, and a brain brimming with creative bent. Let me tell you, we who take a turn at pushing the boundaries of endless imagination are getting the short shrift of that deal. It’s not all bad. Let’s face it. As writers we can (and often do) create wherever we go. Not a lot of folks can say that. [...]

I am working on an index. Right now. Even as we speak. (Well, maybe not quite as you read this, I’m likely asleep or on to some other thing. I hope I’m not still working on the index. It’s for Ravaged Earth. Yes. We’re really that close and, yes, you should be really watching this space for more news. I gotta get back to it. What with the Mad Nazis and Martians conspiring, one can’t just rest easy anyway. Y’know? Until next time, I bid you, dear reader, adieu! P.S. I’m sorry I’m a bit light on words today. There [...]

When you first jump into a “thing”, be it badminton or backgammon, track or field, weightlifting or words, it’s often pursued with a righteous passion, a deep hunger that cannot be satisfied. Or so it may appear. Many folks move too fast. They burn out quickly. They find nothing is limitless. One most cultivate a quiet hunger. A desire to grow and expand one’s horizons in whatever endeavor they pursue. How does one go about this? It’s no real secret. It’s just that nothing is as easy as it seems. Discipline, regardless of skill or aptitude, is critical. With enough [...]

Some days are more exhausting then they have a right to be, staggering about like a drunk ninja, knocking one about before taking a breather on a stool for a moment before resuming the dreaded beating. Today was like that for me. It started out sunny, maybe even a bit auspicious? This false hope did not last. The computer was sluggish and MS had updates which could be put off no more. As they trickled slowly down like a thawing molasses waterfall, I got a bit restless. I’ve learned in the past not to do too much else on this [...]

All in all, things came together on all sorts of fronts for me. Which is good, because I’m really exhausted. I did get my new keyboard today, and had other news which put me mentally in a good space. While it’s not always necessary to be in a calm, quiet spot when you’re writing, it certainly doesn’t hurt when the cards turn your way. Now, does it? I hope you all get some good games in this weekend (or engage in otherwise relaxing activities of leisure). I’ll likely be right here, trying to teach myself how to type (all over [...]

I spent the better part of the day immersed in the icy expanses of my mind as I wandered through the clear, strong, deadly whiteness. I gazed deeply upon the past misfortunes of those who sought to conquer the cold. I drank deep of sorrow and loss. Mankind has long sought to make its mark upon distant places, remote places. Places where he has no place being. It is not in his physiology or psychology to withstand the extremities some reaches of the earth offer. Just as he cannot breath beneath the surface without mechanical aid, he cannot survive long [...]

There are different phases to design, and one of the most important ones is passive creativity. This involves setting the stage where you can most readily come up with the necessary ideas to help you in your work. For example, as I work on tremulus, I am ever mindful to watch some scary stuff, but not exclusively scary stuff. I also watch a lot of drama and, with certain playsets, such as the Frozen Wasteland, I want to know more about ice and cold, not just that it’s white and if I stand out in it too long, it can [...]

I’m in the process of refining some elements of my life. In other words, the plan is to work smarter, not harder. I spend a massive amount of time sitting in front of a keyboard, so I’ve decided to update the Mad Lab a bit. This information will be of use to you writer types out there who don’t want to do all the grunt work that I’ve done in these matters. Some of the things I’ll be getting, in short order, is a new computer (I’m essentially making the switch from PC to Apple for the first time outside [...]