Catch Me at Breakout This Weekend

Toronto’s Breakout tabletop game convention levels up once again this year, expanding to the commodious downtown confines of the Sheraton Center. Along with a packed roster of board game and RPG events to play in, Breakout has rounded up a deep bench of guests from the area and beyond. Breakout happens this coming weekend, March 16-18.

I’ll be taking part in the following panels:

Saturday 4 pm - 5 pm GM Masterclass

Sunday 3 pm - 4 pm Creating Compelling Adventures

Corral me either before or after either event to say hi or get something signed.

Finding Me at Dragonmeet 2016

After a parlous period during which it seemed that Pelgrane Press’ magic spreadsheet had turned into a sensible spreadsheet, I am once again delighted to report that I’ll be attending Dragonmeet in London this Saturday. I’ll be there with the Pelgrane crew, including Kenneth Hite, Rob Heinsoo, Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan and of course co-honchos Cat Tobin and Simon Rogers.

The event itself has yet again shed its skin and grown larger and for the first time will be at the Novotel London West near the Hammersmith tube station.

Stop by to chat at the Pelgrane booth, or catch me at the following seminar events:

13:30: Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff Live: Join us for a live podcast recording as Ken nerdtropes up a storm and we field audience questions with our usual jetlagged aplomb.

15:30: What’s Up with Pelgrane Press: The whole team spills the beans on plans for 2017 and beyond, and I periodically urge the non-Kens among them to use their outdoor voices and speak up for the nice people.

If the publishing gods so decree, we’ll have a special Dragonmeet preview edition of Cthulhu Confidential, the flagship GUMSHOE One-2-One release. I could not be more excited about seeing this finally arrive in print form, so please propitiate the ink deities as the weekend draws near.

(Any Simon Rogerses out there might want to take note of the relationship between the venue and a local purveyor of Christmas sandwiches—traditional lunch of choice for humble, undemanding and hard-working freelancers. See handy map.)

My Events at THE KRAKEN

Along with such illustrious names as Sandy Petersen, Jeff Richard, Ian Brumby, Jason Durall, and Michael “Mob” O’Brien, I will be doing the guest thing at THE KRAKEN, October 7-10 at Schloss Neuhausen, Germany.

This year THE KRAKEN celebrates the 50th anniversary of Glorantha and, of course, the 500th of the Reinheitsgebot, Germany’s most beloved set of government regulations. And did I mention that it’s in October?

To celebrate the Glorantha bit, I’ll be running two games: one Hillfolk, the other HeroQuest, both set in the early settlement period immediately prior to the events of King of Dragon Pass. The first may inform the other but no one will have to play both sessions to follow the action. This is important because slots in each game are made available via a lottery system.

I’ll also be taking part in the following panels:

Sharper Adventures in HeroQuest Glorantha: inspired by the best-selling convention chapbook of the same name, this examines ways to make your Glorantha-games more dynamic and player-driven.

Fix My Game, Robin! The perennial GMing master classs panel gets an imperative name.

Advanced Gaming Lore: More tips and tricks, and a free-ranging Q&A.

And here’s where we get to the Reinheitsgebot part—I’ll also be helming a German beer tasting. Root for your favorite product of the German brewing industry to win my seal of approval! London bookmakers heavily favor the Doppelbock but the truth is in the tasting.

THE KRAKEN is no mere convention, but a gaming retreat. I’ll take my trusty mic along to talk to event organizers to explain just what that means, gathering audio to recycle on future editions of Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff.  And since I’ll be in the same room as Sandy Petersen it would be remiss of me to fail to snag an interview with him as well.

As of this writing, one slot has opened up for a full attendee package including accomodations. One can also attend as a day guest, if one happens to be in or around Germany’s least populated region. Book here. Cake has been promised.

Not in Germany but want to check out the proceeds? You’re in luck; they’ll be recording everything for their YouTube channel. Might a mysterious new chapbook be announced?

And if you’d like to celebrate the Gloranthan anniversary with a special feathered message for Greg Stafford, join the duck army.

For more on THE KRAKEN, follow on G+, Twitter or Facebook.

Finding Me at Gen Con 2016

Once again an early Gen Con barrels down upon us like a rollicking freight train of polyhedral mixed metaphors. And once again I will be available to chat with you either from my default perch at the Pelgrane Press stand, or in a fine variety of seminar formats. Either way, be sure to say hi. It’s what I’m there for.
Scheduled events are as follows:

Stealing From the Movies, Thursday 2 pm, Crowne Plaza Victoria Station C/D. Campaign ideas & awesome RPG action are as close as the multiplex. Pelgrane Press designers help you adapt, adopt, & improve the plots & characters of Hollywood, Hong Kong, & Hammer Films.

Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff, Friday 1 pm, Westin: Council. Join Kenneth Hite and me for a live edition of our ENnie-nominated podcast. Sold out, but check for no-shows.

Dramatic Interaction Master Class, Friday 3 pm, Crowne Plaza Conrail: Robin D. Laws & guests teach structures & techniques to turn emotional confrontations between PCs from frustrating roadblocks into rich moments of human drama. Also starring Emily Care Boss and Rachel A. Kahn.

Swords, Spies and Shoggoths: The Pelgrane Press Panel, Saturday 2pm, Crowne Plaza Grand Central Ballroom B. Join Simon Rogers, Cat Tobin & others from the Pelgrane team for a behind-the-scenes look at what the award-winning UK publisher's been up to this year, & what they've planned for the coming year.

Investigative Roleplaying Masterclass, Saturday 4 pm. Westin Capitol II. Mystery scenario masters Kenneth Hite, Robin D. Laws, Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan, Ruth Tillman and Chris Spivey train their magnifying glasses on clue-gathering adventures to reveal the unlikely suspects behind your tabletop woes.

UPDATE: Location for Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff has been corrected.

Feng Shui 2, KARTAS and More at the ENnies Voting Booth

The electronic voting booth for the 2016 is now open for business. If you were planning to support Feng Shui 2, gather your chi for its nominations in five categories: Best Game, Best Setting, Best Rules, Best Aid/Accessory, and Product of the Year.

The sagacious voter will also note a Best Podcast nomination for Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff, and Page XX for Best Webzine.

Or if your tastes run toward the literary and vampiric, you might spot a nomination or five for my boon compadres at Pelgrane Press and their Dracula Dossier.

Me and the Kraken

I’m delighted to announce that I’ll be doing the guest thing at The Kraken at the Schloss Neuhausen in Germany this October 7th to 10th. Billed not as a convention but a gaming retreat, the event offers grown-up, all-inclusive amenities to go with its games and panels. It unfolds primarily in English and, I am now told in an exciting update, still actually has a few unsold slots left. Those unable to attend will be able to enjoy its panels when they are later posted as Internet videos.

Why You Want To Hear From Fresh Voices on an Industry Panel

I don’t run Gen Con or its Industry Insider panel track.

If I did, I would greatly care about the paying customers drawn to the convention by this programming.

I would not particularly concern myself with the desires of the folks who qualify to speak on its panels. They belong to a very large pool of people, too large for the program to accommodate. The goal of any programming track is not to assign status to panelists, but to serve the audience.

Attendees who make a specific point of going to multiple Industry Insider events more often than not are hoping to break into the industry themselves.

They are better served by newer or emerging voices who did that recently than by those of us who did it years ago, when conditions were completely different.

Sure, we graybeards can give you the immutable basics.

Let me do that right now:

1. Follow the project specs.
   
2. Be on time.
   
3. Be good.

(In that order.)

There you go. That’s basically it.

But the stuff about winning notice and getting assignments keeps changing, at a faster rate than ever before.

Though he would seem to be a foremost expert on it, Ed Greenwood can’t tell you how to be Ed Greenwood. That’s because the Ed Greenwood spot is already occupied, by this guy named Ed Greenwood.

Panelists with somewhat less grey beards, or heaven forfend no beards at all, have the fresher scoop. While we weren’t looking, the biz became way too big to have heard of everyone. The name who broke in under your radar may be able to show you how to do the same.

And if you’re wondering what Ken is doing amid a slate of supposed whippersnappers, check out his photo on the Gen Con page. Clearly he’s used his famous time machine to bring a puppyish Ken from 1992 to labor on his panels, while the 2016 version kicks back in the Omni bar. Now that’s the way to do it!

Finding Me at FanExpo Canada 2015

Once more this year I’ll be doing the guest thing amid the crazy hugeness of Toronto’s FanExpo. I won’t be at a booth, so if you’d like to chat a bit catch me in the hall before or after a panel. As ever, if you have books you’d like signed, I am more than happy to comply. Attendees can find me at the following panels, all on the weekend:

The Robin Laws Panel
Time: Saturday, 2:15 PM
Location: 703
Description: RPG Industry godfather & Fan Expo Stalwart Robin D. Laws talks about the industry, publishing, podcasting and crowdsourcing.

Game Master Master Class
Time: Saturday, 3:30 PM
Location: 713
Description: The Game Master's craft is a tricky one.  What are the tips and tricks you find most useful when it comes to making your games come alive.  And how do you handle... That guy?  The answer may surprise you!
Fellow panelists: Ed Greenwood, Malcolm Sheppard, Andrew  Valkauskas

Getting Started with Tabletop Roleplaying Games
Time: Sunday, 12:15 PM
Location: 703
Description: Wait, do we all need to buy a player's guide? Do I need miniatures? What's the deal with these dice?  You've wanted to try tabletop RPGs but don't know where to start! Our panel of experts will give you the guidance you need.
Fellow panelists: Andrew Hackard, Jonathan Lavallee, Sara McMillen

Advanced Kickstarting and Crowdfunding
Time: Sunday, 2:15 PM
Location: 717A
Description: Have you run a crowdfunding pitch?  Did you just run out of stretch goals halfway through? Did you have to scrap it all and start from sceratch?  Come share your experiences with the panel and your fellow attendees.
Fellow panelists: Peter Chiykowski, Andrew Hackard

State of the Game Industry
Time: Sunday, 3:45 PM
Location: 705
Description: Another year has passed, and the industry remains. What
new releases wowed the market? Are stores & distributors still
relevant in the age of Print on Demand and PDF sales?
Fellow panelists: Kate Bullock, Jonathan Lavallee, Phil Reed

Finding Me at Gen Con 2015

Update: Original post transposed the times for the Pelgrane Press and Dramatic Interaction panels. The times and dates given below are now correct.

Looking for me at Gen Con? When not in a panel, headed to a panel, or coming back from a panel, I will endeavor during exhibit hall hours to make myself available at the Pelgrane Press booth. That’s booth 609 for those playing along at home. Ask me to sign Feng Shui 2, Dreamhounds of Paris, the new Firefly campaign Ghosts in the Black,  or any item from my back catalogue, and I will be only too happy to comply. (Grab Feng Shui 2 at the Atlas Games booth or Ghosts in the Black from Margaret Weis Productions.) Or just swing by to say hi. That’s why I go to conventions—to chat with folks interested in my work. To catch me discoursing at an event, make note of any relevant items on the following list in the note-taking platform nearest and dearest to your heart. Along with seminars related to my various gaming projects, I am taking part in several Writers’ Symposium events, focusing on the art and craft of fiction.

Thurs July 30, 1 pm – 2 pm: Common People, Epic Conflicts (Writers’ Symposium) Explore ways to tell stories where common people are caught up in events of epic proportions. Learn to make these characters relevant, even if they're not saving the world. (ICC 243)

Thurs July 30, 2 pm – 3 pm: High Fantasy Without the Clichés (Writers’ Symposium) There's nothing wrong with high fantasy clichés, but we'll teach you ways to explore high fantasy storytelling in new ways without coming across like you're looking down on the genre. (ICC 243)

Thurs July 30, 4 pm – 5 pm: Feng Shui 2 (Atlas Games) Get the lowdown on Feng Shui 2 from designer Robin D. Laws, developer Cam Banks, & producer Hal Mangold. Bring your questions & your Most Magnificent 20-Second FS2 Anecdote Contest entries. (Crowne Plaza : Grand Central Bllrm D)

Fri July 31, 11 am –  12 pm: Dialogue and Dialogue Tags (Writers’ Symposium) Learn from our distinguished panelists how to write compelling dialogue that draws readers in & keeps their attention. Added bonus feature: listen to them argue the pros & cons of dialogue tags! (ICC : 244)

Fri July 31, 1 pm – 2 pm: Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff Live (Pelgrane Press) Join Kenneth Hite and I for the second annual live episode of our thrilling, erudition-packed podcast. See if I drop the F-bomb again. This is officially sold out, but we’ll see if that means anything. Weird to think we might have to collect tickets or something. (Crowne Plaza Pennsylvania Station B)

Fri July 31, 4 pm – 5 pm: Pelgrane Press Panel (Pelgrane Press) Join Simon Rogers, Cat Tobin and others from the Pelgrane team for a behind-the-scenes look at what the award-winning UK publisher's been up to this year, and what they've planned for the coming year. (Crowne Plaza : Pennsylvania Stn B)

Sat Aug 1, 1 pm – 2 pm:  Dramatic Interaction MasterClass (Pelgrane Press) Learn the structures and techniques that turn emotional confrontations between PCs from frustrating roadblocks into rich, surprising moments of human drama. Join me, Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan and Rachel Kahn as we dispense precious interpersonal wisdom. Whether you're experienced in Pelgrane Press' Hillfolk / DramaSystem or looking to infuse play in other systems with satisfying conflict, they're here to grant your most fervent petitions. (Crowne Plaza : Pennsylvania Stn B)

Sat Aug 1, 4 pm – 5 pm: Investigative Roleplaying MasterClass (Pelgrane Press) Mystery scenario masters Kenneth Hite, Robin D. Laws, and Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan train their magnifying glasses on clue-gathering adventures. Whether you're schooled in Pelgrane Press' GUMSHOE line or want to steal its secrets for play in another system, this seminar will shine light in the darkness and reveal the unlikely suspects behind your tabletop woes. (Crowne Plaza : Pennsylvania Stn B)

Sun Aug 2, 11 am – 12 pm: Build Them Up After Tearing them Down (Writers’ Symposium) Destroying characters and smashing their puny lives is easy (and kind of fun), but in this panel we'll teach you how to pick up the pieces and build the character back up afterwards. (ICC : 242)

Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff: Glam, Baby

In the latest installment of our highly dramatic podcast, Ken and I talk GMing Hillfolk, Chandragupta Maurya, socially conscious RPGs, and ransomed Michelangelo letters.

Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff: Wielding Fennel Without Proper Church Authority

In the latest episode of our dream-stalking podcast, Ken and I talk imaginary disease etiologies, Feng Shui movies, introducing settings, and the good walkers.

Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff: Underground Subterranean Fort

In the latest episode of our well-excavated podcast, Ken and I talk overly real CGI, us as scared kids, the Toronto mystery tunnel and Charlemagne vs. Irminsul.

Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff: Helping People Steal Concrete

In the latest episode of their revelatory podcast, Ken and Robin talk F20 entheogens, Rahm’s run-off, status quo first acts, and Goetia.

Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff: Regional Resentments of Canadian Mollusks

In the latest episode of our ENnie-winning podcast, Ken and I talk headline ripping, Igor Gouzenko, heroic surveyors and George Hunt Williamson.

Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff: The Heavy Hand of the Fourth Wall

In the latest episode of our ENnie-winning podcast, Ken and I talk historical script immunity, eggshell boats, gotcha traps and 2014's best movies.

Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff: Blah Blah Zombies Blah Blah

In the latest episode of our ENnie-winning podcast, Ken and I talk campaign endings, Wyatt Earp’s ghost, mystery plotting and potato chip time travel.

My Chupacabracon Schedule

This weekend I’m pleased to appear at Chupacabracon at the Norris Conference Center in historic Austin Texas. Organizers have rounded up a veritable constellation of tabletop luminaries, including my boon compadre Kenneth Hite, Feng Shui 2 developer Cam Banks, and Hillfolk contributors Jason Morningstar, Steven S. Long, John Wick and Sean Patrick Fannon.

Find me paneling, signing, podcasting and hobnobbing as follows:

Friday – Effective Networking in the Game Industry 4:30pm-6pm

Friday – Opening Ceremonies 6pm-7pm

Friday – VIP Meet and Greet 7pm-8:30pm

Saturday – Elements of RPG Game Design 9am-10:30am

Saturday – Building Memorable RPG Villains 11am-12:30pm

Saturday – Signing at Dragon’s Lair Books & Comics 1pm-2pm

Saturday – Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff LIVE 7pm-8:30pm

Sunday – VIP Brunch and Bitch 10am-11:30am

Hope to see you there, Austinites! Although your weather forecast is nowhere near as balmy as when I first started looking, it will still be an improvement on what we have here in Toronto.

Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff: Handy Scrying Mirror Carrying Case

In our first episode of 2015, Ken and I talk Sherlockian gaming, Ken’s London book haul, and Antonin Artaud.

Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff: Live from Dragonmeet 2014

The audience can't get enough Genghis Khan as Ken and Robin talk live from London's Dragonmeet.

Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff: Sex Argentina

In the latest episode of our ENnie-winning podcast, Ken and I talk NPC writing, player feedback, George Gurdjieff and Salvador Dali.