16:45:11 * Dave joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 17:01:38 * Ben. joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 17:01:58 ‹Dave› Howdy, Ben. 

26/09/2011 17:20:01 *  joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 17:20:07 ‹Pygon› >.> 

26/09/2011 17:20:10 ‹Pygon› <.< 

26/09/2011 17:20:22 ‹Pygon› ^.> 

26/09/2011 17:20:41 ‹Pygon› just prepping for my logging duty 

26/09/2011 17:28:11 * _Dave was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 17:31:30 * VC Todd Morgan joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 17:31:34 * Justin Sluder joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 17:31:37 * NSpicer joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 17:31:45 * Dominick_Tampa joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 17:31:47 * bhagczech joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 17:32:14 * Thursty joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 17:32:37 ‹Dominick_Tampa› OK! I rolled a 20! 

26/09/2011 17:32:38 * DaFluffy joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 17:32:59 * DaFluffy changes his/her nickname to Thea 

26/09/2011 17:33:11 ‹Thea› evening 

26/09/2011 17:33:17 ‹VC Todd Morgan› Hello everyone 

26/09/2011 17:33:53 * Justin Sluder changes his/her nickname to everyone 

26/09/2011 17:33:57 ‹everyone› VC Todd Morgan: howdy!  

26/09/2011 17:34:01 * everyone changes his/her nickname to Justin Sluder 

26/09/2011 17:34:14 ‹Justin Sluder›  

26/09/2011 17:34:37 ‹VC Todd Morgan› Show off 

26/09/2011 17:36:05 ‹VC Todd Morgan› Is everyone here to watch or are there issues people want to bring up? 

26/09/2011 17:36:31 * Peebo- joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 17:36:56 * Justin Sluder is here to wait 

26/09/2011 17:37:04 ‹Thea› it's my first one so just watching for now 

26/09/2011 17:37:06 ‹Justin Sluder› wait for the perfect moment to strike 

26/09/2011 17:37:08 * Peebo- likes to watch... 

26/09/2011 17:37:27 ‹Justin Sluder› strike and make my mark upon those who would laugh 

26/09/2011 17:37:39 ‹Justin Sluder› laugh and die!  

26/09/2011 17:37:42 ‹Justin Sluder›  

26/09/2011 17:38:07 * Justin Sluder ......may have been watching to many James Bond movies recently.... 

26/09/2011 17:39:11 ‹Peebo-› Good evening Mister Sluder. 

26/09/2011 17:39:15 ‹NSpicer› They actually want us to bring questions for the authors. It's a Q&A with several of them. 

26/09/2011 17:39:54 ‹Dominick_Tampa› I asked mine over email about conventions, I just like to watch 

26/09/2011 17:40:00 ‹VC Todd Morgan› Oh that's right 

26/09/2011 17:40:07 ‹Justin Sluder› NSpicer: you mean I get to be called "Charles Evans" by more than just "The Dave Gross"?  

26/09/2011 17:40:34 ‹NSpicer› Justin Sluder: Yes. You can be the literary version of CE25. 

26/09/2011 17:45:07 ‹Dominick_Tampa› Do we just wait for the national anthem to start playing? 

26/09/2011 17:45:33 ‹Peebo-› I can never remember mine....(-_-) 

26/09/2011 17:45:37 ‹NSpicer› Dominick_Tampa: No. We all have to recite it and then the authors will magically appear. It's like a summoning ritual. 

26/09/2011 17:45:40 ‹Dave› There should be a flurry of arrivals in about 15 minutes. 

26/09/2011 17:45:57 ‹Dominick_Tampa› I start my full round summon 

26/09/2011 17:46:05 ‹Peebo-› "Ba-Weep-Grana-Wee-Ninny-BAHN!" 

26/09/2011 17:46:15 ‹Dave› Everyone should make it, except possibly Robin, and so far I expect him also. 

26/09/2011 17:47:38 ‹NSpicer› Dave: Are you the chief poo-bah organizer and designated author wrangler? 

26/09/2011 17:47:52 ‹Dave› NSpicer: I'm more like the butler. 

26/09/2011 17:48:07 ‹NSpicer› Dave: The butler always does it. 

26/09/2011 17:48:09 ‹Dave› NSpicer: I buttle. 

26/09/2011 17:48:26 ‹Justin Sluder› Dave: sounds like their should be a joke in there, somewhere....  

26/09/2011 17:48:33 ‹Dominick_Tampa› Does that mean we get pipes and brandy and we sit in leather chairs with pith helmets? 

26/09/2011 17:48:41 ‹Dominick_Tampa› I want a monicle 

26/09/2011 17:48:53 ‹Peebo-› I thought they wer3e big furry hats with horns...? 

26/09/2011 17:49:03 ‹Dave› Dominick_Tampa: I didn't say I was YOUR butler.  

26/09/2011 17:49:07 * Peebo- thinks they are showing their age at that last comment... 

26/09/2011 17:50:10 ‹Dominick_Tampa› Loyal order of the water buffalo, buddy boy 

26/09/2011 17:50:21 ‹Peebo-›  Dominick_Tampa: 

26/09/2011 17:50:52 * Swiftbrook joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 17:51:08 * KiwiGlen joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 17:51:46 * Robin D. Laws joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 17:51:48 * Dave changes his/her nickname to Dave Gross 

26/09/2011 17:51:56 * LauraBow joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 17:52:04 * LonePaladin joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 17:52:40 ‹Dave Gross› I spent much of my weekend envying Robin D. Laws and other Torontonians. Our local film festival just doesn't do it for me. 

26/09/2011 17:53:03 * _LauraBow was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 17:53:33 * Mothman joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 17:53:37 ‹Justin Sluder› Welcome to the party Swiftbrook, KiwiGlen, Robin D. Laws, LauraBow, LonePaladin. We have set aside a special padded room for each of you. Please, right this way. 

26/09/2011 17:53:38 * Justin Sluder pokes with cattle prod 

26/09/2011 17:53:47 ‹Ben.› Hi Dave! 

26/09/2011 17:53:53 ‹Robin D. Laws› We have, if anything, too much film festival. Still recovering. 

26/09/2011 17:54:12 * Kain Darkwind joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 17:54:29 ‹Dave Gross› Robin D. Laws: I know much how you feel after realizing this year's SIFF was my last full-series attempt there. I saw more films, but over a longer period of time. I don't know how you manage the intensity of TIFF. 

26/09/2011 17:54:39 ‹Ben.› I just wanted to tell James Sutter I liked _Death's Heretic._ 

26/09/2011 17:54:54 * James Sutter joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 17:55:03 ‹Robin D. Laws› I've got to rethink. This is the second year with an extra day at the end and it's too much. 

26/09/2011 17:55:04 ‹KiwiGlen› Speak of the devil 

17:55:07 * NeoFax joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 17:55:27 * Elaine Cunningham joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 17:55:32 ‹Kain Darkwind› You know what I'd like, is to be able to go into a bookstore and buy these.  Any suggestions? 

26/09/2011 17:55:43 ‹VC Todd Morgan› KiwiGlen: Is James Sutter an archdevil? 

26/09/2011 17:55:45 ‹Dave Gross› Robin D. Laws: Next year I think I'll visit CIFF on its weekends rather than attend the local. And if I return to SIFF, it'll be for just a weekend. 

26/09/2011 17:55:57 ‹Pygon› welcome Elaine 

26/09/2011 17:56:03 ‹James Sutter› Howdy, all! 

26/09/2011 17:56:06 ‹Dave Gross› Elaine is on her way. Howard seems to be away from the computer. 

26/09/2011 17:56:32 ‹Justin Sluder› Greetings Mothman, Kain Darkwind, James Sutter, NeoFax, Elaine Cunningham. 

26/09/2011 17:56:47 ‹Elaine Cunningham› Hi, Pygon. Dave, over here!  ::waves:: 

26/09/2011 17:56:54 * Rathendar joins pftales 

26/09/2011 17:57:06 ‹Dave Gross› We'll give Howard a couple more minutes, then the inquisition begins. 

26/09/2011 17:57:10 ‹Justin Sluder› howdy Rat ender! 

26/09/2011 17:57:14 ‹James Sutter› Howdy everyone! 

26/09/2011 17:57:25 ‹Justin Sluder› Dave Gross: what kind of inquisition? 

26/09/2011 17:57:47 ‹Rathendar› whered my H go justin? 

26/09/2011 17:57:51 ‹Dave Gross› Justin Sluder: Why, the Chelish Inquisition, of course. 

26/09/2011 17:57:57 ‹Rathendar› also : SQUEAK 

26/09/2011 17:58:06 ‹Mothman› Hey Justin ... I'll just be sitting quietly in the corner here 

26/09/2011 17:58:09 * Justin Sluder will keeps the joking to a minimum once things officially get started 

26/09/2011 17:58:23 ‹Justin Sluder› Dave Gross: I did not expect that....  

26/09/2011 17:58:26 ‹Dominick_Tampa› do we hum the inquisition song to get started then 

26/09/2011 17:59:05 ‹Kain Darkwind› Is that the one Mel Brooks wrote? 

26/09/2011 17:59:14 ‹Dominick_Tampa› yeah! 

26/09/2011 17:59:14 ‹Dave Gross› All right, we'll have a slightly more organized approach this week, but only slightly. 

26/09/2011 17:59:26 ‹Justin Sluder› Rathendar: it got lost in the wash, along with some socks. 

26/09/2011 17:59:28 ‹Rathendar› uh oh 

26/09/2011 17:59:31 ‹Rathendar› damnit 

26/09/2011 17:59:43 ‹Dave Gross› In a minute, I'll start us off by asking each of the other Pathfinder Tales novelists a starter question. 

26/09/2011 17:59:45 * Kajehase joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 17:59:53 * Timitius joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 17:59:58 * AndrewD2 joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 18:00:03 ‹Justin Sluder› Run! We're being invaded by vikings!  

26/09/2011 18:00:06 ‹Dave Gross› After that, we'll simply open the floor to all questions. Since it's text chat, there's no danger of interrupting or not being able to hear. 

26/09/2011 18:00:36 ‹Timitius› Speak up, I can't hear you in the back. 

26/09/2011 18:01:02 * Justin Sluder hates it when Dave over-types him 

26/09/2011 18:01:03 * _Elaine Cunningham was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 18:01:03 ‹Justin Sluder›  

26/09/2011 18:01:05 ‹Rathendar› can you repeat everything in sign language for those of us who are hearing impaired also? 

26/09/2011 18:01:27 ‹Dave Gross› Robin D. Laws is a prolific game designer and fiction author, as many of you already know. Robin, what sources (films, books, and so on) inspired the caper aspect of your Pathfinder Tales novel, The Worldwound Gambit? 

26/09/2011 18:02:05 ‹Kajehase› Justin Sluder: Don't worry. Us vikings have a healthy respect for skalds. 

26/09/2011 18:02:28 ‹Robin D. Laws› As James Sutter, the pitch process was a lengthy one. During one round he asked me for Hollywood style "meets" pitches. 

26/09/2011 18:03:07 ‹Robin D. Laws› One of them was "Oceans Eleven meets Lord of the Rings." 

26/09/2011 18:03:44 ‹Robin D. Laws› Of course, like any book that starts with a simple idea, it has to expand to take on a life of its own, rather than blatantly showing the original concept. 

26/09/2011 18:03:54 * Howard Andrew Jones joins pftales 

26/09/2011 18:04:14 * _Elaine Cunningham was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 18:04:40 ‹Robin D. Laws› So I drew on the entire corpus of heist movies, along with the thiefly side of the sword and sorcery spectrum -- Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, Conan, Cugel... 

26/09/2011 18:05:11 ‹Robin D. Laws› In the end it fuses the structural requirements of the heist genre with the characters, tropes and situations of sword and sorcery. 

26/09/2011 18:05:51 ‹Rathendar› any interesting characters on the drawing board that didn't make it to teh final product that you were fond of? 

26/09/2011 18:05:52 ‹Robin D. Laws› But that's just the framework. You have to buy into the characters and want to follow their exploits. 

26/09/2011 18:05:57 ‹Dave Gross› While James Sutter is best known to Pathfinder fans as an editor, he's no stranger to writing either. James, what unexpected challenges did you face as an author rather than the editor of Death's Heretic? 

26/09/2011 18:06:20 ‹Elaine Cunningham› I've heard it described as "Ocean's 666."  Fair comparison? 

26/09/2011 18:06:25 ‹James Sutter› Before I answer, should Robin speak to Rathendar's question? 

26/09/2011 18:06:31 ‹James Sutter› (I think he should) 

26/09/2011 18:06:32 ‹Robin D. Laws› I wound up adding a character or two but not subtracting any. 

26/09/2011 18:06:36 ‹James Sutter› ('cause I wanna know too) 

26/09/2011 18:07:00 * Urizen joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 18:07:02 ‹James Sutter› Ha! I hope Robin continues to get stuck with Oceans 666 as his tagline.  

26/09/2011 18:07:20 ‹James Sutter› But anyway, Death's Heretic-- 

26/09/2011 18:07:22 ‹Robin D. Laws› Oceans 666 is fair unless Warner Brothers lawyers are listening, in which case it's total nonsense. 

26/09/2011 18:07:33 ‹Elaine Cunningham› Ha! 

26/09/2011 18:07:48 ‹Rathendar› (actually i think i was supposed to wait til everyone got thei rquestion from dave. sorry!) 

26/09/2011 18:07:58 ‹Justin Sluder› howdy Urizen 

26/09/2011 18:08:07 ‹James Sutter› for me, I think it was both harder and easier to write a Pathfinder novel 

26/09/2011 18:08:12 * Mairkurion joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 18:08:16 ‹James Sutter› because on the one hand, I know the setting really well, 

26/09/2011 18:08:17 ‹Urizen› Yo 

26/09/2011 18:08:19 ‹Justin Sluder› Rathendar: no soup for you!  

26/09/2011 18:08:19 ‹James Sutter› but on the other hand, 

26/09/2011 18:08:24 ‹James Sutter› I know the setting REALLY WELL 

26/09/2011 18:08:37 ‹James Sutter› Trying to find a single topic to write about took forever 

26/09/2011 18:08:41 ‹Rathendar› nooo, give it back soup nazi! 

26/09/2011 18:08:53 * weirmonken joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 18:08:58 ‹James Sutter› Also, it's a funny story how I ended up writing it, 

26/09/2011 18:09:16 ‹James Sutter› as I had always figured I'd never write a Pathfinder novel, because I didn't want to be accused of nepotism 

26/09/2011 18:09:21 * Justin Sluder may have heard this story as PaizoCon 

26/09/2011 18:09:32 ‹Justin Sluder› it is funny, if it's the one I recall 

26/09/2011 18:09:34 ‹Justin Sluder›  

26/09/2011 18:09:38 * Justin Franklin joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 18:09:42 ‹James Sutter› and then one day Erik came by with a copy of Pathfinder and said "Hey, you should get whoever wrote this installment of the journal to do a novel for us" 

26/09/2011 18:09:45 ‹James Sutter› and it was me. 

26/09/2011 18:09:47 * LaughingOtter joins pftales 

26/09/2011 18:09:55 ‹James Sutter› So I said, "Isn't that a little corrupt?" 

26/09/2011 18:10:05 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Hah! I hadn't heard that. 

26/09/2011 18:10:05 ‹James Sutter› and he said "Not if I tell you to do it." 

26/09/2011 18:10:11 ‹James Sutter› And I said "Sir, yes, sir." 

26/09/2011 18:10:11 ‹James Sutter›  

26/09/2011 18:10:18 ‹James Sutter› But even working on the inside, 

26/09/2011 18:10:20 ‹Peebo-›  

26/09/2011 18:10:33 ‹James Sutter› I still faced a lot of the problems that other authors do with continuity 

26/09/2011 18:10:43 ‹James Sutter› For instance, the sun orchid elixir is a big part of my book 

26/09/2011 18:10:48 * _LauraBow was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 18:10:54 ‹James Sutter› and in the update for the Inner Sea World Guide, 

26/09/2011 18:10:58 * Richard T. Balsley joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 18:11:01 ‹James Sutter› the rules for how that works changed somewhat 

26/09/2011 18:11:05 ‹James Sutter› ...after I'd finished the novel 

26/09/2011 18:11:07 * michaelane joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 18:11:12 ‹James Sutter› There was much wailing and gnashing of teeth 

26/09/2011 18:11:16 ‹James Sutter› but overall, it worked out. 

26/09/2011 18:11:25 ‹Kain Darkwind› Well, luckily you write for an audiance that doesn't pay much attention to continuity errors.... 

26/09/2011 18:11:30 * Lady Elaine joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 18:11:46 ‹Dave Gross› Among her many other accomplishments, Elaine Cunningham is a talented singer and artist. Elaine, how have art and music influenced your writing, especially in Winter Witch? 

26/09/2011 18:11:49 ‹James Sutter› Probably the biggest challenge was the terror of knowing that, if I wrote a bad novel, I'd sink my credibility in my day job, too.  

26/09/2011 18:11:55 ‹Justin Sluder› Kain Darkwind:  

26/09/2011 18:12:10 * Lady Elaine changes his/her nickname to The Other Elaine 

26/09/2011 18:12:20 ‹James Sutter› (Wait, Elaine--you're a singer? Links!) 

26/09/2011 18:12:37 ‹Kain Darkwind› I hope that's up on youtube... 

26/09/2011 18:12:39 ‹Justin Sluder› James Sutter: look for a new screamer?  

26/09/2011 18:12:42 * calandra joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 18:12:50 ‹Elaine Cunningham› Dave, Winter Witch really didn't have much music in it. Declan was a fan of Korvosa's theatre, but none of the characters are bards or musicians. 

26/09/2011 18:13:12 ‹Elaine Cunningham› James, I don't think you'd be interested.   I was a classically trained soprano. 

26/09/2011 18:13:16 ‹James Sutter› @Justin: Ha! Nah, though I've been learning to scream on my own. 

26/09/2011 18:13:35 ‹Kain Darkwind› Sarah Brightman is my favorite artist.  Youtube, Elaine! 

26/09/2011 18:13:53 ‹Justin Sluder› Elaine Cunningham: did your series end in a diner? 

26/09/2011 18:14:10 * _LonePaladin was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 18:14:14 ‹Elaine Cunningham› Art, however, did have a bit of influence. The multi-layered paper drawings are a combination of several forms of Slavic folk art. 

26/09/2011 18:14:20 * Hill Giant joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 18:14:39 * SirGuido joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 18:14:42 ‹Kajehase› Elaine Cunningham: Though I suspect Ellasif has taken skills in Perform (trickery).  

26/09/2011 18:14:45 ‹Elaine Cunningham› Justin, I haven't ended a series in a diner, no.  But there's still time. 

26/09/2011 18:15:27 * Steel_Wind joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 18:15:48 ‹Justin Sluder› howdy Hill Giant, SirGuido, Steel_Wind 

26/09/2011 18:15:59 * jonroberts joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 18:16:04 ‹SirGuido› Justin Sluder: heyas 

26/09/2011 18:16:04 ‹Dave Gross› Howard Andrew Jones had two novels published earlier this year, The Desert of Souls and his Pathfinder Tales novel Plague of Shadows? One focuses on a pair of heroes, while the other features not one but two full-fledged adventuring companies? Howard, what joys and challenges did those different approaches offer? 

26/09/2011 18:16:07 ‹Justin Sluder› also, howdy calandra, sorry I missed you 

26/09/2011 18:16:16 ‹Dave Gross› ( less one "?" 

26/09/2011 18:16:30 ‹Justin Sluder› howdy jonroberts, damn you and your mapping skills!  

26/09/2011 18:16:49 ‹Kain Darkwind› Wait, which one focuses on the pair of heroes? 

26/09/2011 18:17:06 ‹NSpicer› Can I ask how you guys chose which parts of Golarion to explore in your novels? Did James throw open the world and let you guys find inspiration wherever you could...or was he targeting certain areas of the world that he wanted to represented and enhance in literary form? 

26/09/2011 18:17:09 ‹jonroberts› Hey Justin  

26/09/2011 18:17:12 ‹Kajehase› Kain Darkwind: Desert of Souls 

26/09/2011 18:17:27 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Similar but different challenges. Desert of Souls is narrated by an Arabic warrior with a slightly formal sound, and Plague of Shadows is, for the most part, third person limited 

26/09/2011 18:17:30 * SunshineGrrrl joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 18:17:33 * _Swiftbrook was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 18:17:33 ‹calandra› Wow, Neil totally just read my mind. I second that question. 

26/09/2011 18:17:34 ‹SirGuido› I now that Dave has answered this question before and I don't know if it has come up so far tonight, but... how much does the game mechanics affect what you write? 

26/09/2011 18:17:46 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› focused on Elyana, who has a kind of "noir feel" to her 

26/09/2011 18:18:01 ‹James Sutter› Oh man, so many questions--how do we choose? Or do we just answer at random? 

26/09/2011 18:18:13 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› ... she's not especially emotive and is pretty tight lipped about what she's thinking. 

26/09/2011 18:18:21 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› James, I think we just answer at random. 

26/09/2011 18:18:27 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Or roll a die. 

26/09/2011 18:18:34 ‹James Sutter› Alright then! 

26/09/2011 18:18:35 ‹Ben.› Howard Andrew Jones: Did you find it challenging to write a character who is an outsider to both cultures? 

26/09/2011 18:18:49 ‹SirGuido rolls dice› 1d6 »  + 3 =  

26/09/2011 18:18:59 ‹Justin Sluder› Howard Andrew Jones: I'm reading Plague of Shadows currently. It's good. 

26/09/2011 18:19:26 ‹Kain Darkwind› My biggest question is when can I expect to see these in Barnes and Noble?  I can throw them in my cart to come out with my next subscription, but it would be nice to just roll down and pick them up on the spot. 

26/09/2011 18:19:26 ‹The Other Elaine› I second SirGuido's question 

26/09/2011 18:19:28 ‹SirGuido› I'm hoping to find a job soon so I can pick up the other Pathfinder Tales books 

26/09/2011 18:19:29 ‹James Sutter› Neil In general, I try to let the authors pick the settings, the better to let them connect. At the moment, most of the Inner Sea hasn't been hit, so it's really open territory. 

26/09/2011 18:19:42 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Ben, I suppose that I did (thanks, Justin!). The Elves are always a bit tricky, I think, to pull off properly, so making her unable to relate to them was easier than I thought. 

26/09/2011 18:19:54 ‹Robin D. Laws› On choosing locations: for me it has been a mixed of assigned locales (the adventure path novellas) and my picking the place that suited the concept (Worldwound Gambit.) 

26/09/2011 18:19:58 * Kevin Andrew Murphy joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 18:19:58 ‹Dave Gross› NSpicer: In the case of Prince of Wolves, I pitched several ideas, and the one set in Ustalav was the one James preferred. I love the setting, and I loved that it required only a few pages of reference material. With Tian Xia it was almost wide open, since there was less than a page's worth of information on the region. Once James & company approved the outline, I more or less made it up as I went 

26/09/2011 18:20:07 ‹SirGuido› as of right now I've just read everything Dave has touched out of an odd sense of loyalty 

26/09/2011 18:20:21 ‹James Sutter› I know that personally, Rahadoum has always interested me because of the atheism angle--how do you do an atheist in a setting where the gods are objectively real?--and the outer planes have always spoken to me. 

26/09/2011 18:20:27 ‹Elaine Cunningham› I was intriqued by the notion of a Slavic setting, as that's (half) of my heritage. 

26/09/2011 18:20:45 ‹Dave Gross› SirGuido: That is oddly appreciated.  

26/09/2011 18:21:09 ‹SirGuido› Dave Gross: I wouldn't expect anything less.  

26/09/2011 18:21:12 ‹James Sutter› And of course, Thuvia provided the useful immortality angle that's integral to the plot. 

26/09/2011 18:21:13 ‹Peebo-› James Sutter:  Why di/do the athiests have thier own peice of turf and haven't tried to settle in the are of 'Dead' magic? 

26/09/2011 18:21:16 ‹Ben.› Howard Andrew Jones: I found Elyana's revulsion at the discovery of her former companion's lich nature and her discomfort at the elf lord's advances well executed. 

26/09/2011 18:21:25 ‹Peebo-› Other than there already being Alkenstar there, of course... 

26/09/2011 18:21:38 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Thanks, Ben. I really enjoyed writing those scenes, and I loved writing Arcil. 

26/09/2011 18:21:55 ‹Justin Sluder› Ben.: spoilers!  

26/09/2011 18:22:14 ‹Robin D. Laws› On influence of game mechanics: it's a fine line. The trick is to observe them without calling attention to them. I try to keep things fuzzy without having the characters do anything that's flat-out impossible in the rules. 

26/09/2011 18:22:19 ‹Justin Sluder› not really surprising, but still spoilers  

26/09/2011 18:22:23 ‹James Sutter› On Game Mechanics: It's really important to Paizo that the action and characters be feasible within the rules--after all, they represent the natural laws of the setting--but nobody here wants to be able to SEE the dice roll. 

26/09/2011 18:22:38 ‹Robin D. Laws› And if they are breaking the rules, clearly the GM has allowed in some Mongoose products. 

26/09/2011 18:22:40 ‹James Sutter› I think of the rules as trying to model the natural laws of Golarion 

26/09/2011 18:22:51 ‹Kajehase› Peebo-: I'm betting the whole "weird and dangerous things going on" has something to do with it. And you suspect the arcane casters would have objections. 

26/09/2011 18:23:10 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› I statted characters out and paid close attention to spell descrips, but tried to put all that on the back burner and not refer to anything by name. 

26/09/2011 18:23:21 ‹Peebo-› Kajehase:  ? Sorry, not quite understanding that reply. 

26/09/2011 18:23:24 ‹Elaine Cunningham› :::nods::  If things make sense to the setting, they'll likely fall within the rules. 

26/09/2011 18:23:26 ‹Ben.› Elaine Cunningham:  James Sutter: Was the special magic in Winter Witch discussed much, or considered artistic leeway? 

26/09/2011 18:23:27 ‹James Sutter› That said, however, novels can totally inspire new rules--it's not just a "if it's not in the book, you can't do it" situation. 

26/09/2011 18:23:46 ‹Ben.› which answers part of my question.  

26/09/2011 18:23:52 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Yeah, James didn't bat an eye when I just invented a few monsters. 

26/09/2011 18:23:55 ‹Kajehase› Peebo-: In regards to why the atheists hasn't moved off to the dead magic zone. 

26/09/2011 18:23:58 ‹Elaine Cunningham› Ben, it was discussed and approved. 

26/09/2011 18:24:04 ‹NSpicer› I really liked the approach Dave used in Prince of Wolves with the flip scrolls to do something different and "just" outside the rules and game mechanics. 

26/09/2011 18:24:12 ‹James Sutter› On Atheists: I think we just didn't want to pack the Mana Wastes with all the "fringe" ideas.  

26/09/2011 18:24:25 ‹weirmonken› Here's a question for Dave and Robin: When will Gad (the ultimate con man) and Varian Jeggare (the ultimate detective) face off in a literary battle cowritten by the two of you? 

26/09/2011 18:24:25 ‹Kain Darkwind› Which then became game rules later, Neil. 

26/09/2011 18:24:26 ‹Peebo-› *Nods* 

26/09/2011 18:24:29 ‹Ben.› Elaine Cunningham: Did you generate mechanics for those effects? 

26/09/2011 18:24:46 ‹Elaine Cunningham› That said, I have a Really Nifty Idea about how Declan's special ability came to be.  I really ought to toss a short story pitch when things calm down around here. 

26/09/2011 18:24:52 * Alex Putnam joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 18:24:53 ‹James Sutter› Note, though, that doing new things in novels has to be approved by designers--it's not a "retcon after the fact" situation. 

26/09/2011 18:25:06 * JessHartley joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 18:25:15 ‹Elaine Cunningham› Ben, I have not generated mechanics for it, no. 

26/09/2011 18:25:19 * _LauraBow was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 18:25:22 ‹SirGuido› Another question to all of the authors: In general, most gaming novels tend to focus on a single character or a pair of characters while actual gaming tends to be party oriented.  While there are obvious reasons for the single and pair approaches, why do we not see more party based fiction? 

26/09/2011 18:25:23 ‹Robin D. Laws› Weirmonken I don't know when it will happen, but I do know how it will end. 

26/09/2011 18:25:27 ‹Dave Gross› weirmonken: You are not the first to suggest such a conflict. James Sutter suggested it to me earlier this year. Robin and I discussed it briefly, but the time has not yet come. 

26/09/2011 18:25:31 ‹James Sutter› The mapping thing with Winter Witch is actually the farthest we've ventured away from the traditional rules, and while it's awesome, we probably won't stray that far again. But yeah, there's an explanation--but not one we can reveal yet.  

26/09/2011 18:25:38 ‹Steel_Wind› To all Authors: What story did you WANT to do MOST that was turned down? 

26/09/2011 18:25:50 * _bhagczech was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 18:26:21 ‹SirGuido› Steel_Wind: Fabulous question. 

26/09/2011 18:26:24 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Steel_Wind, I think I wrote the story that I most wanted to write. There was another character I liked, but he wouldn't have been as good a party character, and I wanted a party. 

26/09/2011 18:26:31 ‹Dave Gross› SirGuido: While my Radovan & the Count stories focus on those two characters, in the novels especially, they tend to accumulate a "party" as they go. If you think about the other character in game terms, you can usually identify "fighter," "healer," and so on.  

26/09/2011 18:26:35 ‹Robin D. Laws› I was very attached to a pitch with a Doppleganger protagonist, Steel Wind. 

26/09/2011 18:27:04 ‹Elaine Cunningham› Party-based fiction:  Unless there is one or two dominant characters, it's hard to pull off.  Too many POV characters can fragment a story. You need a really LONG novel--we're talking George R.R. Martin heft here--to pull of a lot of characters. 

26/09/2011 18:27:07 ‹KiwiGlen› Oh yeah 

26/09/2011 18:27:33 ‹Dave Gross› Steel_Wind: As I've discovered, those stories that get turned down sometimes return in different form. The seed of "Hell's Pawns," for example, came from an Eberron novel pitch that faded away when the editor left the company. 

26/09/2011 18:27:50 ‹James Sutter› Steel_Wind: Erik never turned down my story, but he DID shoot down my cover suggestion.  

26/09/2011 18:27:59 ‹Kain Darkwind› So can someone explain the novel creation process?  Does the author say "Can I do X plot?" or does a designer ask the author "Will you do X plot?" 

26/09/2011 18:28:01 ‹Justin Sluder› James Sutter: speaking of GRRM, when is he writing for PF Tales?  

26/09/2011 18:28:10 ‹Kajehase› Elaine Cunningham: Or several short stories recounting the same event from different perspectives. 

26/09/2011 18:28:11 ‹Elaine Cunningham› I was interested in focusing on elves, but frankly, I don't recall why I didn't go in that direction.  I sent James a LOT of story ideas. 

26/09/2011 18:28:24 ‹James Sutter› @Justin: When we have a millionty bajillion dollars. 

26/09/2011 18:28:30 ‹Steel_Wind› lol @ James. Fair enough sir  

26/09/2011 18:28:36 ‹Justin Sluder› James Sutter:  

26/09/2011 18:28:50 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Kain, we make pitches to James, and then he tells us which ones he likes and which ones sound interesting, etc. 

26/09/2011 18:28:57 ‹KiwiGlen› @Justin GRRM? 

26/09/2011 18:29:01 ‹Robin D. Laws› I seem to have been tasked as the guy to write the party-based stuff. If it works for Seven Samurai, it can work in a novel. 

26/09/2011 18:29:01 ‹James Sutter› It should be noted that most authors have to go through a LOT of pitches to hit one that works strategically, as well as being something that catches my interest 

26/09/2011 18:29:24 ‹James Sutter› Sometimes an awesome story is too close to something we've done, or are about to do, or plays with things best left in the toybox for now. 

26/09/2011 18:29:30 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› And then we write up a more detailed descrip, and James runs it past some other members of the brain trust. 

26/09/2011 18:29:51 ‹Elaine Cunningham› Then comes the chapter-by-chapter outline. 

26/09/2011 18:29:51 ‹Peebo-› KiwiGlen:  George (Finish) R (The) R (Bloody) Martin (Book)  

26/09/2011 18:29:52 ‹Justin Sluder› KiwiGlen: George RR Martin. Dude behind the Song of Ice and Fire novels. 

26/09/2011 18:30:01 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› And then if that passes, we write a detailed outline, and then James and the design team take a look at it. 

26/09/2011 18:30:04 ‹Justin Sluder› Peebo-: well said. 

26/09/2011 18:30:11 ‹James Sutter› It's true. I know Robin can bring the party, so he gets a little typecast. I make no apologies! 

26/09/2011 18:30:13 ‹James Sutter›  

26/09/2011 18:30:23 * Peebo- *bows* 

26/09/2011 18:30:37 ‹Kevin Andrew Murphy› James Sutter: You actually have that in common with George R.R. Martin.  I've had to do a lot of pitches for the Wild Cards stories. 

26/09/2011 18:30:52 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Suggestions and improvements and worries get tossed back and forth, and then, a contract is signed and you get to work! 

26/09/2011 18:31:02 ‹James Sutter› Shared world fiction requires a lot of pitches. There are just too many moving pieces. 

26/09/2011 18:31:07 ‹Robin D. Laws› It's an interesting challenge to create new large casts each time out. 

26/09/2011 18:31:10 ‹weirmonken› James: A little off-topic, but can you speak to the state of the Planet Stories line? 

26/09/2011 18:31:15 ‹NSpicer› Question for All - What kind of routine do you guys use as professional authors to keep the ideas flowing and stay on target to meet your turnover deadlines? 

26/09/2011 18:31:20 ‹Kain Darkwind› Thanks, HAJ. 

26/09/2011 18:31:36 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› My pleasure, Kain. 

26/09/2011 18:31:53 ‹Dominick_Tampa› more to add to my Kindle buffer.... 

26/09/2011 18:32:19 ‹Robin D. Laws› With the time scale for this sort of project, NSpicer, The Outline Is Your Friend. 

26/09/2011 18:32:45 ‹Robin D. Laws› Writing is the time to find little grace notes to deepen and enrich what you've already tightly planned in your outline. 

26/09/2011 18:32:53 ‹Robin D. Laws› In other words, the way to keep the ideas flowing is to have had them already. 

26/09/2011 18:33:02 ‹James Sutter› Planet Stories: At the moment, we're in the middle of a Robert Silverberg trilogy, but after that, the future is still under wraps. More info as soon as I can share! 

26/09/2011 18:33:13 ‹Ben.› Robin D. Laws: I've heard authors talk about the story taking directions not outlined; do find the stories "going off the reservation" very often? 

26/09/2011 18:33:26 ‹weirmonken› @James: Thank you. 

26/09/2011 18:33:28 ‹Kain Darkwind› So you wouldn't pitch a story that wasn't already practically ready start to finish in your head? 

26/09/2011 18:33:31 ‹Dave Gross› NSpicer: Ideally, I rise early, drink coffee, and work uninterrupted for as long as I can. The uninterrupted part is the usual problem. Sometimes to escape that, I'll spend a few hours in a cafe in the mornings, preferably one without wifi. Ditto a quiet pub in the afternoons. But more often than not, my best, most reliable location is my office on a day with no visitors after I've walked the dog 

26/09/2011 18:33:40 ‹Dave Gross› to the point of exhaustion and she leaves me alone. 

26/09/2011 18:34:07 ‹Dave Gross› Also I agree with Robin's comment about having the outline making the writing process that much easier. 

26/09/2011 18:34:20 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› It depends on where I am in the process. Early on I need lots of uninterrupted time -- the drafting phase. 

26/09/2011 18:34:24 ‹Ben.› (and I'm curious about the "off the reservation" thought from the other authors, too!) 

26/09/2011 18:34:27 ‹Mothman› James Sutter, maybe I missed it, but what was the cover idea that got shot down? 

26/09/2011 18:34:38 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Once I'm in the revising phase, I have a lot more leeway about where, and when I'm doing the work. 

26/09/2011 18:34:47 ‹Dominick_Tampa› Do you not eat before writing? I find it helps in my technical writing 

26/09/2011 18:34:55 ‹Elaine Cunningham› Kain, sometmes changes occur during the writing process.  As you get to know the characters better, sometimes the reactions and decisions you planned don't seem quite right. 

26/09/2011 18:34:58 ‹Robin D. Laws› I sometimes add little bits here and there--for example when I find a logic problem. In the outline for Worldwound Gambit, Fraton's plan didn't make sense from his perspective, and simply served the plot. In the writing process, I had to insert material to fix that. 

26/09/2011 18:35:26 ‹Dave Gross› Ben.: I rarely deviate in a significant way from my outline. Usually when I change something, it's a modification of a scene rather than a complete change. Some of my manuscripts come in vanishingly close to 99% the same as the outline. 

26/09/2011 18:35:30 ‹NSpicer› Dave Gross: Robin D. Laws: Do you guys find that you sort of envision everything playing out in "movie" form internally in your mind...so that you've "had those ideas already" and merely need to write them down? 

26/09/2011 18:35:35 ‹Steel_Wind› To the authors: There are all kinds of BAD things one can say about "gaming fiction" as a genre. But what's the top three GOOD THINGS you have found about it? 

26/09/2011 18:35:50 ‹Elaine Cunningham› Community. 

26/09/2011 18:36:13 ‹Robin D. Laws› Another change I'll sometimes find myself making: I'll realize that I've placed a plot point too far back in the story, and will move it up, to help the pacing. 

26/09/2011 18:36:15 ‹Ben.› Steel_Wind:  (James had an excellent blog post on this topic.) 

26/09/2011 18:36:21 ‹Elaine Cunningham› Interactions with other writers, readers and game designers. 

26/09/2011 18:36:38 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› I second what Elaine just said about the community and interactions. 

26/09/2011 18:36:48 ‹Mothman› Steel_Wind, I think the term 'shared world fiction' or something similar is preferred to 'gaming fiction'   

26/09/2011 18:36:57 ‹Dave Gross› NSpicer: Movies are definitely a major source of inspiration for me, and I think I usually have at least one image in mind for each chapter I outline. But most of the visual imagining, especially the small details and the individual points of action don't come until I'm at the keyboard waiting for my forehead to start bleeding. 

26/09/2011 18:36:59 ‹James Sutter› Mothman: The cover was essentially the cover to The Great Beyond--I just REALLY wanted a protean on there, 'cause I love them. Erik pointed out that most of the book was not about proteans.  

26/09/2011 18:37:18 ‹Robin D. Laws› NSpicer, plotting is a hugely mechanical process for me. I actually make diagrams using the beat analysis system from my non-fiction book about narrative, Hamlet's Hit Points 

26/09/2011 18:37:26 ‹Mothman› James Sutter - oh, that would be cool ... but yeah, Erik probably had a point 

26/09/2011 18:37:30 ‹Elaine Cunningham› When I was writing my Star Wars novel, I commented enthusiastically to my son about a round of phone calls to other New Jedi Order writers. His deadpan response: "Ooh. Social interaction." 

26/09/2011 18:37:32 ‹Dave Gross› Steel_Wind: Ditto what Elaine said. When you're a member of a belittled fraternity, you tend to make friends and keep them longer than otherwise.  

26/09/2011 18:37:36 ‹Ben.› (which is a great book, too.) 

26/09/2011 18:37:38 ‹Steel_Wind› (no, I didn't mean just shared world; Star Wars is shared world -- but it isn't gaming fiction.) 

26/09/2011 18:37:41 ‹JessHartley› Fantastic book, by the way, Robin. SO useful. 

26/09/2011 18:37:47 ‹Justin Franklin› James Sutter: did you answer Erik with so, it's a Protean? 

26/09/2011 18:37:58 ‹Robin D. Laws› Thanks, Jess! 

26/09/2011 18:38:13 ‹James Sutter› Writing Process: I do all my best writing in the mornings before work, when my roommates are out of the house and not distracting me. And outlines are INCREDIBLY useful, especially for longer works. I just fill in the gaps and connect the dots. 

26/09/2011 18:38:49 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› What James said. The more novels I write, the more I am leaning hard on the detailed outlines. You just have to if you're going to write on schedule. 

26/09/2011 18:38:52 ‹Steel_Wind› Well - maybe Star Wars is Gaming fiction then. Do you notice a difference Elaine? (other than reach of audience) 

26/09/2011 18:38:55 ‹James Sutter› Justin: Pretty much.  

26/09/2011 18:38:59 ‹Mothman› Steel_Wind, fair enough ... Dave once gently corrected me when I referred to him writing 'gaming fiction' ... 

26/09/2011 18:39:10 * _LauraBow was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 18:39:15 ‹Richard T. Balsley› I'm curious as to how many writers here use index cards for keeping things straight or as their outline. 

26/09/2011 18:39:26 ‹Steel_Wind› it's used in the pejorative - typically. But it need not be. 

26/09/2011 18:39:28 ‹Ben.› (To all authors) What sort of wordcount goes into your novel? I've seen the number 100K tossed around, does that correlate to your experience? 

26/09/2011 18:39:33 ‹Dave Gross› Mothman: How I hate that term and the way people so often use it.  I prefer shared-world fiction because it carries less baggage. 

26/09/2011 18:39:39 ‹Elaine Cunningham› Steel Wind, Star Wars fans are very like RPG fans in that they know every. Freaking. Detail. 

26/09/2011 18:39:50 ‹James Sutter› The greatest thing about gaming fiction, from an author's perspective, is that there are people who care about your book before they ever open it, even if they have no idea who you are. 

26/09/2011 18:39:59 * David joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 18:40:05 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Richard, I don't use index cards, but my friend Eric Knight uses them quite a lot (writes the Vampire Earth and Dragon Age series for ROC) 

26/09/2011 18:40:12 ‹Robin D. Laws› Richard, I do my diagrams with a mapping program with CAD features that allows me to easily move beats around. So they are a digital equivalent of index cards. 

26/09/2011 18:40:13 ‹Elaine Cunningham› I feel completely comfortable sharing my OCD tendencies with either group.  

26/09/2011 18:40:15 ‹Justin Sluder› howdy David 

26/09/2011 18:40:22 ‹David› Hello Justin 

26/09/2011 18:40:31 ‹Dave Gross› Ben.: I generally write around 100k words. I've written two much shorter novels (the length set by the publisher) of 30k and 50k. My shorter full-length novels have been in the low 90s, the longest somewhere around 105, I think. 

26/09/2011 18:40:32 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› There are many ways up the mountain to finish the manuscript, and no one way works for every writer, every time. 

26/09/2011 18:40:37 ‹Kevin Andrew Murphy› Dave Gross: It's also more accurate.  Wild Cards started out as a privated SuperWorld game being run by GRRM and friends.  They then decided to turn it into an anthology. 

26/09/2011 18:40:43 ‹David› Don't want to stab me in front of all these authors?  

26/09/2011 18:40:53 ‹Kevin Andrew Murphy› (an I'm now AFK for a few...) 

26/09/2011 18:41:00 ‹Mothman› Those of our authors who are gamers (all of you to some degree?), how much do you think of your characters in RPG terms when you are writing? Like ‘well, he’s about a 6th level rogue, so he should be able to do this, but he wouldn’t survive that ...’ 

26/09/2011 18:41:07 ‹James Sutter› See, Dave prefers "shared world" because he's one of those self-hating game fiction writers. Come out of the closet, Dave!  

26/09/2011 18:41:11 ‹James Sutter› (I kid, I kid!) 

26/09/2011 18:41:21 ‹Elaine Cunningham› Good point, James. When you write in a game setting, you have a ready-made audience. That's invaluable. 

26/09/2011 18:41:26 ‹JessHartley› James - don't you find that's also a big challenge in writing media tie-in work? You're not only writing your world, you're writing the world that belongs to all those folks who have gamed in it for years as well. 

26/09/2011 18:41:35 ‹Richard T. Balsley› Robin, is that anything like a software package from Write Brothers, or is it similar to a Campaign Cartographer add-on? 

26/09/2011 18:41:41 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Ben -- word count -- 90 k is the minimum I shoot for. For a Paizo novel I don't think I'd aim for anything higher than 100 k. 

26/09/2011 18:41:52 ‹Mothman› Dave Gross, I used the term with all due respect  

26/09/2011 18:42:08 ‹Robin D. Laws› It is Campaign Cartographer. The Hamlet's Hit Points symbols have been made available as a symbol set for it. 

26/09/2011 18:42:11 ‹Dave Gross› Mothman: Mostly I don't think of them in game terms. But sometimes I intentionally think of some aspect of their game mechanics to relate to the story. For example, in "Husks," which is appearing in the Jade Regent Adventure Path, I decided it was high time I showed Radovan doing more rogue stuff. So he shows off some abilities he hasn't needed to use in the previous stories. 

26/09/2011 18:42:11 ‹Hill Giant› Obvious the flavor of a setting influences your writing, but how much does the mechanics of the system the setting uses influence your writing? Is it different writing for a different game system? 

26/09/2011 18:42:33 * Pseudolus joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 18:42:52 ‹Steel_Wind› Perhaps a difference between Wild Cards/Thieves World approach vs. Star Wars/WotC/Blizz is not in the shared medium, but in the approach and freedom permitted to the authors? 

26/09/2011 18:42:55 ‹Dave Gross› Robin D. Laws: I finally read Hamlet's Hit Points. Bravo! 

26/09/2011 18:42:58 ‹Robin D. Laws› Mothman, I try to keep the characters using spells of roughly equivalent level but don't take it further than that. 

26/09/2011 18:43:00 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Mothman -- when you're writing in a gaming world, I think you have to be thinking a little bit about that, but keep it in the background. I made sure to figure out the levels of my spell using characers so their powers made sense. 

26/09/2011 18:43:12 ‹Elaine Cunningham› Hill Giant, each game has its own flavor. So yes--the tone, topic, and even the pacing may differ from one setting to another. 

26/09/2011 18:43:32 * Adam joins pftales 

26/09/2011 18:43:42 ‹Robin D. Laws› For example, Pathfinder characters have a ton of magic items, but I never bother to specify that the Pathfinder Tales characters are lugging about a bunch of must-have items. 

26/09/2011 18:43:43 ‹Mothman› James Sutter, which Pathfinder fiction piece was Erik holding when he asked you to write the novel? 

26/09/2011 18:44:10 ‹weirmonken› We've seen a number of characters from the novels make the transition to web fiction, the AP fiction line, and back again. Do any of you see these recurring protagonists having the potential to star in trilogies of novels (or longer series)? 

26/09/2011 18:44:11 * _Justin Franklin was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 18:44:25 * _michaelane was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 18:44:39 ‹Elaine Cunningham› Radovan and the Count, definitely. 

26/09/2011 18:44:43 ‹Mothman› Robin and Howard - yes, with spellcasters it's probably a bit more important than other types of characters, but I agree you probably don't want to let it get in the way of the narrative too much 

26/09/2011 18:44:57 ‹James Sutter› Jess: Managing canon is incredibly important for that reason--because people DO care. It's like writing historical fiction, except that the history is all made up. 

26/09/2011 18:45:01 ‹Ben.› (To all the authors) And in a related question, have you seen characters created by other authors in this line which you wanted to play a role in your work? 

26/09/2011 18:45:33 ‹James Sutter› Mothman: The first episode of Prodigal Sons, "Down at the Swaddled Otter," from Pathfinder 31 (the first Kingmaker) 

26/09/2011 18:45:36 ‹JessHartley› James - I totally agree. 

26/09/2011 18:46:00 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› I think I'd feel leery of trying to write the characters created by any of the other Pathfinder writers, so I'd probably only think about it if we were collaborating. 

26/09/2011 18:46:06 ‹Dave Gross› Ben.: I'm particularly fond of Gad, Elyanna, and Ellasif (and Olenka, and Skywing). 

26/09/2011 18:46:28 ‹Robin D. Laws› What Howard said (re poaching characters.) 

26/09/2011 18:46:44 ‹Steel_Wind› The worst thing about early Weiss and Hickman was that you could almost hear the dice clatter as you read. When they escaped that trap, their stories -- and writing -- improved immensely. That may have been a mere coincidence that tracked their experience, but i expect it had *something* to do with it. 

26/09/2011 18:46:50 ‹James Sutter› For the record: We generally don't have authors write each other's characters unless everybody's excited about the idea. 

26/09/2011 18:46:50 ‹Elaine Cunningham› Dave, you can write Skywing any time. 

26/09/2011 18:46:51 ‹Dave Gross› And ditto. I wouldn't presume to write any of those characters unless we were doing a collaboration. 

26/09/2011 18:47:02 * Paris.Crenshaw joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 18:47:18 * Ben. thinks the Protean should show up more often. 

26/09/2011 18:47:31 ‹James Sutter› Regarding longer series: I'd say every character I commission from an author has the potential for a series 

26/09/2011 18:47:50 ‹James Sutter› it all depends on who the audience takes to most, and whether the author feels like there's more story there 

26/09/2011 18:47:57 ‹Mothman› Dave Gross, I’m really liking the fiction in the Jade Regent AP so far. For that one, and Master of Devils, what research did you do into real world cultures for inspiration and details for your tale? 

26/09/2011 18:47:59 ‹Justin Franklin› Who let Paris in?  

26/09/2011 18:48:05 ‹Pseudolus› (To all the authors) If you were suddenly miniaturized and trapped inside a giant blender with only 3 minutes until the blender begins operations, what will you do? 

26/09/2011 18:48:07 ‹Elaine Cunningham› I wouldn't want to write anyone else's character. I want to enjoy them as a reader, and to be surprised by the things they do and say. 

26/09/2011 18:48:36 ‹James Sutter› But we don't like to commission trilogies, for a number of reasons (including arcane sales stuff). 

26/09/2011 18:48:45 * _LauraBow was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 18:48:45 ‹James Sutter› So, if you love a character--speak up! 

26/09/2011 18:48:50 ‹Robin D. Laws› Continuing characters (or iconic characters as I tend to call them) have very specific qualities. I've been careful to build the protagonists of the two novellas and Worldwound Gambit to have those traits. 

26/09/2011 18:48:59 ‹James Sutter› It really does make a difference in who writes what, when. 

26/09/2011 18:49:08 * _Dominick_Tampa was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 18:49:11 ‹Rathendar› what specific qualities do you consider? 

26/09/2011 18:49:14 ‹Ben.› Robin D. Laws: What are those traits? 

26/09/2011 18:49:22 ‹Rathendar› too slow ben! 

26/09/2011 18:49:27 ‹Ben.›  

26/09/2011 18:49:29 ‹Peebo-› James Sutter:  Will ay of the Iconincs be getting a book? Or making guest appearnces in a book? 

26/09/2011 18:49:44 ‹NSpicer› I've got to run. Time to put the kids to bed. But I just wanted to thank all you guys for coming together for such a Q&A chat. It's cool that you take time out to do something like this. I really enjoy all your hard work. And I'm looking forward to whatever you have next. 

26/09/2011 18:49:52 * Ben. wants to lift the hood, pleas! 

26/09/2011 18:49:52 ‹Justin Sluder› James Sutter: even though I haven't finished Plague of Shadows, yet, I'd like to see more of Elyana. 

26/09/2011 18:49:57 ‹Ben.› please.  

26/09/2011 18:50:01 ‹Dave Gross› Mothman: To be honest, most of the "research" took the form of my past familiarity with Chinese fantasy, mostly (but not exclusively) in the form of wuxia and similar Chinese action movies. But some of it, mostly really minor details, comes from things I've read or experienced about Chinese culture, like silk making or something as ubiquitious as dim sum. But the action, that's mostly wuxia movies 

26/09/2011 18:50:02 ‹Mothman› Pseudolus, they're not at a job interview?  

26/09/2011 18:50:03 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Thanks, Nspicer. Our pleasure. 

26/09/2011 18:50:09 ‹James Sutter› Pseudolus: Climb for the top. 

26/09/2011 18:50:12 ‹Robin D. Laws› Ben: http://robin-d-laws.livejourna...36.html 

26/09/2011 18:50:17 ‹Mothman› See you Spicer 

26/09/2011 18:50:28 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Pseudolus, I'd just pull out my phaser. 

26/09/2011 18:50:29 ‹James Sutter› Justin: Granted!  

26/09/2011 18:50:41 ‹Rathendar› dave's a vet of eastern atmosphere and flow tbh. haha. 

26/09/2011 18:50:52 ‹James Sutter› Regarding the iconics: Right now, we have very special plans for the iconics, but I'm not at liberty to unveil them yet. 

26/09/2011 18:51:01 ‹Steel_Wind› Actually, the Iconics interest me greatly. I would also be interested in reading an AP brought to the printed page. I can well see how that could go 44 ways to Hell in a Handbasket, FAST. But last time I checked, that didn't hurt DL's sales for the first wee while  

26/09/2011 18:51:02 * NSpicer quit 

26/09/2011 18:51:14 * Hill Giant quit 

26/09/2011 18:51:19 ‹Steel_Wind› Just saying James  

26/09/2011 18:51:20 ‹Robin D. Laws› Pseudolos: use my cell phone to call my brother-in-law Ray, who would know a guy who knows the blender manufacturer, leading to my salvation. 

26/09/2011 18:51:57 ‹Rathendar› thanks robin 

26/09/2011 18:51:58 ‹James Sutter› @Steel Wind: We've thought about novelizing an AP, but it always seems like it would end up cannibalizing the joy from one or the other. 

26/09/2011 18:52:06 ‹Paris.Crenshaw› Well, as someone who has sailed in the "Pacific Theater" for almost 2 decades, I felt that you captured the feel of the Far East quite well. Dave. 

26/09/2011 18:52:19 ‹The Other Elaine› Just a general writing question.  I know for me, the most challenging thing to write is first person--especially first person journal-form.  What has been your greatest challenge in writing in general? 

26/09/2011 18:52:25 ‹Kajehase› James Sutter & Dave Gross: Any chance of us getting a story dealing exclusively with any of the characters in Master of Devils' 3rd PoV character's story-thread? 

26/09/2011 18:52:28 ‹weirmonken› Robin: Since it has come up, do you have any plans to do a follow-up to Hamlet's Hit Points? 

26/09/2011 18:52:39 ‹Dave Gross› Paris.Crenshaw: Thank you, sir. I don't want anyone to think I'm claiming a real historical knowledge of the continent. It's all filtered through fiction of one sort or another. And Sunday dim sum.  

18:53:00 ‹Justin Franklin› Paris.Crenshaw: hey 

26/09/2011 18:53:02 ‹Steel_Wind› Perhaps. Though I do not think it would cannabalize sales. Besides, who knows? Second Darkness might be a GREAT novel series! 

26/09/2011 18:53:09 ‹Elaine Cunningham› Elaine, my greatest writing challenge recently has been staying healthy. But I'm making progress! 

26/09/2011 18:53:25 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Other Elaine -- so many challenges. Turning what I love into a career has taken decades. Maybe that's the largest. 

26/09/2011 18:53:32 ‹Pseudolus› Mothman: I've had that question come up before on an interview! 

26/09/2011 18:53:53 ‹Paris.Crenshaw› One of my favorite aspects of "Master of Devils" was the journey through the different lands. Personally, I'm anxious to see more of the Indonesian analogues. That culture, the original one---before it became heavily influenced by Indian and Arabic culture--is truly fascinating. 

26/09/2011 18:53:55 ‹Robin D. Laws› My follow-up to HHP is actually a new game system focused on dramatic scenes: http://robin-d-laws.blogspot.c...ee.html 

26/09/2011 18:53:59 ‹Mothman› Pseudolus  

26/09/2011 18:54:10 ‹James Sutter› The most challenging thing for me is making myself start. Once I'm rolling, I roll--but the procrastination and fear of the blank page is astounding in its power. 

26/09/2011 18:54:18 ‹Dave Gross› Kajehase: I haven't got anything in mind, but he's a lot of fun to write. It would take a story that could only be told well from that POV to entice me to do it. 

26/09/2011 18:54:21 ‹Paris.Crenshaw› Sorry, Justin...my ADHD kicked in...I didn't see your comment. I have no idea who let me in.  

26/09/2011 18:54:41 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› ...but, other Elaine, maybe finding a way to outline tightly and working out all the issues far ahead of time. Knowing what every character wants before the scene starts was a really important lesson for me to learn. 

26/09/2011 18:54:52 ‹Robin D. Laws› Finding the voice of a new book is always the toughest -- the 1st couple of days as the variations on my style I'll need make themselves known. 

26/09/2011 18:54:57 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› ...there's really just so many, and I'm still learning, all the time. 

26/09/2011 18:54:58 ‹Justin Franklin› Paris.Crenshaw: well it is Fawesome to see you. 

26/09/2011 18:55:01 ‹Robin D. Laws› Which is what I'll be doing tomorrow. 

26/09/2011 18:55:10 * _VC Todd Morgan was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 18:55:16 ‹Kain Darkwind› Hey authors, I'm taking off, but thank you very much for taking the time to do this chat session.  I appreciate giving your free time up for us. 

26/09/2011 18:55:19 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› What are you starting on tomorrow, Robin? 

26/09/2011 18:55:22 ‹Mothman› Guys, what are the differences in approach to writing a novel and writing a serialised story (eg, the Pathfinder AP fiction)? 

26/09/2011 18:55:36 ‹James Sutter› I've always found that the idea is harder than the words--hence the need for a solid outline. 

26/09/2011 18:55:38 ‹Dave Gross› The Other Elaine: In actual writing (not just controlling my environment so I can write), one of the challenges I think about lately is how to write an erudite character who isn't too verbose. It took me a little while to find what I feel is the sweet spot for a certain armchair know-it-all. Those who meet him for the first time in Chapter One of Prince of Wolves don't always like him right away, 

26/09/2011 18:55:40 ‹Dave Gross› and I don't blame them. 

26/09/2011 18:55:43 ‹Robin D. Laws› A book for this company I work for sometimes, Howard. 

26/09/2011 18:55:57 ‹James Sutter› And figuring out how to make the boring bits interesting.  

26/09/2011 18:56:19 ‹Robin D. Laws› So James, do you have trouble turning off your editor mind while wearing your writer hat? 

26/09/2011 18:56:27 * _Kain Darkwind was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 18:56:29 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Mothman, I think with a novel I work more with a traditional three act structure, and with the serial fiction it's more like, well, an old movie serial. 

26/09/2011 18:56:51 * xellos joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 18:56:52 ‹The Other Elaine› Dave Gross: Just got to find the right amount of big words like erudite and verbose to sprinkle in, eh?  

26/09/2011 18:57:09 ‹Justin Sluder› James Sutter: Dave Gross: Howard Andrew Jones: I think Elyana and Radovan meeting and being "forced" to work together could be a hilariously awesome story. Y'all should get right on that.  

26/09/2011 18:57:14 ‹Dave Gross› Mothman: In serial stories, I think a lot more about adding cliffhangers and recaps to the individual chapters. I don't always force a cliffhanger, but I like to use them or a similar device to make folks want to read the next chapter. And while I didn't do it often in "Hell's Pawns," I was much more conscious of providing brief recaps of key information in "Husks," to help those who might be 

26/09/2011 18:57:19 ‹Dave Gross› reading on chapter per month. 

26/09/2011 18:57:21 ‹James Sutter› Robin: Oh man! Sometimes. For a while, when it got really bad, I would close my eyes, or turn my chair 90 degrees from my computer screen so I couldn't read what I wrote. 

26/09/2011 18:57:35 ‹James Sutter› Thankfully, I don't have to do that much anymore. (Helps avoid typos) 

26/09/2011 18:57:41 ‹Dave Gross› The Other Elaine: Exactly. I think it's easier to read Jeggare when it's his vocabulary, not his big long sentences. 

26/09/2011 18:57:43 ‹James Sutter› How about you? 

26/09/2011 18:57:43 ‹Elaine Cunningham› I see serials as a set of connecting short stories. There's an overall arc, but each installment needs to be satisfying. 

26/09/2011 18:58:08 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Justin -- I would be worried for both of them. 

26/09/2011 18:58:09 ‹James Sutter› @Justin Ha! I'd buy it. 

26/09/2011 18:58:16 ‹Dave Gross› Justin Sluder: I'll think about that if and when I'm in the mood for Radovan to get an ass-whupping. 

26/09/2011 18:58:24 ‹Robin D. Laws› I wore my writer hat for so long before getting an editor hat that it hasn't been a problem. I often wish I could ditch the editor hat while reading for pleasure, though. 

26/09/2011 18:58:29 ‹Justin Sluder› Dave Gross:  

26/09/2011 18:58:39 ‹Robin D. Laws› It sucks to notice word clusters in a published book by a fave author. 

26/09/2011 18:58:48 ‹Dave Gross› Robin D. Laws: Word. 

26/09/2011 18:59:06 ‹Justin Sluder› Dave Gross: James Sutter: Howard Andrew Jones: Azra would have to be involved too.  

26/09/2011 18:59:10 ‹James Sutter› Robin speaks the truth 

26/09/2011 18:59:14 * _NeoFax was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 18:59:24 ‹James Sutter› @Justin: Save it for the slashfic chat! 

26/09/2011 18:59:26 ‹Paris.Crenshaw› Elaine: Do you develop the arc very far before you begin the first stories? Or are you okay with letting the stories take you where they will as they develop? 

26/09/2011 18:59:27 ‹Kajehase› Dave Gross: I think that could happen to Radovan if he ever got in the vicinity of Ellasif too. 

26/09/2011 18:59:45 ‹Robin D. Laws› Serials vs. novels: I find the AP chapter sizes very challenging. There's something about 4,500 words that's tough to pace properly. 

26/09/2011 18:59:48 ‹Justin Sluder› James Sutter: wait, that's not what this is?  

26/09/2011 18:59:57 ‹Elaine Cunningham› Paris, are you referring to the story pitches? 

26/09/2011 19:00:18 ‹Ben.› Robin D. Laws: +1 noticing clusters. 

26/09/2011 19:00:29 * Mulban joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 19:00:30 ‹James Sutter› @Robin: I've started noticing dangling modifiers in the podcast I listen to. Never thought that would happen. 

26/09/2011 19:00:54 ‹James Sutter› We've all somehow become That Person. 

26/09/2011 19:00:55 ‹LauraBow› All authors: What advice can you give to a fledgling writer regarding working through the editing process and how to best utilize criticism for the greater good of the story? 

26/09/2011 19:01:07 ‹Robin D. Laws› That's brutal. I haven't started mentally editing verbal expressions yet. 

26/09/2011 19:01:15 * Steel_Wind bristles 

26/09/2011 19:01:27 * Peebo- brushes 

26/09/2011 19:01:43 ‹Steel_Wind› Kindly take your eyes off my dangly bits sir! 

26/09/2011 19:01:55 ‹Richard T. Balsley› I found it handy to use voice recognition software to see what sorts of grammatical errors one uses in everyday speech. 

26/09/2011 19:01:57 ‹Paris.Crenshaw› In part, yes. The challenge I see with a serial story is that you need to have some idea about where the overall arc is going, so you can seed earlier episodes with clues. But I also know that things evolve as you write them. So how much development do you do for the arc versus diving in and writing the stories and seeing where they go? 

26/09/2011 19:02:12 * Peebo-  

26/09/2011 19:02:31 ‹Robin D. Laws› Laura: finding supportive editors is very important. An unfruitful or power-trippy collaboration can mess with your confidence. 

26/09/2011 19:02:32 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Laura, those are important muscles to develop. Be ready to listen; be wary of taking advice from folks who don't know the genre. Try to find a crit group of readers familiar with the kind of work you're doing, That said, sometimes some very fine criticism can come from those who are prepared to ask tough questions because they're unfamiliar with the conventions. 

26/09/2011 19:02:37 ‹Dave Gross› LauraBow: Find readers (editors) whose opinion you trust, and always try to find a way to say yes to their suggestions. If you can't find a way after an honest effort, maybe they're wrong. (And if you find a reader who's consistently negative or not useful, cut 'em loose. Life is too short to humor the trolls.) 

26/09/2011 19:02:38 ‹Paris.Crenshaw› [That question made more sense in my head.] :/ 

26/09/2011 19:02:39 ‹Elaine Cunningham› Ah. Okay. The outliine for Dark Tapestry, my serial story, was 16 single-spaced pages. There was a LOT of detail. 

26/09/2011 19:02:55 ‹Dave Gross› That should be negative *and* not useful. 

26/09/2011 19:03:02 ‹Dave Gross› Negative is often useful. 

26/09/2011 19:03:14 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Laura -- what Dave said, too. There are lots of snarky trolls out there who won't like what you do, regardless. 

26/09/2011 19:03:19 ‹Ben.› Finding such a group seems to be the challenge, more often than not. 

26/09/2011 19:03:19 ‹Robin D. Laws› Assuming a supportive editor, it often helps to read the comments, then go away from them for a while, coming back only when you've regained your sense of detachment. 

26/09/2011 19:03:23 ‹Elaine Cunningham› So I knew what needed to happen in each episode. A few small surprises developed along the way, but nothing that hijacked the story. 

26/09/2011 19:03:35 ‹Mothman› Life is too short to humour the trolls ... that is good advice 

26/09/2011 19:03:56 ‹LauraBow› Thank you Dave and Howard! 

26/09/2011 19:04:13 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Ben, I ended up assembling my own by joining several crit groups. Over the years, there were various people with whom I found I clicked, and we have kept in touch and continue to trade manuscripts. 

26/09/2011 19:04:24 ‹LauraBow› Thanks too Robin! 

26/09/2011 19:04:41 * Kevin Andrew Murphy (on his la joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 19:04:46 ‹Paris.Crenshaw› Elaine: Okay. That makes sense. I've made the mistake myself of starting a serial story and putting out episodes before I got it to the point where it could carry itself forward. 

26/09/2011 19:05:03 ‹Kevin Andrew Murphy (on his la› (em waves from his destination, on his other computer) 

26/09/2011 19:05:17 ‹Dave Gross› Ben.: As I grow older and crankier, I find writing groups less and less useful. Instead, I look for individuals who have proven useful and/or supportive. I keep one of my regulars around not because the criticism is often helpful, but because the support and cheerleading is buoyant. I rely on a few others for more critical comments, and in one or two cases I put up with a certain amount of snark 

26/09/2011 19:05:20 ‹Dave Gross› to get to the good stuff. 

26/09/2011 19:05:25 ‹James Sutter› Laura: It's true. Especially if the editor is buying the story for real money, their advice is probably worth taking. Publication is 90% of the game. 

26/09/2011 19:05:26 * _Justin Franklin was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 19:05:36 ‹Elaine Cunningham› Paris, that's a little bit like the old campfire "tell a piece of the story" game:  All too often it derails completely. Alas. 

26/09/2011 19:05:43 ‹Ben.› Howard Andrew Jones: This may seem odd, but I'm guessing there is an unspoken understanding of "we don't talk about Crit Group," but also that the Editor understands such a group is necessary. Is it ever addressed by either side, or is that when you know things have gone pear-shaped? 

26/09/2011 19:05:44 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› IWhat Dave said, except that I had to join the crit groups to find the first people I trusted to read my work. 

26/09/2011 19:06:16 ‹Paris.Crenshaw› Yeah. I learned that one the hard way. It still pains me to see those lone chapters out there, waiting for their follow-up. 

26/09/2011 19:06:27 ‹Ben.› ("The First Rule of Crit Group is..." 

26/09/2011 19:06:48 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Ben, well, I don't really have a crit group per se, now. I have a handful of writers with whom I exchange manuscripts. They aren't reading each other's manuscripts, but I read each of theirs, if that makes sense. 

26/09/2011 19:07:01 ‹Elaine Cunningham› I never worked with a critique group, but I do swap w-i-p with other writers from time to time. 

26/09/2011 19:07:32 ‹Mothman› Dave and Elaine (and others), what sort of things work for you in collaborative writing? Like, how do you decide on ideas and directions, how often do you share and swap writing, do you edit each others work, do you each write a chapter and repeat, do you sort of write half a book each and combine .. how does it work? 

26/09/2011 19:07:43 ‹Dave Gross› We didn't post a duration for the chat, but I know some of the guests have to push off soon. Thanks James, Howard, Elaine, and Robin. This sure is a lot more fun with a big panel. You don't have to leave if you don't want to go, but feel free to step away from the keyboard. 

26/09/2011 19:07:44 ‹James Sutter› Also, a weird thing as an editor and a writer is that sometimes you'll be on different sides of the table with the same person. 

26/09/2011 19:07:52 ‹Paris.Crenshaw› I joined critters.org a long time ago, myself. Have any of the authors tried that one? I found the requirement a bit tough to keep up. 

26/09/2011 19:08:06 ‹Elaine Cunningham› IMothman, every collaboration is different.  

26/09/2011 19:08:06 ‹James Sutter› For instance, I sold Robin a story a while back, and it took several drafts to get it right. 

26/09/2011 19:08:14 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› My wife Shannon is an amazing editor, and I show her all the fiction before James sees it, for instance, but it's never come up. On the other hand, it has come up with my work for St. Martin's, because Shannon shot down an idea my editor and I had dreamed up to fix a section when she pointed out the logical flaws. My editor then was then pretty impressed with my wife. 

26/09/2011 19:08:17 * taurelin joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 19:08:24 ‹Ben.› I guess my question is best answered then by James Sutter-- as the editor, does it ever concern you to consider that the author has a 3rd party reviewing the material who may not be under NDA? 

26/09/2011 19:08:36 ‹James Sutter› As it turns out, Robin's editing is as spot-on as his writing.  

26/09/2011 19:09:20 ‹Robin D. Laws› Thanks, James. I endeavored to be the supportive voice I want to have as an editor. 

26/09/2011 19:09:22 ‹Dave Gross› Mothman: What Elaine said. Sadly, I've never enjoyed what I think of as an ideal collaboration--both times it's been someone else finishing a story I started, or vice versa. What I disliked about the former situation I tried to avoid in the latter. Ideally, however, I look forward to a collaboration in which my partner and I come up with a rough outline together, then divide the chapters and swap 

26/09/2011 19:09:29 ‹Dave Gross› for feedback. 

26/09/2011 19:09:38 ‹Mothman› Thankyou to all the authors for coming and sharing your thoughts and answering our questions (if you have to go) 

26/09/2011 19:09:42 * _Elaine Cunningham was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 19:09:48 ‹Ben.› Yes, thank you very much. 

26/09/2011 19:09:52 ‹Mairkurion› It's been a fun read and I'm appreciating everyone's contributions. 

26/09/2011 19:09:57 * _LauraBow was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 19:10:00 ‹James Sutter› I think writers' groups are incredibly useful when you're starting out, and for your whole life if you can find a good one, but ultimately I think there comes a time when you need to be able to look at your own work critically without making somebody else tell you about the problems you already know are there.... 

26/09/2011 19:10:01 ‹Mairkurion› Woops, missed EC. 

26/09/2011 19:10:02 ‹James Sutter› if that makes sense. 

26/09/2011 19:10:23 ‹Robin D. Laws› And on that note, I should split. My wife and I were in the middle of a FRINGE episode and I've left her hanging long enough... Thanks everybody! 

26/09/2011 19:10:25 ‹Ben.› Certainly. 

26/09/2011 19:10:34 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› James, makes sense to me. Take care, Robin! 

26/09/2011 19:10:44 ‹Ben.› But for more nascent authors? 

26/09/2011 19:10:51 ‹Dave Gross› Robin D. Laws: I hope you don't find she's slipped into an alternate universe. Thanks for joining us, Robin! 

26/09/2011 19:10:53 ‹Mothman› See you Robin 

26/09/2011 19:10:57 ‹Rathendar› take care robin! 

26/09/2011 19:11:01 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› I ask different friends for a readthrough depending on the manuscript. 

26/09/2011 19:11:01 ‹James Sutter› Later, Robin! 

26/09/2011 19:11:03 ‹Justin Franklin› Robin D. Laws: thanx 

26/09/2011 19:11:08 ‹Ben.› Good bye Robin! Thank you! 

26/09/2011 19:11:10 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Ben, when I was starting out, I went to the crit groups. 

26/09/2011 19:11:13 * _LaughingOtter was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 19:11:17 * _LauraBow was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 19:11:20 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Some were frustrating, and so awful I never went back. 

26/09/2011 19:11:38 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› But usually there were one or two people who were helpful. 

26/09/2011 19:11:42 ‹KiwiGlen› Loved the Worldwound Gambit Robin! Thanks for Yath! 

26/09/2011 19:11:46 * MBanach/Ezekiel joins pftales 

26/09/2011 19:11:56 ‹Justin Sluder› Matt! 

26/09/2011 19:11:57 ‹James Sutter› Which isn't to knock writing groups, but more to say that if you want to be a pro, you're often going to be on deadline. And unless you have an EXCELLENT group, they're not always going to give you the quick turnaround you need. So you can't become so reliant on their support that you can't write without them. 

26/09/2011 19:11:57 ‹Mothman› I have to get back to work, thanks again everyone - love your work! 

26/09/2011 19:12:07 ‹Justin Sluder› MBanach 

26/09/2011 19:12:10 ‹Elaine Cunningham› Mairkurion, I was temporarily consumed by the chat beast. 

26/09/2011 19:12:19 ‹MBanach/Ezekiel› Hello all 

26/09/2011 19:12:20 ‹Dave Gross› I left a crit group last year when, as a last straw, the unpleasant member of the group "corrected" my correct spelling and mocked me for my ignorance. I couldn't believe he didn't even crack a dictionary before deciding to serve me. 

26/09/2011 19:12:28 ‹Kajehase›  

26/09/2011 19:12:32 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Wow. 

26/09/2011 19:12:43 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› That's pretty irritating, Dave. 

26/09/2011 19:12:45 ‹Ben.› I'm certain it might be an issue very specific to myself. I just wonder how to address that idea with an editor that a third party might be viewing the text prior to turnover. 

26/09/2011 19:12:53 * Hill Giant joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 19:12:55 ‹Dave Gross› And that was not the first time that had happened to me, but it was a lot funnier the first time. 

26/09/2011 19:12:59 ‹Ben.› Dave Gross: That ain't cool. 

26/09/2011 19:13:04 * _Robin D. Laws was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 19:13:12 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› I don't know that an editor would care. It's the result that matters. 

26/09/2011 19:13:14 ‹James Sutter› As for the writer's group vs. legal concerns, 

26/09/2011 19:13:23 ‹James Sutter› I don't really care unless it's a Top Secret project 

26/09/2011 19:13:27 ‹Mairkurion› Ah, good.  I just wanted you to see the appreciation.   

26/09/2011 19:13:51 ‹James Sutter› And if it saves me work as an editor--even better! 

26/09/2011 19:14:02 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Sure -- what James says. 

26/09/2011 19:14:04 ‹Kevin Andrew Murphy (on his la› James Sutter: I've generally found that if you've got a deadline, you cherry pick a few people from your writer's group for feedback when they know they can give it in time for it to be useful. 

26/09/2011 19:14:11 ‹Timitius› James Sutter: Now THAT'S the truth.... 

26/09/2011 19:14:12 ‹Ben.› James Sutter: That's a good point to consider. Thank you.  

26/09/2011 19:14:24 * Mothman quit 

26/09/2011 19:14:25 ‹Paris.Crenshaw› Yeah, sorry to hear that, Dave. If the writing group's members can't be supportive, then they shouldn't be in the group. I've been lucky with the few that I've been in. Of course, in both cases, I was either invited by someone I know well or recommended by someone who knew the group. 

26/09/2011 19:15:03 ‹LauraBow› Thank you for your response too, James. (sorry for the delayed response!) And thanks as well for taking the time to judge the Chronicler contest. Your comments were very helpful to me. 

26/09/2011 19:15:17 ‹James Sutter› Hey, my pleasure, Laura! 

26/09/2011 19:15:32 ‹Dave Gross› Paris.Crenshaw: The most common reason why I've left groups or dropped someone from one of my own is that they just never learned how to crit. They don't come prepared, and then they ramble on with a stream-of-consciousness reaction to the story at the table, usually wasting everyone's time. 

26/09/2011 19:15:34 ‹Justin Franklin› Ok now that we are almost done the baby is asleep... 

26/09/2011 19:15:42 ‹Elaine Cunningham› Dave, thanks for setting up the chat. 

26/09/2011 19:15:54 ‹Dave Gross› Elaine Cunningham: You are most welcome. 

26/09/2011 19:16:12 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Dave, Elaine's dead-on. Thanks for rounding us all up. 

26/09/2011 19:16:21 ‹Mairkurion› Yes, bravo, Dave. 

26/09/2011 19:16:30 ‹James Sutter› Is it time for everyone to bail? 

26/09/2011 19:16:31 ‹Timitius›  

26/09/2011 19:16:35 ‹LauraBow› +1 

26/09/2011 19:16:44 ‹Dave Gross› It's like being the SysOp of the TSR RoundTable on GEnie all over again. Ah, my lost youth.  

26/09/2011 19:16:45 ‹MBanach/Ezekiel› Question to the authors/editors - do you have any helpful references for narration styles - 1st person vs 3rd person limited omniscient, etc...? 

26/09/2011 19:16:45 ‹Elaine Cunningham› I just recalled that I DID attend one meeting of a critique group. Or what I THOUGHT was one. 

26/09/2011 19:16:49 ‹James Sutter› Thanks so much, everybody--this was great. 

26/09/2011 19:16:52 ‹Justin Sluder› James Sutter: you can stay and geek out with the rest of us!  

26/09/2011 19:16:59 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› I can stay for a just a bit longer if there are any more quesitons. 

26/09/2011 19:17:04 ‹James Sutter› Oh no! 

26/09/2011 19:17:08 ‹James Sutter› The rest of the office is leaving! 

26/09/2011 19:17:11 ‹Paris.Crenshaw› I'm sorry I showed up late, but thanks to Dave, Elaine, Robin, Howard, and James for sharing your experiences with us! 

26/09/2011 19:17:12 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› questions 

26/09/2011 19:17:13 ‹James Sutter› I can't stay here alone in the dark 

26/09/2011 19:17:13 ‹Justin Franklin› Dave Gross: thanx 

26/09/2011 19:17:15 ‹Kevin Andrew Murphy (on his la› Definitely.  (Apologies for being in-and-out.) 

26/09/2011 19:17:17 ‹James Sutter› it's terrifying here. 

26/09/2011 19:17:26 * _LauraBow was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 19:17:26 ‹James Sutter› Wes is walking slowly to the door... 

26/09/2011 19:17:32 ‹weirmonken› Before things wrap up, James: Are you still in talks with Ed Greenwood for more PF fiction from him? 

26/09/2011 19:17:32 ‹Dave Gross› MBanach/Ezekiel: If you don't know which one to pick, pick third-person limited to a single character. 

26/09/2011 19:17:40 ‹James Sutter› Thanks, everybody! See you all later! 

26/09/2011 19:17:45 ‹Justin Franklin› James Sutter: is it the cave raptors? 

26/09/2011 19:17:45 ‹James Sutter› (Weir: Yup, Ed's on board) 

26/09/2011 19:17:47 ‹Justin Sluder› cya James 

26/09/2011 19:17:48 ‹James Sutter› RAPTORS! 

26/09/2011 19:17:50 * Brian Cortijo joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 19:17:51 ‹James Sutter› Must go.... 

26/09/2011 19:17:53 ‹James Sutter› See ya! 

26/09/2011 19:17:57 ‹MBanach/Ezekiel› waves 

26/09/2011 19:17:57 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› I love first person; losing myself in the other character's voice. 

26/09/2011 19:17:57 ‹The Other Elaine› have a good night everybody 

26/09/2011 19:17:58 ‹Dave Gross› MBanach/Ezekiel: Otherwise, choose the one that best serves the purpose. Read a lot of stories in different POVs to get a feeling for what works when and how. 

26/09/2011 19:18:01 ‹Kajehase› What most everyone else is saying: Thanks to all the authors for showing up, and an extra cheer to Dave for arranging it. 

26/09/2011 19:18:01 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Take care, James! 

26/09/2011 19:18:02 ‹KiwiGlen› @James You think Monday was bad, you wait until Tuesday, it's just not good. I'm living it now... 

26/09/2011 19:18:09 ‹Justin Sluder› Brian, you're late!  

26/09/2011 19:18:25 * _taurelin was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 19:18:28 * _Elaine Cunningham was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 19:18:43 ‹Brian Cortijo› Justin Sluder: Oh, the shame I do feel... 

26/09/2011 19:18:44 * _James Sutter was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 19:18:57 * Peebo- shares their Tuesday with KiwiGlen: 

26/09/2011 19:18:58 * calandra quit 

26/09/2011 19:18:59 ‹Justin Sluder› Brian Cortijo:  

26/09/2011 19:19:05 ‹Ben.› Now is this logged anywhere? 

26/09/2011 19:19:18 ‹MBanach/Ezekiel› Dave Gross: thanks. I've tried some experiments in 1st person present tense, but the others tried and true always work in a pinch 

26/09/2011 19:19:21 ‹Dave Gross› Ben.:  mentioned that he was recording a log. 

26/09/2011 19:19:34 ‹Dave Gross› MBanach/Ezekiel: I love both first person and present tense, but I don't use them often. 

26/09/2011 19:19:36 ‹Elaine Cunningham› Huh. Consumed again. 

26/09/2011 19:19:50 ‹Rathendar› nom nom 

26/09/2011 19:19:56 ‹Justin Sluder› Elaine Cunningham: skippy does that. Sorry. 

26/09/2011 19:20:02 ‹Justin Sluder› Skippy.... 

26/09/2011 19:20:07 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› I don't experiment with present tense myself -- I always stick with past. Not sure why, now that I think of it. 

26/09/2011 19:20:08 ‹Paris.Crenshaw› You must be particularly tasty to the Chatbeast, Elaine. 

26/09/2011 19:20:19 ‹Dave Gross› Paris.Crenshaw: It's the garlic and paprika. 

26/09/2011 19:20:24 ‹weirmonken› Dave: Thank you for the blog that has recommended a number of wuxia films I wasn't aware of. Finally saw Encounters of the Spooky Kind earlier this week, and absolutely loved it. 

26/09/2011 19:20:38 ‹Dave Gross› weirmonken: If you loved that, you must check out Mister Vampire. 

26/09/2011 19:20:55 ‹weirmonken› It's in the Netflix queue. 

26/09/2011 19:21:00 ‹Dave Gross› weirmonken: Twice the humor, and 90% less mysogyny. 

26/09/2011 19:21:03 ‹Kajehase› Justin Sluder: We need a better name than Skippy. The Chatbeast ain't no bush kangaroo. 

26/09/2011 19:21:16 ‹Paris.Crenshaw› Mmmm...funny...My wife made goulash for dinner this evening...with Spätzle 

26/09/2011 19:21:19 ‹Dave Gross› Misogyny, even. 

26/09/2011 19:21:23 ‹weirmonken› Dave: Yeah, the ending was... jarring, to say the least. 

26/09/2011 19:21:27 * _SirGuido was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 19:21:37 * Bill Ward joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 19:21:38 ‹Dave Gross› weirmonken: blew my mind when I first saw it, so much that I hesitated to recommend the movie. 

26/09/2011 19:21:51 ‹Dave Gross› Hey, it's Bill Ward, famous contributor to Black Gate! 

26/09/2011 19:21:53 ‹Elaine Cunningham› Must run.  G'nite, all! 

26/09/2011 19:21:59 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Hey Bill! 

26/09/2011 19:22:01 ‹MBanach/Ezekiel› Dave Gross: BTW, I have truly enjoyed the Radovan and Jeggare stories. I particularly enjoy the Chelaxian characters I've seen. 

26/09/2011 19:22:03 ‹Dave Gross› Cheers, ec. 

26/09/2011 19:22:04 ‹Justin Franklin› Dave Gross: mr Vampire is good. 

26/09/2011 19:22:06 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Take care, Elaine. 

26/09/2011 19:22:10 ‹Justin Sluder› howdy Bill Ward. has anyone ever told you you have a good cowboy name? 

26/09/2011 19:22:10 ‹Bill Ward› famous late arrival 

26/09/2011 19:22:13 ‹Justin Franklin› Elaine Cunningham: night 

26/09/2011 19:22:13 ‹The Other Elaine› Elaine Cunningham: good night 

26/09/2011 19:22:26 ‹Justin Sluder› Elaine Cunningham: take care 

26/09/2011 19:22:27 ‹Paris.Crenshaw› G'nite, Elaine! 

26/09/2011 19:22:37 ‹weirmonken› Dave: There's so much goodness before that pont, though! The monkey-see, monkey-do routine with the hopping vampire was amazing. 

26/09/2011 19:22:39 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› How are things, Bill? Do I remember that you are not going to be able to make World Fantasy con this year? 

26/09/2011 19:22:44 * _Elaine Cunningham was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 19:22:45 ‹Kajehase› G'night Elaine 

26/09/2011 19:22:47 ‹Bill Ward› thanks Justin, the cows have hinted at that in the past, yes 

26/09/2011 19:22:56 ‹Dave Gross› MBanach/Ezekiel: I have a love/hate relationship with Cheliax. Lately I've been thinking I'd love to set a story inspired by pre-WWII Berlin in Egorian. 

26/09/2011 19:23:00 ‹Justin Franklin› The Other Elaine: now you can get confused with Ec 

26/09/2011 19:23:03 ‹Justin Sluder› MBanach/Ezekiel: you should make it out for next PaizoCon, if Dave's there, you can see him insult me in person!  

26/09/2011 19:23:09 ‹Bill Ward› yea, can't make it Howard 

26/09/2011 19:23:14 ‹Dave Gross› weirmonken: That was great, but I think Mister Vampire does it all even better. I love that picture. 

26/09/2011 19:23:15 * Justin Sluder pokes Dave  

26/09/2011 19:23:15 ‹Bill Ward› wish i could! 

26/09/2011 19:23:23 ‹MBanach/Ezekiel› Justin Sluder: heh. Ah, one day... 

26/09/2011 19:23:35 ‹The Other Elaine› Justin Franklin: heheheh 

26/09/2011 19:23:36 ‹Kajehase› Dave Gross: Before or after the fall of the Weimar republic? 

26/09/2011 19:23:39 ‹Paris.Crenshaw› Dave...what about something in Post-WWII Vienna? 

26/09/2011 19:23:41 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Bill, you just missed James. 

26/09/2011 19:23:47 * The Other Elaine changes his/her nickname to Lady Elaine 

26/09/2011 19:23:56 ‹Dave Gross› I might schedule some of these events on Thursdays in hopes that'll be more convenient for some of the folks who can't make it on Monday. 

26/09/2011 19:23:59 ‹Lady Elaine› Now I can go back to my normal name. 

26/09/2011 19:24:03 ‹weirmonken› Dave: If you're doing a story based on the Weimar Republic, I'd recommend the excellent graphic novel Berlin. Really gripping. 

26/09/2011 19:24:04 * Kajehase has visions of Cabaret in Egorian 

26/09/2011 19:24:29 ‹Dave Gross› Kajehase: No, because obviously Egorian is run by the Fascists now. But because of Jeggare's age, he can almost remember a sort of Weimar-era period. His mother certainly lived in that era. 

26/09/2011 19:24:37 * _Peebo- was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 19:24:51 ‹Dave Gross› Paris.Crenshaw: I don't know Vienna very well, although I've begun reading the Frank Tallis mysteries set there before the war. 

26/09/2011 19:25:18 ‹Bill Ward› Howard: shame, glad you guys are still here though 

26/09/2011 19:25:30 ‹Kajehase› Dave Gross: For Vienna, just watch the Third Man.   

26/09/2011 19:25:37 ‹Dave Gross› Kajehase: I've been "reading" a lot of Philip Kerr lately. 

26/09/2011 19:25:42 ‹Dave Gross› Kajehase: Good point. That's a great one. 

26/09/2011 19:26:10 * Peebo- quit 

26/09/2011 19:26:16 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Bill, alas, I'm probably going to be signing off here very soon. 

26/09/2011 19:26:35 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Anyone have any more questions for me? 

26/09/2011 19:26:56 * _Pseudolus was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 19:27:03 ‹Bill Ward› will you be co-authoring any novels with harold lamb? 

26/09/2011 19:27:09 ‹Paris.Crenshaw› You should try to visit, if you can travel. When I was there in March, I suddenly found it easier to visualize a place like Absalom. Very inspiring. 

26/09/2011 19:27:10 ‹Dave Gross› Oh, I should have mentioned it looks like I'll be signing at the NYCC and at a Brooklyn game store that weekend. Still don't know the venue. 

26/09/2011 19:27:38 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Hah! Actually, the first idea I had for a Pathfinder novel was to do a Harold Lamb character pastiche. 

26/09/2011 19:27:51 ‹Brian Cortijo› Dave Gross: Do you know which day you'll be signing? I can pop by and bring cardboard cutouts of fans! 

26/09/2011 19:27:51 ‹Paris.Crenshaw› Well, I need to get going...need to go get a run in. Yay. ::noticeable lack of enthusiasm:: 

26/09/2011 19:27:52 * _jonroberts was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 19:27:53 ‹Dave Gross› Paris.Crenshaw: Vienna's on my B-list. Prague and Budapest are higher, as is a lot of Italy. We had to deplete the vacation fund this year, unfortunately. We won't be getting over there soon. 

26/09/2011 19:27:58 ‹Bill Ward› oh yea -- but there wasn't enough steppe, right? 

26/09/2011 19:28:08 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Right. 

26/09/2011 19:28:21 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› I think I'll probably be putting a Cossack type character in the next one, though. 

26/09/2011 19:28:21 ‹Ben.› Dave, how are you finding working on a patronage project? 

26/09/2011 19:28:25 ‹Dave Gross› Brian Cortijo: I don't know yet, but I'll be there Thursday-Saturday. I will probably have an hour at the Diamond booth, and I've no idea when I'll be visiting the game store. 

26/09/2011 19:28:34 ‹Paris.Crenshaw› I'm sad to say we missed Budapest during the last trip. Will definitely be doing it someday. 

26/09/2011 19:28:35 ‹Kevin Andrew Murphy (on his la› So how many of the other Pathfinder authors are doing WFC? 

26/09/2011 19:28:39 ‹Dave Gross› Paris.Crenshaw: Have fun running and sweating. 

26/09/2011 19:28:54 ‹Paris.Crenshaw› Thanks again, to Dave and the other authors for the chat! 

26/09/2011 19:28:55 ‹Dave Gross› Kevin Andrew Murphy (on his la: Not this year. I'll attend in Toronto, though. 

26/09/2011 19:28:59 ‹Bill Ward› You could have made him a mammoth rider -- bit less fast paced than a pony 

26/09/2011 19:29:01 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› James will be there, I will be there. I don't think Dave will be. Don't know about Robin and Elaine. 

26/09/2011 19:29:09 * _LauraBow was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 19:29:10 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Bill, you're in rare form tonight. 

26/09/2011 19:29:14 * Paris.Crenshaw quit 

26/09/2011 19:29:18 ‹Brian Cortijo› Dave Gross: I'll message you on Facebook as we get closer to NYCC. I still owe you a mediocre lunch conversation from GenCon! 

26/09/2011 19:29:35 ‹Dave Gross› Brian Cortijo: Groovy. Find me good NY-style pizza, and we'll talk. 

26/09/2011 19:29:44 ‹Ben.› That's right! That's soon. I wonder if I can convince the wife to go. 

26/09/2011 19:29:45 ‹MBanach/Ezekiel› Dave Gross: What guidelines do you use when determining how much violence to describe in your PF tales? 

26/09/2011 19:29:47 ‹Bill Ward› Howard, I should have apologized in advance 

26/09/2011 19:30:04 ‹Brian Cortijo› Dave Gross: Not a problem, especially not if you're going to be in Brooklyn. 

26/09/2011 19:30:15 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Kevin, I don't know who else is going from the PT lineup. Sorry. 

26/09/2011 19:30:23 ‹Bill Ward› Howard, real question -- any PF stories on the horizon for you? 

26/09/2011 19:30:24 ‹Dave Gross› MBanach/Ezekiel: I go as far as I feel comfortable with (pretty much hard-R at the most) and trust the editors to tell me where to rein it in. So far, no one's commented on the violence. 

26/09/2011 19:30:30 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Kevin, you get to any other cons? 

26/09/2011 19:31:03 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Bill, yes! 

26/09/2011 19:31:23 ‹MBanach/Ezekiel› Dave Gross: Nods. I read Eric Mona's story as a temperature-taker, and he started with cannibalism gore, so I figured the bar was pretty high 

26/09/2011 19:31:24 ‹Lady Elaine› Well, I'm switching windows. The blinking is bugging me.  If you're not in the main chat, g'night  

26/09/2011 19:31:28 ‹Dave Gross› MBanach/Ezekiel: I often feel like I want to make the violence revolting, but I realize it's a heroic genre, and there's only so much of that sensibility the audience is likely to appreciate. 

26/09/2011 19:31:38 * _LauraBow was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 19:32:11 * Justin Franklin quit 

26/09/2011 19:32:34 ‹Ben.› That was something I always liked about Joel Rosenberg's Guardians of the Flame series-- he was straight with what happened when his characters killed people. 

19:32:52 * Lady Elaine quit 

26/09/2011 19:32:58 ‹Dave Gross› Ben.: I appreciated those books, too. 

26/09/2011 19:33:11 ‹Ben.› It added a bit of realism that I did not feel detracted. 

26/09/2011 19:33:18 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› I will be signing out -- thanks again Dave. Nice talking with all of you! 

26/09/2011 19:33:31 ‹Justin Sluder› Howard Andrew Jones: take care 

26/09/2011 19:33:31 ‹Dave Gross› Howard Andrew Jones: Always good to chat with you. 

26/09/2011 19:33:45 ‹Ben.› but then I also like how Glen Cook doesn't get into that violence, despite the fact that it is ubiquitous in his work. 

26/09/2011 19:33:57 ‹Ben.› Howard Andrew Jones: Thank you again! 

26/09/2011 19:34:10 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› My pleasure. Night, all. 

26/09/2011 19:34:16 ‹Dave Gross› Ben.: I've only recently discovered Cook. I like him. 

26/09/2011 19:34:21 ‹Ben.› At least, not in the Black Company series. 

26/09/2011 19:34:24 ‹Kevin Andrew Murphy (on his la› Howard Andrew Jones: I do a number of them.  I was at WorldCon, Comicon, Westercon, BayCon and Dundracon.  And Paizocon. 

26/09/2011 19:34:48 ‹Ben.› The Garrett Files are a little moreso, but that's part of the hardboiled aspect, I think. 

26/09/2011 19:34:49 ‹Justin Sluder›  PaizoCon!!!  

26/09/2011 19:34:56 ‹Howard Andrew Jones› Perhaps I'll see you in person next year, Kevin. 

26/09/2011 19:35:02 * Howard Andrew Jones quit 

26/09/2011 19:35:14 * Amber_Scott joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 19:35:30 ‹Ben.› Dave Gross: Glen Cook is great. Making readers wait a decade for a sequel, less great.  

26/09/2011 19:35:49 ‹weirmonken› Dave: Do you intend to work in the wuxia genre, and did you look at any wuxia fiction as inspiration? 

26/09/2011 19:36:01 ‹Kajehase›  Amber_Scott 

26/09/2011 19:36:10 ‹Kevin Andrew Murphy (on his la› Or maybe at World Fantasy.  I'll be there end of next month. 

26/09/2011 19:36:15 * Zuxius joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 19:36:17 ‹Kevin Andrew Murphy (on his la› Whoops, Howard just left. 

26/09/2011 19:36:30 ‹Kajehase› ...and Zuxius 

26/09/2011 19:37:02 ‹Amber_Scott› Hello everyone 

26/09/2011 19:37:05 ‹Zuxius› Kajehase:  

26/09/2011 19:37:12 ‹Alex Putnam› weirmonken: http://frabjousdave.blogspot.com/ 

26/09/2011 19:37:26 ‹Dave Gross› weirmonken: I have not directly read much wuxia fiction; rather, I've experienced it through dozens of films based on wuxia novels, like Louis Cha's work. Yes, it is very likely I will write more wuxia-influenced stories, although probably not a straight-on proper wuxia story anytime soon. 

26/09/2011 19:37:27 ‹Kevin Andrew Murphy (on his la› And I think I should go out right now too.  The other me right now is my home machine which I left on and forgot in lurking mode. 

26/09/2011 19:38:28 * _Kevin Andrew Murphy (on his la was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 19:38:42 ‹Dave Gross› weirmonken: Or maybe I should back up a step, looking at your question again. Master of Devils is 90% distilled from wuxia movies.  

26/09/2011 19:39:39 ‹weirmonken› Dave: Oh, I know. After seing you read the first few chapters at PaizoCon, I preordered it immediately and absolutely loved it. 

26/09/2011 19:40:03 ‹Ben.› Alright. Thank you again, Dave, for setting this up. Time go back to the day job. 

26/09/2011 19:40:12 ‹Dave Gross› Oh, I should have said this earlier: 

26/09/2011 19:40:16 * Ben. quit 

26/09/2011 19:40:39 ‹Dave Gross› If you've enjoyed some of the Pathfinder Tales novels and haven't yet posted a review on Amazon and Paizo, please do. (If you haven't enjoyed them, please keep it to yourself.) 

26/09/2011 19:40:56 ‹Justin Sluder› Dave Gross: hehe 

26/09/2011 19:41:08 ‹Amber_Scott› And there's plenty of time to buy some for holiday presents 

26/09/2011 19:41:51 ‹Dave Gross› The next of these events will be for authors of web fiction. It'll probably happen in November. 

26/09/2011 19:41:55 ‹Zuxius›  

26/09/2011 19:42:02 ‹Bill Ward› cool! 

26/09/2011 19:42:03 * dragonlady joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 19:42:27 ‹Zuxius› Dave-Sun Rising 

26/09/2011 19:42:28 ‹Dave Gross› I should talk to Ted about one for December, too. 

26/09/2011 19:42:43 ‹Zuxius›  

26/09/2011 19:42:52 ‹Dave Gross› Ted should email me.  

26/09/2011 19:43:32 ‹Zuxius› Dave Gross: I should do more than that. I should get in a car and drive to your house and demand you read me your book 

26/09/2011 19:43:47 ‹Dave Gross› Dude, I read you 1/6 of it.  

26/09/2011 19:44:11 ‹Bill Ward› hey Dave, a bit specific, but how much did you know about Council of Thieves when writing Hell's Pawns? seemed like you managed to really nail the themes in the campaign, without actually following it (or even being in the same city!) 

26/09/2011 19:44:22 ‹Zuxius› Yes, I must email you Dave. I don't need to read the book, I lived it with you  

26/09/2011 19:44:48 ‹Dave Gross› Bill Ward: I knew that it was set in Westcrown and was called Council of Thieves.  

26/09/2011 19:44:58 ‹Amber_Scott› Hehehe 

26/09/2011 19:45:09 ‹Bill Ward› good answer 

26/09/2011 19:45:27 ‹Dave Gross› Bill Ward: And I can't think of a single detail more than that that I knew. 

26/09/2011 19:45:37 ‹Dave Gross› Bill Ward: It's possible I knew it had tieflings, but I wasn't thinking about that. 

26/09/2011 19:45:45 ‹Zuxius› Dave Gross: I was afraid of that. Here's your magic stick and your tinsel hat. 

26/09/2011 19:45:52 ‹Kajehase› Dave Gross: It would include some sort of thieves' guild? 

26/09/2011 19:46:03 * _Pseudolus was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 19:46:30 ‹Zuxius› Story first is the best approach. 

26/09/2011 19:46:31 ‹Dave Gross› Kajehase: I probably inferred that from the title, but I don't think I knew it. 

26/09/2011 19:46:34 ‹Bill Ward› yea, i was wondering, since you hit tieflings, opera, hellknights, bastard children, etc. -- it seemed so deliberate! 

26/09/2011 19:47:02 ‹Dave Gross› Well, I drew those elements straight from the campaign material, so it isn't too surprising, is it? 

26/09/2011 19:47:32 ‹Dave Gross› And as for the bastard element, that was part of my pitch before I knew anything, but early on I learned I couldn't use "Bastard" in the title because it would be part of one of the AP titles. 

26/09/2011 19:47:39 * Tokoz joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 19:47:43 ‹Bill Ward› no, not really -- but it did dovetail nicely with what the campaign then specifically sort of expanded upon 

26/09/2011 19:48:28 ‹Dave Gross› If there are any crossovers between "Husks" and "Jade Regent" stronger than "ninja" and "samurai," I'll be surprised. 

26/09/2011 19:49:02 ‹Bill Ward› ah, yes, i haven't started reading Husks yet (have the first two JR books) 

26/09/2011 19:49:07 ‹Dave Gross› Perhaps interestingly, Radovan was not originally pitch as a tiefling. Nor was his name Radovan.  

26/09/2011 19:49:15 ‹Dave Gross› *pitched 

26/09/2011 19:49:27 ‹Bill Ward› what was he going to be? 

26/09/2011 19:49:31 ‹Bill Ward› half-gnome? 

26/09/2011 19:49:32 ‹dragonlady› really 

26/09/2011 19:49:35 ‹Alex Putnam› Dave Gross: Can you reveal was the original permutations were? 

26/09/2011 19:49:36 ‹Dave Gross› That was James' suggestion, since tieflings are more interesting in Cheliax. 

26/09/2011 19:49:59 ‹Dave Gross› He was originally a half-orc, and I think the first name was "Sabuto" or something similar. Also, he was Tian. 

26/09/2011 19:50:23 ‹dragonlady› It added a lot of depth to Radovan and was a good tie in. 

26/09/2011 19:50:24 * bhagczech joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 19:50:29 ‹Zuxius› Those raping orcs sure do get around 

26/09/2011 19:50:45 ‹Tokoz› hmmm, on an unrelated note. Saturday was National Punctuation Day in the US? 

26/09/2011 19:50:45 ‹Dave Gross› But James mentioned that someone had a half-orc character in a novel outline, and when I realized the importance of tieflings in Cheliax and knew that I didn't have to give him a horn and tails, I was sold. 

26/09/2011 19:50:55 ‹Rathendar› halve orc, will travel? 

26/09/2011 19:50:57 * Rathendar ducks 

26/09/2011 19:51:09 ‹Amber_Scott› Hehehehe 

26/09/2011 19:51:10 ‹Tokoz› Rathendar: lol 

26/09/2011 19:51:10 ‹Kajehase› Thanks again for getting this together Dave 

26/09/2011 19:51:13 ‹Mulban› Tokoz: Is that why I got drunk? 

26/09/2011 19:51:16 ‹Zuxius› Half the Orc he used to be 

26/09/2011 19:51:26 ‹Dave Gross› It mystifies me that this long after they first appeared, no one has commented on the obvious thing that Radovan and Jeggare have in common. 

26/09/2011 19:51:35 ‹Bill Ward› Tianese half-orc would be an interesting character -- has anyone done a Tian character yet (outside of Master of Devils obviously)? 

26/09/2011 19:51:38 ‹Dave Gross› Kajehase: Thanks for coming, mate. It's always fun. 

26/09/2011 19:51:42 ‹Kajehase› Getting early here, so time to go. 

26/09/2011 19:51:52 ‹Dave Gross› Bill Ward: Not in the fiction, that I'm aware of. 

26/09/2011 19:51:58 ‹Zuxius› Kajehase: See ya dude! 

19:52:14 ‹Rathendar› amber scott? i missed your name in chat, hello! 

26/09/2011 19:52:18 ‹Dave Gross› Bill Ward: James suggested that he not be Tian because it was "too soon" to introduce a character from such a distant origin. 

26/09/2011 19:52:21 ‹Tokoz› Dave Gross: Aside from the fact that they both dispise their fathers and know little about them? 

26/09/2011 19:52:26 ‹Dave Gross› Bill Ward: I imagine it's less too soon now. 

26/09/2011 19:52:35 ‹Dave Gross› Tokoz: You're in the right ballpark. 

26/09/2011 19:52:38 ‹Amber_Scott› Rathendar: Hello  

26/09/2011 19:52:40 ‹Bill Ward› right 

26/09/2011 19:52:48 ‹MBanach/Ezekiel› Thanks to all, especially Dave Gross, but I'm off to more writing and less chatting. Justin and I have a "Face" due on Saturday... (gnite) 

26/09/2011 19:52:56 ‹Bill Ward› the thing they have in common is they are half breeds and outiders? 

26/09/2011 19:52:59 * _Kajehase was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 19:53:19 ‹Justin Sluder› cya Matt! 

26/09/2011 19:53:34 ‹Bill Ward› that should read 'outsiders' 

26/09/2011 19:53:44 * _MBanach/Ezekiel was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 19:53:51 ‹Tokoz› Bill Ward: It did. I speak fluent typo. 

26/09/2011 19:54:11 ‹Zuxius› Dave Gross: Sent an email to an old address I had of yours...it was a gmail...still the same? 

26/09/2011 19:54:13 ‹Dave Gross› Bill Ward: You're getting closer. Neither of you has said the magic word, though. 

26/09/2011 19:54:15 ‹Bill Ward› that can be a dangerous skill, Tokoz 

26/09/2011 19:54:21 ‹Dave Gross› Zuxius: Yes, the gmail is current. 

26/09/2011 19:54:36 ‹Tokoz› Bill Ward: Helpful when you're a dyslexic editor like me.  

26/09/2011 19:55:04 ‹Tokoz› Dave Gross: The magic word is "Bastard?" 

26/09/2011 19:55:16 ‹Dave Gross› Tokoz: There you go. 

26/09/2011 19:55:45 ‹Bill Ward› bastard for the win 

26/09/2011 19:56:02 ‹Tokoz› All this time, I thought it was "please." Instead of saying, "Please may I..." I should have been saying "Bastard! Gimmee!" 

26/09/2011 19:56:29 ‹Dave Gross› When someone asks you to say the magic word, usually you want to say "Abracadabra." 

26/09/2011 19:56:36 ‹Zuxius› Dave Gross: Test Email sent 

26/09/2011 19:56:53 ‹Dave Gross› Zuxius: Received and replied. 

26/09/2011 19:57:46 ‹Bill Ward› now its bastacadabra 

26/09/2011 19:57:51 ‹Tokoz› I'd ask for your email too, but 1. I doubt you'd give it that easily to a known psychopath and 2. I don't really need it. It's pretty easy to find you in chat. 

26/09/2011 19:58:13 ‹Amber_Scott› "Bastacadabra" needs to become a thing. 

26/09/2011 19:58:16 ‹Dave Gross› Bill Ward: But also yes, half-breeds. 

26/09/2011 19:58:40 ‹Dave Gross› Bill Ward: I don't remember how much I defined about Radovan's parents in "Hell's Pawns," but it's been on my mind lately. 

26/09/2011 19:58:47 * _Urizen was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 19:59:35 ‹Zuxius› Dave Gross: Got it on my new iPhone. Maybe one day I will have an iPad with Zombies on it 

26/09/2011 20:00:08 * _Brian Cortijo was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 20:00:42 ‹Tokoz› Well, my work here is done. I got to say "Bastard!" to Dave Gross.  

26/09/2011 20:01:21 ‹dragonlady›  

26/09/2011 20:01:23 ‹Tokoz› Off to watch Monk, but I'll be back.   

26/09/2011 20:01:52 ‹weirmonken› Oh, and since no one else has asked: When should we expect more from Varian and Radovan, post-Jade Regent? 

26/09/2011 20:01:56 * _Richard T. Balsley was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 20:02:25 ‹Dave Gross› weirmonken: There's nothing currently in the works for after the Jade Regent story. 

26/09/2011 20:02:35 ‹dragonlady› Noticed a hint of Radovan 'losing' some of his devilness? 

26/09/2011 20:02:52 ‹Dave Gross› dragonlady: Noticed that, did you?  

26/09/2011 20:03:13 ‹dragonlady› Suttle.. 

26/09/2011 20:03:31 ‹Dave Gross› dragonlady: I wonder what else you noticed, or didn't ... 

26/09/2011 20:03:33 ‹Timitius› gasp!  Amber_Scott!!!  OMG!  HELLO! 

26/09/2011 20:03:49 ‹Dave Gross› There are maybe 10x more dangling plot threads in MoD than there were in PoW. 

26/09/2011 20:03:54 ‹Zuxius› Yes, we are very rich with Canadians here Tim 

26/09/2011 20:04:04 ‹Timitius› Oh my....that was a bit too  

26/09/2011 20:04:34 ‹dragonlady› I just finished it last week.  I actually have to go back and re-read it again to get some of the subplots.... 

26/09/2011 20:04:36 * _bhagczech was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 20:04:39 ‹dragonlady› LOVE the dog though. 

26/09/2011 20:04:44 ‹Rathendar› bah tim, you sound just like me 5 minutes ago  

26/09/2011 20:04:58 ‹Dave Gross› dragonlady: I did briefly envision an Arnisant/Skywing adventure, I must confess. 

26/09/2011 20:05:25 ‹Rathendar› haha 

26/09/2011 20:05:30 ‹Amber_Scott› Timitius!!! 

26/09/2011 20:05:49 ‹Tokoz› I guess wife is finishing Calculus 3 stuff. Monk can wait. 

26/09/2011 20:05:54 ‹Amber_Scott› It's true. I am here. 

26/09/2011 20:06:32 * ThatEvilGuy joins PFTales 

26/09/2011 20:06:34 ‹Timitius› Amber_Scott: Hello, then!  Long time, no online chat. 

26/09/2011 20:06:38 ‹Tokoz› Amber_Scott: Dave Gross tried to pawn some writing I wanted him to do off on you. Wasn't that nice of him?  

26/09/2011 20:06:49 ‹dragonlady› With everyone having fun the 'WE be goblins' this year, that could be a fun adventure. 

26/09/2011 20:06:55 ‹Dave Gross› Tokoz: I later apologized to her and told her how you are. 

26/09/2011 20:07:05 ‹Justin Sluder› Amber_Scott: why do I recognize your name? are you famous in certain circles? 

26/09/2011 20:07:08 ‹Tokoz› Dave Gross: lol 

26/09/2011 20:07:20 ‹Dave Gross› dragonlady: I loved We Be Goblins. One of my favorite old Dungeon adventures was a bunch of humanoid monsters against "that pesky ranger." 

26/09/2011 20:07:22 ‹Amber_Scott› Timitius: Indeed! It's good to see you. Been too long. 

26/09/2011 20:07:35 ‹Zuxius› Justin Sluder: sssh, don't give yourself away like that. 

26/09/2011 20:07:35 ‹Timitius› Justin Sluder: She is INfamous! 

26/09/2011 20:07:40 * Steel_Wind quit 

26/09/2011 20:07:43 ‹Amber_Scott› Tokoz: He is a sweetheart that way.  

26/09/2011 20:08:05 ‹Zuxius› Whoops, there goes one Canadian 

26/09/2011 20:08:18 ‹Tokoz› I guess he's afraid of writing Steampunk or something. 

26/09/2011 20:08:47 ‹weirmonken› Dave: What Dungeon adventure was that? 

26/09/2011 20:08:55 ‹Timitius› Amber_Scott: When am I going to get you to come to a PaizoCon?  I still have a Xen'drik book for you to sign, you know.... 

26/09/2011 20:09:06 ‹Amber_Scott› I am but a humble Pathfinder writer, but Tim is very kind to me.  I have some web fiction up on paizo.com right now. 

26/09/2011 20:09:48 ‹Dave Gross› weirmonken: I wish I could remember. I think its title was something like "MonsterQuest." It's possible it was in Dragon rather than Dungeon, too. 

26/09/2011 20:10:01 ‹Amber_Scott› Timitius: Next year, I hope. I know I've said that for a while but I'll try really really hard 

26/09/2011 20:10:09 ‹Justin Sluder› Amber_Scott: ah, this is why I recognize your name: http://www.werecabbages.com/ta...term/87 

26/09/2011 20:10:16 ‹Tokoz› Dave Gross: That was a cool series on the History Channel too. 

26/09/2011 20:10:58 ‹Zuxius› Justin Sluder: Oh dear...no no no. Everyone knows Amber, she's done lots of Paizo prods and even web fiction. 

26/09/2011 20:11:01 ‹Amber_Scott› Justin Sluder: Yep, that's me! 

26/09/2011 20:11:05 * _Mairkurion was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 20:11:24 ‹Tokoz› Ok, now Dave gets a reprieve. I'm really off to watch Monk.  

26/09/2011 20:11:28 ‹Amber_Scott› That bio is pretty out of date though. One of my many fall projects is to update it. 

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26/09/2011 20:11:39 ‹Zuxius› Justin Sluder: ...and best of all, she's in Canada 

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26/09/2011 20:11:59 ‹Amber_Scott› lol 

26/09/2011 20:12:14 ‹R.C, Jr› What's this about Canada? 

26/09/2011 20:12:24 * _Thea was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 20:12:24 ‹Zuxius› Canadians are like the Americans you can't hate. 

26/09/2011 20:12:36 ‹Dave Gross› R.C, Jr: Justin Sluder hates Canada, that's all. 

26/09/2011 20:12:55 * _Thea was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 20:13:05 ‹Justin Sluder› Zuxius:  

26/09/2011 20:13:34 ‹Zuxius› Amber_Scott: Yea Amber, up date that thing 

26/09/2011 20:13:50 * Justin Sluder doesn't really hate Canada 

26/09/2011 20:13:52 ‹R.C, Jr› Yes, Sluder's priorities are wacky. 

26/09/2011 20:14:14 * _ThatEvilGuy was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 20:14:25 ‹Timitius› Amber_Scott: I see no Secrets of Xen'drik on that list.... 

26/09/2011 20:14:39 ‹Zuxius› well we lost a Canadian and we gained one again...this works 

26/09/2011 20:14:54 ‹dragonlady› different coasts... 

26/09/2011 20:15:00 * _Thea was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 20:15:01 ‹Amber_Scott› Dave mentioned there might be a web fiction chat at some point in the future 

26/09/2011 20:15:01 ‹dragonlady› rather like americans 

26/09/2011 20:15:11 ‹Amber_Scott› I will update the bio by then so I can link to it and look awesome 

26/09/2011 20:15:17 ‹R.C, Jr› Only until the end of my tea, I'm afraid, which is going fast. 

26/09/2011 20:15:22 ‹Justin Sluder› Amber_Scott: hehe 

26/09/2011 20:15:54 ‹Zuxius› Amber_Scott: I just pulled that book out and there she was right next to Jason Bulmahn. Damn! 

26/09/2011 20:16:02 ‹Amber_Scott› Dave Gross: Jason read Master of Devils on the bus yesterday (he had to go down to Calgary). He said it was awesome and he loved it. 

26/09/2011 20:16:14 ‹Rathendar› hah nice 

26/09/2011 20:16:18 ‹R.C, Jr› Jason's right. 

26/09/2011 20:16:19 ‹Zuxius› Justin Sluder: It is time now for you to bow reverently 

26/09/2011 20:16:44 ‹Justin Sluder› Zuxius: huh? wha? 

26/09/2011 20:16:58 ‹Dave Gross› Amber_Scott: I've always liked Jason and considered his taste in fiction to be of the highest calibre. 

26/09/2011 20:16:58 * Justin Sluder feels the urge to stab someone growing 

26/09/2011 20:17:08 ‹Amber_Scott›  

26/09/2011 20:17:20 * _Thea was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 20:17:44 ‹Zuxius› Justin Sluder: Eberron: Secrets of Xen'drik Hardbound 

26/09/2011 20:18:01 ‹R.C, Jr› What is it about someone growing that makes you want to stab them? 

26/09/2011 20:18:10 ‹Justin Sluder› Zuxius: what about it? 

26/09/2011 20:18:20 ‹Amber_Scott› Zuxius: Secrets of Xen'drik was my first book. Crazy times! 

26/09/2011 20:18:33 * _Thea was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 20:18:35 ‹Zuxius› Justin Sluder: Amber Scott is on the cover....her name....geez 

26/09/2011 20:18:51 ‹Justin Sluder› Zuxius: yeah? and? 

26/09/2011 20:19:02 ‹Zuxius› Justin Sluder:  

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26/09/2011 20:19:25 * _Thea was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 20:19:56 * _JessHartley was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 20:20:08 ‹Justin Sluder› Dave Gross has 2.5 PF Tales books, and numerous others out. Russ Taylor, Adam Daigle, R.C,Jr. They all have many products out. Doesn't mean they're any better or worse than the rest of us. 

26/09/2011 20:20:18 * _Thea was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 20:20:21 ‹Justin Sluder› Yeah, I like their work, but they're still just people. 

26/09/2011 20:20:39 * Justin Sluder just had a weird moment of....something.... 

26/09/2011 20:20:45 ‹Justin Sluder› I think I need more sleep. 

26/09/2011 20:20:59 ‹Amber_Scott› lol 

26/09/2011 20:20:59 ‹R.C, Jr› Justin Sluder: Dude, I'm hardly on the same level as Russ and Daigle 

26/09/2011 20:21:01 ‹Amber_Scott›  

26/09/2011 20:21:06 * _Thea was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 20:21:18 ‹Zuxius› Justin Sluder: wow, this room sure got quiet 

26/09/2011 20:21:51 ‹Dave Gross› Justin Sluder: Well, most of us are better than Justin Sluder, but as a general rule, no. We're not better or worse than anyone else. 

26/09/2011 20:21:56 ‹Justin Sluder› R.C, Jr: agreed, after all, you're a Canadanin.  

26/09/2011 20:21:56 ‹Rathendar› i was sensing a hole being dug, so was waiting to watch the collapse like a good rubbernecker 

26/09/2011 20:21:58 * _Thea was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 20:22:10 ‹Justin Sluder› Dave Gross:  

26/09/2011 20:22:34 ‹Zuxius› Dave Gross: maybe more equal 

26/09/2011 20:22:54 * _Thea was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 20:23:06 ‹Amber_Scott› I think the best thing about being an RPG writer is that there are so many of us in such a relatively small industry 

26/09/2011 20:23:26 ‹Amber_Scott› It makes it easy to find support / contacts and get into new projects 

26/09/2011 20:23:45 ‹Justin Sluder› Amber_Scott: yarp 

26/09/2011 20:24:00 ‹Amber_Scott› And at the same time, you (well, me at least) still remain one of the gamers 

26/09/2011 20:24:14 ‹Amber_Scott› I haven't met many RPG writers with swelled heads. 

26/09/2011 20:24:17 ‹Zuxius› Amber_Scott: Ok, was thinking you were being sarcastic for a minute. Help, need a job, can't write fiction. Trapped in reserve writer world. 

26/09/2011 20:24:39 ‹Rathendar› lol 

26/09/2011 20:24:40 * _Thea was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 20:25:07 ‹Zuxius› Well I've met...uuh, well, maybe not 

26/09/2011 20:25:15 ‹Amber_Scott› I admit I was kinda star struck when I first met Dave and got to hang out with him and stuff. But now... 

26/09/2011 20:25:20 ‹Amber_Scott› Ok, I'm still star struck.  

26/09/2011 20:25:27 ‹Justin Sluder› Amber_Scott:  

26/09/2011 20:25:38 ‹Dave Gross› Amber_Scott: Nah, that's just your crush talking. 

26/09/2011 20:26:11 ‹R.C, Jr› Amber_Scott: Been there. 

26/09/2011 20:26:21 * _Thea was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

26/09/2011 20:26:23 ‹Amber_Scott› Hehehehe 

26/09/2011 20:26:28 ‹Dave Gross› Amber_Scott: You see, I told you Ryan also had a crush on me. 

26/09/2011 20:26:51 ‹Amber_Scott› You called it! 

26/09/2011 20:27:26 ‹Amber_Scott› I have to run folks...sorry I couldn't make it earlier...see you another time! 

26/09/2011 20:28:06 * _Thea was consumed by the Chatbeast (NOM!)_ 

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26/09/2011 20:28:09 ‹Zuxius› Amber_Scott: bye 

26/09/2011 20:28:54 ‹Bill Ward› I have to go too, before I start crushing on Dave 

26/09/2011 20:29:09 ‹Rathendar› daves used to man crushes bill. you're fine 

26/09/2011 20:29:13 ‹Dave Gross› Damn, and I was so close, too. 

26/09/2011 20:29:55 ‹Justin Sluder› take care all 

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26/09/2011 20:30:05 ‹Bill Ward› next time i will try to be here earlier, good night all 

26/09/2011 20:30:18 ‹Bill Ward› almost Dave! 

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