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Pop quiz…

• Your PC is hanging by his wrists, suspended from the darkness by chains.
• There is a gaping crevasse below you.
• There is an enraged dragon in the crevasse.
• Next to the pit is a mad wizard monologueing about how he has exacted his revenge on you at last.
• And you have no idea who he is, how you got here or why you aren’t still back in the tavern sipping your ale.

What do you do, hot shot?

The already classic XDM adventure: Quest for the Tavern is now available on our secret online store! This adventure will not be available in stores for a few more months, so if you are as anxious to recieve your copy as you should be, you need to click the links to the Schlock Mercenary The Bookstore (and other stuff) and order your copy sent direct to you! (They may even have cheap, damaged copies they’ll sell you if pristine MIB condition isn’t your bag and you hurry!)

Where else are you going to find an adventure that features critical background exposition delivered by your players using sock puppets? Get yours today!

• (0:19) The role of online communities in finding, building, and sustaining an audience. If you’re interested in Dragonlance, be sure to check out the Dragonlance Nexus.
• (3:44) The value of art, entertainment, and ideas on the internet. Why free may not always be the best price. Tracy’s plan for nurturing new authors in this environment.
• (14:34) Tracy’s experience of co-authoring with his wife. The importance of a continual feedback loop in the creative process. The struggles of writing and the joys of having written.
• (19:43) The Dragonlance movie. Watching other people take over your creative properties, and the “original bad deal” that gets you published.
• (25:17) Whether Tracy ever plans to do anything more that’s directly in the RPG market. His new book series, starting with Song of the Dragon.
• (29:20) What’s up with the dragons? That question leads into a discussion on the monomyth, cognitive dissonance, and the human penchant for narrative.

Hosted: Chad, Dan, Pat, Wayne.

You can visit this episode on the Fear the Boot episode web page or listen to it right here…

Hickman on Fear the Book – Part II

• (0:32) Who Tracy Hickman is and where you probably know him from.
• (3:41) The story of how Tracy’s wife and a missed ride got him into gaming.
• (8:25) The current trend in complexity and execution of roleplaying games. Be sure to check out both X-treme Dungeon Mastery and Killer Breakfast.
• (27:41) Raising his son in the hobby, and the experience of co-writing X-treme Dungeon Mastery with him.
• (30:56) The strangest places he’s seen his own material, and the unique relationship between an author and reader.
• (36:52) The impact of social networking and new media on the publishing industry … with a discussion on the dragonsbard series.

I hope you’ll join us there for the second half of the interview next week in which we talk more about new media, Dragonlance (including the movie), community building, my upcoming projects, and more! Hosted: Chad, Dan, Pat, Wayne.

You can visit this episode on the Fear the Boot episode web page or listen to it right here…

Tracy Hickman – Part 1

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Laura Hickman, Felcia Day and Tracy Hickman in the top secret XDM booth (#1921)

The ultra secret meeting of XDM Xtreme Dungeon Masters at the Gencon Game Convention held August 5th through 8th in Indianapolis, Indiana, was another smashing success this year with hundreds of new recruits, the release of our ‘Quest for the Tavern’ adventure module and visits with celebrities!

Felicia Day, star of ‘Dr. Horrible’s Sing-a-long Blog’ and her web series sensation ‘The Guild’ made a special effort to visit our XDM booth. She regretted not having been able to make our Killer Breakfast and was delighted to find time in her extremely busy schedule to make her way over to our booth for a visit. After a few moments of mutual geeking out (we appear to be fans of each others work) we presented her with her own copy of XDM: Xtreme Dungeon Mastery which will now personally grace either her library or the back of her storage closet depending on how things go. One thing is certain: Felicia is one of the warmest, genuine and most charming individuals I think I have ever met anywhere.

Bupu and Raistlin visit XDM

Of course, not everything at the convention is all fun and games … well, OK, mostly it IS fun and games since it is primarily a game convention but NOT for us hard working XDM Ultimate Grand Masters! Much of it was about explaining just what is an XDM to game players from around the world who would stop and stare at our booth in wonderment.

These aren't the games you're looking for..."

Thursday was the first day of the convention and was largely occupied with time in our top secret XDM booth which was located on the main aisle and directly across form the Wizards of the Coast booth (thus making us the easiest of the top secret booths to locate. There we had available for the first time the incredible ‘Quest for the Tavern’ adventure module which will soon be available to you for ordering online from our XDM store. We were also giving away Dragonsbard Eventide Bookmarks and signing up new subscribers in the booth through our ‘Where’s Laura?’ special discount program. Howard Tayler spent his time ‘defacing’ everyone’s book and module by drawing a custom character in the back of each on a page left blank especially for the purpose. That evening, Laura and I celebrated in our favorite way … dinner with R. A. Salvatore and his wonderful wife, Diane.

The Top Secret Booth at Gencon (booth #1921)

The members of the Eventide lunch gathering at Gencon

Friday was time to get right down to business with the enthusiastic committing of commerce in our secret booth all morning and a writing seminar as well as the recording of a podcast in the afternoon for DragonHearth. I also managed to take the gathered early subscribers from Dragonsbard Eventide to lunch that day … and it was a delight to relax, talk over the story and get to know each other.

Friday night Laura and I made an appearance at IUPUI (that’s Indiana University – Purdue University Indiana) in Indianapolis where we did a short Killer Dinner and presentation … then tried to get some rest before the big final day at the con!

Saturday brought the premiere XDM event: Killer Breakfast! With a sold-out house of 860 tickets, Howard Tayler on the art board and Laura Hickman hosting the show — we were prepared for a very special Killer Breakfast. This year’s theme was a cross between a December Holiday celebration and a PBS pledge drive. We called it, ‘It’s a Wonderful Gaming Carol.’

Howard Tayler	Killer Players for Breakfast
Grand Master XDM at work. (Photo by Candice Haase)	XDM Laura encourages the mob. (Photo by Canidice Haase)
The Killer Mob (Photo by Candice Haase)	The view down the table. (Photo by Candice Haase)
The family that dungeons together ... (Photo by Candice Haase)	Santa (Frank Mentzer) tells the XDM he is on the 'naughty' list. (Photo by Candice Haase)

An XDM proposal on stage at Killer Breakfast

There were many great moments during the show but perhaps my favorite was when (by secret and special pre-arrangement with the XDM masters) a young XDM’s girlfriend’s character was killed and he leaped up from the table, asking that I kill HIM instead of his girlfriend. proposed marriage to his girlfriend right in the middle of the game. I called them both out in front of the table to consider this act of selfless sacrifice in the middle of Killer Breakfast. I asked the young woman why I should kill her instead of her boyfriend. She said something about suing me. I then turned to her boyfriend and asked why I should kill him instead of her. (This being his cue) he said because I love her and want to marry her!

At which point, as you can see, he knelt down on stage, pulled out the open box with the ring in it and asked her on the spot.

Careful study of the photo will reveal that she has, just moments later, already gripped the box and is responding in the affirmative.

Now, I cannot say that XDM is responsible for gamers actually being able to not only date but actually MARRY beautiful women … but I think that there is evidence here to support that theory.

We finished the day with our XDM seminar where we even showed some secret materials from our XPC: Xtreme Player’s Codex — to secret to share here just yet! All in all … it was a wonderful convention and we are already planning next year’s improvements to make it even better!

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Howard and Sandra Tayler will be leaving tomorrow for the Gencon Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana … with Laura and I in hot pursuit the day after. We will be in booth #1921 right across from Wizards of the Coast, defiantly flying the XDM flag, selling our Xtreme Dungeon Mastery book and introducing everyone to our Dragons Bard project: Eventide.

We will also be premiering the first published XDM adventure: Quest for the Tavern! Here is a sneak peak of the actual cover to this exciting and unprecedented adventure written by Tracy Hickman and Curtis Hickman and illustrated by none other than Howard Tayler. You are getting the first look at this dazzling cover — which continues with additional art on the back as well (not shown here — but will be shown at the convention when people actually pick up the adventure and look on the back. Not only is this adventure a thrilling struggle to get TO the tavern where adventures usually begin but includes, in every single adventure, a bridge for your miniatures (not from Brooklyn).

More exciting for XDMs will be our new and improved XDM secret guild meeting seminar (see public posts for location and time) where we will be introducing new enlightened instructions to XDMs straight from the upcoming suppliment book XPC: Xtreme Player’s Codex. Come to the secret meeting and learn new secrets!

Authentic reenactment sketch by David Mitchell and Robert Webb in That Mitchell and Webb Look Series 4 Episode 2.

R. L. McSterlingthong’s interview was produced by Dead Gentlemen Productions, the producers of such other fine gaming hits as The Gamers II: Dorkness Rising which is now available on Netflix and DVD. You might also wish to check out their Generic Campaign Ad and their original ‘The Gamers’.

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Being an XDM can be an expensive proposition…

So why not earn some extra cash by bringing friends to Eventide?

That’s right … you could pay advertisers but we’re rather pay YOU. Yes, we’re offering ‘Summer Jobs’ in Eventide … an opportunity for you to earn 18% commission for every Elite Book Subscription — U.S. or International — or Prepaid Audio Subscription that is sold because of your online affiliate referral.

You do this through a Clickbank Affiliate Account which is free of charge to you. Clickbank tracks your referrals for you and sends you a check for your commissioned earned on your sales. That’s more than $9 US for every sale based on your affiliate referral. Their only charge to you, I believe, is a $2.50 fee for every check they cut for you. So, if one subscription is sold based on your referral, you earn over $9 and Clickbank then charges you $2.50 to cut the check and you’re still ahead. However, if you double your enthusiasm and two subscriptions are sold based on your referral, then you earn over $18 and Clickbank charges you $2.50 to cut the check. If you have real friends and ten subscriptions are sold based on you referral, then you earn over $90 … and clickbank charges you $2.50 to cut the check. If you attack this affiliate referral business like an A.D.D. Girl Scout high on sugar with a semi full of cookies to sell and a thousand subscriptions are sold based on your referrals, then you would earn over $9,000 … and Clickbank would still only charge you $2.50 for the check. And you can do it from your computer instead of going door to door. How cool of a job is that? You can read all about it on our ‘Earn CASH in Eventide!’ page.

Of course, you do not have to earn commissions while you tell your friends about Eventide through your blog, website, facebook page or email … but why not?

Check out the details on our ‘Earn CASH in Eventide!’ page … and start earning some extra cash in Eventide today.

Oh, and everyone who becomes an affiliate gains a level!

Dragon’s Bard is an ambitious new project created especially for you by Laura and me. Dragon’s Bard is a series of fantasy novels which we will present directly to you in serial form. Here is how it works…

For less than you would spend on two dates to the movies, you can own something unique. When you subscribe to Dragon’s Bard: Eventide you will receive:

• A new chapter each week! You can look forward to watching the story unfold each week as you receive a download file containing the edited and formatted text of a new chapter written exclusively for our subscribers.
• Private Updates and Insights: What are the challenges and rewards of writing a serialization of a novel? Gain insights into the process through special communiques from the authors via an exclusive ‘subscribers’ only website and forum.
• … And the signed & numbered limited-edition hardback publication of the book! When the book subscription is complete, you will receive your own hardback, limited-edition copy of the book — each one numbered and signed personally by the authors!

This subscription offering is the first of three separate subscriptions which will complete this series. We have prepaid and five-installment subscription plans for both United States and International subscribers. (The only difference between Domestic U.S. plans and International plans are the shipping costs of the book at the end of the subscription.)

Subscribers to this first book will have a priority opportunity to acquire positions in later book subscriptions in this series, thus insuring that when you subscribe now will be able to acquire the complete three-book set.

Order now … once the subscription is sold out this offer will be closed.

The first book, Eventide, will begin with one chapter per week over twenty-plus weeks beginning June 5th. Our plan is to have the finished hardback book in your hands by Christmas — making Eventide a unique holiday gift as well. This subscription is LIMITED … we have a cap on the number of books we can produce, sign and ship. This means that the book you receive at the end of the subscription will be highly collectible — a unique memento of our journey together.

In some ways this is a very old idea brought into a new medium. Charles Dickens wrote his books in a ‘serial’ format very much like this and, if he were alive today, I think this is how he might be writing again. So, we will ‘write like the Dickens’ and produce a unique gift for you. We think YOU should become our publisher and that we should write directly for YOU.

Join us for Eventide … and own a unique gift of fantasy.