Gen Con-erific!

Wow, Gen Con is almost upon us! The big thing Malhavoc Press has going on at the convention this year is the release of the print version of The Banewarrens. At the show, this is available exclusively through the Sword & Sorcery booth, so make sure to beat a path there early!

If The Banewarrens isn't enough to attract you, how about this: We will have available a very limited edition of "I Survived Orc and Pie" T-shirts. Available in black in size L, XL and XXL, these shirts not only have the saying on the front with a cool graphic, but they feature the entire adventure on the back as well. At only $12 each, I predict they will go fast. If you want a preview, check out this page to see what they look like. We'll also have on hand some preview information, including covers of upcoming products like Requiem for a God, Skreyn's Register: The Bonds of Magic, and Book of Eldritch Might III: The Nexus.

This is going to be an amazingly busy Gen Con for us. Sort of a "what were you thinking?" kind of busy. If you want to catch up with us to say hello, though, here's an idea of what Sue and I are doing at Gen Con.

THURSDAY
10 a.m. to noon. Game Design Workshop
This workshop takes place daily at the show in Executive A (downstairs) in the Hyatt. It's the same workshop each day. I'll be discussing everything from good design techniques to playtesting to breaking into the game industry. This is a ticketed event, the price of admission going toward handouts and other workshop materials. Generics accepted.

Noon to 4 p.m. Booth Time
I'm going to try to be around the Sword & Sorcery booth a lot, although I may take some time to check out the immediate vicinity of the Exhibit Hall. This would be a great time to come find me, say hi, get a book signed, or whatever you want.

4 to 5 p.m. Fantasy Writer's Workshop
This workshop is also held every day in Executive A (downstairs) in the Hyatt. Unlike the Game Design one, this workshop covers a different topic each day. Thursday's session is on writing basics, covering everything from the importance of style to issues like plot and character. This is a ticketed event, the price of admission going toward handouts and other workshop materials. Generics accepted.

FRIDAY
10 a.m. to noon. Game Designer's Workshop
Just like the day before.

2 to 3 p.m. Big Malhavoc Autograph Session
I'll be signing autographs in the Sword & Sorcery booth along with Sue, artist Toren "MacBin" Atkinson, and cartographer Rob Lee. This is also not a bad time to come by and say hello, but if a lot of people show up, I won't really be able to talk with you too much.

4 to 5 p.m. Fantasy Writer's Workshop
Friday's topic is building a fantasy world. This is a really fun one, even if you're only interested in gaming, not writing, because world-building covers magic in the world, monsters, the place of the hero, and so on. This is a ticketed event, the price of admission going toward handouts and other workshop materials. Generics accepted. Executive A (downstairs) in the Hyatt.

8 p.m. The ENnies
This is the big award show at Gen Con. We're up for some awards LINK, so we've got our fingers crossed! After the ENnies, there will be some sort of EN World gathering that Sue and I plan to attend. Maybe I'll see some of you there.

Editing Workshop Series Here's one of the prerogatives of the editor -- I get to add stuff to Monte's articles. ;) In this case, I wanted to let all you editor-types know about a workshop I'm leading at the same time as Monte's Game Design sessions. Each two-hour workshop includes overviews of editing "Rules of the Road," as well as Q&A, handouts, and in-class exercises. (No, it's not like school -- I bring candy!) THURSDAY: GAME EDITING Topics include the special needs of rules and adventure editing. General guidelines apply to editing for any game system, but this session also includes a special d20 Danger List. FRIDAY: ARTICLE EDITING Discussion covers the needs of editing nonfiction magazine articles and web content, using examples from game industry sources. SATURDAY: SHORT STORY EDITING Exactly how does fiction editing differ from working with nonfiction? Let us count the ways, using SF/F genre examples. SUNDAY: PROOFREADING AND JOB SEARCH Proofreading is one of the most undervalued aspects of an editor's job -- until you miss some typos, that is! Proofing can open doors for aspiring editors, so it meshes well with the topic of getting started in the field. Each session takes place from 10 a.m. to noon in Executive B (downstairs) in the Hyatt. The workshops are ticketed events, the price of admission going toward handouts and other materials. Generics accepted. Editors of the world -- untie!

SATURDAY
10 a.m. to noon. Game Designer's Workshop
Just like the day before.

1 to 2 p.m. Meet Malhavoc Press
I'll be at the RPGNow booth autographing the electronic editions of our various products available on CD. Look for the ad in the program book (and double-check the time). Joining Sue and me here are illustrators Toren "MacBin" Atkinson and Stephen Shepherd.

3 to 4 p.m. Sword & Sorcery Discussion
I will be at a Sword & Sorcery panel during this time. Check the program book for the location. This is a great time to come and ask questions and find out more about our upcoming products. Not only will we be there, so will representatives from all the S&S lines to tell you all about Necromancer Games, Ravenloft, EverQuest, and more.

4 to 5 p.m. Fantasy Writer's Workshop
Today's topic is the fantasy character. Do you want to create a Frodo or an Elric? This workshop offers some pros and cons about developing what might be the most important aspect to your story. This is a ticketed event, the price of admission going toward handouts and other workshop materials. Generics accepted. Executive A (downstairs) in the Hyatt.

SUNDAY
I don't plan on being around the booth much on this day.

10 a.m. to noon. Game Designer's Workshop
Just like the day before.

2 to 3 p.m. Fantasy Writer's Workshop
The Real World. Today's session covers getting published, dealing with editors, where to submit your work, and more. This is a ticketed event, the price of admission going toward handouts and other workshop materials. Generics accepted. Executive A (downstairs) in the Hyatt.

There's lots of stuff not included on the above schedule-meetings with other publishers, get-togethers with old friends, and the like. Plus I need to get to the art show sometime this year (in past years I've missed it due to being too darned busy). We've just included the above so that you can get an idea of where we'll be. I do hope that a lot of montecook.com readers will find me at Gen Con and say hi. It's going to be a great time. Hope to see you there!