Writing, writing and more

[Kevin]

Writing, writing and more

Have we ever been busy the first three weeks of the New Year. We’re working on a great many things on many different fronts. In this post, I'm going to focus on upcoming book releases.

Over the weekend and the past couple of days, I have been consumed with writing, editing and getting a number of books ready to go to the printer. When a manuscript comes in from a freelance writer, there is often a lot of work that still needs to be done. Making sure there is proper continuity, reorganizing the presentation, expanding on ideas and existing text, redoing maps, adding maps, editing, doing rewrites and adding new material. Sometimes that task is more time consuming than others. The most daunting of challenges, however, is spreading your time out between writing and the many other demands for your time and attention.

I have been bouncing back and forth with work on Bizantium and the Northern Islands for the Palladium Fantasy RPG®, written by Glen Evans, and Chaos Earth® Resurrection by Taylor White. I’ve done spot editing and writing on both titles, but have been most focused on finishing Bizantium. Both books are a lot of fun, have great ideas and I think they’ll please fans of both game lines.

Bizantium is very much a “World Book” with many more details about the Island Kingdom, its history, people, society, mysteries and intrigue. Not to mention some new monsters, magic, a few new Bizantium specific O.C.C.s like the Serpent Chaser and Waterchanter. There is also some information about the little known, and seldom visited Northern Ice Shelf. It is, in effect, a new continent with its own mysteries and dangers. A place of "death and ice." All of which provide a wealth of ideas and threads for many adventures.

Chaos Earth® Resurrection is more of a big adventure sourcebook with a terrifying menace and villain for NEMA defenders to battle, but also one with long-lasting ramifications that could stretch into the present day Rifts® setting or be carried to other dimensions.

Looking hard at manuscripts of upcoming books and assigning art for several of them is an effort to have artists and writers working on several projects at the same time. I want Palladium to pump out new releases for several game lines more rapidly, like the good ol’ days when there would be 10-16 new releases a year. Robotech® Marines will be next as I assign art and prep work to other people, as well as other titles.

I met with Charles Walton on Monday and approved his tight pencils for the cover of The Rifter® #70 and the rough concept sketch for Chaos Earth® Resurrection. Chuck was working from ideas discussed in a prior telephone conversion and there were a number of changes to be made, but the idea and composition are perfect, very dynamic and captures what is in the book. We discussed the changes and new elements for the cover and I look forward to seeing the new pencils.

Rifts® Book of Magic is back in print this Friday, Chaos Earth® Rise of Magic will be back in print in February, and Bizantium and The Rifter® #69 will also see release in February. Next should be Chaos Earth® Resurrection and Robotech® Marines; not necessarily in that order.

In between, I’ve been working with Wayne on promotions and promotional materials, convention prep, and online support (coming soon) for various game lines. I’ve also been coordinating with Jeff and others on Robotech® RPG Tactics matters, talking with the Megaversal Ambassadors about demos and gaming events. I have even been plotting and making notes for Land of the Damned 3: The Citadel and the two Beyond the Supernatural sourcebooks.

We are also working on other ways to support our game lines and build excitement online with the Palladium website, DriveThruRPG.com, at conventions and all kinds of things.

It has all been very demanding and exciting at the same time.

More on Robotech®, conventions and other things in a day or two.

Sincerely,
Kevin Siembieda
Publisher, Writer and Game Designer

© Copyright January 27, 2015 Palladium Books Inc. All rights reserved.

Rifts®, The Rifter®, RECON®, Splicers®, Palladium Books®, The Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game®, Phase World®, Powers Unlimited®, Nightbane®, Megaverse®, The Mechanoids®, The Mechanoid Invasion®, Dead Reign®, Chaos Earth®, Coalition Wars® and After the Bomb® are Registered Trademarks of Palladium Books Inc. RPG Tactics™, Beyond the Supernatural, Coalition States, Heroes Unlimited, Ninjas & Superspies, Minion War, Mysteries of Magic, SAMAS, Thundercloud Galaxy, Three Galaxies, Vampire Kingdoms, and other published book titles, names, slogans and likenesses are trademarks of Palladium Books Inc., and Kevin Siembieda.

Robotech® and Robotech® The Shadow Chronicles® are Registered Trademarks of Harmony Gold USA, Inc.