This and That - May 24, 2020

[Kevin]

This and That - May 24, 2020.

Hey All,

I have been so deep into writing and juggling books that I did not realize I haven’t posted a Murmur in something like 11 days. In a way, that’s a good thing, because it means I am pounding away at the keyboard working on books. And that is exactly what I have been doing.

I’ve been bouncing back and forth on a handful of titles, which is not my usual approach. I favor working on one title, finishing it, and moving on to the next, and repeat. The past several months, I’ve been coordinating work on eight different titles, encouraging freelance writers and artists to work on this title or that. Depending on the amount of input needed by me or how those discussions go, they may ignite ideas of my own requiring me to put my main project aside while I put down ideas on the computer before they slip away and are gone forever.

That may sound strange, but I have forgotten plenty of ideas that I was so fired up about in the moment that I thought I couldn’t possibly forget them, and did. Most writers will tell you the same thing. That’s why I have a notepad at my bedside for note taking when I wake up with ideas bursting from my head. I dreamt the whole opening to Rifts® Vampires Sourcebook (Doc Reid Unchained) which set the tone for the whole book.

The ideas are flowing like a waterfall and coming out of the ether, often unbidden. I feel like I’m just riding wave after wave of ideas as they come to me. Most for Rifts® CS Manhunters™, Creature Features™ (for Beyond the Supernatural™), Rifts® Titan Robotics, and Rifts® Bestiary, but as new ideas come to me, for whatever title or game line, I try to get them down before moving back to my main projects. Heck, in addition to the plethora of new books in the pipeline, I have ideas and notes for a number of new titles and new takes on old titles.

You may not believe this, but I had to stop in the middle of writing this Murmur to write a couple pages for CS Manhunters™ when something I had been mulling over in the back of my head bounced to the front and demanded to be written down before I lost it. This was something important and I was thrilled by it, but why it surfaced when it did, I have no idea. I’m burning to be writing material for Rifts®, Beyond the Supernatural™, and Palladium Fantasy® right now.

I think part of it is momentum. Before the pandemic hit, there was a genuine sense of building momentum and a renewed energy. You can see that energy and excitement in the pages of the Garden of the Gods™ (Fantasy), and when it is released, In the Face of Death™ (Dead Reign®/Zombie Apocalypse). And for me, that momentum is building and inspiring me all the more.

In the Face of Death™ (Dead Reign® sourcebook) is awesome. There are so many ideas for the genre, the setting, for players, for characters, for presenting villain archetypes. All things that should inspire you and make your games that much more fun and different. I find myself thinking big and challenging myself to wow and enthrall you more than ever before. Garden of the Gods™ does that in spades and so does In the Face of Death™. When I received the printed digital proof of In the Face of Death™ and looked it over, I found myself smiling and beaming with joy. It looks beautiful ... er, not beautiful per se. I mean it’s full of rotting living dead and danger, but you know what I mean. The artwork is powerful and evocative. The layout is clean. That E.M. Gist cover, wow, I love it. The writing is crisp and full of ideas I hope you will love. Ideas that can be applied to almost ANY game setting. I did this simple fun thing with human predators for villains. I cannot wait until it is back from the printer and in your hands.

So excited that I have a sale running on other Dead Reign® sourcebooks at the Palladium website and on DriveThru. BTS is on sale too, because I’m fired up about Creature Feature,™ (for Beyond the Supernatural™), another fun, monster and adventure fueled sourcebook with applications to settings other than BTS.

http://palladium-store.com/1001/categor ... Items.html
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub ... _id=246835

I got the manuscript for Creature Feature™ earlier this week and after skimming it and assigning out some more artwork, I must confess that I spent two days writing part of it. And then the finished artwork came in from Steven Cummings for 8 illustrations for Creature Feature™. Each one exactly what we wanted, which is what fueled my ideas and writing on that book. Like I said, the ideas just keep coming.

Then on Friday, freelance artist and pal, Ben Rodriguez, dropped off some advance copies of his Halloween coloring book (for all ages). As you probably know, Kathy and I love Halloween. Ben often uses Palladium’s artist bullpen area to work on art for Palladium publications as well as his own projects, so I saw him working on the artwork for the book over many months last year. To see it finished and printed, and look so damn good, it was exciting. I love the finished product and I am excited for Ben. This is one of the best, most well thought out, clever and fun books Ben has ever self-published. I will be supporting and hyping it up more when he is ready to launch it on a crowdfunding platform (Kickstarter?) in a few weeks, because it is wonderful and I hope it is a big success.

Gosh, I feel like I’m kinda rambling now. I guess I just wanted you to know that I’m thinking about you as I write away and plan all kinds of fun RPG products for you. It just feels like things are coming together.

So far, we all remain isolated and virus free. Sales slowed down last week and this weekend, but I’m not worried yet. Summer is quickly approaching, Stay-At-Home orders are being lifted, it is a holiday here in the USA, and people are finally able to get away and do something other than sit inside their house gaming and watching TV. I even got out and did some lawn work at home and here at the office. It was nice to bask in the sun for a while. Please enjoy the rest of the long Memorial Day weekend here in the USA, but do so safely and take care.

Kevin Siembieda
That Publisher Guy


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