Works and Memoirs (part II)

See previous entry for part I of my list...

Goodman Games [I met Joseph Goodman when I was at GenCon in 2004. He was one of the many folks I handed a "Bret Boyd" freelancing pad to. He definitely kept it since he mentioned it in an email asking me to write for his company. I was originally offered the Complete Guide to Vampires, if I recall correctly. I declined as I just didn't want to get into the vamps as an entire sourcebook (although I later did some NPCs for the book as well as some additional writing for the re-release of Liches). But when I was offered Dragonkin, I knew that turning down another book probably meant the end of any inquiries from Joe. The rest is history and I had a good time doing this, my very first solo print book. It will always have a special place in my collection. And the artwork for my words was really kick-ass too! The company also allowed me to write for the same book TSR 1st edition artist Jim Roslof did the cover for (see the DCC below)!! Talk about geeky orgasm! I was also asked to join the Dragonmech design team but declines due to lack of interest in the setting.]
Works:
Complete Guide to Dragonkin
Complete Guide to Vampires
Complete Guide to Liches (v3.5)
Dungeon Crawl Classics #29: The Adventure Begins!

Sean K Reynolds [OK, not strictly a company, but this former TSR/WotC designer did a little pdf for charity a few years back (2002). Through fellow Foul Locales author, Charles Plemmons, I managed to be allowed to submit material for this star-packed pdf. Between this and my other endeavors, you'll soon be able to play "Six Degrees of Bret Boyd" for D&D authors...(or not).]
Works: Sword Into Plowshares (pdf)

Fantasy Flight Games [I only place this company in the list because I actually did start writing for them. I was in contact with Kevin Wilson (Spycraft creator) who was their devloper at the time for the "Lore" books. I think I was responding to an open call and am positive it was for Draconic Lore. Unfortunately, my computer/network decided it was time for email to crap out on me. By the time I got a message sent to Kevin about my problem, it was too late and I was off the project. I believe I went so far as to call him about it. I developed a few new dragon types during the debacle but nothing was ever submitted. One of the sadder chapters of my hobby-lacing career.]

Sword & Sorcery Studios [A White Wolf branch, SSS was one of the first out of the gate to get d20 prodcut to market. Not much interesting to say here. I had precious little contact with anyone in the power structure there besides Anthony Pryor, another ex-TSR person (who I know wrote, at the very least, for the Spellbound box set). I answered two open calls successfully.]
Works:
Relics & Rituals II: Lost Lore
Creature Collection III: Savage Bestiary

Inner Circle Games [Afer Bastion didn't pan out for Temporality, I went to the company that most impressed me with the quality--ICG. Unfortunately, by this time in the d20 industry, the market just wasn't there anymore. Jeff Visgaitis, the head honcho of ICG, could not guarantee more than a pdf version of the book and I desperately wanted to see my magnum opus in print form. So, despite loving his company's skill in both writing and artwork, I had to decline. But Jeff must have kept me in mind because I was soon after invited to the "Litmus Group"--a select body of folks who proof the company's products and provide feedback.]
Works: Where Madness Dwells 2 (in development; I'm only adding a "creepy" element to an already-written adventure)

Dark Quest Games [One of the more recent companies I've writen for, DQ turned out to be surprisingly profitable. Neal Levin is a stand-up guy who was recommended to my by Steve Creech as a possible Temporality publisher. Neal not only agreed to my terms but also offered me work! I played clean up for several project and may go back to him again if my experiment in non-gaming freelancing goes nowhere. DQ pays, if not always in a timely fashion, and I'm happy to have worked with them.]
Works:
Temporality (out soon in pdf and print!)
Parry & Riposte (pdf)
Goblins (pdf)
Alchemy (pdf; unpublished but shouldn't be too long)

Fast Forward Entertainment [Well, what can I say? They were maligned before and after I got to write for them so I can't be blamed right? One of the reasons I wanted to write for FFE was to have my name on a product with Jim Ward. There, I admitted it. I'll work for free to be associated with ex-TSR folks. Although I certainly didn't think I'd be working for free, that's exactly what happened. These books flew by me at a rapid pace but I can take comfort in the fact that people bitched less about these than the previous books put out by the company.]
Works:
Encyclopedia of Prestige Classes
Deadliest Creatures Tome
Encyclopedia of Villains
Complete Monstrous Undead Compendium

Dog Soul Publishing [I really didn't have much contact with these fine folks. I simply wrote for them because the work was a charity for Katrina victims.]
Works: The piece is called "Captive Audience" and the pdf is Suck 'da Head, Squeeze 'da Tail.

EN Publishing [I'm not certain this was the publishing name back then, but ENWorld put out a series of e-zines called Asgard. I was in, I think, issue 3. The subject was using music in your game and the article came from one that was rejected by Dragon Magazine.
Works: The piece is called "Fine Tuning Your Campaign" (pdf; anyone wanting a copy can email me)

Enkwell Press [Headed by former Bastion Press writer and art director, Brannon Hollingsworth, Enkwell reeled me with the open call for a project called Hoards. Well, I contributed all right. I only submitted three items but somehow was talked into editing and developing the entire work! I didn't mind at the time since Brannon had contacts with Green Ronin and assured me that they would publish it. Not going to happen. The work, one of the best things I worked on I might add, sits unseen in our dusty computer innards. I'm still trying to get this published (through DQ at the moment) so perhaps there's still hope. Enkwell itself folded due to lack or interest and Brannon's busy non-gaming schedule.]
Works: Hoards

Highmoon Media Productions [Back in 2004, I think, Green Ronin announced an open call inviting publishers to produce adventure in support of GR's "Mythic Vistas" line. One publisher to jump on the bandwagon was Highmoon under the helm of Daniel Perez. I responded originally with an interest to do a Testament adventure but eventually decided to go with a Medieval Players Manual module instead (probably because that book was getting little attention). In retrospect, the adventure is probably secondary to the mini-setting I've set up. Once it's released you can judge for yourselves.]
Works:
A Matter of Faith (pdf; unpublished)
Beware the Minotaur (pdf; sequel to the above adventure; outline complete)

Reality Deviant Publications [I was investigating a project or two with this pdf company when I decided to curb back on the gaming freelancing--sorry guys!--but I thought their production values were pretty good. I may yet do some writing for David Jarvis with a new idea he cooked up for a line of short pdfs. Time will tell.]

SkeletonKey Games [Ed Bourelle is the best cartographer in the biz. Hands down. Ed and I spoke during my GenCon trip and we got to know each other pretty well, I think. He also knew Brannon (see above) well and was involved with Enkwell Press. Ed and I spoke on the phone about a line of products which would utilize his tiles. I would write locales and then he would cobble together the necessary map(s) and fashion new tiles if needed to be released in pdf form. I completed a troglodyte lair but the whole thing never got off the ground. Given Ed's talent, I just think he got too busy for me. A pity but that's the way it goes. If anyone would like a copy of my trog lair writeup and the amateur-ish map I did in Paint, email me. At least I was part of the orc sourcebook SKG put out in a defunct magazine.]
Works:
Orcs: Legacy of Blood (published in "Gaming Frontiers 5")
Troglodyte Lair (unpublished)

Ronin Arts [And last, but not least, is good 'ol Phil Reed. At one point, I swore I'd never do pdf. Somehow e-products just didn't seem "worthy." Boy, am I glad I changed my mind. Phhil has always been easy to get along with and I'm satisfied with the payment percentage and arrival. It seems that any whacky ideaI come up with he's willing to take a chance on. All of the works below fit under this description.
Works: (all pdf)
Athenaeum Arcane: Treasure Chests, Substandard Magic Items, Mallyate (3 separate titles in the same line)
The 11th Hour
Behind the Spells series (21 released with likely 13 more to go before a hardcover collection is printed)

And I think that's everything! Hope you enjoyed the trip with me down memory lane.