Curie Society: Eris Eternal graphic novel out now!

Super excited to talk about writing for THE CURIE SOCIETY: ERIS ETERNAL, which came out March 26, 2024. This 168-page sequel follows the continuing adventures of three college students, recent recruits in The Curie Society, a top secret organization protecting and furthering beneficial science. They’re on a mission to Paris and beyond to investigate several new technologies, all the while navigating how to speak up and get heard. Check it out in a bunch of formats on Amazon, direct from MIT Press, or wherever books are sold.

Writing this was an amazing experience. It was about creating a narrative that mixes science with adventure, appealing to young and old alike. I aimed to keep the story fresh and engaging, hoping to spark curiosity about science in my readers.

I wrote this graphic novel in collaboration with Heather Einhorn, Adam Staffaroni, and artist Sonia Liao, with editing magic from Joan Hilty. I did not have it on my bucket list to be published by MIT Press, but I’ll add it retroactively! It’s more than a story; it’s a journey into a world where science meets adventure. Can’t wait for you to join in! Check it out here for more details.

 

Praise for Volume 1 in The Curie Society Series:

“Readers eager for greater representation of women in the sciences will cheer…”
— Publishers Weekly

“Budding scientists and fans of exciting graphic novels are in for a rollicking journey that stresses that women in STEM truly are better together.”
— School Library Journal

“With suspenseful espionage, nerdy humor and a group of dauntless, eager trailblazers fostering genuine friendships, The Curie Society is sure to fascinate curious minds.”
—Shelf Awareness

Roundtable on Navigating Layoffs at GDC 2024

Layoffs have hit the game industry in the last year, and we’re going to talk about it at GDC. I’ll be leading the annual IGDA Women in Games SIG’s roundtable, focusing on how to navigate layoffs and the impact they’ve had on more than just those affected. It’s open to all badges! Add the session to your GDC schedule by clicking here. If you’re joining in the annual pilgrimage to San Francisco next week, I hope to see you there!

Staying in Play Roundtable: Gender-Specific Strategies Amidst Game Industry Layoffs (Presented by the IGDA)

When: Thursday, March 21st, 10am
Where: Moscone Convention Center, Room 203, South Hall

The game industry’s layoffs in the last year has surpassed 17,250 people, posing unique challenges for non-binary individuals, women, and trans men, all often disproportionately affected by job instability. This discussion explores effective strategies for career longevity, recognizing the distinct hurdles faced by these groups. We explore networking tailored to the needs of underrepresented genders, mastery of cutting-edge skills, and establishing a standout professional identity. Attendees share insights and strategies for resilience amidst uncertainty and how to persevere during a long job search. This session is dedicated to empowering all marginalized genders with the tools to navigate and thrive within the industry, ensuring their talents are recognized and retained. The roundtable also offers the opportunity to generate ideas on what the industry can do as a whole.

Add the session to your GDC schedule by clicking here.

Speaking at Digital LA Games Summit tonight!

If you’re in LA for Leap Year, come on down for the Digital LA Games Summit. I’ll be joining speakers from Survios, Scopely, Insomniac Games, and more to talk about the state of the industry (such as it is), franchises and brand-building, game-making, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. More than just panels, there will also be receptions and a chance to pitch your game!

Register for the Digital LA Games Summit, and use LEAP DAY code DLA30 for 30% off regular passes!

WHEN: February 29, 2024, 6-9pm plus receptions!
WHERE: Survios HQ, Marina del Rey, CA
WHO:

GAMES SUMMIT STATE OF THE INDUSTRY
6-7P Alex Silkin Survios, CTO Survios; Maria Pacheco, Google Darion Lowenstein, Secret Code, Zsuzsa James,  Consulate General Finland USC Games & GGP
BRANDED GAMES, IMMERSIVE AND FRANCHISES
7-8P Jeffrey Yohalem. Ubisoft; Stephan Bugaj, Genvid; John Carle, Super League
VP MAKING THE GAME
7-8P Kevin Winston, Digital LA; Terrance Cohen, Insomniac Games; Alex Brazie, League Legends; Dru Erridge, Gamebreaking Studios
DIVERSITY
8:20-9P Ray Lancione, Qweerty Gamers; Grace Zhou, Diversity Leader

Look forward to seeing you at the  Digital LA Games Summit, and don’t forget LEAP DAY code DLA30 to register for 30% off regular passes!

Speaking on writing for game designer Scott Rogers Fundraiser Saturday!

Busy Saturday? You are now! I’ll be speaking about writing along with a bunch of awesome folks in games for the Scott Rogers Fundraiser – A Day of Game Design and Development on Saturday, February 3rd! This game design and development micro-conference will help game designer and author Scott Rogers fight cancer. He literally had a stem cell transplant just last week and is enduring the deleterious effects as I type. He has designed video and board games, written Level Up: The Guide to Great Game Design and Your Turn! The Guide to Great Tabletop Game Design, and is a snappy dresser!

Here’s the link to donate to Scott’s fundraiser, and where to RSVP to grab the Zoom link and add the event to your calendar. Can’t wait for you to join us! Of course, if you can’t make it, feel free to donate to Scott anyway 🙂

Schedule (parts of the schedule may change):

🕰 7:00 AM – 7:30 AM PST
🗣 Patrick Schnorbus (Hochschule der bildenden Künste Essen)
🕹 Opening Session: A Beacon in the Storm

🕰 7:30 – 8:00 AM PST
🗣 Stuart Maine
🕹 Balancing chance versus skill in your games

🕰 8:15 AM – 8:45 AM PST
🗣 Chris Totten (Team Nemo, Inc.)
🕹 Making Indie Games with Public Domain Content

🕰 9:00 AM – 9:30 AM PST
🗣 Paolo Gambardella
🕹 From Books to Games: My Freelance Journey as a Self-Taught Game Designer

🕰 9:30 AM – 10:00 AM PST
🗣 Russell Sng (Inworld AI)
🕹 Bringing AI NPC’s to Life in Your Games

🕰 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM PST
🗣 Floyd Lu (Independent Designer, Self Publisher)
🕹 Managing Multiple Prototypes (Pitch, Publish)

🕰 11:00 – 11:45 AM PST
🗣 Andy Ashcraft (Giantsdance Games)
🕹 Scott, Me, and the Semiotics of Games

🕰 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM PST
🗣 Annie Fox (Electric Eggplant), Patrick Schnorbus (HBK Essen)
🕹 Harnessing the Power of Kids’ Games for Good

🕰 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM PST
🗣 Esteban Enrique M.
🕹 Telling your Development Story

🕰 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM PST
🗣 Anne Toole (The Write Toole)
🕹 Fitting Writers into the Game Development Process

🕰 2:30 PM – 3:00 PM PST
🗣 David Mullich (ArtCenter College of Design)
🕹 Maintaining A Creative Mindset

🕰 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM PST
🗣 Richard Lemarchand (USC Games)
🕹 Fragmented Narrative: Techniques for Design

🕰 3:45 PM – 4:00 PM PST
🗣 Amir Satvat
🕹 Finding Work In Video Games

🕰 4:45 PM – 5:15 PM PST
🗣 Jasmine Kurniawan (xRsion Inc.)
🕹 Starting out in the industry

See you soon!

Asgard’s Wrath 2 nominated for DICE Award!

Asgard’s Wrath 2, which came out last month, made it in under the wire and was nominated for Immersive Reality Game of the Year in the 2024 DICE Awards! As a reminder, I wrote for Asgard’s Wrath 2 for Meta Quest 3, 2, and Pro. Asgard’s Wrath 2 is nominated alongside games such as Horizon: Call of the Mountain and Assassins Creed. The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences will host the awards next month in Vegas. Congrats to the nominees in all categories!

Don’t forget, if you get a Meta Quest 3 by January 24th, you get Asgard’s Wrath 2 for free!

10/10! Writing for Asgard’s Wrath 2, now on Meta Quest 3!

Blown away by the amazing reviews! Asgard’s Wrath 2, the VR open-world RPG that I wrote for, comes out today! It has already raked in the accolades, including a 10/10 on IGN. In this fantasy adventure, you play in a mythological Ancient Egypt as a fledgling Norse god, who possesses mortals fulfilling their destiny, all the while chasing after your betrayer, Loki. From the Norse realms to the Egyptian underworld, you will find plenty of adventures, enemies, and mysteries. I had a ton of fun writing on this game, and once you play, you’ll be able to see the dev team over at Sanzaru Games had a blast as well. You can buy Asgard’s Wrath 2 now, or get it free when you buy the Meta Quest 3!

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DETAILS!

The award-winning creators of Asgard’s Wrath return with their most immersive VR experience yet in Asgard’s Wrath 2.

60+ hour narrative-driven campaign

Godscale puzzles & physics-based combat

Free-roaming, living worlds

Rogue-lite dungeon mode

Playable on: Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest Pro, Meta Quest 2

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FEATURING!

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REVIEWS!

IGN

NPR

“Virtual reality enthusiasts have been begging for a longform AAA title made specifically for VR headsets like the Meta Quest, and here it is.”

GameRant – 4.5/5

“Asgard’s Wrath 2 is without a doubt one of the best VR games and a surefire system seller for Quest 3.” “If there is a game to showcase how VR can match the scope and the scale of games like God of War and Zelda, Asgard’s Wrath 2 makes the strongest case yet.”

Mirror – 5/5

“If you’re seeking a Skyrim-level RPG primed to keep you busy in VR, look no further than Asgard’s Wrath 2.”

The Escapist

“The world is wonderful, the story is great, and the gameplay is exquisite.”

Siliconera – 9/10

“It’s a genuinely cool, well-crafted endeavor”

Android Central

“This isn’t just the best VR game of the year; it’s in the top 3 best games of the year on all platforms. Only Baldur’s Gate 3 and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom fit in the same category of content-packed RPGs.”

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I hope you have as much fun playing Asgard’s Wrath 2 as I had fun writing it!

Speaking on horror and comics at Loscon 49

Tired of scrolling through endless online deals this Black Friday? Why not switch it up and join us at Loscon 49 for a weekend filled with horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and a touch of comic book magic! I’ll be speaking on a few panels about horror and comics this weekend. It’s not just me, but a whole crew of awesome writers and creatives ready to share their stories and insights. We promise, the only queues you’ll find here are for panels and hopefully not the upstairs coffee bar.

Loscon 49
When: November 24-26, 2023
Where: Los Angeles Airport Marriott
West Century Boulevard 5855, 90045 Los Angeles
My lineup:
Saturday, November 25

• 10:00 am – California 1
  • “What type are you? Continuous obsession with Vampires.”
• 1:00 pm – Pacific Coast 3
  • “What is the appeal of genre horror writing?”
• 4:00 pm – Los Angeles 1
  • “Basics of comic book writing.”

Why Loscon?

Loscon isn’t your average convention. It’s one of the longest-running conventions of fantasy, sci-fi, and artistic brilliance, a place where like-minded souls converge. I’m excited to be a part of this creative maelstrom and eager to exchange ideas with all of you.

So, who’s coming? Swing by, say hi, and let’s enjoy some panels, discussions, and maybe a vampire or two (there is a blood drive, after all).

Speaking on Diversity in Gaming tomorrow at UCLA

Sports don’t take place entirely on a physical playing field, and tomorrow I’m fixing to talk about one of those other playing fields. In the ever-evolving landscape of video games, the Global Sports Business Forum at UCLA’s Anderson School of Management is setting the stage for a crucial conversation: Diversity in Gaming. As the industry grows, so does the importance of inclusive representation, and I’m honored to contribute to this dialogue.

When: Friday, October 6, 2023, 2:05-2:45pm
Where: UCLA Pauley Pavilion
Who:

• Kevin Winston from Digital LA, who will be guiding our discussion as the host. His expertise in the digital realm promises a structured and insightful conversation.
• Shana Douglass (Diamond Doll), representing NFTCLT and Y3K Innovation Summit, will share her experiences from the innovative world of NFTs.
• Darion Lowenstein, with a rich background from Electronic Arts to Rockstar, will offer a seasoned perspective on the gaming industry’s shifts and turns.
• NathanLIVE, a familiar face from TikTok and Twitch, will provide a glimpse into the world of streaming and its impact on gaming culture.
• Torian Bracket, the voice behind iconic game characters, will shed light on the nuances of voice acting in gaming.

I’ll be there too, sharing snippets of my journey as a writer promoting diversity.

The gaming industry’s narrative is continually being rewritten, and discussions like these shape its future chapters. If you’re in the vicinity, consider joining the conversation.

Winning an ENNIE Award at Gen Con 2023!

We won! Moonlight on Roseville Beach: A Queer Game of Disco and Cosmic Horror, a tabletop role-playing game, won a Judges Award earlier this month at Gen Con! I wrote a spooky adventure, joining a plethora of writers who contributed rules, worldbuilding, and, of course, adventures to the world of Roseville Beach. The Judges Award puts us literally and figuratively on the page with a bunch of other winning tabletop games, including the Bladerunner and Vaesen RPGs and Avatar Legends.

Judges’ Spotlight Winner

Judge Candace McAfee – Moonlight on Roseville Beach: A Queer Game of Disco and Cosmic Horror, R. Rook Studio

Authors: Richard Ruane, Rob Abrazado, Bendi Barrett, Sharang Biswas, Rick Chia, Alison Cybe, Ezakur, Ethan Harvey, Maxwell Lander, Catherine Ramen, Erin Roberts, Ennis Rook Bashe, Noora Rose, R.J. Ryan, Sean F. Smith, Anne Toole, Preston Leslie, Logan Rollins

So what’s the deal with Roseville Beach? Here’s a blurb:

 It’s 1979, and you’re spending the summer working in Roseville Beach, the queerest little town on Rose Island. You might have come here looking for an escape, some fun, a little extra money, or even love, but now people are seeing phantasms, strange animals—and stranger old gods—wander the woods, mysterious monoliths appear randomly, and that strange music is coming from somewhere.

Ready to check out your own copy, solve supernatural mysteries in the LGBTQ+ community, and have a good time? Check out Moonlight on Roseville Beach by R. Rook Studio (itch.io) to order a print or digital copy.

Check here for a list of all of this year’s ENNIE Award winners!

Writing Comics and Manga panel at SDCC 2023!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Comic-con International kicks off this week in San Diego, and I will be there speaking about writing comics! Many have said that, because of the dual WGA/SAG strike, Comic-con this year will actually be about comics again. I can’t speak for the entire convention, of course, but I certainly will be all comics, all the time while I’m down there!

If you want to learn the secret wonders of writing for comics or manga, you’re in luck, because I will be joined by a bunch of other experts in the field. Read on for more deets.

Writing for Comics and Manga
When: Thursday, July 20th, 6-7pm
Where: Room 29AB, San Diego Convention Center
Who:
Chang Sheng – Comic Creator
Joy Lin – Comic book Writer
Ben Dunn – Editor In Chief at Antarctic Press
Anne Toole – Comic Book Writer
Austin Osueke – Moderator
eigoMANGA moderates a series of Q&A sessions with comic book writers that also includes Chang Sheng (award-winning creator of the Oldman manga series). They will discuss the fundamentals of comic book outlines, script writing, and overall storytelling.

Feel free to add the panel to your schedule. Hope to see you very soon!