I had a reminder that not only does this blog still exist, but that my last post was a bit worrying for a few people. This post is to say that not only am I okay but thriving. Things have vastly improved in my life and my career in RPGs has continued.
I frequently forget that I have actually written things people come across and use in their games. It is always wonderful to have someone contact me and ask a question or tell me they enjoyed what I have done. To know that I have touched a life positively is a great boost and often encouraging. A witch guide I wrote over ten years ago still has visitors and an updated crafting system for the FFG Star Wars game has been popular as well. I also come across people that have used 3PP material I have written for Pathfinder. Remembering that I have seen success often pushed me forward to create more.
Back in 2019 I was in a very poor place. I had a bad break up with a long running RPG group, I was losing money writing for RPGs, I was unemployed, and my family was living in a small 10×10 bedroom. I learned about Big Bad Con and decided to attend because it was close, it offered a wide variety of RPG systems, and because personalities from the One Shot network of podcasts was attending. My anxiety made me an absolute mess but I played many games, made several new friends, and got to meet people I wanted to meet.
I went with the goal of deciding if RPGs were actually something I should dedicate more of my life to. I was a figurative ledge, believing that giving up RPGs for good might actually be the best choice. That convention convinced me that I was wrong, that I had just barely began, and that I had so much more to do. I didn’t know it at the time, but going to that convention would open up a very big path for me in this industry.
I played many games that had a big impact on me, but one stood out above the others. The Quiet Year by Avery Adler kick started the creative corner of my mind and pushed me to start thinking about games in a different way. After another game, The Ground Itself by Everest Pipkin, I had everything I needed to make my own map drawing and art story game. During the 2020 pandemic I wrote and created Our Slimy Home, which can be found on my itch.io page. I can happily say that I made back my investment on that game.
Also during the pandemic, our family grew by one and we took the opportunity to tackle some health concerns, including the mental health ones. I won’t go into detail here but I am far above better than I was before and feel great. That made job searching much easier once we felt safe enough to come out of quarantine.
The fight to find employment and move out of the small spare bedroom the three of us were living in is also a long story, and all that matters is that we were successful. I ended up coming across Jason Walters, general manager for Indie Press Revolution, and through him my family was able to find a home in his town. I now work full time for a job he helped me find and part time in IPR’s warehouse.
Having a connection to the RPG industry has pushed me even further into game design, allowed me to make some contacts, and exposed me to a wider array of systems. I’m very excited to see where this new road leads.
So if the last post worried you, please know that I am happy, well adjusted, and better off than I have been in a very long time.
Elements Nine 