The First Time

My goal since high school was to become an fantasy author. I was a big fan of gaming books; we’re talking about the Dragon Lance Chronicles,  Fighting Fantasy, Lone Wolf, Spell Fire, the Halfing’s Gem. . .you get the picture. These were the stories I loved as a kid and they inspired me to write my own.

In my teens to twenties I tried to ‘break into the market’. It didn’t work,  I was young an lazy and had not refined my style.

That changed when Guardian’s of Order drew up a super hero anthology for Silver Age Sentinels; Path of the Just. Inspiration struck, I sent out a story and actually got a response. The editor liked it but wanted me to make a few tweaks. I thought I was in, one of my stories published, for money. I was on Cloud 9. However, in the end they dropped my submission. You know the saying the bigger they are. . .

I was crushed and decided to give up the craft.  I was pissed off at Guardians of Order but more at myself for not being good enough.

Fortunately it didn’t last. A week later my girlfriend and I were reading Knights of the Dinner Table #121.  I’d read the voices of B.A, Bob and Bryan, she’d read Dave and Sarah. We were flipping through the pages when we glanced at The Good, the Bad and the Ugly Article. It was my submission. My name was on it. I was going to get paid for it. I had been published and didn’t even know it because Kenzer Co didn’t send any notice. Again, cloud 9 time. It was good to be back.

Armed with my new confidence I decided to give writing another shot. Four years I’ve published another article in Polygraff #1 and I’m on the cusp of releasing a RPG Knights of the Hidden Sun with Malcolm Sheppard of White Wolf fame.

My teen self would be proud.