Girls' Heist Out - 40% Funded

After two days, the Kickstarter just hit 40%. That's a great start, but we need to keep moving forward as we enter the slow-but-steady part of the Kickstarter.

We've already had some big names chime in with their support:

We are a Kickstarter Project We Love! Someone on their team loves us.

And we've had some coverage from Milwaukee Record, Comics for Sinners and Comic Bastards.

There is more to come, but we are already closing out the big backer rewards. Click below to get on board.

Girls' Heist Out - Kicktraq

I know Kicktraq is something of a siren song that doesn't really match up well with how a Kickstarter goes. But, for the first day, that song is sure dang catchy.

Girls' Heist Out - Kickstarter Launch

I've been a part of several Kickstarters over the past few years. It is a roller coaster ride to be part of one as a stretch goal or as a team member. But, ultimately, if things don't work out, it's okay because you weren't the maniac who thought it was a good idea to ask the internet for money. Now it's my turn to be the maniac. Girls' Heist Out is a comic project featuring my words and Manuela Soriani's art. It's a crime caper comic inspired by a lot of the research and work I did for this game. Girls' Heist Out features witty banter, exotic locales and four kickass leads looking to get their revenge the best way they know how - by stealing it.

I've gotten great feedback on my script and Manuela's art. I've got coverage lined up from other websites. I have some awesome stretch goal artists lined up. But this is completely out of my comfort zone. I've built my career as a writer carefully picking out handholds and footholds as I climb. Girls' Heist Out is me taking a running jump to land on an entirely different mountain.

If you enjoy reading this blog, please check out Girls' Heist Out, You already know how much I enjoy telling stories. I hope you will help me take the first step into telling them in a different medium.

Girls' Heist Out - Kickstarter Video

All throughout March, I'll be running a Kickstarter for my first creator-owned comic book project. I need funding to pay the artist and print the books. I've uploaded the video here as a preview. The Kickstarter is live right now!

Milwaukee Record - NXT Preview

Today's article talks about why Milwaukee is a good fit for NXT's first live tour.

Milwaukee Record - Star Wars

With The Force Awakens a week away, my editor decided it was a good time to have me discuss Star Wars on their podcast. I think it went well.

Gamehole Con - Classic Report

High light: The guest of honor get together at The Free House pub on Thursday night. It was everything you want in a Bar Con while everyone was still fresh faced and energetic about being at the show. I got a chance to catch up with old friends, meet new people and fan out a little bit over some of the people I admire as a designer.

Low light: Being forced outside the lovely heated walkway from the hotel to show on Saturday because of a tween dance team meet blocking the route. If that had happened on Thursday, when it was still 70 degrees out, that would have one thing, but it mean hauling a coat to my games that I didn't need.

Best experience: The organizers set up a chance to explore and buy items from the ACD warehouse located in Madison. This is likely the closest I will ever be to wandering the warehouse at the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Worst experience: We were told that some items in the warehouse might be unavailable due to game store order that had not been picked yet. They say there were between 20-30 items in the warehouse that would be unavailable for purchase. I picked two. 

Best bargain (had to buy it, no freebies): I picked up a book I wrote where I'm still waiting on an authors copy years after the book came out. I confirmed at Bar Con that company is notorious on both the retail and production side for being completely unreliable.

Best Freebie: John Kovalic designed an adorable owlbear plushie that went from my suitcase directly into Batkid's crib.

Most welcome surprise: After my Firefly RPG session, the three VIG gamers at the table told me they upgraded to VIG specifically to make sure they got a space at my table.

Most unwelcome surprise: Despite sharing a room, I barely got to see much of Mighty Matt Forbeck. At least we were able to talk about the highs and lows of being a geek dad at Bar Con on Thursday.

Best game: Heebie Jeebies is a casual party game where you have to guess which of four selected cards squicks out the Judge for that round. It's a killer party icebreaker and got a table of strangers talking after less than a full round.

Most interesting game concept: Three Pillars is a Mille Bornes style game of supernatural investigation put out by a crew of actual supernatural investigators.

Sleeper game:  I am super excited to bring Star Wars Catchphrase to Nerds at Heart events.

Coolest booth: The Half-Price Books booth actually had good games for half price, rather than their usual selection of collector-priced options.

Strangest moment: Realizing I already knew one of the other guests of honor because she was one of Sarah Babe's Ingress buddies from Gen Con.

Played: 
Heebie Jeebies
Three Pillars
Fate Ghostbusters
Firefly RPG
Save Game
Atomic Robo RPG

Purchased:
Mysterium
Firefly Kalidasa Expansion
Stars Without Number
D&D5e: Out of the Abyss
D&D5e: Princes of the Apocalypse
D&D5e: Screen
Murder in Baldur's Gate
Force and Destiny: Chronicles of the Gatekeeper
Age of Rebellion: Desperate Allies
Age of Rebellion: Strongholds of Resistance
Eldritch Horror: Mountains of Madness
Eldritch Horror: Strange Remnants

Swag:
Hotel room
Bar Con tab
Guest of Honor shirt
Guest of Honor badge
Owlbear plushie
Heebie Jeebies
Marriage Material
Cash'n' Guns 2nd Edition + Expansion
Winds of Fortune
Pathfinder flip-mats