The first stop on my crazy Nordic tour was Fastaval, a convention devoted to board-gaming, larps, and freeform games. What are freeform games, you ask? No one knows for sure. They are sort of like tabletop games, except you sometimes get up and act out scenes rather than simply narrating them. And on the whole, [...]... Read More
In my book, I wrote of last year’s trip to Denmark that it blew my mind. Well, this year’s trip, a two-week tour-de-force to the Fastaval and Solmukohta roleplaying conventions in Denmark and Finland broke my body. A vicious attack by a flat patch of street left me hobbled with a sprained ankle that compromised [...]... Read More
With the publication of Leaving Mundania imminent (May 1 is the official pub date, but a few large online retailers already have it in stock!), I wanted to share a few things I learned while reporting and writing a book on larp. 1. Geeks secretly rule the world. Don’t cross the geek mafia, because they’re [...]... Read More
Why on earth do people larp? Lots of reasons. Hear them from the giant, animatronic horses' mouths.
... Read MoreStop reading this post right now and head over to Gaming As Women, one of my favorite new reads, where bevy of incisive women gamers write about gender representation in D&D, crossplay, game design, and more. You’ll never ask, “where are the awesome women gamers?” or “am I the only one who gets annoyed about [...]... Read More
Ready Player One: An exhilarating novel about gaming and 1980s nostalgia, but don't expect too much.
... Read MoreInterested in costuming and propping? Head over to Larp Couture and check out American (?) Caroline E. Willis’s lively writing on the topic, from information about codpieces to gender-related musings on harem pants to historical research on real smugglers, helpful for rolling up that rogue you’ve been meaning to.... Read More
The experts risk potential hate mail by describing which types of games they find unappealing.
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It’s a little like Highlander – there can be only one! Tomorrow I’m competing in Literary Death Match, the storied reading series/happening in which four writers enter, but only one may leave. In honor of the literary throwdown, Chicago Review Press has released Leaving Mundania via Net Galley for all you reviewers and libriarians. The Death Match is both [...]... Read More
A fast rundown of my zippy trip to Intercon L.
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