13:49 or Confessions of an (un)repentant Superstar

[Trevor Gulliver]

What’s that Mr. Warhol, 13 minutes 49 seconds and counting? I’d better make this quick then.

I confess …

Spoiler:

I had a blast! Although this contest was nerve-wracking at times and it is no fun to see your name slip below the line on the exit poll threads, this contest has made my 2009! Thank you, Paizo, for organizing this contest and giving your fans a chance to aim for RPG superstardom!
Conspiracy theory: Paizo designed this contest to give me kicks because I’ve been a very good boy all year.

Clark

Spoiler:

When my son and I sat down together to create our magic items for the contest, I told him that we wouldn’t get in the Top 32 but I was pretty sure we could get some feedback from Clark. We both got more than we were aiming for. As far as I’m concerned, getting some feedback on your writing from a publisher is reason enough to enter this contest and everyone who got that should say “Thank you Clark !”.

My ‘thank you’ has to be bigger because the praise and encouragement you gave my son was wonderful. He was ecstatic. He’s printed out that letter and kept it for the future. He was already planning to become a lawyer but now he’s thinking that it’s possible to be a lawyer and a game designer. [sarcasm]Needless to say, his mother is thrilled.[/sarcasm]

But, I’m thanking you not only as a parent but as a contestant. I will use your encouragement and take your advice to heart.

Sean

Spoiler:

You say Irises,
I say Irides,
You spell it smolders,
I spell it smoulders,
Irises, Irides, Smolders, Smoulders,
Let’s call the whole thing off… ;-D

I didn’t say this earlier because I didn’t want to seem all sucky-up-to-the-judge, but I’m a big fan. I loved the deity articles. Even when I wasn’t buying Dragon, the deity articles brought me back. When the magazine was cancelled, they were the thing I thought I’d miss most and I was ecstatic to see you doing deity articles (and much, much more) for Pathfinder. It was great to get feedback on my writing from you.

Many, many thanks.

Wolfgang

Spoiler:

Thank you for keeping the bar high. Your advice and response to my entries has been consistently fair and on the mark. In each case where you’ve made suggestions for improvements, I’ve wanted the chance to take things in the direction you suggested, no questions or quibbles. Always on the mark. The sign of a great editor is when you come away feeling like they understood what you wanted to do and are telling you how to do it better. You're a great one.

2008 Superstar guest judges, Ed Greenwood, Monte Cook, and Jason Buhlman:

Spoiler:

I can only imagine how busy you must be and really appreciate that you would take the time to give the feedback you gave. It was a thrill each time to get support and advice from each of you.

Finally, now that I’m finished my PhD, I’ve been thinking I’d like to use that title to advocate a bit for the educational possibilities of fantasy stories, RPGs, graphic novels, and other forms of games. If you’re a teacher/educator, I’d like your advice and help. Meet me in this thread.

[Neil Spicer]

I couldn't possibly imagine a classier competitor for RPG Superstar 2009, Trevor. And I'm glad to count you as a personal friend, too. Congratulations on reaching the Top 8. I, for one, am sorry to see you go. I'll miss the humor and creative energy you brought to every round.

Best wishes to you (and your son!),
--Neil

[Eric Bailey]

Pure class, all the way.

Trevor, I've enjoyed your work immensely, and I hope that we'll get to see plenty more from you. Best of luck in your future projects.

-eric

[Clark Peterson]

Wow. That was a great post. You are a classy competitor and that says more about you than my comments ever could.

This was, without question, an awesome round and I hated seeing anyone not advance from this round. The quality was so, so high.

Best of luck to you, my friend. And if this year is anything like last year I'm sure we will be seeing more of your name.

And say hi to your son for me. :) Tell him being a lawyer is great.

[Mike Welham]

I'll echo the sentiments of those before me. I look forward to seeing your name on a future Paizo product. :-)

[Steven Helt]

The community could takes lessons from your class,humility and enthusias. That's not a knock on the community, just pointing out that you set a great standard for your fellows.

That is really appreciates. I'm sorry to see you go, but I'm glad we met while I panned your stuff. : )

I hope to meet you at Gen COn and see you 'round these parts often.

[The Jade]

What taig said.

[allen trussell]

Well played, sir, well played! Good luck to you and your son. I hope to see more from you both in the future!

[Sue Flaherty]

Cheers to a great competitor and an awesome sounding dad :)

Can't wait to see what you get your hands on next, Trevor, I've loved your stuff the whole ride!

[Matthew Stinson]

I wish you the best of luck in all your future projects. Your manner over the pass couple of months says a lot about your character. Thank you for supporting everyone in the contest and your friendly comments to everyone. I hope to see more of your work as times goes on.

[Mike Speck]

Sir, you are a gentleman and a scholar. Congrats on the great run.

[Jason Nelson]

Big ups to you and your son.

I actually changed one of my votes last round from Kevin (the runaway front-runner) to you cuz I hoped you would make it through, but congrats on getting to Top 8 and all the best as you keep trying to make it in the biz!

[Erik Mona]

Very nicely said. It was a pleasure having you (and your son!) in the contest.

[Adam Daigle]

...and this is why I voted for you consistently.

Well done!

[Cicattrix]

thouching... elegant...
lucky son to have such a dad...

[Stefan Schulz]

Written much more compellingly than I managed. :)

It has been a pleasure getting to see what you came up with, each and every round. You deserved top 8, and had I had my way, beyond. It would have been a really tough shootout between you and Neil in the finals for me.

[Eric Morton]

Trevor, Trevor, Trevor.

You're doing this "confessions/reflections thread" thing all wrong. I think what you really meant to say is this:

Spoiler:

"I don't believe in conspiracies, but if I did - wink, wink, nudge, nudge - I'd say this whole thing was rigged. If not for rampant cheating, how could I have possibly lost? I mean, as it happens, I'm the most prolific writer in Canada. No, in the whole freakin' history of Canada! I'm literally the only Canadian who supports his family by, like, just sitting around, getting paid for being awesome. And I'm on TV every day up here. In fact, I'm so popular, they voted me, like, the freakin' King of Canada!

"Paizo surely took one look at all the thousands of "Canadian celebrity I banged" votes and knew that I was unfairly made of ten times more win than my closest rival. So they secretly chose to eliminate me behind the scenes. Because, you know, their goal here is to skip over authors who generate lots of interest in their company; for as you know, Paizo is secretly some sort of tax shelter that saves investors money by failing to earn a profit.

"So screw all you unprofessional ingrates for failing to see that I'm clearly so freakin' awesome that I'm going to win the next four consecutive RPG Superstar competitions. And the 2012 season of American Idol. Which I know for a fact, because, unlike all you mindless sheep who agree with contest judges and their so-called "legitimate criticism," I'm such a freakin' genius that I invented a time machine, which I used to leap forward and bask in my own future glory!

This posted on the same day the Top 4 entries are revealed, so as to create the greatest possible distraction; that being the proper way to post a confessions and/or reflections thread.

More seriously, you've been a worthy finalist and a class act. I'm sure I speak for everyone who competed this year when I say that it's been a pleasure competing with you. Congrats in making the Top 8, congrats on your PhD, and good luck in all your future endeavors.

Don't be a stranger.
-Eric

[Taliesin Hoyle]

RPG Superstar 2009 Top 8. Pathfinder Society Member. 2,622 posts (6,752 including aliases). 1 review.

Tarren Dei is hardly a stranger to the boards.

[MakeItADouble]

Good (O)nion!

[roguerouge]

Tarren Dei wrote:

meet me in this thread ...

Consider yourself "met"!

[Harley Q]

I just wanted to say it was always a joy to read your encouraging and thoughtful posts during this competition. You do Canada proud! If you are ever on the east coast, you are welcome at our place for a beer. Or rum. Pick your poison :)

- Harley