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Hi, all: Here's a link for my IndieGoGo Medusa's Guide for Gamer Girls.
I am VERY passionate about getting more women interested our tabletop RPG hobby. I'm just as passionate about wanting to advise women on how break into the gaming industry as writers or editors, as women are often more fearful of putting themselves out there--whether it be the fear of rejection or failure. But the hobby just flat-out needs more female representation!
Now, even though I've been nicknamed THE Feminist Conspiracy, I really enjoy my male gaming friends! So note that this is not a book I will write to exclude them or degrade them; in fact, I'll seek some male perspectives on the issues brought up within the book. But I do want to discuss the problems we face as women gamers and how to overcome them, and some of those problems involve dealing with guys who are not very open minded or who simply see women as objects. I also want to introduce readers to some positive women role models who are industry professionals, and I want to talk about how women can break into this industry--if that is their goal.
This book has been inspired by the many panels I've done on the topic of women and gaming, especially by the Gamer Girls Unite & Write panel I did with Amanda Hamon and Amber Scott at PaizoCon 2013. Those have all been well-attended--by both men and women--panels.
So, I guess you might want to know who the heck I am before supporting this project. I've been a gamer since the early 1980s, having started with D&D. I play Pathfinder (including PFS), Savage Worlds, and RIFTS, mostly--but I will try most any RPG. I had my first publication in Dungeon #61, which I co-authored with a friend. Nowadays, I write, edit, develop, and publish gaming material. I'm a developer with Rogue Genius Games and Misfit Studios; and I publish my own line at Christina Stiles Presents. I've done freelance work for Paizo Publishing, Kobold Press, Green Ronin Publishing, White Wolf Studios, Troll Lord Games, and many others. In 2012, I was a GenCon Industry Insider Guest of Honor. You can find my website (which needs updating to add more book releases) at www.christinastiles.com. One of my upcoming projects is Strange Brew: The Ultimate Witch & Warlock for Pathfinder, which is kickstarting now through February.
In short, I love RPGs! I love them so much, in fact, that I want to write, edit, develop, and publish them on a full-time basis. So backing this electronic book (pdf, mobi, epub) helps me leave the day job behind and be able to support my family. My husband and I have had a very hard time of things over the last few years (he's been unable to work for 3 years, and has been trying that long to receive disability; because of this, I had to file Chapter 13 bankruptcy), but I believe we are headed for better times; and my working on the things I love and being at home help me and the husband enjoy a closer relationship.
So, support a book about women and gaming to help a woman gamer and game designer make a full-time go of her dream.
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Well done Christina. More power to you and all those you hope to inspire and support.
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Sounds good, definitely something worthy of support.
Now if only the funding site didn't cause my phone to have a seizure.
Thanks, Morgan! I'm not sure about the site, Scythia. I've never had any issues with it. If you need to go direct to paypal, just send me a message here. I'd appreciate any support.
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I haven't updated the IGG page yet, but Amber Scott, Amanda Hamon, Rachel Ventura of Legendary Games, Carinn Seabolt, LJ Stephens (She who holds the heart strings of Owen Stephens), Jodi Black of Pinnacle Entertainment, Emily Care Boss, Monica Marlowe, Sabrina Pandora of http://www.giantgirladventures.com/, Dawn Fischer of Frog God Games, Tracy Davis Hurley, Naomi Tripp...are on board. More coming!
Please post any topics you'd like to see covered. We haven't finalized a Table of Contents. I'm just gathering interested parties at the moment. I'd love for a lady Venture Captain to write something for this.
Bumping
Awesome! Will check this out later when I've got time.
Nowhere near that book.
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give me about 2 weeks and i'll be in at 50.
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Ima spread this around a bit.
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Ima spread this around a bit.
Please do! There will be articles about raising gamer kids in this, too!
Looking forward to reading the book - thanks!
Thanks for the support, everyone!
If there is something in particular you'd like to see covered within, let me know here, as I'm in the process of working on the Table of Contents and assigning essays to my contributors.
Since the book is going to cover growing gamer kids, should I change the name to Medusa's Guide for Gamer Girls and Gamer Families?
Thoughts?
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MG to Growing up Game/Gamer/Gamers?
MG for Gamer kids?
Sounds like the spread might need a rethink on the title.
Women (and girls) in gaming - with an emphasis on women in the industry.
Kids learning to game.
Families introducing kids to games.
Hmmm
Medusa's Guide to Modern Gaming?
You could put you as a 50's/60's/70's dressed Medusa on the cover, with appropriate trade dress and type, playing against the old Modern Lifestyle/Dating self help/advice books.
Lots of helpful sidebars on so's and don'ts and sneak peeks at cringeworthy social tropes and debacles of gaming's past…
Just a thought...
You could put you as a 50's/60's/70's dressed Medusa on the cover, with appropriate trade dress and type, playing against the old Modern Lifestyle/Dating self help/advice books.
Lots of helpful sidebars on so's and don'ts and sneak peeks at cringeworthy social tropes and debacles of gaming's past…
Just a thought...
Such as the trope that EVERY gaming world bought their women's clothing from Frederick's of Hollywood?
;P
Bumping this.
Oh, good. I thought I'd killed this thread. I do want to see this made, Christina.
Thanks, all!
Ha! Thanks, Mike!
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Some info:
I've reached out to several friends and industry women for this book. So far, I will have contributions from the following:
Jodi Black (Award-winning editor & licensing for Pinnacle Entertainment Group, makers of Savage Worlds--one of my favorite games)
Emily Care Boss (she of RPGGirl Zine)
Amanda Hamon (Paizo contributor and editor on several Kobold Press projects)
Tracy Davis Hurley (Game writer, superhero, she who incites web wars with a mere feminist word and ruins games for all men)
Monica V. Marlowe (Superhero)
Emily Mottesheard (My Rogue Mage layout guru and an accomplished artist--we'll be doing a panel on women and gaming together at Mysticon in VA in Feb)
Sabrina Pandora (Comics producer)
Amber Scott (First female Paizo AP writer MAY be joining us)
Carinn Seabolt (Game company owner and power GM)
Lj Stephens (Superhero, she who owns Owen Stephens, power GM)
Christina Stiles (Medusa, THE Feminist Conspiracy, she who writes cheesy adventures, she who adores bards, she of the great cackle, she who burns water)
Naomi Tripi (Game designer, entrepreneur, mother, fangirl, she who lives the dream, mediocre cook, and awkward dancer)
Rachel Ventura (Legendary Games's business manager, she who reads Cthulu stories at ice cream gatherings, and she of the cutest twins who ever played Faery's Tale)
Rachel Welham (teenaged PFS player and daughter of an RPG Superstar--I think this is her writing debut! Watch out gaming world!)
@Christina: What about Miranda Horner?
Wonders about a certain CEO. ;)
@Christina: What about Miranda Horner?
Miranda is working on some Numenera edits, so I thought she'd be tied up. I can ask, however.
I've asked Jean Rabe, who will be writing a story for the Strange Brew kickstarter relaunch, but I haven't received confirmation from her at this point.
Wonders about a certain CEO. ;)
Ah yes. Lisa Stevens.
Ah yes. Lisa Stevens.Wonders about a certain CEO. ;)
Yes, Lisa was one of the first people I reached out to. Unfortunately, she's one very busy lady, so I couldn't get her on board. I regret that I totally missed an opportunity to have her on our panel at PaizoCon--missed the email that she could make it, if we wanted.
I've also reached out to Nicole Lindroos. She's very busy, too, as you might imagine, so she has not committed to the project at this point--but hasn't fully said no yet.
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Mwahaha! The female conspiracy strikes again! Awesome indeed! The tabletop RPG gaming industry could definitely benefit from female gamers and designers and hey, if there's a better way to build a child's brain up than an RPG, then I don't know what is! (Public schooling, smublic schmooling! Er, is that even correct gibberish?! :/ ). If I have any spare cash after I have to fork out about $800 for college books, I can throw the money at this and be 'Ze Mowl' for the 'Ze Conspeeracee' of female gamers! There better not be a 'Cute Eyelash Batting' feat in the book or else you have given my PCs an advantage over the GM! ;)
Multitude of people I know, nice to see you all again!
Thanks, Jeff! Thanks, guys!
Info about the Medusa's Guide for Gamer Girls is on Nerd Trek.
What about Connie Thomson, formerly of 4 Winds Fantasy Gaming? She wrote a lot of material for the very well received Luven Lightfinger's Gear & Treasure Shop, the 4WFG Witch class in Paths of Power, as well as quite a bit of The Book of Arcane Magic and the Book of Divine Magic. Not to mention doing the layout of all of 4WFG's earlier material and being co-owner of a small 3PP. She also did a gaming column for Geeks Dream Girl.
I know she's not the name that most of your other contributors are, and she's got academic obligations for most of the spring, but she's worth reaching out to.
Granted, I say that as a friend of hers, and am unashamedly biased.
Would you mind touching base with her to see if she would be interested?
This project will be a participant inIndieGoGo's International Women's Day program. For every $25 raised on March 3rd, they will donate $1 to the project.
Have Kara contact me, Gregory. I'm looking for contributions from other ladies!
Thanks for your support, Craig!
I emailed her the link and will tell her tonight:)
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Would you mind touching base with her to see if she would be interested?
I linked her to this thread and let her to know contact you if she's available (hard science courses are a major timesink!)
Please help me spread the word on this project on March 3rd for International Women's Day!
Im in for 50, i guess i am feminist at heart.
In for a 100.00, good luck on this, I am a recently (medically) retired veteran from the 3/509th AB, and can empathize with your recent dilemmas. And if this small amount can help you with a dream project. Well that's not a problem.
I will pass around your link to other retired vets in my area, many of whom play RPGs and such.
Good luck mam
Regards.
Wow! Thank you, Cristos! Thank you, Ashtathlon! I appreciate any and all shares. :)
Filemena Young asked to join the project, too! Very excited to have her on board!
Medusa's Guide for Gamer Girls is on IndieGoGo's International Women's Day promotion on page 20. Today (Monday, March 3rd), IndieGoGo will contribute $1 to my campaign for every $25 earned.
The book is meant as a guide to bring more women (and kids) into tabletop gaming. I hope you will contribute. If not, any help in spreading the word would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
How much longer is this still on for? In class right now, so I can't check. Once my friend pays me back the loan for his car payment, I'll drop $50, shameless feminist that I am (Er, CAN males be feminist technically? You get the idea though!)!
It runs to the 19th of this month, so you still have time. :)