I’ve been spending a lot of time editing these days, and the writing I’m getting done is largely of the non-fiction variety, so when Justin Sirois approached me and asked if I would consider writing some encounters for his Dungeon Dealer Kickstarter I was intrigued. Then, once I’d checked out the project, I was excited to say yes 🙂

In grade one, one of my favourite parts of the school library was the spinning shelf in the back corner which held all the Choose Your Own Adventure books. They were meant for older kids, but I devoured them just the same. Around about grade three (I think) the school brought in some Choose Your Own Adventure books aimed at a younger audience and I consumed those too.

In grade seven the boy I had a crush on played Dungeons and Dragons and, though I had no idea what Dungeons and Dragons was, I wanted to play it too (both to impress him and also because it sounded cool). The problem was I had no one to play with, no idea how to play it or even where to find the books to learn (this was before Google and I lived in a small town with no bookstore). Eventually, in the book section of a thrift store a couple towns over I found a handful of Choose Your Own Adventure-type books in which the protagonist (me!) had to roll dice and keep track of hit points. I played those and enjoyed them… some more than others LOL

Two years later the boy I was dating, who was not the same one I’d had a crush on back in grade seven, DMed my very first D&D game–well, D&D-ish game. We had a borrowed monster manual, some character sheets and a whack of d6s. It was pretty improvisational–and I was hooked. Well and truly addicted.

Dungeon Dealer as a solo activity feels a little bit like those D&D Choose Your Own Adventure-type books, but it has the potential for so much more within a group. I think it will be an awesome addition to our games, or a super fun way to throw together a quick dungeon to run through just for kicks when the party wants to do some hack and slash and forget about detailed plots.

I’m stoked about it, and I’m even more stoked to be writing a handful of the encounter cards. It’s gonna be a good time and, for better or for worse, give people a peek at what my D&D groups have to (get to?) deal with on a regular basis 😉