Next week I'm having a reunion with old high school friends, and we're going to play our first D&D game together in 30 years. I'm preparing a module, and I forgot how much work it is, or how much fun it was.  I was always the Dungeon Master, so its my role to prepare the module. I went overboard and created a whole world. You know what? It's essentially like writing a novel. 

Lots of D&D players go on to write. It's a thing. Wargaming, simulations and being a novelist are imagining worlds and  trying to summon them into life.

I'm looking forward to the game next week. Several of our old players are no longer with us. That makes me sad, but I'm glad a few of us are still here to make the magic again, but there will be difference. No beer, no pizza, and only healthy snacks. No "all nighters". Side talk of girlfriends, classmates and future plans will be replaced with conversations about doctors appointments, ex-wives, children and grandchildren. Ah, but the magic will be there, I know it. 

My module's series name is "Old Souls, Young Worlds."  Here's a sneak peak. Does this sound like a module you would want to play?

​Whispers have trickled out from the depths of the Wald der Dunkelheit, the Forest of Darkness. Tragedy has struck Anfänge, an isolated village nestled deep in the far northern reaches of the Versteck Valley. The villagers are said to have offended spirits that dwell deep below the hills. A curse has befallen the small mining community. The villagers huddle in their homes for fear of what lurks in the valley’s shadowy forests. The miners dare not even enter the shafts.  Now, a desperate plea for help has reached the distant towns beyond the valley. Tragedy has struck as several young maidens have vanished, including the beautiful daughter of the bürgermeister himself.
 
Months have passed and Anfänge’s pleas go unanswered. Old Graf Verfallen, who administers the Versteck Valley and the rest of the southern Wald,  has long been unable to guarantee the security of far-flung villages, including Anfänge.  King Löwe’s unending war against the Elfenreiche has nearly emptied the kingdom’s coffers. Vassals like Graf Verfallen’s have been stripped of warriors and gold, leaving little to protect their fiefdoms.  Verfallen’s forces rarely leave their garrison in Wellgunde, the fortress town of the Renos River. 
 
Anfänge stands alone. 
 
Rumors of a bounty offered by the bürgermeister have spread far beyond the Renos River. While details are sketchy, everyone knows Anfänge is a mining town. Where there is mining, there is often treasure That is what has drawn you to this seedy tavern in Wellgunde, and brought you together with your companions. Surprisingly,  you have learned that you are the only adventures thus far who have answered the bürgermeister’s call. King Löwe’s wars and the promise of plunder in the north have drawn away more seasoned adventurers. 
 
Across the deep and cold Renos danger, and possibly great reward, awaits. Are you up for the challenge? 

Being an independent author in the Information Age isn't easy. Authors want readers to discover and read their books. However, there are MILLIONS of books available by tens of thousands of authors across the English-speaking world. Getting your book noticed is beyond difficult, especially if your books are different. Even if someone notices your novel, not everyone is a fan of the genre you write in. Even traditionally published authors, to include those by major publishers, find it a challenge to get their books noticed, let alone read. I could go on. Yesterday, an extraordinarily rare event happened to me, something akin to seeing a unicorn. 

BLACK SEA GODS  got noticed, purchased, read and reviewed by a complete stranger on the other side of the planet. Not just reviewed, but reviewed in a completely unique way that rarely, if ever happens to an indie author. 

Out of the blue, I got tagged on X by a book reviewer from the UK informing me he had reviewed my novel BLACK SEA GODS. He not only reviewed it, he used it to debut his new book review channel on Youtube, "Writing Stick Man, Let's Read an Indie." On this channel, he reviews and interprets an independently-published novel with stick man art. It's funny, and it's unique approach to book reviews.  

First, the review was highly positive. Yes, he had a few negative critiques, but the overall verdict was still overwhelmingly positive. Second, it was really weird (and funny) to see his "stick man" interpretations of scenes and characters. Those interpretations are obviously meant to be a creative angle to set his channel apart and get noticed. The crazy thing is it provided wonderful feedback on how my literary imagery was interpreted by the reader. I've never had that happen before! What was great was when he drew his stick figures of the main characters (with no labels) and I knew who they were. To me, as a writer, that was extremely validating!

It was an honor to be this channel's first book review. I really wish this guy all the luck in the world with his channel, and also with his own writing career.  

My camera and I are back out on the road. I'm gathering images of the Beautiful and the Abandoned across the Alabama Wiregrass for my next "Abandoned Wiregrass" book. This book has a more focused, and historically based theme, as I will be retracing the steps of some of Alabama's earliest pioneers. Specifically, I am following the trail of those who built and used the famous Three Notch Road that helped open southern Alabama to settlement. 

In that light, I will be focusing on the following Alabama and Florida Counties: Escambia (FL), Santa Rosa (FL) Covington, Coffee, Crenshaw, Pike, Bullock, Barbour and Russell.  Generally, this area will be an arc between the Escambia/Conecuh River and the Yellow/Pea Rivers as it arcs from Pensacola, FL to Phenix City, AL.  

I've already created over 100 images, talked to historians, locals, and accomplished hours of research. This is shaping up to be an exciting, if somewhat overwhelming, project. Check back for more images and updates