Are You Reading Chris A. Jackson? Why The Hell Not!?

So, you find yourself in that awkward place where you don't know what to read next. You want something pulse-pounding, but masterfully constructed. You want stories that are easy to get into, but which aren't simple. You want a little bit of the familiar, a little bit of the strange, and you've already read everything on my Amazon author page. Who's going to give you something like that?

This guy, since you asked.

The fellow whose picture you're admiring is author Chris A. Jackson, and if that name sounds familiar for some reason, it's likely because he wrote both Pirate's Honor and Pirate's Promise for Paizo's Pathfinder Tales.

Ringing a bell now?

More Than Just Golarion

While Mr. Jackson has contributed two, solid tales of adventure and grit to Paizo's ongoing series of fiction set in the world of Golarion, that's just one facet of the jewel that is his career. According to his website, he's written half a dozen fantasy novels of his own, a few sci-fi novels, and he's been a part of some seriously hard-hitting short story anthologies, all of which are available on his Amazon author page. Not only has he been a full-time author since 2009, but he's also an award-winning author, as well as a Kindle bestseller.

Trust me when I tell you that those aren't distinctions they just hand out along with your book cover.

I haven't read all of his books myself, but what I have read I will be more than happy to recommend to anyone looking for a new storyteller to follow. That's praise which doesn't come cheap these days, particularly given how restricted my reading time has become over the past year and change.

At least until the DA puts two and two together. Then I'll have 20 to life to catch up on books.

Don't take my word for it, though. Follow him on Facebook, or check him out on Twitter to see what he has to say. If you're a fan of solid adventure, thought-provoking fiction, and worlds that are whole and distinct, while being easy to slip into, you'll thank me for the recommendation. Whenever, that is, you finish the stack of books you'll likely end up with.

Thanks for stopping by for this Monday's update! If you'd like to help support me and my blog, then consider stopping by my Patreon page to become a patron. I work cheap, and as little as $1 a month can be a really big help. If you want to make sure you stay caught up on all my updates, then be sure to follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter, too, while you're at it.

Using Roleplaying Games as Fodder For Fiction

Anyone who loves genre fiction (which I'm assuming is everyone reading this and countless other gaming blogs out there) is aware that roleplaying games have had a huge impact on the authors of today. From George R. R. Martin to Jim Butcher the influence of tabletop games is strongly (and occasionally a little too easily) seen. In fact last year The New York Times actually admitted Dungeons and Dragons was influential when it came to the storytellers of today.

Better late than never, right?

Roleplaying games are good for creative types in general, and authors in particular. It isn't just the ease of character creation, or learning how to judge the ebb and flow of a tale with the whims of your dice, either (though that certainly helps). Often your next big project is going to start life while you're drinking Mountain Dew and pretending to be a wizard surrounded by some of your friends in a basement somewhere. There are a lot of authors out there, yours truly included, who start a character or adventure with a D20, but who just have to finish them off with a word processor.

I'll even let you behind the scenes a bit and tell you which pieces began their lives as character sheets.

Which Stories Started At The Table?

Perhaps the most widely-read story directly influenced by my own gaming habits is my short story The Irregulars, written for Paizo's Pathfinder Tales. If you haven't read it, but you're a fan of Pathfinder, click the link and check it out. It's free to read, and it's a great introduction to my fiction if you're one of my readers who didn't know I wrote more than character builds and gaming guides.

"Go on, he'll wait" - Lieutenant Sturgeon Hook, Irregulars Commander

While most people who've read my work know me for that one story, there are actually a number of pieces I've had published that were born directly from tabletop games I've played.

One of them is actually in my recently-released book New Avalon: Love and Loss in The City of Steam.

There are two free stories in the preview, as well...

While this book is a collection of noir steampunk stories, buried right in the center of the book is a tasty tale titled The Legend of Black Jack Guillotine. It tells the story of a disgraced headsman who lost the woman he loved, and now haunts Headsman's Wharf exacting revenge on mortals as a way of doing penance for his own sins. His original incarnation was actually an urban legend in Waterdeep handed to the DM to keep the party from committing too many atrocities in the Dock Ward. Chase that innocent girl up a blind alley, and the next thing you know snicker-snack goes bloody black Jack.

It worked surprisingly well, and the concept just wasn't satisfied with remaining a homebrew addition to a single, short-lived campaign.

While this is the most recently-published story to draw on my gaming experience, there are a lot of others my fellow gamers might enjoy. One of my only self-published stories was Jungle Moon, which is a real Vietnam ghost story starring a character I guided through a horror game until he met a messy and untimely end (the full story on that campaign is right here). My story Terror on Saturn VI featured in the collection "Big Damn Heroines" was actually the continued adventures of a squad of female Imperial Regulars that were part of a home-brew Warhammer campaign run by a former DM. Even my story Paths of Iron and Blood featured in "Shadows of a Fading World" has a lead that began his life as a Kellid barbarian I wanted to play, but which I never got the chance to.

As always, thanks for stopping by Improved Initiative! If you want to support me and my blog then check out my books, tell your friends, or if you want to be a little more direct just stop by The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page and become a patron today! And if you want to make sure you're getting all of my updates then be sure to follow me on Facebook and Tumblr as well.

Improved Initiative is Giving Away Free Stuff This Holiday Season!

This Monday I've got great news for all of my readers; this post marks the first centurion of complete entries on Improved Initiative! Gaming geeks everywhere celebrate!

... yay.

Also, since it's the season for giving, I'm making all of my readers a special offer! Anyone who sends me an email through the form on this blog or on my sister blog The Literary Mercenary will be entitled to a free ebook! Several of my titles are up for grabs, including a number of ebooks that have recently gone out of print. Take it for yourself, or give the story to that hard-to-shop-for friend on your Christmas list.

For those who are iffy about giving me a try, remember that my work has appeared in the Pathfinder Tales (and that you can still read The Irregulars right here for free)!

Seriously, you won't want to miss what Sturgeon and his team pull off in Molthune.

In addition to this giveaway I'm also offering a free story to anyone who becomes a Patreon patron before the end of 2014. If you'd like to become a patron, help support Improved Initiative, and get some more free swag then check out my Patreon right here!

Thanks all, have a happy holiday, and follow me on Facebook and Tumblr if you haven't already!

Seizing the Initiative

"Who takes Improved Initiative?"

This question, blatantly asked in The Gamers 2: Dorkness Rising, is one that most players voice at a table. Feats are a big deal after all, so why waste it just to help you go first when combat breaks out?

I'll tell you why.

If you go first then you have the chance to claim the battlefield, and to make the opening moves. You catch your enemies unawares, and you have a better chance of dealing out damage and dropping the threat before it can even draw its sword. The right spell, or the right alchemical item, can completely change the course of combat from that point onward. Characters who go first have the chance to strike hard, fast, and without mercy. That's the kind of player who takes Improved Initiative, and that's the sort of gamer we welcome with open arms.

What's This Blog About?

In the spirit of the title, this blog is here to share tips, tricks, and character builds for all those who are looking for a new and interesting twist on their mechanics. In addition to tuning up your sheet though, we'll also have articles for dungeon masters on the little ways to turn a good game into a great game, and to help players breathe real life into their characters. In between all of that we'll have great gaming stories, amusing pictures, character portraits, and maybe the occasional video that will make any gamer's day.

And Just Who The Hell Are You?

Since I've been using the royal "we", I'll tell you just who the hell I am and why you should listen to me. My name is Neal F. Litherland, and I am an author. I'm also an avid role playing gamer, a DM, and I've contributed to Paizo's Pathfinder game both on the fictional and mechanical sides of things. Before you ask, no, this blog isn't connected to Paizo in any way; these are my own thoughts and opinions about games I've played and that I've both loved and hated.

For those of you who still aren't quite convinced, I've got a couple of references that might pique your interest.

The Irregulars The Irregulars is my first contribution to Paizo's Pathfinder Tales. With Molthune gearing up to go to war, Andoran sends in a team of experts to gum up the works. A suicide squad of loose cannons and skull crackers, the Irregulars are the best and the brightest of the bottom of the barrel. Note that, though this was once free, Paizo has since put it (along with the rest of the Pathfinder Tales up on sale on Amazon... still, it's just a handful of change for a story that I think holds up pretty well!

A Guide to the Best Alchemical Items For those players who want to have a little ace in the hole, there's nothing like the right alchemical tool for the job.

More Bang For Your Bomb A guide I wrote for Kobold Quarterly to help turn your Alchemist into a walking conflagration.

The Laying on of Fists: Feats and Features for Battle Clerics and Paladins This title is pretty self-explanatory; another Kobold Quarterly piece.

Calling in the Cavalry: Mounted Mayhem in Paizo's Pathfinder After I played a Shining Knight, I just had to put this guide together.

50 Shades of Rage: Flavoring The Barbarian's Signature Class Feature:  Because there's more to Rage than meets the eye. Remember that.

You're in the Army Now This is one for the DMs. Does your party fall apart like a soggy sandwich? Whip them into shape and give them a purpose!

Anything Else We Should Know?

I think that's about it for now. However, for those who are more interested in writing than roleplaying, check out my other blog The Literary Mercenary for tips and tricks on being a professional pen monkey. For even more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my cat noir thriller Marked Territory, its sequel Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

If my readers want me to discuss any particular game, or any particular topic under the umbrella of gaming, just drop me a line and I'll look a little deeper into it. If you have something you want to share, let me know and I'll consider people who are serious about guest posts.

Lastly fellow gamers, I leave you with these words of wisdom. Remember, it is always better to do a thing.