Can’t remember if I’ve mentioned it on here, but my partner Emily is an actor and is currently doing this 24 hour immersive theatre / puzzle room / larp / fine dining / Lovecraftian thing that just got reviewed in Eurogamer:
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Looks like this may be the end of the road. She needs to be in the top 5 but is currently 8th with only 3.5 hours to go. Thanks to everyone who voted!
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Oh no, finished 7th. Pretty damn close to getting into the next round.
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It may not be the most useful book to everyone here, but I dun written a textbook, about veterinary cytology - the study of cells under the microscope… Available at all good booksellers, and Amazon.
https://amzn.eu/d/4D69tkm
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Will you be reading the audiobook version, or are they getting Stephen Fry to do it?
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I’m in negotiations with Joe Pasquale.
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Also I want to give huge huge thanks to @Gus for above and beyond invaluable editing work. Incredibly generous and kind and silkiest, thank you!
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Not Joe Pesci?
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Oh you think cytology is funny, eh? Funny how?
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I think it’s some kind of clown, here to amuse me.
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The shoe polish on the microscope eye pieces was pretty funny.
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I thought cytology was funny until I went to the exams, and saw really old students (that I had never seen around the campus) still taking it. That cut all the laughing very quickly.
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So I have finally finished my book! It goes live on Thursday, the 21st. Thanks to the wonders of the Amazonnet, I think it’s available everywhere.
Rather than rewrite anything, here’s the prelaunch email I sent to folks:
What do we do with the wrong things done to us?
And the wrong things we have done?
These are fundamental human questions; ones everyone will ask at some point. And these are questions lurking throughout the book.
The book? Yes! The Book! It’s finished!
I first sat down in 2012 to begin the outlines and drafts. Much has happened since, and some years have held long hours of progress and polish, while others have held only a few. Most everyone on this list has heard about it at some point and has eagerly continued to ask how it is going and when it will be done.
It’s a joy to finally answer: Thursday.
This Thursday, the 21st, the book drops. You can pre-order the ebook now. The print version will go live at 8pm Eastern. Both are available on Amazon - the US listing is here but you’ll have to search for The Unforgiven by Daniel Murphy for other countries.
That’s it, that’s the important bit. I’ll send another note on Thursday evening. If you want more, details…
What’s the book about again?
It’s about a janitor. One day, things go horribly wrong and, before he knows it, he’s condemned to a suicide mission with 12 other criminals. This is how things work in the future, after the weather turns on humanity and only a few isolated pockets of recognizable civilization are left scattered around the world.
He wants to go back, to fix it. To put everything back together. But he, and the men with him, will need to survive first. And to come to terms with all the broken things they have left behind.
I’m in! Should I get the ebook or the print? What’s better for you?
What’s best for me is a reader, a review, and maybe a recommendation. Get whichever medium you prefer! With paper and shipping, it really is all the same on my end.
Will you sign my book!
Whenever I see you! I need to work on a signature, though, so your front page doesn’t look like a doctor’s prescription.
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Hey folks - last you’ll hear about this unprompted but one more post because it’s Live!
(queue fancy marketing materials)
All very exciting.
And the passage I put out to the email list:
The descent into chaos was immediate. Taj’s voice cut over the comm with a whispered curse, asking what had happened. The marks on the small hill began boiling down toward us, catching the motion in the ravine. The marks on the ridge did not move, too high up to know what was happening, I hoped. Or perhaps waiting for a signal.
“Thatch you Ivan, you oil sucking, inbred, rustic humping…” Crisp ran on in a constant torrent, as he chased them and began firing shots up the hill, trying to salvage the plan.
Too late.
Abel shouted after him to fall back, but Crisp was already gone. The second one through. The more dangerous place. Underneath this ran an urgent whisper, Stump trying to communicate the status to Taj and Kodiak.
I stood. My job was to follow Abel. Abel was not moving. I watched the display on the Ears in horror as the patch of red flowed toward us.
“Double time, let’s move,” said Abel, breaking up the chatter. He began running up the hill, angled toward the ravine, perhaps to intercept the small army descending on Crisp.
“Crisp, you better run like a gazelle, those spragging thatchers sprang this mousetrap and you’re in it!” he shouted, and I couldn’t tell if it was curse or encouragement.
“I’ve got this,” Crisp shouted back. We couldn’t see him anymore. “State’s balls, so many!”
“Keep firing! Kody and Taj can’t be on the hill yet.” I still watched the Ears, but it was all red churning about.
“Thirteen!” I startled out of my jog. “I need Eyes! Loft it! Talk to Crisp!”
“We aren’t–” The plan.
“Loft it! Pope, stay here.” And they were gone.
I sent the Eyes up and waited for the picture. More shots were sounding, and the shouting of battle had begun. I glanced at the Ears and saw the blotch from the ridge coming down. Nedder, nedder, nedder. They must have started when the shooting began.
I leapt on the Eyes when the picture came up and dialed it in. Crisp…Crisp was running like a thatcher, chased by ten or fifteen Outlanders. Kodiak and Taj were near the crest now, but some Outlanders had hunkered down on top and weren’t running. I saw what Abel had done, by running a slant on the hill he’d made the third point of a triangle, giving all three teams clear lines of fire. I watched the dots in horror, Abel chasing the Outlanders chasing Crisp, Taj and Kodiak trying to cautiously hurry to secure the hill.
“Talk to me, Thirteen,” Abel called out.
I was the only one seeing all this.
“I told you he’s useless,” said Taj’s voice.
“Shut up.” No time.
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I’ve done two of them now, so I’ve added a section for reference cards (play aids) to Roger’s Rules. Ashes and Steampunk Rally.
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Not me, but my partner Emily is now working for Bridge Command immersive experience in London, and it is very awesome.
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Here’s a video of me awkwardly explaining my new textbook!
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It’s been a while and I feel like mentioning Roger's Pocketmod rules again—rules for board games designed to be folded into an 8-page booklet. I also supply the version with standard page order and orientation, which works quite well on a phone screen. Now up to 54 items. Requests welcome.
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I’ve been writing reviews for a site called Board Game Quest, and I just put up a list of the best traditional card games:
Curious to hear what others’ favorites are!
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I adore Hearts! Must learn Cribbage.
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