My RPG players remain cooler than yours.
Though if they keep this up, I’m going to look into setting up a shop somewhere on here.
Just a quick post for today! Going to set myself up for a writing sprint this evening!
Stay safe out there, folks!
-JB Swift
Well folks, I tried. I tried to keep up the pizza delivery work as a possible alternative to staying at home while the grievance process went through, but the pay wasn’t enough to make it worthwhile.
Having the kids cry and seeing the worried expression on my wife’s face at my leaving for a night shift, after getting used to me being around them so recently, was a factor, I’ll admit. But economics and quality of life were the driving influences in that choice.
It was costing more in fuel and planned maintenance for the vehicle than what I could make at the best possible chances in a week’s worth of shifts. In effect, I was losing money by working that job again. Coming home to a darkened house every night, knowing my family hadn’t had me around when I was so near, and missing out on the routines we had made over the years, was driving me back into a depression from which I had just managed to get free so recently.
I turned in my cap and shirt. I’ll still be on payroll if we ever get desperate, but I’ll turn my attention to something else. Something I know I’ve wanted to learn and work at (but never had the chance to further my education, thanks to the career), and would challenge me.
I’ll write about it once I’ve confirmed my choice.
In any event, it’s time for an event! A gaming session! First one in nearly a month!
Good Lord, I’ve needed one.
Stay safe out there, folks!
-JB Swift
I’ve managed to sleep soundly for once in over a week.
Fine, fine… I’ll keep following doctor’s instructions…
But for moments when I can’t do something, I can at least teach something, so Han will have a bit of time going over Right Hand Staff for Kung Fu. It’s the first weapons form we go over when we reach the Intermediate Levels in our training, and it’s something I can explain while keeping my ass parked in a chair.
And having been told, quite bluntly, by my wife that “You aren’t going anywhere today,” I’m going to put my headphones on and whittle away at my stories. Namely, I want to take another look at my Tall Tales short story.
A beta-reader looked it over and told me why it had never been published, which was humbling.
It’s also Game Day! We get to go back into the SWRPG Campaign, where the Field Group are hurtling towards the Rising Action of the Main Arc!
I just hope that I’ve written that well enough to get their interest!
Stay safe out there, folks! I’m slowly recovering but at least I can feel the progress.
-JB Swift
It would have been hilariously ironic if I didn’t write up a post for today, but I am here!
For all that I am not a holiday person, a few notable days like today are special to me. It’s an easy excuse to celebrate one of the little niches of my nerdy interests, but I also get to use it as a day to make announcements related to the day’s noteworthiness.
Firstly, I’ve mentioned that we now have an artist for Sidewinder Stories. What I haven’t told you is that he has given the Sidewinder Stories two incredible pieces of art: our logo and our banner.
It’s one thing to say that we play a Star Wars themed RPG. It’s also one thing to say that I write fan-fiction. But it’s something else entirely to say that other people are joining in that fan-fiction building and that it has something of permanence to it.
(We are currently debating on the various types of the logo that Alex has given us, but as the GameMaster, I’ve decided that this one will be used when I’m writing a story or building a page on the website. Stay tuned for other writer contributions and/or artwork!)
While I will be adding on a page dedicated to Alex’s work, I did want to start promoting him here, so if you’d like to consider him for commissions, please check out his Instagram at Alex!
I do have a lot of writing to attempt to wade through this evening. I’ll be adding to the Subscriber pages, namely explanations and a little of the history, plus the most recent chapter edits! There’s also homework for me, as I need to learn how to properly set up a wiki format here for the Sidewinder Stories.
…it’s a bit startling how big this has grown, but that’s what happens when people are passionate about their hobbies.
Stay safe out there, folks, and May the Fourth Be With You, Always.
-JB Swift
Guess who fell asleep at their desk while handling back-and-forth’s between four individual players, arranging new projects, reformatting site pages, and agonizing over an outline?
If you groaned audibly with the phrase “Dammit, Swift”, don’t worry. You’re not alone. I’m waiting for the day my kids use that line; they hear me say it often enough.
But it was a very creative evening, for all that it was cut short by circadian rhythms. Players are coming forward with not just session requests but stories of their own, with project requests and questions for their plots.
It wasn’t until after helping one player with establishing a story background that I had a moment of self-realization: this has become a fan-fiction franchise.
… awesome, but daunting.
One big thing that’s occurred will be jump-starting my drive to update and organize the ‘wiki-style’ pages for the campaign: we have an artist! In due time, we’ll be giving these characters their own visuals. I’m going to set up a page dedicated to the artist so they’ll be able to be contacted for commissions and otherwise show their work, so expect that announcement soon.
You damn right I promote the artists I work with.
Along with that, it’s been editing established site pages and attempts to push my stories further along. At which point, exhaustion hits.
Sigh. Welp, we’ll keep trying.
Stay safe out there, folks.
-JB Swift
After a month of delays, depressions, and schedule mishaps, we’re finally gathering around the metaphorical game table for an evening of dice and shenanigans!
Sigh. It feels good to be ‘home’.
Now, with the damaged vocal cords (yes, I’ve been through the ringer lately) and my voice being that of Batman on a time limit, I don’t know how well I will be able to act.
But damn if I don’t try.
Stay safe out there, folks!
-JB Swift
If you take a look around the place, you’ll no doubt notice that some changes have been made to the appearance and layout of my little corner. And you’d be right!
Firstly: when I put this site together in the beginning, I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I didn’t realize until I went back through a few essays that navigating this place could be a headache for everyone who doesn’t know how I organize things. That made it comfortable for me, but that’s not the point of having a website to show off my work.
Secondly: a subscriber messaged me and asked if I could fix a few things, after I reminded her that she pays me for the content I put up, so her opinion carries legitimate weight.
Ahhh, capitalism. A great idea; just needs strict ethics following it around.
Thirdly: some of the stuff here was just old or was hindering me from publishing. I had to take down a couple short stories that I was trying to submit to a magazine here and there, after realizing that they couldn’t publish anything if I had already put a copyright here. So, I had played myself from getting my name out there by actively protecting myself. Go figure.
A consequence of this was, as you’ve noticed, that a lot of my pages and links are either down or under construction. That’s because as I’m learning, some aspects of the template here are also being updated or restructured. Note to the subscriber: don’t feel guilty that I have more work to do, it really needs to be done.
I’ll be fixing things up and setting them back up in the top menu (had to figure out why I lost a whole damn menu option yesterday; that was frustrating) over time and after consulting with my subscriber. If any of you, readers, spot something that you wanted fixed or just put back up, let me know!
It feels very mercenary of me to mention, but if you donate or subscribe, I’m kinda obligated to listen to you.
My Personal pages and the primary page for the Sidewinder Stories should be active, and the Search Bar can help you find something that doesn’t have an active link. I’m now off to write a little more in the sci-fi story and the SWRPG novel. And to message my players so I can set up my next sessions. And also talk to the artist who’s coming into the campaign.
It only sounds overwhelming until I remember that I can type really fast. Stay safe out there, folks!
-JB Swift
A Saturday night that hasn’t surrendered to the chaos of adult living!
I can be irresponsibly responsible!
Trust me, it makes sense. Ask your neurodivergent friends.
I’ll be able to step back into Zino’s Solo Arc and move that story a little bit forward, tonight. After that, I’ll be answering a question I’ve had about the sci-fi novel that’s been bugging me: ‘how do you map out an interstellar empire’?
Answer: notepad!
It’ll be a wild evening for me!
Stay safe out there, folks.
-JB Swift
I’m not entirely sold on that title, but it did make me laugh.
I am emphatically not an artist in the traditional sense. I cannot tell you how many times I have warned my players “this is not to scale” when drawing out an idea.
That said, I will keep trying!
That’s an old picture. I swear I’ve made progress…cue anxiety…
I’ll keep working!
Stay safe out there, folks.
-JB Swift
Starting the day with an event I wish was more of a routine and a more visually-inspiring moment: greeting the dawn on my property.
It’s slightly frustrating to know that there’s a gorgeous sunrise in the distance, but you live in a sparsely wooded area.
The biphasic sleep pattern konked me out before 10 and back in at 2, so I managed to get a bit of writing work done. Part of that was wrestling with the ever-present self doubt of writing a sci-fi story, wanting to provide a “hard” science for that story, but unable to present that science as plausible.
I could’ve written some great stories back in the 60’s.
Following up on that desire to get back into old routines, I’ve made it back home from the mail route, tumbled the kids into their beds, did the ‘responsible adult’ thing of paying a few bills (I still mail out my payments and work through a ledger…I know, but it’s comfortable), and now I have time to write!
Which means I’ll be shutting off social media for a couple hours and fighting my executive dysfunction to get at least five pages!
Since the main project for tonight is the SWRPG story, I thought it’d be appropriate to list upcoming sessions, campaign news, and story news!
We have four(!) upcoming sessions: focusing on Zino’s further delving into making a Star Wars version of James Bond (“Secrets of Csilla: From Here to Yaga Minor” will be written up shortly), hopefully followed up this Thursday (I’m really hoping I didn’t mess up my calendar); Beak learning more about his enigmatic past with his new companion, Sion; a first-time session with a new character, the Wookiee’s take on Druidism named Li (Liakdrrl); and the Main Arc session that (unfortunately) was put on hold due to adulting (third time rescheduling’s the charm, or so my fellow insane GameMasters say).
Yes, my performance anxiety as a ‘professional’ DM is ramping up just thinking about it.
Personal Note: I really want to work on the Orada Novella, which would be a great standalone story, but I’m trying to be responsible with my writing time.
We also now have a Campaign Artist! I’ll be releasing more information on them soon, especially when I can show off their artwork here and help promote their work (expect a link to their social profiles soon), but expect a few changes to the SWRPG section of the website it becomes more and more personalized as a fan-fiction writing.
With that, it’s time I turned off social media, plugged in my headphones, and whittle away at the keyboard until I either accomplish my goal or wake up in the middle of the night with a crick in my neck.
Stay safe out there, readers.
-JB Swift
Swift's Corner 